The Club is Alive
by JLS

Album: Outta This World (2010)
Charted: 1
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the first single from British boy band JLS' second album. The song is based around the chorus of the title track of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The Sound of Music. A source told The Sun May 3, 2010: "The lads were initially quite skeptical about the idea when their management presented them with it. But they've worked hard on the song and are really proud of it. They know it will surprise a lot of people, but they think it's a risk well worth taking."
  • This is not the first time a major artist has based a song around a Sound of Music number. In 2006 Gwen Stefani had a transatlantic Top 10 single with "Wind It Up," which heavily sampled "The Lonely Goatherd" from the same musical.
  • Jonathan "JB" Gill told Digital Spy about the song: "We first heard the track when Steve Mac, who also produced 'Beat Again,' played it to us in his studio. He said he had a song that sampled a well-known musical - and obviously we were intrigued by that! Straight away we thought the sample worked really well. It's a very uptempo track that literally makes you feel alive."
  • JB explained the use of Auto-Tune on the track: "Well, we sat down and discussed the whole idea with Steve first. We loved the sound of the Auto-Tune on Usher's 'OMG', which has obviously been a massive hit. We all know Usher can sing, but he was using it as an effect. Similarly for us, we wanted to come back with something new and fresh, and that effect put a slight twist on our sound."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

How The Beatles Crafted Killer Choruses

How The Beatles Crafted Killer ChorusesSong Writing

The author of Help! 100 Songwriting, Recording And Career Tips Used By The Beatles, explains how the group crafted their choruses so effectively.

Lace the Music: How LSD Changed Popular Music

Lace the Music: How LSD Changed Popular MusicSong Writing

Starting in Virginia City, Nevada and rippling out to the Haight-Ashbury, LSD reshaped popular music.

Steely Dan

Steely DanFact or Fiction

Did they really trade their guitarist to The Doobie Brothers? Are they named after something naughty? And what's up with the band name?

Millie Jackson

Millie JacksonSongwriter Interviews

Outrageously gifted and just plain outrageous, Millie is an R&B and Rap innovator.

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine Band

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine BandSongwriter Interviews

Harry Wayne Casey tells the stories behind KC and The Sunshine Band hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Give It Up."

Francis Rossi of Status Quo

Francis Rossi of Status QuoSongwriter Interviews

Doubt led to drive for Francis, who still isn't sure why one of Status Quo's biggest hits is so beloved.