Turnin' My Heartbeat Up

 

Trust me #74

Turnin' My Heartbeat Up by The M.V.P.'s

Originally released back in 1971, The M.V.P.'s Turnin' My Heartbeat Up is still thrilling and filling talc dusted dancefloors on the northern soul scene in 2024. 

No wonder! The song is essentially a love letter to music and dancing, to those moments where music lifts you higher and higher and you feel like you could explode with happiness.

Written by Bobby Flax and Lanny Lambert, Turnin' My Heartbeat Up packs a lot into a mere 2 minutes and 14 seconds. The short intro leads quickly to a whispering, breathless vocal that sounds like the singer is letting you into an urgent secret.

Listen to the sound of the drummer, thumpin' to the beat of my heart

Feel that bass, can't keep the pace, it's tearin' my brain apart

Things then lift quite dramatically for the bridge, as if the singer can't keep it in, he has to tell someone about the way he is feeling, the effect the music is having on him.

Whoa, I never ever felt like this before

But all I can say is mama give me some more (some more, some more!)

Then, 30-seconds in, we are into the outrageous chorus, that replicates the quiet/loud trick but in an even more dynamic fashion;

Turnin' my heartbeat up, turnin' my heartbeat up (it's gettin' louder)

Turnin' my heartbeat up, turnin' my heartbeat up

Then just listen to the drum roll, the horns kick in and the euphoric backing vocals kick in;

I keep on tellin' you, your're turnin' my heartbeat up, baby

You're turnin' my heartbeat up (yeah, yeah, yeah)

 You're turnin' my heartbeat up (yeah, yeah, yeah)

 You're turnin' my heartbeat up

The second verse follows the same pattern as the first, taking about the crash of the cymbols, comparing the sound of horns to fire that's burning. 

The bridge kicks into life

I got a little volcano about to erupt ('bout to erupt)

With more than enough to fill your lovin' cup

Then we're into the chorus again, it's a little longer, allowing the song to build and build, to get faster and faster as the singer eventually breaks down as he can't keep up.

Wow. Turnin' My Heartbeat Up is fast, furious, pacey and passionate soul music. 

Trust me. It's an absolute belter!

Turnin' My Heartbeat Up is added to my Trust Me playlist; search for Everything Flows - Trust Me on Spotify or CLICK HERE 

Check below for all previous blogs in my Trust Me series.

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton

1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells

2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond

3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell

4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot

5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon

6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras

7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans

8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland

9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave

10. Sometimes by James

11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time

12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre

13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields

14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals

15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser

16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes

17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth

18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter

19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground

20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub

21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub

22. Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From by Teenage Fanclub

23. Belfast by Orbital

24. Clouds by The Jayhawks

25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral

26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair

27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke

28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones

29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze

29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells

30. I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor

31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton

32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich

33. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem

34. Mondo 77 by Looper

35. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton

36. Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats

37. How High by The Charlatans

38. I Can't Let Go by Evie Sands

39. Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.

40. Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective

41. There She Goes by The Las

42. We're Going To Be Friends by White Stripes

43. Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo

44. Sister Rena by Lomond Campbell

45. Revolution by The Beatles

46. Lazarus by The Boo Radleys

47. Wrote For Luck by Happy Mondays

48. American Trilogy by The Delgados

49. Loser by Beck 

50. Silent Sigh by Badly Drawn Boy

51. Comedy by Shack

52. Take The Skinheads Bowling by Camper Van Beethoven

53. Freakscene by Dinosaur Jr

54. Thank You For Being You by The Pastels

55. I Think I'm In Love by Spiritualized

56. Chestnut Mare by The Byrds

57. Cannonball by The Breeders

58. Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan

59. You Make Me Weak At The Knees by Electrelane

60. Lucky by Radiohead

61. Strange Currencies by R.E.M.

61. I Am The Cosmos by Chris Bell

62. Like A Ship (Without A Sail) by Pastor TL Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir

63. Nothing But A Heartache by The Flirtations

64. Made of Stone by The Stone Roses

65. Tonight In Belfast by Orbital, David Holmes, DJ Helen and Mike Garry

66. Anything by Adrianne Lenker

67. I Hold Something In My Hand by Bill Ryder-Jones

68. I Meant Every Word by Burnett Sisters

69. Dream Baby Dream by Suicide

70. Stove by The Lemonheads

71. Red Lady by Phil Cordell

72. Little Fluffy Clouds by The Orb

73. I Can Do It With A Broken Heart by Taylor Swift