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I was on Wikipedia and happened to fall into the Eurodance and Europop pages. Yup, Haddaway, Snap! 2 Unlimited, Capella and all that jazz. It was nice to see that CB Milton’s “It’s a Loving Thing” – a song I co-wrote – was listed as the sixth most “Notable Eurodance Song”. OK, it’s hardly the most scientific listing, but I’ve always liked that song – in particular the slightly ambiguous lyrics in the second verse…

There are so many stories to tell about that period that I wouldn’t know where to start. CB, for example, is about the only singer I’ve ever known who drove a little yellow sports car before he even released his first single. He was doing very well for himself singing in clubs. And what a singer he was! I saw him once throw his microphone away and sing “Redemption Song” at an Amsterdam theatre. Who needs amps with a voice like his?

Anyway, 1994′s “Loving Thing” was one of his biggest hits alongside “Open Your Heart” (which I also co-wrote with Peter Bauwens and Phil Wilde). We were on a roll by the time it was being written, having done a lot of work on 2 Unlimited. But CB was something else. We could combine the hard dance vibe of the day with his stunning soulful voice. It’s a dream gig in a way: a guy that really digs heavy electronic dance but can sing his ass off. So as writers, we could do almost anything.

I’ve often been asked about the second verse, so here it is.

2 girls in a lonely town wonder what’s in store
They had dreams of running around, but one don’t run no more
In other days, with other boys, she’d laugh and walk on by
But whereas once she never loved, she knows that she will try
It’s a loving thing

The whole song is basically about the changes that love can make in life, even if they are slightly bittersweet in this verse (a girl losing her best pal to a bloke). Looking at it now, I wonder why I used the word “whereas”, which is an unusual choice. I think now I’d simply put, “Even though she’d never loved, she knows that she will try…” Ah, retrospect!

I still think it’s a cracking song though and wonder why it hasn’t been covered by one of the younger groups. I think it could really build someone’s career all over again. Who do you think would do “It’s a Loving Thing” justice?

UPDATE: “It’s a Loving Thing” has been remixed by Michael Brun for “New Year’s Dance 2010″ .

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