Heartbeat (Taana Gardner song) explained

Heartbeat
Type:single
Artist:Taana Gardner
Released:1981
Genre:Post-disco[1] [2]
Length:9:34
Label:West End)
Producer:Kenton Nix

"Heartbeat" is a 1981 dance single by Taana Gardner. It was arranged by Dennis Weeden and Kenton Nix, and released by West End Records, with the more famous club mix created by Larry Levan. It reached the US Billboard R&B Singles at No. 10 and the No. 6 on the US Billboard Dance.[3] It has sold over 800,000 copies.[4]

Composition

"Heartbeat" is a post-disco song, which runs for 9 minutes and 34 seconds[5] for the 12-inch "Club version" mixed by Levan. It is set in common time and has a tempo of 100 beats per minute.[6] Despite praise for its "hip-shaking, booty-bumpin' beats and rhythms" and hook-laden lyrics, it was considered peculiar at the time due to its slow tempo, "dizzy" vocal delivery and dissonant accompaniment. Danny Krivit recalls "When [Levan] put ["Heartbeat"] on, a full club of people left the room to get food. There was not one person left on the floor."[7] Levan, known for his musical idiosyncrasies, kept playing the record at the Paradise Garage even several times in an evening until weeks later "no one [was] off the floor when they played ["Heartbeat"]."[7] Because of its atypical "dance music-hostile" tempo numerous DJs find it unsuitable for dancefloors even today.[6]

Reception

In his consumer guide for The Village Voice, Robert Christgau reviewed the song's 12-inch release in 1981 and gave it an A rating,[8] indicating "a great record both of whose sides offer enduring pleasure and surprise."[9] He dubbed it a "classic one-shot" and "the hottest r&b record in the city right now for two self-evident reasons", stating:

Allmusic editor Andy Kellman found the song's rhythm "instantly memorable" and recognized its widespread sampling by hip hop producers, stating "Though hip hop fans are just as familiar with that bass line – often put to great use after its original recording — as rock fans are familiar with the guitar riffs of 'Purple Haze,' no song that has referenced 'Heartbeat' comes close to matching it."[10] Kellman also writes that the song's "greatness comes down to Gardner's vocals just as much as that rhythm", stating:

Track listing

Influence

"Heartbeat" has been extensively sampled in Hip hop music, pop music and dance music:

Cover versions

Chart performance

Taana Gardner version

Chart (1981)Peak
position
US Billboard R&B Singles10
US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play6

Seduction version

Chart (1990)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA Charts)[14] 169
US Billboard Hot 10013
US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play2
US Billboard R&B Singles21

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE – Playgroup Reconstructs an Idealistic Aural Snapshot of the Early '80s . Michaelangelo . Matos . the stripped-down post-disco of club records like Taana Gardner's "Heartbeat" . . 20 March 2002 . 27 October 2013.
  2. Web site: Larry Levan – Journey into Paradise: The Larry Levan Story . Andy . Kellman . . Taana Gardner's "Heartbeat" (one of the sexiest, sweetest, slowest post-disco singles) . 26 October 2014.
  3. Web site: Allmusic: Taana Gardner - Discography. Allmusic, Billboard. 2011-08-27.
  4. Flick, Larry (November 14, 1998). "Dance Trax: Humperdinck Takes To The Dancefloor on 'Dance Album'". Billboard, p. 31.
  5. https://img.discogs.com/JrObL2Isa15TMtOPuJyXz5LSy_w=/fit-in/596x600/filters:strip_icc:format(jpeg):mode_rgb:quality(90)/discogs-images/R-77606-1315152293.jpeg.jpg "Heartbeat" 12" single liner notes
  6. Billboard. Paoletta. Michael. Jun 30, 2001. The Dance Trax Hot Plate. 113. 26. 24. 0006-2510.
  7. Brewster, Bill (Jan 14, 2014). Last Night a DJ Saved My Life. p. 301. Grove Pres. .
  8. News: Christgau. Robert. Robert Christgau. Consumer Guide. The Village Voice. March 30, 1981. 2012-03-18.
  9. Web site: Christgau. Robert. CG 70s: The Grades. Robert Christgau. 1980. 2012-03-18.
  10. Web site: Kellman. Andy. Heartbeat. Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. 2012-03-18.
  11. http://www.whosampled.com/.../The-Treacherous-Three-Feel-the-He...
  12. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 229.
  13. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 516.
  14. Web site: Bubbling Down Under 30 July 1990. July 30, 2021. January 8, 2022.