Duke Dumont Kept Original Whitney Sample 'Out Of Respect'
‘I Got U’ hitmaker discusses the ‘nice touch’ of getting Wyclef Jean’s approval on the track…
Spring has barely sprung but Duke Dumont has already given us the song of the summer with his sun-tinged single I Got U.
On track to score his second No.1 single with the tune, MTV News UK had an exclusive chat with the DJ/producer to talk about the infectious anthem and his plans for the rest of the year.
Killing it, killing it, killing it, killing it
Killing it, killing it, killing it, killing it
Killing it
Killing it
Killing it
Ask me what I did with my life
I spent it with you
If I lose my fame and fortune
Really don't matter
As long as I got you, baby
Clap your hands, drop so right
Clap your hands, drop so right
Clap your hands, drop so right
As long as I got you, baby
Clap your hands, drop so right
Clap your hands, drop so right
Clap your hands, drop so right
As long as I got you
Killing it, killing it, killing it, killing it
Killing it, killing it, killing it, killing it
Oh, killing it, oh, killing it
Oh, killing it, killing it, killing it
Ask me what I did with my life
I spent it with you
If I lose my fame and fortune
Really don't matter
As long as I got you, baby
Clap your hands, drop so right
Clap your hands, drop so right
Clap your hands, drop so right
As long as I got you, baby
Clap your hands, drop so right
Clap your hands, drop so right
Clap your hands, drop so right
As long as I got you
Killing it, killing it, killing it, killing it
Killing it, killing it, killing it, killing it
Oh, killing it, oh, killing it
Oh, killing it, killing it, killing it
As the years, they pass us by
We stay on to each other
And on that tone wet get, is ok
As long as I got you, baby
Clap your hands, drop so right
As long as I got you, baby
Clap your hands, drop so right
As long as I got you, baby
Clap your hands, drop so right
As long as I got you, baby
Clap your hands, drop so right
As long as I got you, baby
As long as I got you
Killing it, killing it, killing it, as long as I got you (Killing it)
Killing it, killing it, killing it, as long as I got you (Killing it)
Oh, killing it, oh, as long as I got you (Killing it)
Oh, killing it, oh, as long as I got you (Killing it)
Killing it, killing it, killing it, killing it
Killing it, killing it, killing it, killing it
“I tend to make summery songs in the winter and winter songs in the summer,” Duke - real name Adam Dyment – told us about the inspiration for the song.
“I’m like that typical British person that in the winter that moans that it’s too cold and in the summer I moan that it’s too hot, so the studio is my escapism.
“There was no master plan like ‘hey I’m a gonna make a summer song and then build a buzz around it in January’ - there wasn’t much thought process to it!”
The song samples the Whitney Houston classic My Love Is Your Love, so why pick that track from the late diva?
“Personally, I’d say it’s one of my favourite Whitney songs, especially the later Whitney period.
“It got to a point (during the recording process) where I thought maybe it might be worth bringing a singer in and changing it but I thought you know what, out of respect as (the track) started off working the song around My Love Is Your Love I kept it in.”
(Turn me up, turn me up)
Clap your hands, y'all, it's alright
Clap your hands, y'all, it's alright
Clap your hands, y'all, it's alright
If tomorrow is judgment day
(Sing mommy)
And I'm standing on the front line
And the Lord asks me what I did with my life
I will say I spent it with you
(Clap your hands, y'all, it's alright)
(Clap your hands, y'all, it's alright)
If I wake up in World War III
(World War, in World War III)
I see destruction and poverty
And I feel like I want to go home
It's okay if you're coming with me
(Clap your hands, y'all, it's alright)
(Clap your hands, y'all, it's alright)
(Clap your hands, y'all, it's alright)
'Cause your love is my love (My love)
And my love is your love
It would take an eternity to break us
And the chains of Amistad couldn't hold us
'Cause your love is my love
And my love is your love (Yes, it is)
It would take an eternity to break us
And the chains of Amistad couldn't hold us
(Clap your hands, y'all, it's alright)
(Clap your hands, y'all, it's alright)
(Clap your hands, y'all, it's alright)
If I lose my fame and fortune
(Really don't matter)
And I'm homeless on the street (On the street)
And I'm sleeping in Grand Central Station (Okay)
It's okay, if you're sleeping with me
(Clap your hands, y'all, it's alright)
(Clap your hands, y'all, it's alright)
As the years they pass us by (Years, the years, the years)
We stay young through each other's eyes (Each other's eyes)
And no matter how old we get
It's okay, as long as I got you baby
(Clap your hands, y'all, it's alright)
(Clap your hands, y'all, it's alright)
'Cause your love is my love
And my love is your love (Is your love, baby)
It would take an eternity to break us
And the chains of Amistad couldn't hold us
'Cause your love is my love
And my love is your love
It would take an eternity to break us
And the chains of Amistad couldn't hold us
If I should die this very day (Very, very day)
Don't cry, 'cause on Earth we weren't meant to stay
(Oh no, no, no)
And no matter what the people say
(It really don't matter)
I'll be waiting for you after the judgment day
'Cause your love (Love) is my love
And my love is your love (Your love)
It would take an eternity to break us
And the chains of Amistad couldn't hold us (Can't hold us)
'Cause your love is my love
And my love is your love (Yes, it is)
It would take an eternity to break us
And the chains of Amistad couldn't hold us
'Cause your love is my love (Is my love)
And my love is your love
It would take an eternity to break us (Baby)
And the chains of Amistad couldn't hold us
He continued: “What’s quite nice is Wyclef Jean was one of the writer’s of the song and obviously with things like that you need to seek permission to use the vocal and Wyclef is kind of quite tough with his music.
“He doesn’t let people use his music for a lot of things but he was willing for us to use the Whitney recording. That was quite nice getting a little bit of respect from his side. So that was a nice touch to it.”
With an album is on the way “this year” he also told us what it would mean to have another No.1 with I Got U:
“It’d be great. For me personally I like to think it demonstrates that I’m capable of writing music to a certain quality.
“Also what it does is I hope it instills into people that there’s more music to come and hopefully it has the same reaction…and just to demonstrate to people that I’m busy working on more music, you know ‘keep an eye out for the rest of the year’, that’s what I hope to get from the next single.”
Duke Dumont’s I Got U Ft. Jax Jones is out now.
By Michael Pell @mtvuknews
This article © 2014 MTV Networks Europe. All rights reserved. Any reporting on this interview (including quoting therefrom) must credit MTV News UK as the source.”