Bananarama released "Look On The Floor (Hypnotic Tango)", the second single from their comeback album "Drama", on 7 November 2005 in the UK on independent label A&G Productions. The song which takes its chorus off an 80s dance track called "Hypnotic Tango" by My Mine was written by Keren and Sara with Korpi and Blackcell of the Murlyn production team (J-Lo, Britney Spears etc.) and entered the chart at #26. The single features remixes from Jeremy Wheatley (who did the official radio edit), Yomanda, Angel City, Solasso and Soul Seekerz and came in three formats:
CD1: Radio edit + non-album track "Live In The Sun"
CD2: Radio edit, Solasso remix, Soul Seekerz remix, Yomanda remix, Angel City alternative radio edit and the video
DVD single: "Look On The Floor" and "Move In My Direction" videos, "Move In My Direction" Angel City extended remix, a picture gallery and a "The Making of the Look On The Floor video" featurette
The song has been a firm fan favourite ever since the early previews of the track during promotional interviews and gigs for earlier single, "Move In My Direction" and is, in my opinion, one of the girls' best ever. It has got a great laid-back vibe and attitude and deserved to go all the way to #1! - in fact, it was a huge club smash and did hit pole position on both the DMC and MusicWeek charts in the UK. It also did well on dance radio charts in the US and Singapore and was used as the lead single for the "Drama" album in Spain and Canada. In the US, the song was so popular that it became the unofficial lead single, hitting the Billboard Club Play (#2) and Dance Airplay charts (#5) in July 2006 ... even without any promo release by The Lab Records! The song was eventually released in the US together with remixes of "Move In My Direction" as "Drama Rexmies Vol. 1". "Look On The Floor" also went Top 20 on the ARIA Australian dance chart in September 2006.
The song has got incredibly catchy pop hooks and a killer chorus and I particularly love the Solasso remix which has a really anthemic club feel.
UK (Top 75): #26 - #59 - out of chart (last updated 28 Nov 2005 - this is Bananarama's 25th UK Top 40 single).
Ireland (Top 50): #46 - out of chart (last updated 20 Nov 2005)
Spain (Top 20): #12 - #15 - #18 - out of chart - #18 - #18 - #18 - #19 - out of chart (released on blanco y negro - last updated 11 May 2006)
Israel (Top 40): Peaked at #3 (last updated 9 Apr 2006)
US Billboard Club Play chart (Top 25): #24 - #15 - #11 - #7 - #4 - #2 - #2 - #9 - #10 - #13 - out of chart (released on The Lab Records - last updated 11 Aug 2006)
US Billboard Dance Airplay chart (Top 10): #6 - #7 - #6 - #6 - #5 - #6 - #5 - #5 - #5 - #10 - #7 - out of chart (released on The Lab Records - last updated 8 Sep 2006)
Australia (Top 100): #95 (released on Central Station Records - last updated 26 Sept 2006)
It’s close to midnight and I’m leaving now
I’m getting in the car and heading out
And I can’t slow down
Coz I don’t know how
You’ve got my number so we’ll be fine
So go and use it just don’t waste my time
Coz you’re on my mind
And you know I’m right
Bridge:
You take my over
Stay with me
And we’ll fade away
Chorus:
Look on the floor
And all is spinning around
Someone told me this was just a dance
Then take a chance and I'll give you more
Do you really think we have a chance
Devil’s in your eyes
And he’s looking at me
I know what you want
And you know what I need
Come and show me how
How do you get down
Bridge:
You take my over
Stay with me
And we’ll fade away
Chorus:
Look on the floor
And all is spinning around
Someone told me this was just a dance
Then take a chance and I'll give you more
Do you really think we have a chance
Look on the floor
And all is spinning around
Someone told me this was just a dance
Then take a chance and I'll give you more
Do you really think we have a chance
Do you really think we have a chance?
Look on the floor
And all is spinning around
Someone told me this was just a dance
Then take a chance and I'll give you more
Do you really think we have a chance
Note: An earlier (much-slower and laid back) demo version of the track was recorded with different lyrics and melody for the verses. Not a patch on the final version, in my humble opinion, but still catchy.
I can't explain the reason why I feel this way
You're every thought that's ever in my head
And I don't know just what it is you do to me
The thrill of it all keeps me alive, I feel for you
You taste so sweet
It's ecstasy
Just hold me...hold me...and breathe
*Chorus*
Move your body tight
Right up close to me
Cos I know what you are and what you are
Is what I need
Can you feel this heat?
I'm sinking deep
Just hold me...hold me...and breathe
*Chorus*
The video was directed by Tim Royes, who has directed videos for Rachel Stevens, Texas, Green Day and has won an MTV award for editing. Thanks to Philip Stuckey and Bill Pardue for the video captures below.
The video is available on the UK DVD and CD single, on the official Bananarama website and on some international versions of the "Drama" album e.g. Germany's, Taiwan's. "Look On The Floor" is also available as a remix video featuring a shortened version of the Solasso remix at Import Sound and Vision .
A 9-track promo CD of remixes was released in the UK before the official single.
1. Solasso Remix
2. Soul Seekerz Remix
3. Angel City Extended Remix
4. Yomanda Remix
5. Solasso Remix Dub
6. Soul Seekerz Remix Dub
7. Yomanda Dub Remix
8. Angel City Short Mix
9. Single Version Radio Edit
The track has since popped up on various dance compilations. Pictured above are "Passion Por El Dance" from Spain and "Joy94.9 FM" from Australia. The song is also featured on "Ultimix 124" (Ultimix).
One of the rarest releases for "Look On The Floor" is the 12" single from Edel Records in Germany. Copies were pressed for sale ... but pulled by the record company at the last minute and never actually released! Copies are probably now sitting in a cupboard somewhere in the Edel vault! ... never to be seen again?!
Bananarama's new material has so far exceeded my expectations, and unlike comeback attempts from other 80s stars, it's clear they can still bring out strong tunes. The duo have pursued the electro-disco route with "Look On The Floor", which has a slight retro feel and an irresistible chorus. Hopefully this should be a taste of what's to come on the forthcoming album "Drama". 4 stars out of 5
- UKMix
Britain’s second most successful girl group (damn those Spicies!- Ed.) returned to the charts with Move In My Direction in August, but this follow-up single marked the Nanas’ real comeback. Look On The Floor is a lovely slice of shimmering electropop with the best vocodered delivery of the lyric “Devil’s in your eyes and he’s looking at me” ever. Great to have you back, ladies. Number 14 in the 2005 20 Best Singles Countdown
- Teen Today
I loved their last record and I really like this. They still sound great and they're obviously still enjoying themselves. I think it's great they're still putting out records and that they've returned to that classic pop sound, which is what Bananarama fans - and I class myself highly as one - want to hear from the girls. You have to give the girls massive respect, y'know. They were the original Sugababes, Girls Aloud, Spice Girls... They were the beginning of it all, they were the leaders, and I don't think they're ever given the credit they deserve. I remember when Madonna told the girls that they'd inspired her in the early days, and you only have to look at how she styled herself to know that she'd seen bands like Bananarama, who were incredibly strong, with a strong look and she took from that. 4 stars out of 5.
- Pete Waterman, Boyz
If this new track from the Bananarama ladies were any more laid back- it would be horizontal! Such is the minimalist groove of this new single, that it demands to be heard in a laid back and chilled environment with an elegant drink in hand. It's a sound so far removed from their earlier stuff, that it's so hard to recognise them now. This is a tune that deserves to do well.
- 906.4 BRMB FM
80’s pop trio, Bananarama (who are now down to a two-piece), are now following up their comeback single, ‘Move In My Direction’ with the next tune from their new album, ‘Drama’, which is called, ‘Look On The Floor’. And it’s a massive thumbs up from me, not just because I love a great pop hook, but because I think this is the strongest thing the girls have done for years. Borrowing a chunk of the dance smash, ‘Hypnotic Tango’ (and it’s also used in the Nana’s song title, but in brackets!), this latest effort carries the recent trend for vocoder-like, robotic vocals, which initially don’t sound very Bananarama at all! But then the chorus hits you, and boy does it hit you! Uplifting, melodic and slightly melancholic, but a sure-fire pop single. In my humble opinion, this should have been the girls’ comeback single. Look out for a great remix package too – Angel City (which gets my vote for best remix here), Yomanda, Soul Seekerz and Solasso all feature prominently. BUY IT!
- DJ Phil Marriott, Revenge
Most of the great bits about this are down to the source (My Mine's "Hypnotic Tango"), but the interplay between the alternatingly vocoded and not vocoded lines in the verses is good, and the chorus, bearing in mind this is Bananarama, is understated, subtle, and very good. Significantly, they look better in this video than the last one, too. 9 stars out of 10
- Edward Oculicz, Stylus
This should have been their comeback single instead of Move In My Direction, because it's much better. The comeback may not have been hugely successful, but the music they're making is perfect for them. They're like Girls Aloud's older sisters, or at least their cool young aunts, and the music is great, but just a bit more laid-back, mature and comfortable with itself, despite not being quite what the taste-challenged youth of today is looking for. 8 stars out of 10
-Jessica Popper, Stylus
Who would want a world without Bananarama? Fools, that’s who. Poor, miserable fools. They might be old enough to be, if not the Mums, then at least the Auntie’s of the current crop of girl bands, but they still sound fresh, exciting, and easily hold their own amongst the young upstarts currently taking control of the charts. If only more bands made records that sounded like this, if only so we’d have more of a chance of hearing it on the radio. 7 out of 10
- Doug Robertson, Stylus