Show Me Love (Robin S. song)


"Show Me Love" is a song by American singer Robin S. It was written by Allen George, Richard Tomlinson and Fred McFarlane and originally released in 1990 by Champion Records in the United Kingdom. In 1992, it was remixed by Swedish house music production duo StoneBridge and Nick Nice, New York City's Onionz and re-released in many European countries as well as United States and Japan. It became one of the most well known house anthems in the United Kingdom, and Robin's biggest hit to date. It helped to make house more mainstream and the song is often confused with her following single "Luv 4 Luv", which is compositionally similar and was released around the same time, and with the 1997 hit "Show Me Love" by Swedish singer Robyn, due to same song title and similar artist name.
In the US, "Show Me Love" reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100, number seven on the R&B chart, and number one on the dance club chart. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America and sold 600,000 copies domestically. Additionally, the song went to number six on the UK Singles Chart in April 1993. "Show Me Love" has since been sampled and interpolated in numerous recordings, including "Don't Wanna Go Home" by Jason Derulo and "Show Me" by Kid Ink.

Background

"Show Me Love" was written by American songwriters Allen George and Fred McFarlane and performed by singer Robin Stone. The original version of the song was released in 1990 on British label Champion Records. When recording the song, Robin S. had the flu. In a 2014 interview, she explained on this:
In 1992, Swedish DJ and producer StoneBridge contacted Champion, looking for songs to remix; they suggested "Show Me Love". After they rejected several remixes, StoneBridge created a new mix, using the "organ" preset on the Korg M1 synthesiser to create the distorted bassline. A few days later, he listened to the remix again; he thought it was "pretty bad", but he was persuaded by his girlfriend to submit it.
StoneBridge recalls this process:

Critical reception

editor Alex Henderson noted that Robin S. is "greatly influenced by Evelyn "Champagne" King but obviously her own person" and noted further that "the success of her sleek yet gritty hits "Show Me Love" and "Back It Up" led many to think of Robin as a dance-floor diva." Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Here's a bit of diva-house with a slight twist. Robin's big, finger-wavin' performance is laid atop an understated arrangement of icy cool electro beats." Cash Box stated that "Show Me Love" "will become a testament to any dance floor DJ." Complex noted it as "pure" and "powerful". Anderson Jones from Entertainment Weekly described it as a "techno-tinged house tune". Joe Muggs from Fact wrote that "for all its poppiness, this is a dark, fierce, attitude-filled beast of a record." Music & Media noted that "buzzing synth bass lines and synthesised xylophone are the spine of this American dance prima donna's two hit singles, and Luv 4 Luv." The Orlando Sentinel called the song "hard-driving". Popdust noted "that gorgeous, glorious riff", adding that Robin S. "sounds shell-shocked and devastated, like she's pleading for her guy to show her love, because she just doesn't know if she can take another crushing disappointment. It's very dark, and could have been overwhelmingly dour, if not for the snare-and-hi-hate shuffle that keeps propelling the song forward". TMZ described the song as "infectious".

Commercial performance

In the United States, the 1992 remix peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 on June 12, 1993. And on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart, it peaked at number one, on May 8, 1993. "Show Me Love" also peaked at number 7 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America and sold 600,000 copies domestically. In Canada, the single peaked at number 2 on the RPM dance chart.
In Europe, in the United Kingdom, the song debuted at number 66 on the UK Singles Chart, and peaked at number 6 on April 4, 7 weeks later. It also reached number 2 in Spain, number 9 in Belgium and Switzerland, as well as number 10 in Sweden and Italy. And was a top 20 hit also in Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland and the Netherlands. On the European Hot 100 Singles, "Show Me Love" reached number 26 on September 25 same year. Outside Europe, the song peaked at number 6 in Zimbabwe, number 13 in Israel and later, in 1994, at number 78 in Australia.

Music video

A music video was made which sees Robin S. performing in a club. It was directed by Millicent Shelton. It starts with a young woman arriving at a nightclub in which Robin S. begins to sing on a stage in front of a crowd. She is backed up by a male dancer. The woman goes to the bar where she meet a young man who are buying her a drink. When the chorus comes, some drag queens in the club are lip syncing to it. People are dancing everywhere, while the two are enjoying themselves at the bar. Then they are interrupted by an elderly man trying to talk to the woman. She is not interested and in the scuffle, her pearl band breaks. All the pearls roll down on the floor, while she runs from the bar. The young man picks up some of the pearls and goes out to the woman. Then he puts them in her hand and kisses her. While Robin S. sings the last stanzas of the song, they leave the nightclub together.

Impact and legacy

The song made it to the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, a rare feat for a house song at the time. According to The Guardian, "Show Me Love" has influenced contemporary house songs such as Kiesza's "Hideaway" and Disclosure's "White Noise", and artists such as Clean Bandit and Felix Jaehn. In 2000, VH1 placed "Show Me Love" at number 73 in its list of 100 Greatest Dance Songs.
In 2006, Slant Magazine ranked the song 41st in its 100 Greatest Dance Songs list, adding,
In 2011, The Guardian featured the song in its "A History of Modern Music: Dance".
In 2014, Complex included the song in their "Songs Every Dance Music Fan Should Know, Vol. 1", stating that "it's a perfect track". They wrote,

Accolades

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Track listings

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Chart Position
Netherlands 31
Netherlands 43

Personnel

In 2007, Mobin Master released the very first successful cover version of the song featuring singer Karina Chavez. It was number 2 on Beatport for over 8 consecutive weeks and received a 2008 ARIA Award nomination for Best Dance Release.

Michael Mind version

In 2008, German DJ and producer Michael Mind recorded a cover version of the song using a different vocalist.

Track listing

Charts

Steve Angello and Laidback Luke version

In 2008, following the successful sample of the Mobin Master cover mashup with their song, "Be", Swedish DJ and producer Steve Angello and Filipino-Dutch DJ Laidback Luke used the parts to reconstruct their mashup. Robin S. is featured re-recording her vocals, engineered and co-produced by Mobin Master, which was initially recorded for his version. Also featured are additional vocals from Hal Ritson and Yolanda Quartey. It was originally released through the Happy Music label on December 12, and has had multiple re-releases since. "Show Me Love" is one of Angello's and Luke's best known singles, especially in the United Kingdom where it topped the UK Dance Chart in 2009.
The song was also an international breakthrough for Dutch DJ Hardwell. The song is based on his illegal bootleg mashup of Mobin Master's cover of "Show Me Love", with vocalist Karina Chavez and the instrumental track "Be" by Steve Angello & Laidback Luke.

Track listing

Year-end charts

Sam Feldt version

In 2015, the song was remade by Sam Feldt featuring vocals from Jaya Beach-Robertson. It was released as a digital download on 16 February 2015 through Spinnin' Records. Several remixes were released on 21 June 2015, including EDX's Indian Summer Remix, which became most popular. The song was produced by Sam Feldt.

Track listing

Chart performance

Year-end charts

Certifications

Release history