Mates and myself got invited to the VIP at Mambo when Shapeshifters were on. Martin + Max played it, and we enjoyed more than a few drinks with them and of course the Mambo Brothers. Apparently, the reason we got invited in is that we were the only guys in Mambo not wearing vests 😆Great guys! Already one of my favourite house tracks, and seeing them play it live was the highlight of that trip!
yeh, for someone who worked in A&R there's a certain lack of understanding about what the masses want. It's not about what's best, it's about what people like en-mass
The vocal is everything to me. I've been DJing for 30 years, this is top 5 of my nostalgic tracks and it's all about that vocal and how it works with the instrumental.
I just discovered this song tonight in 2024 and I am losing my mind. I’m dancing, I’m crying and shouting! I will never tire of this record. It is pure joy on vinyl!
I could see it reaching number 1 without the vocal, but I don’t think it would have become what it became without it. The vocal, IMO, is the nuclear blast that made this a timeless anthem. That was the element that caused the record to resonate as deeply as it did with people. It would not have been quite the same without it. No way.
@@TayWoode Right. Groovejet is almost a perfect track without the vocal, but with it? Out of this world. There's just something about vocals that really brings life to a song.
No way it gets to number one without the vocal - doesn't mean it wouldn't have been a dance hit - but its ok to transcend a genre dunno why people seem snobby about it
I'm not a DJ, Producer, Promoter nor a Musician of any sorts .. Just an old worn out mechanic that used to party .. But I will tell you what my friend .. You absolutely hit the nail with this one and to this day .. Its still top of my playlist.. Thankyou : )
As a DJ thre first time I heard this song I knew it was going to be massive, I absolutely hammered this song. It's still one of my favourite songs to this day.
Absolute legendary 'modern oldschool' house track! Up there in my top 5 from that era along with Grant Nelsons mix of Solu Music - Fade & Hardsoul Ft Ron Carroll - Back Together, etc...
Thank you for this Song, I have to control myself not to cry when I hear this Song. Soooooooooo many memories: London, Ibiza, Rio de Janeiro, Amsterdam, Brussels. THANK YOU ❤❤❤
I'm still playing mashups and remixes of Lola's Theme today 20 years later. They don't make house music like it anymore. Lola's Theme and Pete Heller's Big Love are the 2 biggest anthems of all time for me. Will be playing them forever.
The first time I heard this, by about 30 seconds in I knew it would be one of the greatest tunes ever. Twenty years on, it still stands the test of time. An amazing track and memories of good times.
This is still the greatest sample based record ever made. And that sample is truly the holy grail of samples. Can’t imagine there will be a better one for a very long time ❤
This was the song of my childhood, it helped me fall in love with house music and was the soundtrack to so many memories. Those vocals are pivotal to the whole experience!
It simply gives me joy every time I hear it, and I feel better as a person remembering those relationships that have made me a different, and better person. It's good to be reminded of that time and time. I love this song. Thank you Simon
Heard this on MTV randomly one morning on the TV as a kid. Stayed glued to the TV for hours hoping it would come on again. Introduced me to house music, thank you Shapeshifters 💕
"Stayed glued to the TV for hours hoping it would come on again. " People under 30 years old'ish don't know what this is like! Waiting around listening to the radio/Much Music or MTV to hear something again! And then using a tape cassette/movie cassette to record it! ...And then came along Napster, which was the first "on demand" type of media really.
Her voice made the song....beautiful voice❤❤💯💯💯💯💯💯 2004 was a good year...danced my ass off when I heard this..still luv it...it's her voice over that sound
Just makes me feel happy, summery and euphoric even this interview talking about the record made all my hairs stand on end good vibes flowing through my body. One of those tunes the all family can enjoy. Yer sometimes you get bored of hearing it but you try not to listen to it for a while and when you hear it or play it again sounds even better than it did last time. 🎶😎👍🏻
i love how way back when people looked across all genres, and put them together to make absolute gems... today they take the biggest classic house tracks, fuck them up in a major way, and call it their own...
Thanks for the insight Simon 👍. Like many millions no doubt.. I love Lola's Theme, and from its first release it's still always somewhere in one of my playlists 🎶🎧🎼
my first time in Ibiza was 2004 and I remember picking this up on vinyl in, i think it was called Mega Music on the west end. It was so big then that everytime i hear it now it reminds me of my first time there
Lola's Theme (Lola's Lounging Mix) is in my top 10 all-time favourites. I remember, many years ago, Kiss FM used to play this specific mix (Kiss used to play all the best - and rarest - mixes back then). I knew I had to have it in my life - and it's been here ever since. Exquisite. Far better, IMO, than the regular dance mix.
It's an absolute banger. Massive energy, the perfect combo of sampling and organic performance, spot-on vocals, and a melody that's catchy without being annoying. Legend.
What I love about Lola’s Theme was the extended intro, the triple snares on the 4th-1st beat was goosebumps til the drop of the piano intro comes in. 😍🙏🏼❤️
I was playing at an after hours party in someone's living room in 2003, the sun was coming up and everyone was coming down when one of the DJs handed this record to me from his box and suggested I play it. It was one of the first instrumental promos Simon talked about here. I dropped it and the room exploded instantaneously. It booted everyone back to life - in all my years of DJ'ing I had never seen a reaction like it. When I got to the office on Monday morning, the first thing I did was send a bike courier from one side of London to the other to collect one of the only remaining copies for me. A few months later Simon came and did a DJ set on our Ministry of Sound radio show but I was sick and didn't attend. I live in ibiza now but to this day I have still yet to meet him and thank him for making this amazing record. For what it's worth, I hated the vocal version but I do get it - each to their own eh! ;)
Still one of the best dance anthems. Still remember seeing you guys at the Defected Party here in Toronto Ontario with my friend Max at the Roosevelt Lounge
My friend and I moved to London in 2003 and owned one of the original white labels of this that he talks about. Bought from Black Market Records! It’s mad to think that was 20 years ago 😮
I have too many tracks to say this is my favourite. But its VERY VERY VERY high up the list. Thank you Mr Marlin for making it, it was the soundtrack to my 20s! (And Yes, I'm now an old bugger in my mid 40s 😂😂)
There's a vocal version?! This song was everywhere on radio in France that year, and it didn't have vocals! I have it on several compilation CDs without vocals :D I just heard the vocal version on TH-cam for the first time... it feels so weird!
👀😳Cant Imagine the .."OoOh, you fired up my heart and made me smile!!... And you and I know baaaaby!!" Part of the song not being there ..that's like the peak of the song.. for me.😅🔥🔥
I’m going to be really coincidental with this, but hearing the Paris 2024 victory theme song (the disco beat edition) somehow unlocked this core memory of this iconic dance track. Just looked up the name and boom, a wave of nostalgia. Rather fascinating interview and insight to this iconic dance number!
What's your favourite memory of 'Lola's Theme'? 👇
😘💓
Pachá SP Brazil
My ex n I…. This was our favorite tune 20 years ago… n the hook was so applicable… my good time flies…😮
When I learned the name of the track. Obviously the lyrics don't help.
Mates and myself got invited to the VIP at Mambo when Shapeshifters were on. Martin + Max played it, and we enjoyed more than a few drinks with them and of course the Mambo Brothers. Apparently, the reason we got invited in is that we were the only guys in Mambo not wearing vests 😆Great guys! Already one of my favourite house tracks, and seeing them play it live was the highlight of that trip!
The vocals were the key element of this masterpiece.
Inspired some what from Anthony White "Love Me Tonight'. Well the first few notes of the verse...
HER VOCALS GIVE ME LIFE TILL THIS DAY, do not underestimate her contribution
Yeaah like vocals in electronic are soo under appreciated, while vocals in pop or even rap nowadays are mostly not good imo
Absolutely. What else have they done aside from
Speeding up the sample😂
Right?!?! The vocal makes this tune for me 😭😭😭
@@See669 there are fillers going on but yeah.. the ego is shining through a tad too harsh in this interview. Not all that pretty.
I know I shouldn‘t but I‘m 5 min in and I‘m already ready to close the video lmao 😂😂Huh??? The vocals are the backbone of this song!
The vocals are an integral part of the track and elevates it to a euphoric level - no way it would've reached no.1 without them.
yeh, for someone who worked in A&R there's a certain lack of understanding about what the masses want. It's not about what's best, it's about what people like en-mass
He's a bit arrogant, I agree!
The vocal is everything to me. I've been DJing for 30 years, this is top 5 of my nostalgic tracks and it's all about that vocal and how it works with the instrumental.
I agree 100%! The fact he could be so arrogant to discount her amazing work. Unbelievable! 😮
So, what are the other 4?
It's a man, Anthony White.@@OneAdam12Adam
"The vocal is everything to me" Same here
MESABI ENTERTAINMENT USVI
I just discovered this song tonight in 2024 and I am losing my mind. I’m dancing, I’m crying and shouting! I will never tire of this record. It is pure joy on vinyl!
Welcome to the party!
Welcome to good music! 😊
I bought it on vinyl around 20 years ago, my copies a bit worn now!
No. It's like being INSIDE JOY.....
I could see it reaching number 1 without the vocal, but I don’t think it would have become what it became without it. The vocal, IMO, is the nuclear blast that made this a timeless anthem. That was the element that caused the record to resonate as deeply as it did with people. It would not have been quite the same without it. No way.
Reminds me of Groovejet which was an underground instrumental club hit before Sophie Ellis Bextor arrived
@@TayWoode Right. Groovejet is almost a perfect track without the vocal, but with it? Out of this world. There's just something about vocals that really brings life to a song.
Agreed!
No way it gets to number one without the vocal - doesn't mean it wouldn't have been a dance hit - but its ok to transcend a genre dunno why people seem snobby about it
I'm not a DJ, Producer, Promoter nor a Musician of any sorts .. Just an old worn out mechanic that used to party .. But I will tell you what my friend .. You absolutely hit the nail with this one and to this day .. Its still top of my playlist.. Thankyou : )
It may not have NEEDED the verse vocal; but my god it perfected it!
EXACTLY!!!
Agree.
The amount of energy in this song is still unbelievable! It never leaves my run training setlist.
"I use different Persil, turned my wash around", as my own interpretation went.
Her vocals were so good
It's a man, Anthony White.
Classic track.
Truly classic. Still holds up today. I also bump Back To Basics from them.
As a DJ thre first time I heard this song I knew it was going to be massive, I absolutely hammered this song. It's still one of my favourite songs to this day.
Classic!
Same, every weekend, bang, guarantee floor filler - with or without the vocal.
Lola’s theme is one of the best dance records around! Brings me joy, and always play it and never get bored of it.
Legendary song.
Agreed!
i still play this record every set..its one of my top 5 favourite tracks of all time :)
Amazing! 👌
@@WesternState731 and yet I still get bookings :)
What’s the other tracks?!
Good! 👍🏾
This was one of the tracks that made me fall in love with house music
Absolute legendary 'modern oldschool' house track! Up there in my top 5 from that era along with Grant Nelsons mix of Solu Music - Fade & Hardsoul Ft Ron Carroll - Back Together, etc...
I don't see a day when this track will not light up a dancefloor, everything about it is perfect and it will forever be in my sets.
You gotta love that lift the chord 4 in Dorian gives. I call the Dorian scale "minor with hope"
I dont care if he hates it now ! I still play this song whenever I need an uplifting moment in my life ! And it does the job quite well !
One of the single biggest feel good bangers of our dance generation. I hope to see LF SYSTEM getting this recognition in 20 years time.
The instrumental is a banger but those vocals were the coup de grace☝🏽...
Arguably a staple in my mix crates!!!
Thank you for this Song, I have to control myself not to cry when I hear this Song. Soooooooooo many memories: London, Ibiza, Rio de Janeiro, Amsterdam, Brussels. THANK YOU ❤❤❤
I'm still playing mashups and remixes of Lola's Theme today 20 years later. They don't make house music like it anymore. Lola's Theme and Pete Heller's Big Love are the 2 biggest anthems of all time for me. Will be playing them forever.
Plus 1 for Big Love.
Remember this being played everywhere. A fantastic track!
The first time I heard this, by about 30 seconds in I knew it would be one of the greatest tunes ever. Twenty years on, it still stands the test of time. An amazing track and memories of good times.
I'm in my fifties now but this track will be etched in my memory forever...it brings back memories of fun at the nightclub with my friends....❤️❤️❤️
This is still the greatest sample based record ever made. And that sample is truly the holy grail of samples. Can’t imagine there will be a better one for a very long time ❤
Maybe Stardust?
Or most of Daft Punk's music?@@Snakeandcrane
pete heller big love the best
This was the song of my childhood, it helped me fall in love with house music and was the soundtrack to so many memories. Those vocals are pivotal to the whole experience!
It simply gives me joy every time I hear it, and I feel better as a person remembering those relationships that have made me a different, and better person. It's good to be reminded of that time and time. I love this song. Thank you Simon
I LOVE this track, instant happiness, no matter what my mood is doing. The whole thing is superb, but those vocals!!! LOVE IT!!!!
2023 and still one of my favorite tunes of all times - so energetic. thanks for this tune!
Heard this on MTV randomly one morning on the TV as a kid. Stayed glued to the TV for hours hoping it would come on again. Introduced me to house music, thank you Shapeshifters 💕
"Stayed glued to the TV for hours hoping it would come on again. "
People under 30 years old'ish don't know what this is like! Waiting around listening to the radio/Much Music or MTV to hear something again! And then using a tape cassette/movie cassette to record it! ...And then came along Napster, which was the first "on demand" type of media really.
what sampling a great melody can do, the sample made this song what it is. credit and big ups to original song
Her vocals make the track 🔥🔥🔥
Amazing, please keep this series going.
Plenty more incoming!!
One of the best productions in the history of House Music, I was happy each time I played it since my early days as a DJ!
Great series DJ Mag. Keep them coming!
This song always pops off when it plays at 1 of my events. Had the pleasure of meeting Simon as well he's a nice guy
I was so young when I heard this song, I loved the vocal so much, the music video. House music is special.
This song is just…a force of life. It’s so incredibly ALIVE!!!! It’s deeply loving and just s spectacular energy. A true masterpiece
I've known this song since it first came out and never got tired of it. Great thing about electronic (House) music is how timeless it is
Those lyrics just lift my spirit each and every time.Absolute classic!
YES!!! Me too!!
Had the pleasure of seeing them live at CarFax, South Africa. When they dropped Lola's Theme the floor went bananas, proper classic.
Lets be real south africa is the hq of house music damn
One of my top 5 house tracks of all time. I still listen to it every so often.
Her voice made the song....beautiful voice❤❤💯💯💯💯💯💯 2004 was a good year...danced my ass off when I heard this..still luv it...it's her voice over that sound
Will always be one of my Ibiza anthems.
Was and Still a greatest hit in brazilian dance Floor 😅😅👏🙌
Não mentiu lol...
what club?
how much glamour!!! to hear this theme in Divine... incredible!!! ❣
Just makes me feel happy, summery and euphoric even this interview talking about the record made all my hairs stand on end good vibes flowing through my body. One of those tunes the all family can enjoy. Yer sometimes you get bored of hearing it but you try not to listen to it for a while and when you hear it or play it again sounds even better than it did last time. 🎶😎👍🏻
This was playing on my flight from Brazil to the U.K. in 2006 and I never stopped listening to it! Awesome tune! Will live forever.✊🏼✊🏼✊🏼
I remember the excitement around this tune before it had a vocal…it was 100% gonna be #1 no matter what!
i love how way back when people looked across all genres, and put them together to make absolute gems... today they take the biggest classic house tracks, fuck them up in a major way, and call it their own...
This is possibly one of my all time favs. I’d love to remix this one day ❤❤
Everyone agrees the vocals are a vital element of the track’s success
My wife who has no idea about music just said "that's like one of the biggest tunes"
When someone mentions house music this is the first song I think of. Timeless banger
What an incredible story. And imagine Lola’s theme without the vocal!!!!! 😢
Great song .... timeless ...... ❤
Thanks for the insight Simon 👍. Like many millions no doubt.. I love Lola's Theme, and from its first release it's still always somewhere in one of my playlists 🎶🎧🎼
this song is an all time classic !!!!! its the best song for new years its the ultimate celebration song !
Check the Eric Prydz remix, released 2004 (I think)... an Electro banging remix , with some travelling chords. Wonderful ! ♥
Amazing Song, i've dance 2 this many time in more many Clubs. Thanks for this Peace of Love!
Awesome!! Still listen to this track almost everyday
my first time in Ibiza was 2004 and I remember picking this up on vinyl in, i think it was called Mega Music on the west end. It was so big then that everytime i hear it now it reminds me of my first time there
Honestly this is top 5 all time for me. Incredible track!!
Lola's Theme (Lola's Lounging Mix) is in my top 10 all-time favourites. I remember, many years ago, Kiss FM used to play this specific mix (Kiss used to play all the best - and rarest - mixes back then). I knew I had to have it in my life - and it's been here ever since. Exquisite. Far better, IMO, than the regular dance mix.
Loved the Interview...with an ICON of Club Music.
It's an absolute banger. Massive energy, the perfect combo of sampling and organic performance, spot-on vocals, and a melody that's catchy without being annoying. Legend.
One of the greatest dance songs EVER!!!!!
What I love about Lola’s Theme was the extended intro, the triple snares on the 4th-1st beat was goosebumps til the drop of the piano intro comes in. 😍🙏🏼❤️
I always play it from the pause...when it almost fades...to go up again in a ❤ way
Sometimes all it takes is that one vocal and you're good as gold - glad it got one! Big tune!
I was playing at an after hours party in someone's living room in 2003, the sun was coming up and everyone was coming down when one of the DJs handed this record to me from his box and suggested I play it. It was one of the first instrumental promos Simon talked about here. I dropped it and the room exploded instantaneously. It booted everyone back to life - in all my years of DJ'ing I had never seen a reaction like it. When I got to the office on Monday morning, the first thing I did was send a bike courier from one side of London to the other to collect one of the only remaining copies for me. A few months later Simon came and did a DJ set on our Ministry of Sound radio show but I was sick and didn't attend. I live in ibiza now but to this day I have still yet to meet him and thank him for making this amazing record. For what it's worth, I hated the vocal version but I do get it - each to their own eh! ;)
This song was a big part of my clubbing days and my dj sets !!! Thank you!!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥
I love this song. I think many people can relate to the lyrics
Incredible tune. Still gives me goosebumps to this day.
Absolutely love this song… Danced it endless times 😊
Still one of the best dance anthems. Still remember seeing you guys at the Defected Party here in Toronto Ontario with my friend Max at the Roosevelt Lounge
Great song! I play it often.
Its a classic tune. The production is awesome and the tune. But the vocals really make it. ❤
1st Thank you for having such a creative mind and sharing with us your vision and music. Truly love this song.
Just picked the record up on discogs, a must have
I'm a cover singer and I'm going to include it in my show, I've been loving it ever since I heard it for the first time and it still touches my soul😊
My friend and I moved to London in 2003 and owned one of the original white labels of this that he talks about. Bought from Black Market Records! It’s mad to think that was 20 years ago 😮
I remember scoring one of the second 1000 pressings from Black Market Records in Soho. It was heavenly!
Aww, RIP Blackmarket Records 😭
Its a masterpiece
I have too many tracks to say this is my favourite. But its VERY VERY VERY high up the list.
Thank you Mr Marlin for making it, it was the soundtrack to my 20s! (And Yes, I'm now an old bugger in my mid 40s 😂😂)
I still get goosebumps and flashbacks of ibiza, I love ‘Back to basics’ too ❤️👍🏾
Still fresh today!
Went to Glitterbox in Ibiza this summer and Shapeshifters were dj’ing and and I wasreally impressed with his music choices! Class night out 👌🏻
One of my favorite records of all time, good vibes only!
There's a vocal version?! This song was everywhere on radio in France that year, and it didn't have vocals! I have it on several compilation CDs without vocals :D
I just heard the vocal version on TH-cam for the first time... it feels so weird!
This concise interview is intimate and real. Thank you. 💃🏼🕺🏻👯♀️👯👯♂️🪩🩰
Happy 20th for Lola’s Theme.
xoxo 32 yo from Iceland ❄️
Brilliant breakdown of one of the biggest tunes! Thanks for all the details!
Glad you liked it!
Absolute banger still sounds good now!
👀😳Cant Imagine the .."OoOh, you fired up my heart and made me smile!!... And you and I know baaaaby!!"
Part of the song not being there ..that's like the peak of the song.. for me.😅🔥🔥
I’m going to be really coincidental with this, but hearing the Paris 2024 victory theme song (the disco beat edition) somehow unlocked this core memory of this iconic dance track. Just looked up the name and boom, a wave of nostalgia. Rather fascinating interview and insight to this iconic dance number!