Rhythm Divine

Album: Enrique (1999)
Charted: 45 32
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is an "I'll follow you anywhere" song, with Iglesias letting the lady know there's nowhere she can hide from his passion. All he needs is the rhythm divine to guide him, meaning his muse.
  • Songwriters have been known to follow up their hit songs with another that sounds just like it, and that's what happened here. The team of Paul Barry and Mark Taylor wrote "Bailamos," the first single from Enrique Iglesias' first English-language album, Enrique. The song was a massive hit, going all the way to #1 in America. So, they took many elements from "Bailamos" and worked them into another song, "Rhythm Divine," which was released as Enrique's next single. It didn't do nearly as well, stalling at #32 in the US.

    "It was probably too much of a follow-up," Taylor said in the Billboard Book Of #1 Hits. "It was the same kind of track, so much so that it didn't have the same magic."

    The writers redeemed themselves with the next song they wrote for Iglesias, "Be With You," which went to #1.
  • The music video was shot in Kuala Lumpur, where Iglesias playfully follows a girl who is being very evasive. She eventually disappears into the ocean, possibly because she's a ghost or a figment of his imagination.

    It was directed by Francis Lawrence, who went on to work on some of the Hunger Games films after making videos for the likes of Shakira ("Whenever, Wherever"), Lady Gaga ("Bad Romance") and Alanis Morissette ("Hands Clean").

    The girl in the video is Claudia Mason, a model who later appeared in the movies Celebrity and The Brass Teapot.
  • Iglesias recorded a Spanish version called "Ritmo Total" that was released in Latin markets.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Supertramp founder Roger Hodgson

Supertramp founder Roger HodgsonSongwriter Interviews

Roger tells the stories behind some of his biggest hits, including "Give a Little Bit," "Take the Long Way Home" and "The Logical Song."

Dave Edmunds

Dave EdmundsSongwriter Interviews

A renowned guitarist and rock revivalist, Dave took "I Hear You Knocking" to the top of the UK charts and was the first to record Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk."

Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk: Rock vs. Televangelists

Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk: Rock vs. TelevangelistsSong Writing

When televangelists like Jimmy Swaggart took on rockers like Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica, the rockers retaliated. Bono could even be seen mocking the preachers.

Justin Timberlake

Justin TimberlakeFact or Fiction

Was Justin the first to be Punk'd by Ashton Kutcher? Did Britney really blame him for her meltdown? Did his bandmates think he was gay?

Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes

Chris Robinson of The Black CrowesSongwriter Interviews

"Great songwriters don't necessarily have hit songs," says Chris. He's written a bunch, but his fans are more interested in the intricate jams.

Women Who Rock

Women Who RockSong Writing

Evelyn McDonnell, editor of the book Women Who Rock, on why the Supremes are just as important as Bob Dylan.