Colour of Love (Snap! song)

"Colour of Love" is a song by German Eurodance group Snap!, released in December 1991 by Arista and Logic as the first single from their second studio album, The Madman's Return (1992). It features vocals by American singer-songwriter Thea Austin and rap by Turbo B, and received positive reviews from music critics, many of them naming it a standout of the album. Quite successful on the charts in Europe, the song became a top-10 hit in at least 11 countries, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100, where it peaked at number eight. The accompanying music video was filmed in Death Valley, California.

"Colour of Love"
Single by Snap!
from the album The Madman's Return
Released9 December 1991 (1991-12-09)[1]
Genre
Length3:57
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • John "Virgo" Garrett III
  • Durron Butler
  • Penny Ford
  • Thea Austin
  • Benito Benites
Producer(s)
  • Benito Benitez
  • John "Virgo" Garrett III
Snap! singles chronology
"Megamix"
(1991)
"Colour of Love"
(1991)
"Rhythm Is a Dancer"
(1992)
Music video
"Colour of Love" on YouTube

Critical reception edit

AllMusic named "Colour of Love" a "standout" track from The Madman's Return.[3] J.D. Considine from The Baltimore Sun opined that it's the only track "that comes even close to the group's early vigor".[4] Ken Capobianco from The Boston Globe complimented Thea Austin's "colorful" voice, describing the song as "a meek but graceful look at interracial love."[5] Clark and DeVaney from Cashbox also named it a "standout" cut from the album, remarking that the sounds that are offered on this album have a little more depth and variety compared to their last release.[6] Dave Jennings from Melody Maker felt the tension between Turbo B's "gruff rumbling" and "abandoned, soulful female wailing" by Austin "is still highly effective."[7] Another Melody Maker editor, Push, described it as "dreamy" and named it the "highlight" of the LP.[8]

Machgiel Bakker from Music & Media wrote that it "pairs a bass-heavy and soothing Massive-type of production to rapper Turbo's firm vocals. The soulful female vocals provided by Thea Austin makes the song an easy add-on for EHR formats."[9] Newcastle Evening Chronicle noted that a "slow menacing opening gives way to a mix of soul and Turbo B's rap".[10] The newspaper also noted that the "macho" rap contrasts with the new singer's "catchy" soul vocal.[11] Rozalla Miller reviewed the song for Smash Hits, commenting, "I like the beat a lot, very groovy. Snap are really good. I've liked lots of their records up until now, and this one sounds like one of the best."[12]

Chart performance edit

"Colour of Love" was quite successful on the charts in Europe, reaching the top 5 in Austria (4), Italy (3), Portugal (3), Spain (5) and Switzerland (4), and the top 10 in Denmark (8), Germany (9), Greece (8), the Netherlands (6), Norway (6) and Sweden (6). In Belgium, it peaked within the top 20, as number 14 in both Flanders and Wallonia. In the UK, the single was less successful, reaching number 54.[13] On Music Week's dance singles chart, it climbed to number 23. On both the Eurochart Hot 100 and the European Dance Radio Chart, "Colour of Love" peaked at number eight in February 1992. Outside Europe, it charted in both Australia and New Zealand, where it peaked at number 66 and 36, respectively.

Music video edit

A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by Angel[14] and filmed in Death Valley, California. The video begins with Turbo B and two others riding on motorcycles through a desert landscape on a bright day. Thea Austin sings standing on a rocky mantle with a cape. Dancers perform actobats and dance on rocks. Some of them wear masks and has body paint. As the video ends, it has become night in the desert, while Austin still performs.[15]

Track listings edit

  • 7-inch single (Logic 114 678)
  1. "Colour of Love" (Massive 7"/Radio Version) – 3:57
  2. "Colour of Love" (Smoove 7") – 3:59
  • CD maxi (Logic 664 678)
  1. "Colour of Love" (Massive 7") – 3:57
  2. "Colour of Love" (Massive Version) – 5:30
  3. "Colour of Love" (String Mix) – 5:05
  4. "Colour of Love" (Smoove Version) – 5:29

Charts edit

References edit

  1. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 7 December 1991. p. 21.
  2. ^ Soininen, Juha (26 August 2020). Move Your Body (2 The 90's): Unlimited Eurodance. BoD – Books on Demand. p. 24. ISBN 9789528026303. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  3. ^ "Snap! – The Madman's Return". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  4. ^ Considine, J.D. (10 April 1992). "Kriss Kross 'Totally Krossed Out' is more than young players at play". The Baltimore Sun.
  5. ^ Capobianco, Ken (31 December 1992). "Recordings: Snap – The Madman's Return – Arista". p. 7. The Boston Globe.
  6. ^ Clark, Randy; DeVaney, Bryan (4 April 1992). "Music Reviews: Albums" (PDF). Cashbox. p. 6. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  7. ^ Jennings, Dave (7 December 1991). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 27. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  8. ^ Push (25 January 1992). "Albums". Melody Maker. p. 28. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  9. ^ Bakker, Machgiel (18 January 1992). "Marketing The Music: Snap" (PDF). Music & Media. p. 32. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  10. ^ "Albums/Singles". Newcastle Evening Chronicle. 10 December 1991. p. 39.
  11. ^ "Your Top Local Guide To What's Going On And Where This Week". Newcastle Evening Chronicle. 26 February 1992. page 46.
  12. ^ Miller, Rozalla (11 December 1991). "Review: Singles". Smash Hits. p. 53. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  13. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 75 22 December 1991 – 28 December 1991". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  14. ^ "snap – colour of love ( viva tv )". YouTube. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  15. ^ "Snap! – Colour Of Love (Official Video)". YouTube. 4 May 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  16. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 258.
  17. ^ "Snap! – Colour of Love" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  18. ^ "Snap! – Colour of Love" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  19. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 4. 25 January 1992. p. 28. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  20. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 8. 22 February 1992. p. 19. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  21. ^ "European Dance Radio" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 9. 29 February 1992. p. 37. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  22. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Snap!". Sisältää hitin – 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 239. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  23. ^ "Snap! – Colour of Love" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  24. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 7. 15 February 1992. p. 26. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  25. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 8. 22 February 1992. p. 18. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  26. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 3, 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  27. ^ "Snap! – Colour of Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  28. ^ "Snap! – Colour of Love". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  29. ^ "Snap! – Colour of Love". VG-lista. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  30. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 12. 21 March 1992. p. 26. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  31. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  32. ^ "Snap! – Colour of Love". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  33. ^ "Snap! – Colour of Love". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  34. ^ "Snap: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  35. ^ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 21 December 1991. p. 26. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  36. ^ "Jahreshitparade Singles 1992" (in German). Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  37. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts 1992" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  38. ^ "Single top 100 over 1992" (PDF) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  39. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1992" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  40. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1992" (in German). Retrieved 26 August 2022.