THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

987-Fedde le Grand-Put Your Hands Up for Detroit.

2006-Number 1 single.

Best Bit-At 1.45. The city of Detroit, in Michigan, United States, will always be synonymous with the Soul music of ‘Tamla Motown,’ but this song pays homage to the genre of ‘Detroit Techno,’ music which developed in Detroit, in the early 1980’s.

Fedde le Grand was born on September 7th, 1977, in Utrecht, Netherlands, he is a music producer of Dance Music, including in the genres of ‘Electro House,’ and ‘Progressive House.’ The discography of Fedde le Grande includes two studio Albums released in 2009, and 2016, and 21 singles issued between 2004-2022. In the Netherlands he has achieved five top 40 singles, with ‘Put Your Hands Up 4 Detroit,’ charting the highest at Number 5, while in the UK, he has charted within the top 40 on three occasions. His other two hits in the UK were collaborations with Camile Jones, on ‘The Creeps,’ (2007 Number 7) and with Ida Corr, on ‘Let Me Think About It,’ (2007 Number 2.) Fedde le Grand is also high on the list of go to producers when it comes to remixing tracks for other artists. His 39 official remixes released between 2004-2021 include remixes for Madonna, (‘Give It 2 Me’ -2008) Coldplay, (‘Paradise’ -2011) and Michael Jackson, (Love Never Felt So Good’ -2014.)

‘Put Your Hands Up for Detroit’ was first issued in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg (Benelux Union) in June 2006, as ‘Put Your Hands Up 4 Detroit,’ when it was released to the rest of Europe later in that year it was officially called ‘Put Your Hands Up for Detroit.’ As with many successful ‘Dance’ tracks, the song can boast many remixes, and this song has at least 14 different official versions, which were made available over the 12 inch vinyl. and CD formats.

‘Put Your Hands Up for Detroit’ samples the lyrics of the 1999 Electronic Dance Music song ‘Hands Up for Detroit,’ by Matthew Dear, and David Shayman (1980-2007.) The songs lyrics are often misheard, with most hearing,’I love this city,’ but Fedde le Grand has confirmed that the actual lyrics are, ‘Put your hands up for Detroit,’Our lovely city.’ The lyrics are actually re-recorded, rather than lifted from the Matthew Dear and David Shayman track, in order to avoid possible lengthy law suits. The song went on to top the chart in four European countries, including the UK, where it has sold over 400,000 copies, and was that countries 20th best selling single of 2006. Outside of Europe, the song made Number 8 on the Australian (ARIA) chart.

Fedde le Grand has spoken about ‘Put Your Hands Up for Detroit,’ and in particular why he chose to sample the American Dance Music producer Matthew Dear’s 1999 track ‘Hands Up for Detroit.’It was a reference to the days of Detroit Techno, the producers and the sound that came out at that time were a big influence to me, and it’s great to hear that sound coming out again lately. I never knew the track would be so big. I think you always know when you’ve got a hit of sorts on your hands just from playing it out in clubs, and the reactions of people around you. But I never expected in my wildest dreams that the track would go to the number 1 spot in so many charts around the world. That was a very big point in my career for one, but one that I think I’ve now built on from.’

‘Put Your Hands Up for Detroit has a rather ‘raunchy’ video. It is set in 2027, in Detroit, Michigan, and features a Stanley Kubrick (1928-1999) type of science laboratory, where female robot technicians help to create multiple male androids. In order to test the sexual reactions of the male androids, the female robots strip to their underwear. Fedde le Grand who says he had no say in the making of the video, does make a short cameo appearance.

‘Put your hands up, put your hands up. Put your hands up for Detroit, our lovely city.’