Continuing our look back at the biggest UK hits from two decades ago, this is The Story of Pop: 2000. This week: what connects a British dance producer with a Canadian rock god? Answer…
First seen on the UK charts back in 1997 with the floorfiller ‘Offshore’, Nick Bracegirdle – aka Chicane – was fast establishing himself as a big name in the world of dance music.
His single prior to this – a collaboration with Maire Brennan of Irish group Clannad called ‘Saltwater’ – had been his first top 10 hit, peaking at #6 in May 1999 and being a massive floorfiller from Godskitchen to Gatecrasher.
His work with Canadian superstar Bryan Adams had actually started life that same year, when he remixed his single ‘Cloud Number 9’. So Bryan duly decided to return the favour by supplying guest vocals to his next single.
‘Don’t Give Up’ was as equally haunting yet euphoric as its predecessor, and was fresh in many clubbers’ minds as the song played by Judge Jules at midnight on New Year’s Day for the millennium as part of BBC Radio 1’s Essential Selection show.
Once fully released out the traps at the beginning of March, pent up demand saw to it that it thundered straight to the top of the charts, giving Chicane his first number one, and Bryan Adams his second, following the mammoth 16 week run he clocked up for ‘Everything I Do (I Do It For You)’ in 1991.
It was however only a one week wonder, with neither act having achieved a hit single of this magnitude since. And, in a year that was chock full of chart toppers, ‘Don’t Give Up’ is probably one of the least remembered. But as we’ll see the further into this series we progress, musically anything went in a brand new millennium…
Don’t forget to follow our brand new playlist on Spotify – updated weekly so you never miss a song from the story of pop in 2000. And you can leave your memories of the songs below in the comments or Tweet us, using the hashtag #StoryofPop2000.
Alex's Blog (still Crazy, still Stupid)... 