Take Me to Your Heart (Rick Astley song)

"Take Me to Your Heart"
Single by Rick Astley
from the album Hold Me in Your Arms
B-side	"I'll Be Fine"
Released	21 November 1988 (1988-11-21)
Recorded	1988
Genre	Dance-pop
Length	3:27
Label	RCA
Songwriter(s)	Stock Aitken Waterman
Producer(s)	Stock Aitken Waterman
Rick Astley singles chronology
"She Wants to Dance with Me" (1988) "Take Me to Your Heart" (1988) "Hold Me in Your Arms" (1989)
Music video
"Take Me to Your Heart" on YouTube

"Take Me to Your Heart" is a 1988 song recorded by English singer-songwriter Rick Astley. Written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman, the song was released the same year as the second single from the album, Hold Me in Your Arms. Not released in North America, it was a success on the UK Singles Chart where it peaked at number 8 and was also a top ten and a top 20 in many European other countries. Celebrating the announcement of the Hold Me in Your Arms remastered edition studio album, the music video has been upgraded to 4K as of 14 April 2023.^[1][2] The single was also reissued as a digital EP on the same day.^[3]

Plot track controversy

A small amount of controversy was raised around the synthesiser programming similarities of "Big Fun", the hit single recorded by American band Inner City, and Astley's "Take Me to Your Heart". Writer and producer Matt Aitken has confirmed the Astley track was inspired by the Inner City song, but added that "you can't copyright a synth pattern," and claimed, "we wrote a better song [than Inner City] did".^[4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Number One	/[5]

"Take Me to Your Heart" received positive reviews from critics. A review in Pan-European magazine Music & Media presented the song as "an unmistakeable SAW production with a strong melody and an admirably sparse arrangement".^[6] When reviewing the parent album, both Music & Media and Number One cited "Take Me to Your Heart" as one of the best tracks from Hold Me in Your Arms.^[7][8] Similarly, a review in Music Week presented the song as the best track from the album and even "the best SAW song yet".^[9]

Chart performance

"Take Me to Your Heart" achieved some success, but lesser than the lead single from Hold My in Your Arms, "She Wants to Dance with Me". Unlike Astley's previous singles, it was not released in North America. In the UK, it started at number 18 on 26 November 1988 and reached a peak of number eight for two weeks, and spent 11 weeks on the chart.^[10] In Ireland, it reached number five and charted for five weeks.^[11] In Germany, after a debut at number 54, it jumped to number 13, hit number ten in its sixth week and remained on the chart for a total of 15 weeks.^[12] It was also a top ten hit in other five European nations, peaking at number two in both Greece and Spain,^[13][14] number four in Denmark,^[15] number seven in Italy and number ten in Sweden.^[16][17] It missed the top ten by one place in Finland, the Netherlands and the Flanders part of Belgium,^[18][19][20] and culminated at number 16 in Switzerland and number 18 in France.^[21][22]

On the Pan-Eurochart Hot 100 singles chart established by the Music & Media magazine, it debuted at number 55 on 3 December 1988, peaked at number 11 in its fourth week,^[23] and charted first for 13 weeks, then recharted for additional eight weeks thanks to France where it was released in March 1989. Much aired on radio, particularly in Spain where it reached number one on the national airplay chart, it appeared for 14 weeks on the European Airplay Top 50 with a peak at number 12.^[24] In the Oceanian markets, it was a minor hit, barely stalling outside the top 40 in both Australia (41)^[25] and New Zealand (43),^[26] while "She Wants to Dance with Me" had reached the top 20 in both countries.

Track listings

• 7" single

1. "Take Me to Your Heart" – 3:27
2. "I'll Be Fine" – 3:44

• 12" maxi

1. "Take Me to Your Heart" (Autumn Leaves mix) – 6:38
2. "I'll Be Fine" – 3:44
3. "Take Me to Your Heart" (instrumental) – 3:27

• CD maxi – Germany

1. "Take Me to Your Heart" (The Dick Dastardly mix) – 6:55
2. "I'll Be Fine" – 3:44
3. "Rick's Hit Mix" – 5:48

• Digital EP

1. "Take Me to Your Heart" (2023 remaster) – 3:30
2. "Take Me to Your Heart" (Autumn Leaves mix) – 6:40
3. "Take Me to Your Heart" (The Dick Dastardly mix) – 6:59
4. "Take Me to Your Heart" (instrumental) – 3:30

Personnel

• Rick Astley – lead and backing vocals
• Matt Aitken – keyboards, guitars
• Mike Stock – keyboards, backing vocals
• George De Angelis – additional keyboards
• A. Linn – drums
• Shirley Lewis – backing vocals
• Mae McKenna – backing vocals
• Leroy Osborne – backing vocals

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Take Me to Your Heart" Chart (1988–1989) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[25] 41 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[20] 11 Denmark (IFPI)[15] 4 Europe (European Hot 100)[23] 11 Europe (European Airplay Top 50)[24] 12 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[18] 11 France (SNEP)[22] 18 Greece (IFPI)[13] 2 Ireland (IRMA)[11] 5 Italy (Musica e dischi)[16] 7 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[19] 11 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[26] 43 Spain (AFYVE)[14] 2 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[17] 10 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] 16 UK Singles (OCC)[10] 8 UK Dance (Music Week)[27] 5 West Germany (GfK)[12] 10

Year-end charts 1989 year-end chart performance for "Take Me to Your Heart" Chart (1989) Position UK Singles (OCC)[28] 86 West Germany (Official German Charts)[29] 68

References

1. "Rick Astley - Take Me to Your Heart (Official Video) [Remastered in 4K]". YouTube. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
2. Alongside the 2023 remaster of 'Hold Me In Your Arms', the video for 'Take Me To Your Heart' has been remastered in 4k! Watch and share below! - Team Rick #HMIYA2023, retrieved 16 April 2023
3. Take Me to Your Heart - EP, retrieved 16 April 2023
4. "A Journey Through Stock Aitken Waterman: Ep 39: Success to S.S. Paparazzi on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
5. Neal X; Kavanagh, Chris (23 November 1988). "Spot the Spin: Rick Astley — "Take Me to Your Heart" (RCA)". Number One. No. 284. London: IPC Magazines Ltd. p. 40. ISSN 0266-5328. Archived from the original on 28 October 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023 – via Flickr.
6. "Previews – Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 5, no. 50. 10 December 1988. p. 21. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 15 August 2023 – via World Radio History.
7. "Previews – Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 52/1. 1 January 1989. p. 24. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 15 August 2023 – via World Radio History.
8. "Review: Rick Astley — Hold Me In Your Arms (RCA)". Number One. No. 287. London: IPC Magazines Ltd. 14 December 1988. p. 36. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
9. "LP Reviews" (PDF). Music Week. 3 December 1988. p. 24. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
10. "Rick Astley: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
11. "Irish Singles Chart, database". Irishcharts. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
12. "Offiziellecharts.de – Rick Astley – Take Me to Your Heart" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
13. "Top 3 Singles in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 52/1. 1 January 1989. p. 34. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
14. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
15. Danish Singles Chart 2 December 1988
16. "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 29 May 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Rick Astley".
17. "Rick Astley – Take Me to Your Heart". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
18. Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Rick Astley". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 21. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
19. "Rick Astley – Take Me to Your Heart" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
20. "Rick Astley – Take Me to Your Heart" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
21. "Rick Astley – Take Me to Your Heart". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
22. "Rick Astley – Take Me to Your Heart" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
23. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 52/1. 1 January 1989. p. 26-27. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 15 August 2023 – via World Radio History.
24. "European Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 10. 11 March 1989. p. 27. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 21 August 2023 – via World Radio History.
25. "Rick Astley – Take Me to Your Heart". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
26. "Rick Astley – Take Me to Your Heart". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
27. "Top Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 3 December 1988. p. 17. Retrieved 28 August 2023 – via World Radio History.
28. "Top 100 Singles – Year-End Chart 1988" (PDF). Music Week Awards. Music Week. 4 March 1989. p. 12. ISSN 0265-1548. Retrieved 29 August 2023 – via World Radio History.
29. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Archived from the original on 9 October 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2023.