"You Are in My System" by The System

Song#:  1361
Date:  03/05/1983
Debut:  90
Peak:  64
Weeks:  8
Genre:  R&B, Synthpop



Pop Bits:  Mic Murphy and David Frank first met each other when Frank was playing keyboards for the funk band Kleeer and Murphy was their manager. They later found themselves collaborating on a song and the results got them signed to Atlantic Records. Their first single, "It's Passion," reached #23 on the dance chart and it was enough for Atlantic to ask for a full album. The duo issued the album "Sweat" and this next single got them to #14 on the dance chart while hitting #10 at R&B. The song also crossed over to pop where it spent a couple of months floating around the bottom third of the chart.

ReduxReview:  Although it has a nice synthpop production, the song definitely leans toward R&B so I'm not surprised it did better there than at pop. The chorus is good, but the song as a whole is a little too slight to support the repetitive groove. I just really wanted something interesting to take the song to the next level, like a really cool bridge. I find it hard to keep still when this song plays, but I'm also not reaching for the repeat button.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Due to a favor, Frank got some studio time and it was suggested that he do some kind of dance tune. He worked one up, but needed a vocalist. So he asked his upstairs neighbor, who was in the process of developing her career. Her name was Madonna. At the time the song was called "Crimes of Passion" and everything was set for them to go into the studio. It was to be a synth-only track, but then Madonna wanted to use her drummer/boyfriend, Stephen Bray, on the track. Frank didn't want that so the disagreement led to the two parting ways. Frank then got Murphy to come in and help with the song, which ended up being "It's Passion." Soon after, the duo became The System and were signed to Atlantic. As for Madonna, it seems she was inspired enough by Frank's song to come up with her own version. Before she got signed, she recorded a song titled "Crimes of Passion" with Bray. Although only credited to Madonna as writer, the song certainly seems to be influenced by "It's Passion." Madonna's song got issued on an unofficial disc called "Pre-Madonna," independently put out by Stephen Bray in 1997. The CD consisted of early demos the pair did before she got signed. It included the early versions of two songs that ended up on her debut album - "Everybody" and "Burning Up."

_________________________________________________________________________________