Songs that Live On: ‘Show Me Love’ by Robin S

Thirty years ago, a remixed version of a 1990 dance song performed by American singer Robin S, written by Allen George and Fred McFarlane released, and clubs have never been the same thanks to “Show Me Love.” The track was remixed by the Swedish production duo of Stonebridge and Nick Nice, helping to catapult it across the globe. The single went a long way towards establishing house music as part of the mainstream, with the song even reaching the Top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100 in the US.

Considered today to be one of the most iconic and well-known house anthems, the song has become a go-to for established artists and for innumerable covers. It continues to rank as one of the best dance singles of all time by nearly every magazine on the planet, making it not just one of the best-known singles of the 1990s but also of all time.

While Kate Bush is enjoying a huge Renaissance this year with her single “Running Up That Hill” thanks to Stranger Things, “Show Me Love” is enjoying a surge without any real prominence anywhere – more proof that the single seems to continue to influence artists more than three decades later.  In 2022 alone, Craig David, Charli XCX and now Beyonce have all sampled the track and the original songwriters are credited on their respective tracks.

Beyonce’s “Break My Soul” has already garnered the superstar another Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and is the singer’s first radio-friendly single to crack it to the Mainstream Top 40 charts in years.

Charli XCX’s “Used To Know Me,” which sampled the original track more predominantly, was the fifth official release from the singer’s Crash album, becoming another dance chart hit and offering proof that XCX’s evolution to becoming a dance darling is deeply rooted in her nostalgic pop and art.

Craig David’s “My Heart’s Been Waiting For You” featuring Duvall also uses “Show Me Love” to great ’90s throwback value and given the British singer’s already-established retro tinge, the sample makes sense and marks an excellent prelude to his upcoming album, 22.

While these three have charted in recent months, the song has also given the blueprint for hits for artists as wide-ranging as Kid Ink featuring Chris Brown for “Show Me,” Jonas Blue featuring AWA for “Something Stupid” and Daddy Yankee featuring Myke Tower for “PASATIEMPO.”

Of course, most of these samples happened largely because the single has been remixed by nearly every house and electronic DJ over the last 30 years, often including original vocalist Robin S for whom, despite a number of hits after “Show Me Love” to her credit, this has remained her most iconic single.

Looking back, the first artist to really utilize the sample most effectively was Jason Derulo, who in 2011 took the instantly recognizable hook from the original song, added “Day-O” by Harry Belafonte into the chorus and gave us “Don’t Wanna Go Home.” The single that also featured a sample of “Get Low” by Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz became a number one smash on the UK charts and a Top 20 hit in the US.

“Show Me Love” is a song that lives on because it seems that no matter how big or small an artist is, the track still works and manages to always deliver a hit to whoever is involved.

While Beyonce’s single has been polarizing, it has reintroduced the singer to a whole new younger audience, while simultaneously also introducing them to a true house classic.