The group was founded by Dale Longworth and Kevin O'Toole in Oldham, England in 1990. Other members have included Kelly Llorenna, Rachel McFarlane and Richard Lyte (Ricardo Da Force).
Longworth and O'Toole met at The Oldham College, both being aspiring sound engineers. They initially began producing instrumental dance music together, going through a variety of names before finally adopting N-Trance.
Their early demos, including a rave version of a children's television show, made little impression. Trying a more serious approach with their next song, 1991s "Back to the Bass", N-Trance caught the attention of Pete Waterman as Longworth worked on his TV show The Hitman and Her. Waterman signed the band to his 380 Records label (now known as Eastern Bloc Records).
However, problems with sample clearance prevented the single's release. The band continued to write and record, adding vocalist Kelly Llorenna to the fold for the recording of their next single, "Set You Free". However, N-Trance chose not to release the single with 380 Records, opting instead to buy themselves out of their contract with the label. The band signed with a new label, All Around the World, and released "Set You Free" in early 1993.
The new single and the group's theatrical live performances, which included dancers and flame-throwers, as well as new vocalist Kelly Llorenna and rapper T-1K, propelled N-Trance to prominence in the European dance scene. At first "Set You Free" reached a lowly chart position of 82 in the UK Singles Chart, however, it was re-released in April 1994 and became the group's first top 40 hit, reaching no. 39.
"Turn Up the Power", featuring Loveland vocalist Rachel McFarlane, followed in October of the same year and sold considerably more copies, reaching no. 23.
Following the sudden increase in the group's popularity, they were pressured into a second re-release of "Set You Free". This time the track peaked at no. 2 in the UK chart, and was to become the highest selling dance single of 1995 - selling over 600,000 copies in the UK alone, and also charting in continental Europe and in Australia. "Set You Free" has since gone on to be one of the most remixed songs ever, with over forty mixes available.
The group recorded their first full-length album, Electronic Pleasure, in November 1995, which featured seven of the group's ever-expanding roster of vocalists (including David Grant), and musicians such as Vinny Burns and Snake Davis. Similarly, N-Trance's musical range expanded, embracing rap, disco and other styles in its scope.
The group's next single, a surprising cover of the Bee Gees hit "Stayin' Alive", was not only a massive international hit, but also featured a vocalist who would help define N-Trance's sound in the future, Ricardo Da Force, formerly rapper with The KLF.
Upon its release in the UK it debuted at no. 2, and internationally it became one of the biggest UK exports of 1995, reaching no. 1 in Australia and being top 5 in a number of European charts.
[edit] Later years
The release of further commercially successful singles, like "Electronic Pleasure", afforded N-Trance the possibility of building their own recording studio, Deep Blue, in 1996. They spent the following year and a half recording their second full-length album, Happy Hour, which was eventually released in 1999.
Hit singles from the album included disco cover versions of Rod Stewart's "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?" and Ottawan's "D.I.S.C.O.", and the hardcore techno clatter of "The Mind of the Machine", which featured the actor Steven Berkoff.
A best of album entitled Best Of N-Trance 1992-2002 was released in early 2001, backed by a trance remix of "Set You Free" which reached number 7 in October of that year.
In 2005, Longworth and O'Toole reached the Top 10, with the single "So Much Love to Give" released under the pseudonym the Freeloaders.
In October 2006 a new single was announced (with a sample) on the N-Trance website entitled "Nothing Lasts Forever".
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MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/ntrance
Superstition
N-Trance Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Very superstitious, ladders bout' to fall
Thirteen month old baby, broke the lookin' glass
Seven years of bad luck, the good things in your past
When you believe in things that you don't understand
Then you suffer
Superstition ain't the way
Rid me of the problem, do all that you can
Keep me in a daydream, keep me goin' strong
You don't wanna save me, sad is my song
When you believe in things that you don't understand
Then you suffer
Superstition ain't the way, yeh, yeh
Very superstitious, nothin' more to say
Very superstitious, the devil's on his way
Thirteen month old baby, broke the lookin' glass
Seven years of bad luck, good things in your past
When you believe in things that you don't understand
Then you suffer, superstition ain't the way, no, no, no
The song "Superstition" by N-Trance is a remake of Stevie Wonder's original song. The lyrics speak to the belief in superstitions and how they can lead to suffering. The first verse starts off by mentioning the act of writing on the wall, which is often seen as a bad omen or a sign of impending doom. It then goes on to mention the superstition of ladders and how they are said to bring bad luck if walked under. The next line talks about a thirteen-month-old baby breaking a mirror, which is also supposed to bring seven years of bad luck. The chorus then talks about how believing in things you don't understand can lead to suffering and that superstition is not the way to live your life.
The second verse speaks to the idea of trying to rid oneself of bad luck by washing your face and hands, which is a common superstition. It then talks about how people try to keep themselves in a positive state of mind by daydreaming and staying motivated, but sometimes it doesn't work and they end up feeling sad. The chorus repeats the same message as before about how superstition is not the way to live your life and that believing in things you don't understand can lead to suffering.
Line by Line Meaning
Very superstitious, writing on the wall
Being overly superstitious is like seeing a message on the wall that doesn't exist
Very superstitious, ladders bout' to fall
Being overly superstitious can make you anticipate failure or harm, even if it's not really there
Thirteen month old baby, broke the lookin' glass
Unexplained or unlucky events can make people Superstitious, such as a baby breaking a mirror
Seven years of bad luck, the good things in your past
Superstition can create a self-fulfilling prophecy where you keep looking for bad events and discounting good ones
When you believe in things that you don't understand
Then you suffer
Superstition ain't the way
Misunderstanding or irrational beliefs lead to anxiety and distress, so it's better to rely on reason and evidence instead of superstition
Very superstitious, wash your face and hands
Rid me of the problem, do all that you can
Superstition can lead to obsessive or irrational behavior, like trying to cleanse yourself of some bad luck through rituals
Keep me in a daydream, keep me goin' strong
You don't wanna save me, sad is my song
Superstition can give a sense of temporary relief or escapism, but ultimately it can lead to disappointment and sadness
Very superstitious, nothin' more to say
Very superstitious, the devil's on his way
Thirteen month old baby, broke the lookin' glass
Seven years of bad luck, good things in your past
Despite being aware of the futility of superstition, some people may still feel compelled to it as a way to cope with uncertainty and fear
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Actual Music, S.L.
Written by: Stevie Wonder
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind