I Found Heaven

For 2000 song by the Rippingtons, see Life in the Tropics.

"I Found Heaven" is a song by English boy band Take That from their debut studio album, Take That & Party. It was released as the album's fifth single on 3 August 1992.

"I Found Heaven"
Single by Take That
from the album Take That & Party
B-side	"I'm Out"
Released	3 August 1992 (1992-08-03)
Recorded	Southlands (London, England)
Genre	Teen pop dance-pop
Length	4:02
Label	RCA BMG
Songwriter(s)	Ian Levine Billy Griffin
Producer(s)	Ian Levine Billy Griffin
Take That singles chronology
"It Only Takes a Minute" (1992) "I Found Heaven" (1992) "A Million Love Songs" (1992)
Alternative covers
UK 7-inch limited edition vinyl
Alternative cover
Japanese 3-inch CD single cover
Music video
"I Found Heaven" on YouTube

Background

Written and produced by American singer Billy Griffin and English producer Ian Levine, it was released on 3 August 1992 as the fifth single from the band's debut album, Take That & Party (1992).^[1] It became the group's second top-20 single, charting at number fifteen on the UK Singles Chart.^[2] "I Found Heaven" is the first song by Take That to feature both Gary Barlow and Robbie Williams on lead vocals, and also the only non-cover written by someone else than the band.

In Gary Barlow's autobiography My Take, he states that the band hates the song: "The song Ian made us sing was truly fucking awful. I still hate it to this day. In fact, we all hate it and absolutely refuse to perform it on stage. It is, by a huge margin, the worst song of Take That's and my career. At the time I said nothing because I felt I didn't have a leg to stand on."

Although often considered Robbie Williams' debut song on lead vocals, certain sections of the track were supplemented with vocals by Billy Griffin due to Williams' inability to reach the high notes. Williams reportedly walked out of the session after an argument with Ian Levine regarding the matter.^[3] Also Ian Levine claimed that Jason Orange did not sing on the song because he felt that Orange did not have the needed vocal abilities at the time.

During the recording of this song, the group experienced a falling-out with Levine, and requested that they not record or write with him in the future. The single's B-side, "I'm Out," was written about this situation.

Critical reception

Music & Media commented, "These newcomers in the rich British tradition of teeny hoppers—from the Bay City Rollers to Wham! and Bros—try the now popular close harmony pop style. Judging by their current hit status, it is already widely recognized in the UK."^[4]

Music video

The music video for the single was filmed on Sandown Beach on the Isle of Wight, and the yellow car featured is owned by a local resident, and is fairly well known amongst the islanders. The band perform the song on the beach whilst clips of the band relaxing on the beach are intercut with the video. In Gary Barlow's autobiography: 'My Take', he expressed that the band were disappointed with the location on which the video was filmed. They apparently hoped for the video to be shot in an exotic continent.

"I Found Heaven" won Best Video at the 1992 Smash Hits Awards.^[5]

Track listings

UK and European CD single (74321 10813 2)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"I Found Heaven" (7-inch radio mix)	Ian Levine, Billy Griffin	Levine, Griffin	4:02
2.	"I'm Out"	Gary Barlow	Duncan Bridgeman	4:15
3.	"Promises" (7-inch radio mix)	Graham Stack, Barlow	Pete Hammond	3:34
4.	"I Found Heaven" (classic 12-inch mix)	Levine, Griffin	Levine, Griffin	6:54

UK cassette single (74321 10813 4)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"I Found Heaven" (7-inch radio mix)	Ian Levine, Billy Griffin	Levine, Griffin	4:02
2.	"I'm Out"	Gary Barlow	Duncan Bridgeman	4:13

Japanese 3-inch CD single (BVDP-80)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"I Found Heaven" (7-inch radio mix)	Ian Levine, Billy Griffin	Levine, Griffin	4:02
2.	"Promises" (7-inch radio mix)	Graham Stack, Gary Barlow	Pete Hammond	3:34

UK limited-edition picture disc 7-inch vinyl (74321 10813 7)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"I Found Heaven" (7-inch radio mix)	Ian Levine, Billy Griffin	Levine, Griffin	4:02
2.	"I'm Out"	Gary Barlow	Duncan Bridgeman	4:13

UK limited-edition with poster sleeve 7-inch vinyl (#74321 10814 7)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"I Found Heaven" (7-inch radio mix)	Ian Levine, Billy Griffin	Levine, Griffin	4:02
2.	"I Found Heaven" (Mr. F's garage mix)	Levine, Griffin	Levine, Griffin	6:08

UK 12-inch vinyl (74321 11240 1)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"I Found Heaven" (Mr. F's garage mix)	Ian Levine, Billy Griffin	Levine, Griffin	6:08
2.	"I Found Heaven" (original 12-inch mix)	Levine, Griffin	Levine, Griffin	6:35
3.	"I Found Heaven" (7-inch radio mix)	Ian Levine, Billy Griffin	Levine, Griffin	4:02

Personnel

• Gary Barlow – co-lead vocals, backing vocals
• Robbie Williams – co-lead vocals, backing vocals
• Howard Donald – backing vocals
• Mark Owen – backing vocals
• Billy Griffin – additional co-lead vocals, backing vocals

Charts

Chart (1992)	Peak position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[4]	38
Germany (Media Control AG)[6]	56
Spain (Top 40 Radio)[7]	11
UK Singles (OCC)[2]	15

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United Kingdom	3 August 1992	7-inch vinyl CD cassette	RCA	[1]
Japan	21 May 1993	Mini-CD		[8]