"Would You...?" is a song by British
electronic group
Touch and Go. Written and produced by band member
David Lowe, it was released as the first single from their debut album, I Find You Very Attractive (1998). The lyrics - marked by their distinctive
sampling of a woman's voice saying "I've noticed you around / I find you very attractive / Would you go to bed with me?" - were originally used as part of a psychological study conducted in 1978.[3][4]
Issued as a single on 26 October 1998, "Would You...?" reached the number-three spot on the
UK Singles Chart and became a hit in Europe, reaching the top 10 in seven countries. It was also a top-five hit in New Zealand, where it peaked at number four in early 1999. In the United States, the song appeared on the BillboardMaxi-Singles Sales chart, reaching number six in January 1999.
Critical reception
An editor from the Daily Record commented, "This anonymous
dance hit features a lead singer who claims she is an alien. Even record label
V2 are keeping her identity secret, which suggests there's a balding producer behind it."[5] Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "When an unknown girl singer meets up with an obscure soundtrack producer, what do you get? In this case, the answer is a ditty boasting some rather raunchy lyrics, driven by a jazzy beat and an absolutely irresistible trumpet part. However, the main asset of Would You...? is an absolute killer
hook, which goes some way to making it one [of] the best pop singles of the year."[2]
Commercial performance
On 1 November 1998, "Would You...?" debuted at its peak of number three on the
UK Singles Chart,[6] number two on the
UK Dance Chart,[7] and number one on the
UK Indie Chart.[8] By the end of November, it had shipped 200,000 copies in the UK, allowing it to be
certified silver by the
British Phonographic Industry.[1] As well as reaching number six in Ireland,[9] the track peaked inside the top 10 in Denmark (number seven),[10] Greece (number nine),[11] Italy (number two),[12] Norway (number 10),[13] Spain (number six),[14] and Switzerland (number four).[15] Elsewhere in Europe, it became a top-20 hit in
Flanders,[16] Iceland,[17] the Netherlands,[18] and Sweden,[19] attaining a peak of number 11 on the
Eurochart Hot 100.[20] It was the continent's 81st-most-successful hit of 1999.[21]
Worldwide, the song charted highly in New Zealand, peaking at number four for two weeks in January and February 1999,[22] and entered the top 30 in Australia, where it debuted at its peak of number 27 and stayed on the chart for six weeks.[23] In North America, it appeared on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart, climbing to number 64 in March 1999.[24] It was also hit on the Canadian and American dance charts, reaching number 21 on the RPMDance chart and number six on the US BillboardHot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart.[25][26]
As a soundtrack
The
Peruvian TV channel
Andina de Televisión, through its extinct gossip program Magaly Teve, used it for its section of bloopers that end with the Crazy Seal breaks TVs, and an instrumental version sounds, created by the Peruvian producer and singer Carlos Figueroa which also makes different versions of the song of Phone Gossip. Previously, the original version was used. The song was also used in Miss World 1998 during the presentation of a group of delegates, and in Miss Universe 2002, the latter with a different instrumental version during the swimsuit competition.[27]
Track listings
UK CD and cassette single; Australian CD single[28][29]
"Would You...?" has been included on television show soundtracks such as G String Divas and the cult British series As If. The track has also been sampled for
San Pellegrino,
Carlsberg, and
Nokia advertisements.[46]
^Multimedios, SAC, Magaly Teve.
"Magaly Teve – Bloopers 5". vamosboys2002. Andina de Radiodifusión, SAC.
Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
^Would You...? (UK & Australian CD single liner notes).
Touch and Go.
V2 Records, Oval Records. 1998. VVR5003083.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
^Would You...? (UK cassette single sleeve). Touch and Go. V2 Records, Oval Records. 1998. VVR5003085.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
^Would You...? (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Touch and Go. V2 Records, Oval Records. 1998. VVR5003086.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
^Would You...? (European CD single liner notes). Touch and Go. V2 Records, Oval Records. 1998. VVR5005473.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
^Would You...? (US 12-inch single sleeve). Touch and Go. V2 Records. 1998. 63881-27556-1.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
^Would You...? (US maxi-single liner notes). Touch and Go. V2 Records. 1998. 63881-27556-2.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
^Would You...? (US cassette single sleeve). Touch and Go. V2 Records. 1998. 63881-27558-4.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)