Van Helden was born in Boston on February 17, 1970 to a Dutch-Indonesian father and a French-Lebanese mother, but travelled around the world as a child spending time in the Netherlands, Turkey and Italy, as his father was a member of the US Air Force. At the age of thirteen, he bought a drum machine and started DJing two years later.
He returned to Boston in 1988 but also moonlighted as a DJ in Boston clubs. He attended Boston University. He quit his legal review job in 1989 to work as a remixer/producer for Mega-Mixx Productions DJ Remix Service (co-founded by his long time manager, Neil Petricone) where he reworked and re-edited a number of club records for the DJ-only service, including Shawn Christopher's "Another Sleepless Night." He also took up an occupancy at 'The Loft', Boston's leading nightclub.
Mega-Mixx's success was short lived. Mismanagement brought the company to a halt in early 1991. Later that year, he and Petricone, along with founding A&R coordinator, Tony Zeoli, launched X-Mix Productions, a similar DJ Remix service, which still exists today (http://www.xmix.com). Catching the attention of legendary Strictly Rhythm and Nervous Records A&R guru, Glady Pizarro, in 1992 Van Helden released his first official single "Stay On My Mind" under the psuedonym Deep Creed, through Nervous Records.
He released "Move It To the Left" (credited to Sultans of Swing) in 1992 on the Strictly Rhythm label, which became a moderate club hit. His first track to make the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart was "Witch Doktor" which made the top 5 in 1994.
The success of "Witch Doktor" led to opportunities to remix acts such as The Real McCoy ("Another Night", New Order ("Bizarre Love Triangle"), Blondie ("Atomic), Capella ("U Got To Know"), Lightning Seeds ("Jackie Lucky"), Deep Forest ("Marta's Song"), Jimmy Somerville ("Heartbeat"), Deee-Lite ("Dewdrops In The Garden") and Faithless ("Insomnia"). However, it was the "Professional Widow" remix that established him and became a dance hit around the world as well as a number one hit in the UK. Unfortunately, Van Helden did not receive a penny for this mix as he presented it uncommissioned, and thus was not entitled to compensation. However, it led to work remixing The Rolling Stones, Janet Jackson, Britney Spears and Puff Daddy as well as Daft Punk and the Sneaker Pimps, and adding to his reputation as one of the world's top house musicians.
Within dance music circles, Van Helden is widely credited for the introduction of the U.K. bred Speed Garage sound to the U.S. club scene with incredible set of remixes. The sound, identifiable by its deep bass subtones, long melodic breaks, and devestatingly hard hitting beats are exemplified in the following remixes beginning in 1995 with Jimmy Somerville "Heartbeat"; CJ Bolland's "Sugar Is Sweeter"; Faithless "Insomnia"; Tori Amos "Professional Widow"; Apollo 440 "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Dub"; and Sneaker Pimps "Spin, Spin, Sugar."
"Cha Cha" was another top ten dance hit from his first album Old School Junkies released in 1996, along with "The Funk Phenomena". A greatest hits album appeared the next year followed by a breakbeat album later in 1997. "U Don't Know Me," a collaboration with vocalist Duane Harden from the album, "2 Futur 4 U," was a number two hit on the Billboard dance chart, a Number one in the UK and a top 20 single on the pop charts in Australia and Canada.
In 1000 UK #1 Hits by Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh, Armand Van Helden explained, "You Don't Know Me was a perfect example of putting 2 simple things together, the beats from Jaydee's Plastic Dreams and a disco loop from Carrie Lucas."
Van Helden released the Killing Puritans album in 2000 which contained the dance hit "Koochy". His single "Why Can't You Spend Some Time" made the number 34 in the UK in 2001. His New York: A Mix Odyssey album released in 2004 produced two hits:
* "Hear my Name" reached number 7 on the Billboard dance chart, was top 30 on world and internet charts, made number 34 in the UK, and reached the top 40 in Australia; and
* "My My My" reached number 4 on the world internet charts, number 5 in the Belgian and Dutch charts, number 6 in Australia, number 15 in the UK and top 30 in the world dance charts.
In 2010 Van Helden teamed with A-Trak to form the duo Duck Sauce. They had an international smash hit with "Barbra Streisand," which used an ingenious sample from Boney M.
Fascinated
Armand van Helden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want to play with you tonight
Hold me, that's all that's on my mind
Baby, something feels so right
Maybe we could play tonight
I want to be so in love with you
I want to be all that to you
I got a dream and you can make it true
'Cause I, I'm fascinated by your love, boy
And I'm fascinated by your love toy
I'm fascinated by the way you make me feel
'Cause I, I'm fascinated by your love, boy
And I'm fascinated by your love toy
I'm fascinated by the way you make me feel
Love me until the morning light
Please me, make me feel alright
Kiss me, let me make you mine
I love it, loving you sometime
Come on, come on, I want to be with you
Come on, come on, I won't get over you
I want to do just what you want me to
I got a dream and you can make it good
'Cause I, I'm fascinated by your love, boy
And I'm fascinated by your love toy
I'm fascinated by the way you make me feel
'Cause I, I'm fascinated by your love, boy
And I'm fascinated by your love toy
I'm fascinated by the way you make me feel
'Cause I, I'm fascinated by your love, boy
And I'm fascinated by your love toy
I'm fascinated by the way you make me feel
The lyrics to Armand van Helden's song "Fascinated" are a sultry invitation to a night of passion. The singer is eager to please their lover and be pleased in return. The opening lines express a desire to be with the person they are addressing: "I want to play with you tonight / Hold me, that's all that's on my mind." There is a sense of urgency and immediacy in these lines, as if the singer cannot wait to be in their lover's arms.
The chorus of the song, "I'm fascinated by your love, boy / And I'm fascinated by your love toy / I'm fascinated by the way you make me feel," emphasizes the singer's infatuation with their lover. They are not just physically attracted to the person, but they are also drawn to the way they make them feel emotionally. The use of the word "toy" in the lyrics can be interpreted in a sexual way, but it is also possible that it refers to something more metaphysical, such as a source of joy and pleasure.
The rest of the lyrics continue to express the singer's desire to be with their lover and to do whatever it takes to please them. The lines "Love me until the morning light / Please me, make me feel alright / Kiss me, let me make you mine" convey a sense of abandon and passion, as if the singer is willing to give themselves completely to their lover. The song ends with another repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the singer's fascination and attraction to the person they are addressing.
Overall, "Fascinated" is a sensual and seductive song that expresses the singer's desire to be with their lover and to be infatuated by them.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to be
The singer desires something.
I want to play with you tonight
The singer wants to engage in activities with the listener tonight.
Hold me, that's all that's on my mind
The singer is preoccupied with thoughts of being held by the listener.
Baby, something feels so right
The artist senses that there is something good about their situation with the listener.
Maybe we could play tonight
The artist suggests that they and the listener could engage in some form of play tonight.
I want to be so in love with you
The singer wants to experience a deep, romantic connection with the listener.
I want to do just what you want to do
The singer is willing to fulfill the listener's desires or wishes.
I want to be all that to you
The artist wants to be a complete and fulfilling partner for the listener.
I got a dream and you can make it true
The artist has a desire or aspiration that the listener could help bring to fruition.
'Cause I, I'm fascinated by your love, boy
The artist finds the listener's love to be captivating.
And I'm fascinated by your love toy
The singer is intrigued by the nature of the listener's love and how it is expressed.
I'm fascinated by the way you make me feel
The artist is absorbed by the emotions they experience due to the listener.
Love me until the morning light
The singer wishes to receive love from the listener throughout the night.
Please me, make me feel alright
The singer wants the listener to satisfy them and make them feel good.
Kiss me, let me make you mine
The singer wants to kiss the listener and claim them as their own.
I love it, loving you sometime
The artist enjoys loving the listener, albeit perhaps inconsistently or sporadically.
Come on, come on, I want to be with you
The artist urges the listener to be with them.
Come on, come on, I won't get over you
The singer states that they won't forget or recover from their attachment to the listener.
I want to do just what you want me to
The singer reiterates their willingness to accommodate the listener's wishes.
I got a dream and you can make it good
The artist repeats that they have an ambition that the listener could assist with fulfilling.
'Cause I, I'm fascinated by your love, boy
The artist once again expresses their admiration for the listener's love.
And I'm fascinated by your love toy
The artist is still intrigued by the way the listener's love manifests itself.
I'm fascinated by the way you make me feel
The singer continues to be engrossed by the emotions that the listener evokes in them.
'Cause I, I'm fascinated by your love, boy
The artist emphasizes their captivation with the listener's love one final time.
And I'm fascinated by your love toy
The singer reiterates their intrigue regarding the listener's form of love.
I'm fascinated by the way you make me feel
The singer once again emphasizes their absorption with the emotions they experience in relation to the listener.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ismael Angel Ledesma
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MrWeekendoff
We played this at my grandfathers funeral. It’s such a beautiful song everyone was reduced to tears when I put it on
@wainstallsboy
RIP Grandad. 😃
@tiborsaas
I'd be pleased if my grandson put it on on my funeral. But only after the Twin Peaks theme.
@bartoszkomarowski2924
ungratefulmetalpansy brilliant 😂
@johnlawson3023
Did he get frozen by Box, or did you nuke him?? :-)
@brzi225
@jon jon Brasileiro long live Gary Numan
@craiglowe9668
Numan and Van helden make a great team
@MirageMusicUk
This is genius sampling, Kudos to Mr Van Helden for this.
@GabREAL1983
pure art. the whole thing is just insane.
@sergeyp7052
respect to Gary Numan. (cars)