"Here I Go" is a song by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance group 2 Unlimited. It was co-written by band members Ray Slijngaard and Anita Doth and was released in March 1995 as the third single from their third album, Real Things (1994). In the United States, the song was released as a double A-side single with 2 Unlimited's next European single, "Nothing Like the Rain". "Here I Go" became a top-10 hit in at least six countries: Belgium, Finland, Israel, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Spain. Its accompanying black-and-white music video was directed by Nigel Simpkiss and filmed in London, featuring 2 Unlimited performing in a parking garage with performance artists on stilts.
Chart performance "Here I Go" enjoyed moderate success in Europe, becoming a top-10 hit in Finland (6), Flanders (6), Lithuania, the Netherlands (4), and Spain (7). See LW column. It additionally was a top-20 hit in Austria (17), Denmark (17), Sweden (20) and Wallonia (12), and a top-30 hit in France (25), Germany (22), and the United Kingdom, as well as the Eurochart Hot 100, where it peaked at number 29 in April 1995. In the UK, "Here I Go" was the least successful single release by the band at the time, reaching number 22 during its first week on the UK Singles Chart, on 19 March 1995. On the UK Dance Chart, it reached number 23. Outside Europe, the song charted in Australia and Canada, where it peaked at numbers 80 and 22, respectively. In West Asia, it became a top-10 hit in Israel, peaking at number eight in its second week on the chart, on 4 April 1995. Search "Here I Go" for Israeli chart history.
Critical reception Larry Flick from Billboard magazine wrote, "One of the first act's to merge hi-NRG bounce with rave aggression may finally have the single that sends 'em all the way to the top of the pops. Male rapping and female vamping collide and happily coexist inside a storm of syncopated beats and blippy synth passages." Gil Robertson IV from Cash Box said, "Rap/hip-hop meets techno-dance on this single, which should do well on both rap and dance formats. The music here is thumping, pumping, and more, which should certainly get everyone partying on the dance floor."
Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian complimented "a slightly pensive lyric" on the "percussive" track.Sullivan, Caroline (17 June 1994). "Music: Escape unlimited - Pop/rock". The Guardian. A reviewer from Music Week felt that it "stays in familiar Euro techno territory", adding that "a mix from Alex Party should help it follow the previous 11 into the Top 20." In a retrospective review, Pop Rescue described "Here I Go" as "a belter of a track". James Hamilton from the Record Mirror Dance Update named it "unexpectedly terrific". Pete Stanton from Smash Hits gave the song one out of five, saying, "It's another album track, slightly remixed, but, er, still the same." He noted that it "boasts a pumping beat".
Music video The music video for "Here I Go" was far more arty and modern than previous videos, being shot in black-and-white with 2 Unlimited performing in a darkly lit parking garage featuring performance artists on stilts. In some scenes, the dancers appear falling into a large constructed spiderweb made of ropes. Band members Ray Slijngaard and Anita Doth walks around the garage with a dog by their side. The video was directed by director Nigel Simpkiss for Swivel Films and filmed in Clink Prison Museum in London, See information in the video. and was released in the UK in March 1995. Simpkiss had previously directed the music videos for the group's hit-singles "Let the Beat Control Your Body" and "The Real Thing". "Here I Go" is also the only video by the group to be shot in black-and-white. It was B-listed on French music television channel MCM in the beginning of April 1995 and B-listed on Germany's VIVA two weeks later.
Track listings
European and Australian CD maxi "Here I Go" (Radio Edit) (3:16) "Here I Go" (X-Out Edit) (3:30) "Here I Go" (Dub Down Below) (7:26) "Here I Go" (X-Out In Dub) (5:29) "Here I Go" (Alex Party Remix) (4:40)
UK CD single "Here I Go" (Radio Edit) "Here I Go" (Alex Party Remix) "Here I Go" (X-Out In Club) "Here I Go" (Dub Down Below)
Italian CD single "Here I Go" (X-Out Edit) (3:20) "Here I Go" (Dub Down Below) (3:33) "Here I Go" (Album Version) (7:29) "Here I Go" (X-Out In Club) (5:33) "Here I Go" (Alex Party Remix) (4:45)
US CD single "Here I Go" (Radio Edit) (3:16) "Here I Go" (Album Version) (5:13) "Here I Go" (X-Out Edit) (3:30)
7-inch single "Here I Go" (Radio Edit) (3:16) "Here I Go" (X-Out Edit) (3:30)
Belgian 12-inch maxi "Here I Go" (X-Out Edit) (3:30) "Here I Go" (Dub Down Below) (7:26) "Here I Go" (Album Version) (5:12) "Here I Go" (X-Out In Club) (5:29) "Here I Go" (Alex Party Remix) (4:40)
UK 12-inch maxi "Here I Go" (X-Out In Club) (5:29) "Here I Go" (Album Version) (5:12) "Here I Go" (Alex Party Remix) (4:40) "Here I Go" (Dub Down Below) (7:26)
German and Italian 12-inch maxi "Here I Go" (X-Out Edit) (3:30) "Here I Go" (Dub Down Below) (7:26) "Here I Go" (Album Version) (5:12) "Here I Go" (X-Out In Club) (5:29) "Here I Go" (Alex Party Remix) (4:40)
French 12-inch maxi "Here I Go" (X-Out In Club) (5:29) "Here I Go" (Album Version) (5:12) "Here I Go" (Alex Party Remix) (4:40) "Here I Go" (X-Out Edit) (3:30)
Spanish 12" maxi "Here I Go" (X-Out In Club) (5:29) "Here I Go" (X-Out Edit) (3:30) "Here I Go" (Alex Party Remix) (4:40) "Here I Go" (Dub Down Below) (7:26)
Charts
Weekly charts Chart (1995) PeakpositionAustralia (ARIA) 80Denmark (IFPI)Danish Singles Chart. 24 March 1995. 17Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) 29Europe (European Dance Radio) 12Europe (European Hit Radio) 38Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)Finnish peak 6Israel (Israeli Singles Chart) 8Lithuania (M-1) 7Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 5Scotland (OCC) 21Spain (AFYVE) 7UK Singles (OCC) 22UK Dance (OCC) 23UK Pop Tip Club Chart (Music Week) 19
Year-end charts Chart (1995)PositionBelgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) 54Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 92Netherlands (Single Top 100) 92
Release history RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Germany6 March 1995CDZYXUnited Kingdom13 March 1995PWL ContinentalAustralia3 April 1995Japan26 April 1995CDMercuryUnited States3 July 1995Radikal
References