"Around the World" is the debut single by German Eurodance band ATC. The song is a cover of the Russian hit "Pesenka" by Ruki Vverh! and uses the song's melody with additional English lyrics. Both songs feature the phrase "la la la la la" in a call and response format. The song is ATC's most successful single, reaching the top 20 in most countries where it was released.
Background
"Around the World " was released as ATC's debut single from their debut album Planet Pop in 1999 in Europe, and in 2002 in the United Kingdom. It was produced and recorded by German producer Alex Christensen with its melody almost entirely based on "Pesenka". The single reached number one on the German Singles chart in 2000. It also reached number one in Austria and Switzerland, and the Top 20 in Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, Finland, France, Italy, Sweden, United Kingdom, Denmark, Poland, Romania and Scotland. It peaked at 24 in the Irish Singles Chart. The song peaked at number 28 on the US BillboardHot 100 chart; however, because of scant promotion for the album and a lack of touring in the US and Canada, follow-up singles failed to make any impact in North America. In 2002, the song was released for the first time in the United Kingdom in a newly remixed version, peaking at number 15.
Track listings
CD single
"Around the World " – 3:35
"Around the World " – 5:37
CD maxi-single
"Around the World " – 3:35
"Around the World " – 3:31
"Around the World " – 3:20
"Around the World " – 5:37
"World in Motion"
12" vinyl
"Around the World " – 3:38
"Around the World " – 5:37
"Around the World " – 3:08
"Around the World " – 4:58
"Around the World " – 5:10
"Around the World " – 3:20
CD maxi-single
"Around the World " – 3:44
"Around the World " – 3:08
"Around the World " – 4:58
"Around the World " – 5:10
UK CD maxi-single
"Around the World " – 3:37
"Around the World " – 3:20
"Around the World " – 7:13
"Around the World " – 4:41
"Around the World " – 3:37
Music video
The music video was filmed in 1999, and part of it was filmed in a pedestrian tunnel near Internationales Congress Centrum Berlin in Berlin. A yellow Melkus RS 1000 with a blue license plate containing the text "ATC" features in the video. The car was perhaps chosen because of its Gull-wing door. It is seen drifting or dashing through the tunnel. In between shots of the car moving, you can see the group members dancing in a room with a small swimming pool. They dance on a small stage, and never enter the water.
In 2007, the song was released with new lyrics as "" by German pop groupbeFour. "", an interpolation of the song, was released by Colombian/Italian singer Carolina Márquez featuring Flo Rida and Dale Saunders in 2013. A cover version of the song was used in a television commercial for General Electric in the United States in February 2002 during the 2002 Winter Olympics. In 2018, Alex Christensen, along with Melanie C and the Berlin Orchestra, made an orchestral version of the song which was included on Christensen's album titled 'Classical '90s Dance 2'.
