There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)

Infobox Single
Name = There Must Be an Angel
(Playing with My Heart)


Artist = Eurythmics
from Album = Be Yourself Tonight
Released = June 1985
Format = 7", 12"
Recorded = 1985
Genre = Pop, Rock, R&B
Length =
Label = RCA
Producer = David A. Stewart
Reviews =
Last single = "Would I Lie to You?"
(1985)
This single = "There Must Be an Angel"
(1985)
Next single = "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves"
(1985)"There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" is a pop song written and recorded by Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart for Eurythmics' fifth studio album "Be Yourself Tonight" (1985). It was released as the album's second single during the third quarter of 1985 (see 1985 in music) and became a worldwide success; most notably in the UK, where it became the duo's only chart-topping single.

In 1998 (see 1998 in music), the song was again covered by Fantastic Plastic Machine on his second album "Luxury", and in 2001, German pop group No Angels scored their second number-one with their cover version.

In 1991, Utah Saints had a top 10 hit with their song "What Can You Do For Me", which featured samples of the song, amongst others. Lennox's vocal hook is especially prominent in parts of the song.

Original version

A Motown-inspired love song, Stewart produced "There Must Be an Angel (Playin' with My Heart)" features a harmonica solo by Stevie Wonder.

The song's music video was one in a long line of innovative clips from the Eurythmics. In the clip, Stewart portrays Louis XIV of France in the Court of the Sun King, while Lennox appears as a singer brought forth to perform and entertain the King. Bored at first, Stewart eventually becomes enthralled with Lennox's performance as the song reaches its conclusion. The video clip features elaborate costuming and set design.

Upon its release, "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" became the Eurythmics' first (and to date only) number-one single in the UK, also topping the charts in Ireland, Norway and Brazil. While the song peaked at number 22 on the "Billboard" Hot 100 in the United States, it became another Top 10 success for the band in Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Austria and Australia.

Track listings

7"
*A: "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" [single edit]
*B: "Grown up Girl"

12"
*A: "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" [album version]
*B: "Grown up Girl"

Limited 12" Remix
*A: "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" (special dance mix)
*B: "Grown up Girl"

Charts

Infobox Single
Name = There Must Be an Angel


Artist = No Angels
B-side = "100% Emotional"
from Album = Elle'ments
Released = August 12, 2001
Format = CD single, vinyl single
Recorded = 2001, Audiostudios,
(Berlin, Germany)
Genre = Pop
Length = 3:55 (radio edit)
Label = Cheyenne/Polydor
Producer = Patrik Majer, Peter Plate,
Ulf Leo Sommer
Writer = Annie Lennox, David Stewart
Reviews =
Last single = "Rivers of Joy"
(2001)
This single = "There Must Be an Angel"
(2001)
Next single = "When the Angels Sing/Atlantis"
(2001)

No Angels version

Recording

In 2001, producers Patrik Majer, Ulf Leo Sommer, and Rosenstolz member Peter Plate consulted on a contemporary and pacier version of the song, re-recorded by German girl band No Angels. The song was one of a couple of tracks considered to be remade, but was picked when the producers of the animated feature "Der Kleine Eisbär" (for which band member Vanessa Petruo provided vocals) agreed to accept the track as film's theme song.cite web|title=Making of "Der Kleine Eisbär"|work=C4D-Treff|url=http://www.c4d-treff.de/interview/der_kleine_eisbaer/makingof/bgs_eisbaer_makingof.html|accessdate=2007-12-22] "We were speechless and very happy about [the decision] . The animated movie was a world premiere and something really "big" for us. We immediately said 'yes'," Lucy Diakovska said in an interview.cite web|title=Making of "Der Kleine Eisbär"|work=C4D-Treff|url=http://www.c4d-treff.de/interview/der_kleine_eisbaer/makingof/bgs_eisbaer_makingof.html|accessdate=2007-12-22] Sandy Mölling noted, that the song was an all-time favorite of the band: "I liked Annie Lennox' voice ever since I can remember. ["Neue Single 'There Must Be an Angel!". "NoAngels.tv". Retrieved on 2007-12-22.]

The track premiered on July 9, 2001 on the RTL Berlin radio network, receiving a positive reception from music critics, and on July 17, 2001 a preview was available streamed on-demand in its entirety on the band's official website. Finally released as the band's third single on August 12, 2001 (see 2001 in music), the original CD single spawned both an unlugged and an orchestral version, recorded with the Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg. The record later was included on the "Special Winter Edition" re-release of "Elle'ments".

"There Must Be an Angel" was awarded for "Top Single Germany" at the 2001 Top of the Pops Awards, and received a gold certification.

Music video

The music video for "There Must Be an Angel" was directed by Jörn Heitmann and filmed neat the General-Steinhof-Kaserne at the Gatow Airport in Berlin-Spandau, Germany on July 19, 2001.cite web|title="Geheimer Video-Dreh der No Angels auf dem Airport Gatow"|author=Beate Willer|work=Berliner Kurier|url=http://www.berlinonline.de/berliner-kurier/archiv/.bin/dump.fcgi/2001/0719/szene/0046/index.html|accessdate=2007-12-22] Inspired by Tony Scott's 1986 film "Top Gun", the clip features the quintet as fighter pilots of the fictional U.S. military squadron 68 at an also-fictional airbase in Angelville, United States; while also incorporating a 1940s World War II theme, heavily inspired by Marilyn Monroe, The Andrews Sisters and others during their USO shows. Among the aircrafts shown in the video are MiG-21s, a B-57 Canberra, a F-104 Starfighter and a Dassault Mystère.cite web|title="No Angels drehen Video-Clip im Luftwaffenmuseum"|work=BW-Fyler|url=http://www.bw-flyer.de/neu/report/report/noangels.html|accessdate=2007-12-22]

"There Must Be an Angel" world premiered in early August 2001 on television, but was temporarily banned from music networks due to its military theme, following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.cite web|title=Clips Collage|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=9dPne6cY65AC&pg=PA25&lpg=PA25&dq=%22no+angels%22+%22there+must+be+an+angel%22+video+mtv+viva&source=web&ots=6PSxTBJAfp&sig=lUHZgN9wijQhC2wM_OqPstXtEVE#PPA25,M1|accessdate=2007-12-22]

Charts

Formats and tracklistings

These are the formats and track listings of major single-releases of "There Must Be an Angel.";CD single
# "There Must Be an Angel" (Radio edit) - 3:55
# "There Must Be an Angel" (Unplugged version) - 4:22
# "There Must Be an Angel" (Score version) - 5:34
# "100% Emotional" - 3:03;2-Track CD single
# "There Must Be an Angel" (Radio edit) - 3:55
# "There Must Be an Angel" (Unplugged version) - 4:22

Credits and personnel

*Vocals: N. Benaissa, L. Diakovska, S. Mölling, , V. Petruo, J. Wahls
*Writers: Patrik Majer, Peter Plate, Ulf Leo Sommer
*Mixing and recording: Patrik "El Pattino" Majer
*Mastering: Michael Schwabe
*Keyboards and programming: P. Majer
**Addtional keyboards: Peter Plate
*Guitars: Peter Weihe
*Strings: The Hamburg Strings

References

External links

*Youtube|qUGD0UOQH1Q|Original music video
*Youtube|jTtLRqruZm4|2001 version