Show Me Love (Robyn song)

Not to be confused with Show Me Love (Robin S. song) or Show Me Love (Robin Schulz song).

"Show Me Love" is a song by Swedish singer and songwriter Robyn. It was first released in Sweden in February 1997 as the fourth single from her debut studio album, Robyn Is Here (1995). The song was her third UK and second US single. Robyn wrote it with Max Martin, who also produced the song with Denniz Pop. Its music video was directed by Kevin Bray. The song is sometimes confused with Robin S.'s 1993 single "Show Me Love" because of identical song titles and similar first names; however, the two songs are not related.^[3]

"Show Me Love"
Single by Robyn
from the album Robyn Is Here
B-side	"Do You Know (What It Takes)"
Released	24 February 1997 (1997-02-24)[1]
Studio	Cheiron (Stockholm, Sweden)
Genre	Teen pop dance-pop[2]
Length	3:50 (album version) 3:27 (radio edit)
Label	Ariola Ricochet BMG
Songwriter(s)	Robyn Max Martin
Producer(s)	Denniz Pop Max Martin
Robyn singles chronology
"Do You Know (What It Takes)" (1996) "Show Me Love" (1997) "Electric" (1999)
Robyn UK and US singles chronology
"Do You Know (What It Takes)" (1996) "Show Me Love" (1997) "Do You Really Want Me (Show Respect)" (1997)
Music video
"Show Me Love" on YouTube

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard described the song as a "far more seductive tone of this jeep-pop confection" than her earlier hit single, "Do You Know (What It Takes)". He noted that Robyn "proves her capability to handle a meaty tune with a respectable degree of soul. She tweaks the song's ear-grabbing chorus and muscular bassline with subtle improvisations and an assertive edge that impresses."^[4] In a retrospective review, Can't Stop the Pop felt that on the song "she's dropping her guard and committing herself to a teen-pop romance". They added that the chorus is "spectacularly catchy".^[5] British magazine Music Week gave "Show Me Love" five out of five, naming it the "strongest track" from the album, "[that] should launch her as a serious contender for the swingbeat crown".^[6]

Chart performance

In Sweden, "Show Me Love" became Robyn's fourth highest-charting single, peaking at number 14, lower than "Do You Know (What It Takes)" and "Do You Really Want Me (Show Respect)", which both went top 10. In the United States, the single peaked at number seven, her second consecutive top 10 hit. In December 1997, the single received a gold certification from the RIAA in recognition of 500,000 copies sold in the US.^[7] It was Robyn's last top-10 single and remains her last charting single on the Hot 100. In the United Kingdom, "Show Me Love" became Robyn's first of two top-20 singles from Robyn Is Here and her first top-10 single, peaking at number eight; it was Robyn's fourth best-performing single, with 113,000 sales and 1.22 million audio streams according to the Official Charts Company.^[8]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Show Me Love" was directed by Kevin Bray and premiered on 20 July 1997 on the television network The Box.^[9][10] The video is shot with two cutscenes: one with Robyn in a light blue top alone lip-syncing to camera filmed in mostly color and the other of her in a black sweatsuit lip-syncing to camera filmed in mostly black-and-white with a large group of urbane extras shown conversing in a loosely grouped line behind her while a guitarist, keytar player, and drummer with drumkit play among them.

Usage in media

The song was performed in 1997 on the television series All That and features on the soundtrack of TV series Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. It was also played at the very end of the Swedish film Show Me Love. The film was originally titled Fucking Åmål but was retitled for distribution in the English-speaking world after the name of the song.

In 2019 the song was featured in the West End musical & Juliet.

Impact and legacy

In 2017, Billboard ranked "Show Me Love" number 32 in their list of "The 100 Greatest Pop Songs of 1997".^[11] In 2022, Pitchfork ranked it number 241 in their list of "The 250 Best Songs of the 1990s".^[12]

Track listings

European CD single "Show Me Love" (radio edit) – 3:27 "Show Me Love" (QD3 Fat Boy Mix) (featuring O.C. and Rahzel) – 5:08 "Show Me Love" (Grand Jury Master Mix with Rap) (featuring Shelene) – 4:28 "Do You Know (What It Takes)" (Paradise Garage Mix) – 4:59 European maxi-CD single "Show Me Love" (Radio Edit) – 3:27 "Show Me Love" (Grand Jury Master Mix with Rap) – 4:28 "Show Me Love" (QD3 Fat Boy Remix) (featuring O.C. and Rahzel) – 5:08 "Show Me Love" (12-inch Show) – 8:08 "Show Me Love" (Backroom Extended Club) – 7:18 US CD single "Show Me Love" (album version) – 3:50 "Show Me Love" (Grand Jury Master Mix with Rap) – 4:28

US maxi-CD single "Show Me Love" (extended album version) – 4:53 "Show Me Love" (12-inch Show) – 8:08 "Show Me Love" (Grand Jury Master Mix with Rap) – 4:28 "Show Me Love" (QD3 Fat Boy Remix) (featuring O.C. and Rahzel) – 5:08 US 12-inch single A1. "Show Me Love" (12-inch Show) – 8:08 A2. "Show Me Love" (extended LP version) – 4:53 B1. "Show Me Love" (Grand Master Jury Mix with Rap) – 4:28 B2. "Show Me Love" (Backroom 12-inch) – 7:18 US 12-inch limited edition A1. "Show Me Love" (Andy & The Lamboy Revelation Club Mix) – 8:22 A2. "Show Me Love" (Spens Nitemare Dub) – 4:58 B1. "Show Me Love" (Paul Andrews Club Mix) – 6:41 B2. "Show Me Love" (extended album version) – 4:53

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1997–1998) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[13] 34 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[14] 12 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[15] 2 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[16] 12 Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[17] 4 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[18] 32 France (SNEP)[19] 36 Germany (GfK)[20] 70 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[21] 23 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[22] 27 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[23] 10 Scotland (OCC)[24] 20 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[25] 14 UK Singles (OCC)[26] 8 UK Dance (OCC)[27] 22 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[28] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[29] 7 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[30] 26 US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[31] 39 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[32] 44 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[33] 3 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[34] 9

Year-end charts Chart (1997) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[35] 44 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[36] 79 US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard)[37] 86 US Top 40/Mainstream (Billboard)[38] 55 Chart (1998) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[39] 41 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[40] 80 UK Singles (OCC)[41] 163 UK Urban (Music Week)[42] 13 US Billboard Hot 100[43] 29 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[44] 67 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[45] 26 US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard)[46] 56

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[7]	Gold	500,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref(s).
Sweden	24 February 1997	CD	Ariola Ricochet BMG	[1]
United States	8–9 September 1997	Rhythmic contemporary contemporary hit radio	RCA	[47][48]
	28 October 1997	12-inch vinyl CD cassette		[47]
Japan	21 November 1997	CD	Ariola BMG	[49]
United Kingdom	23 February 1998	12-inch vinyl CD cassette	RCA BMG	[50]

References

1. "Robyn: Show Me Love". click2music.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 26 April 2002. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
2. Billboard Staff (19 October 2023). "The 500 Best Pop Songs: Staff List". Billboard. Retrieved 19 February 2024. Show Me Love" appeared again just four years later as the title to a Swedish-produced dance-pop gem — this time by Robyn, with a "Y
3. Carley, Brennan (28 May 2015). "The 20 Greatest Max Martin Songs That Never Topped the Charts". Spin. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
4. Flick, Larry (30 August 1997). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 35. p. 86. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
5. "Robyn – Show Me Love". Can't Stop the Pop. 17 February 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
6. "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 7 February 1998. p. 12. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
7. "American single certifications – Robyn – Show Me Love". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
8. Copsey, Rob (24 October 2018). "Robyn's Top 10 hits on the Official Chart". Official Charts. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
9. Tedenstad, Sofie (6 February 2020). "Music video evolution of: Robyn" (in Swedish). Retrieved 23 January 2023.
10. "The Clip List". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 31. 2 August 1997. p. 88.
11. Unterberger, Andrew (29 June 2017). "The 100 Greatest Pop Songs of 1997: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
12. "The 250 Best Songs of the 1990s". Pitchfork. 27 September 2022. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
13. "Robyn – Show Me Love". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
14. "Robyn – Show Me Love" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
15. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3410." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
16. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 3427." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
17. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 3422." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
18. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 11. 14 March 1998. p. 12. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
19. "Robyn – Show Me Love" (in French). Les classement single.
20. "Robyn – Show Me Love" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
21. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 11, 1998" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
22. "Robyn – Show Me Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
23. "Robyn – Show Me Love". Top 40 Singles.
24. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
25. "Robyn – Show Me Love". Singles Top 100.
26. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
27. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
28. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
29. "Robyn Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
30. "Robyn Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
31. "Robyn Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
32. "Robyn Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
33. "Robyn Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
34. "Robyn Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
35. "RPM '97 Year End Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Retrieved 23 March 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
36. "Årslista Singlar, 1997" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
37. "Best of '97: Rhythmic Top 40 Singles". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 5, no. 52. 26 December 1997. p. 42.
38. "Best of '97: Top 40/Mainstream Singles". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 5, no. 52. 26 December 1997. p. 38.
39. "RPM's Top 100 Hit Tracks of '98" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 63, no. 12. 14 December 1998. p. 20. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
40. "RPM's Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks of '98". RPM. Retrieved 22 June 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
41. "Najlepsze single na UK Top 40-1998 wg sprzedaży" (in Polish). Archived from the original on 4 June 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
42. "The Urban Top 40 of 1998" (PDF). Music Week. 9 January 1999. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
43. "Billboard Top 100 – 1998". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
44. "Most Played Adult Top 40 Songs of 1998". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 6, no. 52. 25 December 1998. p. 55.
45. "Most Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 1998". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 6, no. 52. 25 December 1998. p. 45.
46. "Most Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs of 1998". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 6, no. 52. 25 December 1998. p. 46.
47. Bell, Carrie (8 November 1997). "RCA Looks Beyond Top 40 Base for Sweden's Robyn". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 45. pp. 8, 103.
48. "New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1213. 5 September 1997. pp. 39, 45.
49. "ショウ・ミー・ラブ | ロビン" [Show Me Love | Robyn] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
50. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 21 February 1998. p. 29.

External links

• "Show Me Love" at Discogs (list of releases)