Peak
16
Weeks
25
Score
3,345
Chart Year
1993
A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by Mathias Jullien.[12] In the video, the band performs the song on the beach among bathers. They are often seen in front of female dancers and a colorful backdrop in green, red and yellow. Other times, the band performs on a stage, in front of a large crowd. Occasionally the footage is in black and white. The video was later made available on YouTube in 2009, and had generated more than 145 million views as of February 2024.[13] Julien would also be directing the video for the group's 1994 hit single "Games People Play".
You know the Jamaican reggae group Inner Circle from "Bad Boys," the theme song to the venerable TV series Cops. The group was around for about 20 years when the show went on the air in 1989, giving them sudden and unexpected exposure in America. They weren't able to capitalize on it until 1993 after Atlantic Records signed the group and released that song as a single in the US with lots of promotional support. It went to #8 and introduced Americans to Inner Circle. "Sweat" was the follow-up single, and it climbed to #16. In America, both songs were included on the Bad Boys album, which went Platinum. The group put out a few more singles over the next few years that nicked the chart in America, but their stronghold remained in Jamaica. "Sweat" was created for hit potential, smoothing out Inner Circle's reggae sound with a chorus that's so singalong, it was included as a parenthetical subtitle: "Sweat (A La La La La Long)." You probably didn't pay much attention to the lyrics, but the song takes place at a gathering where the singer spots a girl across the room and works up the courage to talk to her. When he does, he comes at her with this line: Girl I want to make you sweat Sweat till you can't sweat no more And if you cry out I'm gonna push it some more We don't know how she responds but for the rest of the song this guy lets her know that he wants to push it a la la la la long long time, and then push it some more. Like "Bad Boys," "Sweat" was written by Inner Circle's bass player, Ian Lewis. The song was released internationally in 1992 and was a huge hit across Europe, going to #1 in Germany and Switzerland. When it was re-released in 1993, it rose to #3 in the UK, where Inner Circle scored a minor hit in 1979 with "Everything Is Great," a foray into disco music. The early '90s were a sweaty time for music, led by Keith Sweat and his 1990 hit "Make You Sweat." In 1991, C+C Music Factory came along with the #1 club banger "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)," a rare "sweat" song where the perspiration comes from dancing, not sex. By the time "Sweat (A La La La La Long)" hit in 1993, we were perspiring profusely. "Sweat" shows up in the 2024 episode of True Detective, "Night Country: Part 1," which is set in Alaska. Other uses of the song include the 2001 movie The Animal and two episodes of the 2005 series Peep Show.
I've been watching you A la la la la long A la la la la long long li long long long Come on A la la la la long A la la la la long long li long long long Standing across the room I saw you smile I said I want to talk to you for a little while But before I make my move my emotions start running wild My tongue gets tied and that's no lie I'm looking in your eyes I'm looking in your big brown eyes (Ooh yeah) (And I've got this to say to you) Girl I want to make you sweat Sweat 'til you can't sweat no more And if you cry out I'm gonna push it some more Girl I want to make you sweat Sweat 'til you can't sweat no more And if you cry out I'm gonna push it Push it push it some more A la la la la long A la la la la long long li long long long Come on A la la la la long A la la la la long long li long long long So I say to myself if she loves me or not But the dread are known that love is his to get And with a little bit of this and a little bit of that The lyrics goes on the attack My tongue gets tied And that's no lie I'm looking in your eyes I'm looking in your big brown eyes (Oh girl) (And I've got this to say to you) Girl I want to make you sweat Sweat 'til you can't sweat no more And if you cry out I'm gonna push it some more Girl I want to make you sweat Sweat 'til you can't sweat no more And if you cry out I'm gonna push it Push it push it some more A la la la la long A la la la la long long li long long long Oh yeah A la la la la long A la la la la long long li long long long One more time A la la la la long A la la la la long long li long long long Sing it A la la la la long A la la la la long long li long long long eh Eyes, I'm looking in your big brown eyes (Oh yeah) (And I've got this to say to you) Girl I want to make you sweat Sweat 'til you can't sweat no more And if you cry out I'm gonna push it some more Girl I want to make you sweat Sweat 'til you can't sweat no more And if you cry out I'm gonna push it Push it push it some more A la la la la long A la la la la long long li long long long eh A la la la la long A la la la la long long li long long long Push it push it some more A la la la la long A la la la la long long li long long long Alright A la la la la long A la la la la long long li long long long Push it push it some more
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 7, 1993 | 84 | 42 |
| 2 | Aug 14, 1993 | 66 | 60 |
| 3 | Aug 21, 1993 | 53 | 73 |
| 4 | Aug 28, 1993 | 49 | 77 |
| 5 | Sep 4, 1993 | 44 | 82 |
| 6 | Sep 11, 1993 | 34 | 92 |
| 7 | Sep 18, 1993 | 30 | 96 |
| 8 | Sep 25, 1993 | 22 | 104 |
| 9 | Oct 2, 1993 | 17 | 109 |
| 10 | Oct 9, 1993 | 17 | 109 |
| 11 | Oct 16, 1993 | 16 | 110 |
| 12 | Oct 23, 1993 | 17 | 109 |
| 13 | Oct 30, 1993 | 16 | 110 |
| 14 | Nov 6, 1993 | 20 | 106 |
| 15 | Nov 13, 1993 | 20 | 106 |
| 16 | Nov 20, 1993 | 21 | 105 |
| 17 | Nov 27, 1993 | 21 | 105 |
| 18 | Dec 4, 1993 | 28 | 98 |
| 19 | Dec 11, 1993 | 31 | 95 |
| 20 | Dec 18, 1993 | 33 | 93 |