The song, “You Got The Love”, was originally recorded by Candi Staton in 1986
Songwriters Anthony B. Stephens, Arnecia Michelle Harris and John Bellamy formed the production group, The Source in 1986 and wrote the tune, “You Got The Love”, which featured the vocals of American singer Candi Staton (b.1940). It was not a hit the first time around, but remixed and repoduced by British DJ John Truelove, it was re-issued in January 1991 and reached No.4 on the top 40 singles chart and No.2 on the dance chart.
The song has been remixed on a number of occasions. The first time in 1997, when it was re-issued under the sub title of the Now Voyager Mix. This went to No.3 on the UK singles chart and again No.2 on the dance chart as well as charting across mainland Europe. An extended version was released in 2006 with remixes from the Shapeshifters (“Lola’s Theme”). The song returned to the UK top ten for a third time, this time peaking at No.7 amd again across much of Europe.
British band, Florence and The Machine, recorded the song for their 2009 debut album, “Lungs”, and released it as the fifth single, slightly retitled “You’ve Got The Love”, in November 2009. This returned the song once more to the top ten, peaking at No.5 in the UK and was also a big hit across Europe once more. More significantly, this version of the song charted at No.9 in Australia, higher than any version of the original, and made No.21 on the US Alternative Chart, its first showing Stateside in any form.
Florence and The Machine brought a second version of “You’ve Got The Love” to the chart in 2010, when they teamed up with British rapper Dizzee Rascal for a live version at that years Brit Awards ceremony. This was released as a single and went to No.2 in the UK, now the highest chart position achieved by any version of the song in its home territory to date. This new version also reached No.27 in Australia and No.24 in Ireland.
But which version is the best? THE SOURCE’s original? Their 1997 or 2006 versions? Or FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE’s 2009 or 2010 version?
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