Song of the Day: Steve Silk Hurley – Jack Your Body

So many comments to make on this song.
If you’re going to start a new record label (Underground Records), it helps to have the first single end up being the biggest hit in Chicago house history.
This is a song that shined a spotlight on the differences between US and UK radio. US – this was an underground club hit, reaching 25 on the Billboard Dance/Club charts. UK – this was number one hit – not the club charts – the number one single for two weeks in Jan/Feb 1987. Chicago house was in it’s prime and US radio ignored it while UK embraced it – a difference that I think continues to this day.

US radio doesn’t want instrumentals – they don’t want faceless producers. They want a crazy frontman/woman that can star in videos.

Liam Howlett and The Prodigy figured that out in the 90s. After two chart topping albums in the UK and no love in the US, they gave dancer Keith Flint a freaky mohawk and had him do vocals for ‘Firestarter’. Boom – instant US success.

Enough rambling. I’ve included the 4 mixes on the Underground Records release of this plus the ‘Monty Remix’ that was put on one of the UK releases of it.

(Do you think Steve Hurley really has a keytar like on the B-side picture?!?)

Steve Silk Hurley
Jack Your Body

Underground Records UN-101
Written and produced by Steve Hurley
Monty Remix by Simon Harris