"Strike It Up" is a song by Italian music group Black Box. It was the fifth

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

from their debut studio album, '' Dreamland'' (1990), and was released on 6 February 1991 in many countries worldwide. The single was a success on many charts, including the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in the United States, where it peaked at number eight. It also topped the ''Billboard''

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chart in June 1991 for one week. In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number 16 on the UK Singles Chart. "Strike It Up" also was a top-10 hit in Denmark, Greece, Ireland, and the Netherlands. And on the

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, the track reached number 38. In 2020, ''

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'' ranked the song number 35 in its list of "The 100 Best Dance Songs of All Time".

Background

The song features an un-credited Martha Wash on lead vocals. However, Wash was not featured in the music video or singles cover art as it was customary for Katrin Quinol, a French model, to be used as the 'face' of the group, and it was her that was featured lip-synching the lyrics sung by Wash. In 1990, after suing over

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, Wash reached an out-of-court settlement with Black Box record label RCA, with financial compensation and a guarantee of proper credit in the future.

Critical reception

Larry Flick Larry Flick is an American journalist, former dance music columnist, single reviewer, and Senior Talent Editor for ''Billboard'' magazine, where he worked for 14 years. Now he produces and hosts Sirius XM radio shows. Flick started in the music ...

from ''

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'' wrote, "Not even the litigation alleging Martha Wash is the actual singer of group's hits can cool interest in this Italo-house act. Busy

rave A rave (from the verb: '' to rave'') is a dance party at a warehouse, club, or other public or private venue, typically featuring performances by DJs playing electronic dance music. The style is most associated with the early 1990s dance mus ...

bears marks similar to previous hits, with a cute (and uncredited) rap adding a street vibe." The Daily Vault's Michael R. Smith wrote in his retrospective review of '' Dreamland'', that "Strike It Up" and " Everybody Everybody" "are definitely the best of the album. These are gay

disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...

anthems that still resonate today, even though the words aren't always easy to comprehend." Dave Sholin from the ''

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'' reported, "Back in the batter's box with a dynamic dance entry featuring the exceptional vocals of Martha Wash, they jump 24-15 at HOT 97 New York where APD/MD Kevin McCabe proclaims it, "one of our secret weapon records." Andrew Smith from ''

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'' called it "a commendably rootsy house pumper". Alan Jones from '' Music Week'' named it Pick of the Week, stating that it has the "usual enrgetic vocal delivery from Martha Wash nicely counterpointed by Stepz's rap. Should strike deep into the Top 40." Davydd Chong from '' Record Mirror'' said, "Needless to say, this is hedonism-a-go-go, slapped onto a seven-inch lump of plastic by the Italian mob. Dead groovy, though not as smart as 'Everybody'. I like it lots." Marc Andrews from ''

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'' declared the song as "pure disco magic".

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Strike it Up" was directed by Neil Thompson.

Impact and legacy

This song has been played during the final TV timeout in the third period at every New York Rangers home game since at least 1996. It is during this song that Rangers fan Larry Goodman, also known as "Dancing Larry," performs his signature dance, to energize the crowd. In 2010, '' Pitchfork'' included the song in their list of "Ten Actually Good 90s

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". In 2017, ''

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'' ranked "Strike It Up" number 57 in its list of "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s". In 2020, ''

'' ranked the song at number 35 in its list of "The 100 Best Dance Songs of All Time". It added that "it can be guiltlessly admitted that 'Strike It Up' is a masterpiece, and it's hard to imagine anyone else's voice han Martha Washrising above the song's battalion of piano house, synth stabs, and, yes, one gigantic 4/4 beat."

Track listing and formats

*7" single #"Strike It Up" (DJ Lelewel mix) – 5:05 #"Strike It Up" (Sensitive Mix) – 3:35 *12" maxi #"Strike It Up" (Original Mix) – 5:58 #"Strike It Up" (DJ Lelewel Mix) – 5:05 #"Strike It Up" (Hardcore Remix) – 3:20 *CD maxi #"Strike It Up" (Radio Edit) – 3:30 #"Strike It Up" (Sensitive Mix) – 3:35 #"Strike It Up" (Original Mix) – 5:58 #"Strike It Up" (Hardcore Remix) – 3:20 *12" maxi - Megaremix #"Strike It Up" (DJ Lelewel Mix) – 5:05 #"Strike It Up" (Hardcore Remix) – 3:20 #"Ride on Time" (The Bright On Mix) – 4:28 #"Strike It Up" (Sensitive Mix) – 3:35 *CD maxi - Megaremix #"Strike It Up" (DJ Lelewel Mix) – 5:05 #"Ride on Time" (The Bright On Mix) – 4:28 #"Strike It Up" (Hardcore Remix) – 3:20 #"Strike It Up" (Sensitive Mix) – 3:35

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Release history

References

{{Martha Wash 1990 songs 1991 singles Black Box (band) songs Deconstruction Records singles English-language Italian songs Polydor Records singles