Satellite (The Beloved song)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Satellite"
Single by The Beloved
from the album X
B-side"Satellite (Transformer Vocal)"
Released16 March 1996
Recorded1995
GenreHouse
Length4:15
LabelEastWest
Songwriter(s)
  • Jon Marsh
  • Helena Marsh
Producer(s)
  • Jon Marsh
  • Helena Marsh
The Beloved singles chronology
"Sweet Harmony"
(1993)
"Satellite"
(1996)
"Deliver Me"
(1996)
Music video
"Satellite" on YouTube

"Satellite" is a song by British band the Beloved, released on March 16, 1996 by EastWest as the first single from the band's fifth album, X (1996). It is written by frontman John Marsh with his wife, Helena Marsh, and became the biggest hit from the album, peaking at No. 19 on the UK Singles Chart.[1]

Critical reception[edit]

Jon O'Brien from AllMusic described the song as "anthemic", "Italo house-inspired" and a valiant attempt "at a more experimental sound".[2] Ross Jones from The Guardian commented, "The Beloved here spray us with the very essence of New Age techno friskiness. You may think you've heard it before, but the Beloved songs are like massages in more ways than one – no two are ever the same."[3] Kevin Courtney from Irish Times felt it's "a typical Beloved bliss out, with a bit of strident Euro piano thrown in to overcome any lingering inhibitions."[4]

Daisy & Havoc from Music Week's RM Dance Update gave "Satellite" top score with five out of five, writing, "As so much house music concentrates on being dross and proud of it, the sweet sounds of The Beloved become ever more necessary for national sanity. This is a pretty up and jumping track (well...in Beloved terms) with some especially good backing vocals worked in here, there and everywhere."[5] Another editor, James Hamilton declared it as a "drily drawled frisky fluttering pop jiggler".[6]

Music video[edit]

In a similar style to the music video for their earlier single "Sweet Harmony", the video of "Satellite" consisted of a naked Jon Marsh, Helena Marsh, and a posse of other equally naked females lipsynching the lyrics. Kevin Courtney from Irish Times commented on the video, "The Beloved have a fetish for sitting around naked in their videos with a host of perfectly formed extras, and the video for "Satellite" (EastWest) goes one step further by having the entire cast stand up and dance in the buff. Can't wait to see that one."[4]

Track listings[edit]

Charts[edit]

Chart (1996) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[7] 116
UK Singles (OCC) 19

References[edit]

  1. ^ "BELOVED | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com.
  2. ^ O'Brien, Jon. "The Beloved – Sweet Harmony: The Very Best of the Beloved". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  3. ^ Jones, Ross (9 March 1996). "Reviews: Singles". p. 31. The Guardian.
  4. ^ a b Courtney, Kevin (5 April 1996). "Single File". Irish Times.
  5. ^ Daisy & Havoc (24 February 1996). "Hot Vinyl: Tune of the Week" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 9. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  6. ^ Hamilton, James (30 March 1996). "DJ Directory" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 11. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Imgur". Imgur.