"Right Here, Right Now" is a song by British alternative dance band Jesus Jones from the album Doubt. It was released as the album's second single in September 1990 (approximately four months before the release of Doubt). Despite spending only nine nonconsecutive weeks on the UK Singles Chart and peaking at number 31, it became a top ten hit in the United States; it topped the BillboardModern Rock Tracks chart and reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1991.[2] The single sold over 1 million copies, won a BMI award, and was the song most played on college radio in 1991.[3]
The song was inspired by events in Europe of the late 1980s, particularly Perestroika in the Soviet Union.[4][5] Mike Edwards has since noted some lyrics were influenced by the band's experiences playing in Romania in February 1990 right after the overthrow of Ceaușescu.[6] Lyrics were also inspired by Prince's 1987 song "Sign o' the Times" and a 1989 cover version of the same song by Simple Minds, which the members of Jesus Jones disliked and had first heard during television coverage of the fall of the Berlin Wall.[6] Edwards' original demo for "Right Here, Right Now" featured samples of the Prince song, as well as guitar solos by Jimi Hendrix, but producer Martyn Phillips removed both elements from the song before the band recorded it.[6]
The official video for the song shows the band performing on stage mixed with various images from contemporary political events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall, and brief snippets of news footage of the collapse of the Soviet Union and speeches by American and Soviet leaders.[7]
Credits[]
Produced by Martyn Phillips
Recorded at Matrix Studios and Ezee Studios in London
"Right Here, Right Now" was used in commercials for TechTV.
Buffalo Bills coach Marv Levy used to ask his team before the start of each game “where would you rather be than right here, right now?” The Jesus Jones song became an unofficial song for the team.
A version of the song was also used in commercials for Treasury Casino in 1995.
The single is featured as a playable song in the video game Donkey Konga.
A cover version was recorded by New Zealand band The Feelers and released as a single in 2010 and on the album Hope Nature Forgives. It was chosen as the anthem to the 2011 Rugby World Cup advertising campaign.[21]
