"Take Me to Your Heaven" is a song recorded by Swedish singer Charlotte Nilsson, with music composed by Lars Diedricson and English lyrics by Marcos Ubeda. It represented Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 1999 held in Jerusalem, winning the contest, having previously won that year's Melodifestivalen as "Tusen och en natt" (IPA: [ˈtʉ̌ːsɛn ɔ ɛn ˈnatː]; "A thousand and one night") with Swedish lyrics by Gert Lengstrand.
| "Take Me to Your Heaven" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Single by Charlotte Nilsson | |
| from the album Charlotte | |
| Released | 21 June 1999 |
| Recorded | 1999 |
| Genre | |
| Composer(s) | Lars Diedricson |
| Lyricist(s) |
|
| Producer(s) | Micke Wendt |
| Eurovision Song Contest 1999 entry | |
| Country | |
| Artist(s) | |
| Language | English |
| Composer(s) | |
| Lyricist(s) | Marcos Ubeda |
| Finals performance | |
| Final result | 1st |
| Final points | 163 |
| Entry chronology | |
| ◄ "Kärleken är" (1998) | |
| "When Spirits Are Calling My Name" (2000) ► | |
| Official performance video | |
| "Take Me to Your Heaven" on YouTube | |
On 24 April 1999, the Swedish-language version entered radio chart Svensktoppen as number-one and spent eight consecutive weeks on the top spot, remaining on the chart until 4 September 1999. The English-language version was internationally released as a single on 21 June 1999, produced by Mikael Wendt. At the singles charts, it peaked at number 2 in Sweden, number 5 in Flemish Belgium, number 10 in Norway, number 20 in the United Kingdom, and number 23 in the Netherlands.
Background
editConception
edit"Tusen och en natt" was composed by Lars Diedricson with Swedish lyrics by Gert Lengstrand, and recorded by Charlotte Nilsson.[2]
In addition to the original Swedish-language version, she also recorded an English-language version of the song, "Take Me to Your Heaven", with the lyrics written by Marcos Ubeda. The song is an up-beat song about love, with the singer asking her lover to take her to heaven by loving her.[3] The music video is set in the wintertime with Charlotte walking in the snow.
Eurovision
editOn 27 February 1999, "Tusen och en natt" performed by Nilsson in Swedish competed in the 38th edition of the Melodifestivalen. It received 217 points, winning the competition. As the festival was used by Sveriges Television (SVT) to select their song and performer for the 44th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, the song became the Swedish entry, and Charlotte Nilsson the performer, for Eurovision.[4]
On 29 May 1999, the Eurovision Song Contest was held at the International Convention Centre in Jerusalem hosted by the Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA), and broadcast live throughout the continent. Nilsson performed "Take Me to Your Heaven" in English (taking advantage of new rules removing the requirement to perform in a national language) fifteenth on the night, following Cyprus's "Tha'ne erotas" by Marlain, and preceding Portugal's "Como tudo começou" by Rui Bandeira.[5]
At the close of voting, the song had received 163 points, placing first and winning the contest.[6] The song was succeeded in 2000 as contest winner by "Fly on the Wings of Love" by the Olsen Brothers representing Denmark.
Aftermath
editCharlotte Nilsson represented Sweden again in the 2008 contest as Charlotte Perrelli with the song "Hero", placing eighteenth.[7]
On 9 May 2024, Perrelli performed the song as part of a sing-along interval act in the second semi-final of the 2024 contest held in Malmö, Sweden.[a][9]
Track listings
editSwedish CD single
- "Take Me to Your Heaven" – 3:04
- "Tusen och en natt" – 3:38
- "Take Me To Your Heaven" (Tocclo-Mix) – 3:24
- "Take Me To Your Heaven" (The Specialist-Mix) – 4:25
- "Take Me to Your Heaven" (Instrumental Version) – 3:04
UK CD single
- "Take Me To Your Heaven" – 3:03
- "Take Me To Your Heaven" (Club Mix – The Specialist-Mix II) – 4:16
- "Take Me To Your Heaven" (RnB Mix – Tocclo-Mix) – 3:21
- "Take Me To Your Heaven" (Dance Mix – The Specialist-Mix) – 4:25
UK cassette single
- "Take Me to Your Heaven" – 3:00
- "Take Me to Your Heaven" (Club Mix) – 4:16
- "Take Me to Your Heaven" (RnB Mix) – 3:22
- "Take Me to Your Heaven" (Dance Mix) – 4:22
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
|
Notes
edit- ^ In a medley with "My Number One" by Helena Paparizou and "Everyway That I Can" by Sertab Erener.[8]
References
edit- ^ "Charlotte Perrelli rasar mot vinnarlåten: "Vilken skitlåt" | Hänt". Hänt. 18 September 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
- ^ "Tusen och en natt - lyrics". The Diggiloo Thrush.
- ^ "Take Me to Your Heaven - lyrics". The Diggiloo Thrush.
- ^ "Melodifestivalen 1999". Sveriges Television Archives (in Swedish).
- ^ "Eurovision Song Contest 1999". Eurovision Song Contest.
- ^ "Eurovision Song Contest 1999 scoreboard". Eurovision Song Contest.
- ^ "Eurovision Song Contest 2008 scoreboard". Eurovision Song Contest.
- ^ "Sing-Along Greatest Hits" on YouTube at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 second semifinal
- ^ "Eurovision Song Contest 2024 second semifinal". Eurovision Song Contest. 9 May 2024. SVT / EBU.
- ^ "Charlotte – Take Me to Your Heaven" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 26. 26 June 1999. p. 8. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Charlotte" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
- ^ "Charlotte – Take Me To Your Heaven" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
- ^ "Charlotte – Take Me to Your Heaven". VG-lista.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Charlotte – Take Me to Your Heaven". Singles Top 100.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1999" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
- ^ "1999 Border Breakers Top 100" (PDF). Music & Media. 1 January 2000. p. 13. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ "Jaarlijsten 1999" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
- ^ "Årslista Singlar, 1999" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
External links
edit- "Take Me To Your Heaven" at Discogs (list of releases)