‘Sweat (A La La La La Long’), the infectious song that helped spark Inner Circle’s remarkable comeback 32 years ago, has been certified gold for over 400,000 units in the United Kingdom. The certification was announced May 12 by the British Phonographic Industry.
Released in 1992, ‘Sweat’ is from ‘Bad Boys’, the 1993 Inner Circle album that won Best Reggae Album at the Grammy Awards the following year. ‘Bad Boys’, the song, was also a mega seller for the veteran band which formed in Kingston, Jamaica in 1968.
Keyboardist Bernard “Touter” Harvey, who has been with Inner Circle for 50 years, is not surprised at the song’s staying power. “The fact that a new-born baby can sing the hook, I believe is why it has endured all this time. Also, the message is universal, and the song delivers a great upbeat (Jamaican) vibe,” he said.
Inner Circle, spearheaded by brothers and founder Roger and Ian Lewis, relocated to Miami in the early 1980s, shortly after the death of Jacob Miller, their charismatic singer who led them on hit songs like ‘Standing Firm’, ‘Forward Ever, Backward Never’ and ‘Tenement Yard’.
Thanks to ‘Sweat’ and ‘Bad Boys’, they experienced a rebirth which saw them touring the world. ‘Bad Boys’ is the theme song for the successful movie franchise of the same name, starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.
