Children

Album: Dreamland (1995)
Charted: 2 21
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Songfacts®:

  • This instrumental blend of a basic trance sound with live strings, guitar and piano was Robert Miles' most successful song. It topped the charts in many countries, and earning the Italian DJ Platinum records in several territories, including the UK and Germany.
  • Miles had a couple of motives for writing the track. He was originally inspired by a collection of photos taken by his father while stationed in war-torn Yugoslavia. In addition, the DJ was disturbed by the large number of deaths in car accidents within the Italian rave community, specifically among younger participants. These fatalities occurred as clubbers drove across the country overnight, falling asleep at the wheel from strenuous dancing as well as alcohol and drug use. The rave community faced opposition from the mothers of these dance music fans, who had banded together to form a coalition that was applying pressure on the Italian parliament to create stricter standards on raves.

    "Children" was created by Miles as a slower track to conclude a night's set that would calm ravers prior to their driving home as a means to reduce car accident deaths. He said he hoped the track would help stop Italy's "Saturday night slaughter."
  • The song was recorded in a studio built by the artist in Venice at a cost of only £150 ($250). It was first released in Italy in January 1995 on Joe T. Vanelli's DBX imprint label, as part of the Soundtracks EP. The single slowly emerged as an international blockbuster, topping charts in twelve countries across the globe including Austria, Germany, France, Holland, Italy and Spain. It was the biggest European single of 1996.

Comments: 2

  • Dan13 from FranceThe best EDM song in history
  • Sinatr6 from United StatesAmazing song! Listening to it puts you in a trance. Absolute classic!
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