Look Who's Talking (song)

"Look Who's Talking!" is a song by Sweden-based musician and producer Dr. Alban, featuring vocals from Swedish singer Nana Hedin. It was released in February 1994 as the first single from his third studio album, Look Who's Talking (1994). Co-written by Alban with Denniz PoP, the song was co-produced by Kristian Lundin and reached number-one in Denmark and Finland. It became a top-10 in almost all other European countries, except France and the UK. The song entered the Eurochart Hot 100 on 12 March 1994 at number 61 and went on to peak at the second position four weeks later. In the US, it peaked at number 11 on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart. Its music video was directed by Jonathan Bate. A CD maxi containing four remixes was also released, particularly devoted to the dance floors.

"Look Who's Talking!"
Single by Dr. Alban
from the album Look Who's Talking
B-side"Look Who's Talking" (remix)
ReleasedFebruary 1994
Genre
LengthCheiron
  • 3:13
  • 5:22
Songwriter(s)
  • Dr. Alban
  • Kofi Bentsi-Enshill
  • Ebenezer Thompson
  • Denniz PoP
Producer(s)
Dr. Alban singles chronology
"Sing Hallelujah"
(1993)		 "Look Who's Talking!"
(1994)		 "Away from Home"
(1994)
Music video
"Look Who's Talking" on YouTube
Alternative cover
CD maxi - Remix

Critical reception

AllMusic editor John Bush noted that Dr. Alban "uses elements of worldbeat to mix up" the song.[1] Larry Flick from Billboard felt that it follows the Euro-disco/world-beat thread" of 1993's "It's My Life", "sewing in several intriguing new creative colors."[2] Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote that "his instantly recognisable coffee brown rap sets the bush doctor apart from the rest in the Euro dance field with standard synth riffs and one-line choruses sung by anonymous ladies."[3] Alan Jones from Music Week declared it as a "simple and maddeningly familiar song [that] relies on a hooky refrain, while Alban adds his odd African-accented rap in a style reminiscent of his early "No Coke" single."[4]

Wendi Cermak from The Network Forty said it as "a must-purchase".[5] A reviewer from Reading Evening Post described it as "an inane but insistent tune."[6] James Hamilton from the RM Dance Update called it a "Afro-ish choppily chanted and girls chorused breezy Euro romper".[7] Pete Stanton from Smash Hits gave "Look Who's Talking!" two out of five, noting "its pacy Euro beats and singalong chorus".[8] James Hunter from Vibe declared it as "superefficient disco glued down with dancehall toasting, answered by streaming female vocals."[9]

Chart performance

The song made an impact on the chart in Europe, becoming a major hit in most countries. It peaked at number-one in Denmark and Finland and was a top-five hit in Austria (3), Belgium (5), Germany (3), the Netherlands (4), Norway (4), Spain and Sweden. In the two latter, it reached number two. In addition, the single entered the top 20 in France (17), Ireland (17) and Italy (11), and was a top 30 hit in Iceland (23). In the UK, it only reached the top 60, peaking at number 55 on 20 March,[10] but on the UK Dance Singles Chart, it hit number 20. On the Eurochart Hot 100, "Look Who's Talking!" reached the top five, peaking at number three.

Outside Europe, it was quite successful in Israel and Zimbabwe, peaking at number four and ten, respectively. In the US, the song charted at number 11 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart and number 50 on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart.

Airplay

"Look Who's Talking!" entered the European airplay chart Border Breakers at number nine on 12 March 1994 due to crossover airplay in West Central-, North West-, North- and South-Europe. It peaked at number four on 26 March.[11]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Look Who's Talking!" was directed by Jonathan Bate.[12] In the video, Dr. Alban performs the song at a movie set, surrounded by four ladies singing the choruses. It doesn't feature Nana Hedin. The video also features Asian shadow theatre figures and has a sepia tone. It received heavy rotation on MTV Europe[13] and was A-listed on Germany's VIVA.[14] Bate would also direct the videos for Dr. Alban's next two singles, "Away from Home" and "Let the Beat Go On".

Track listings

Charts

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Europe February 1994 — Cheiron
United Kingdom 14 March 1994
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 Logic [39]

References
  1. Bush, John. "Dr. Alban - Look Who's Talking: The Album". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  2. Flick, Larry (3 December 1994). "Dance Trax: Jive U.K. Bows Star-Studded Rwanda-Relief Single" (PDF). Billboard. p. 27. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  3. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 5 March 1994. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  4. Jones, Alan (12 March 1994). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 12. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  5. Cermak, Wendi (25 March 1994). "Crossover: Music Meeting" (PDF). The Network Forty. p. 34. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  6. "Getting back to basics". Reading Evening Post. 11 March 1994. page 54.
  7. Hamilton, James (26 March 1994). "Dj directory" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 4. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  8. Stanton, Pete (16 March 1994). "New Singles". Smash Hits. p. 53. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  9. Hunter, James (1 December 1995). "Single File". Vibe. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  10. "Official Singles Chart Top 100 20 March 1994 - 26 March 1994". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  11. "Border Breakers: Monitoring The Impact Of Euro Talent" (PDF). Music & Media. 19 November 1994. p. 20. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  12. "Look Who's Talking (1994) by Dr. Alban". IMVDb.com. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  13. "Station Reports > MTV Europe/London" (PDF). Music & Media. 16 April 1994. p. 21. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  14. "Station Reports > VIVA TV/Cologne" (PDF). Music & Media. 2 April 1994. p. 25. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  15. "Look Who's Talking", in various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved 11 February 2008)
  16. "Dr. Alban - Look Who's Talking! (song)". Swedishcharts.com. 23 May 2023.
  17. Belgian peak Archived 22 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  18. "Billboard 30 April 1994". Billboard. 30 April 1994. p. 59. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  19. "European Dance Radio Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. 2 April 1994. p. 25. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  20. Billboard: Hits of the World, 26 March 1994
  21. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 14.04.1994 - 20.04.1994" (PDF). Dagblaðið Vísir - Tónlist. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  22. Irish Singles Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved 23 August 2008)
  23. "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 29 May 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Dr. Alban".
  24. "Single top 100 over 1994" (PDF) (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
  25. "Dr. Alban – Look Who's Talking" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  26. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 (27 March 1994-02 April 1994)". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  27. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  28. "Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 26 March 1994. p. 24. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  29. "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 19 March 1994. p. 4. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  30. Billboard Allmusic.com (Retrieved 23 August 2008)
    • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  32. 1994 Austrian Singles Chart Austriancharts.at (Retrieved 23 August 2008)
  33. "jaaroverzichten 1994" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  34. "1994 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 24 December 1994. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  35. "Top 100 Singles – Jahrescharts 1994" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  36. "JAAROVERZICHTEN - Single 1994" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  37. "Årslista Singlar, 1994" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  38. 1994 Swiss Singles Chart Hitparade.ch (Retrieved 23 August 2008)
  39. "Single Releases". Music Week. 12 March 1994. p. 21.
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