"The Harder I Try" is a single by British boyband Brother Beyond. Written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman, it was released on 18 July 1988 and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart the following month.
"The Harder I Try" | ||||
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Single by Brother Beyond | ||||
from the album Get Even | ||||
B-side |
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Released | 18 July 1988 (1988-07-18)[1] | |||
Length | 3:24 | |||
Label | Parlophone | |||
Songwriter(s) | Stock, Aiken & Waterman | |||
Producer(s) | Stock, Aiken & Waterman | |||
Brother Beyond singles chronology | ||||
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In 1988, British producers Stock Aitken & Waterman auctioned off their services for the Young Variety Club of Great Britain charity. Label EMI won the auction, and British boyband Brother Beyond was selected by Pete Waterman to be produced by the trio.[2] The group had met Waterman previously when they had worked at PWL Studios on a prior single, "Can You Keep A Secret", and the producer liked the band.[2] Brother Beyond was by then a struggling pop act, with their first four singles only making the lower reaches of the UK top 75 singles chart. EMI saw this as their much-needed breakthrough and agreed with Waterman on producing the group. The song was written the morning singer Nathan Moore was called in to record vocals, which were laid down over 3-4 hours. The rest of the band were not present and did not play on the record.[2]
The resulting song, "The Harder I Try", samples the drum intro to the Isley Brothers' "This Old Heart of Mine". When released in July 1988, it became an instant success, peaking at number two on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks.[3] The single topped the Irish Singles Chart and was mildly successful when released worldwide.
7-inch single[4]
12-inch single[5]
12-inch remix single[6]
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CD single[7]
Japanese mini-CD single[8]
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Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United Kingdom (BPI)[22] | Silver | 250,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
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Studio albums | |
Compilation albums | |
Singles |
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Related articles |
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