"Dr. Beat"
One of cover arts
Single by Miami Sound Machine
from the album A Toda Máquina and Eyes of Innocence
Released1984
GenreDance-pop
Length4:26
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)Enrique E. García
Producer(s)Emilio Estefan
Miami Sound Machine singles chronology
"Comunicación"
(1984) 		"Dr. Beat"
(1984) 		"Prisoner of Love"
(1984)

"Dr. Beat" is the first international single released by the American band Miami Sound Machine, led by Cuban-American singer Gloria Estefan, on their first English language, but eighth overall, studio album, Eyes of Innocence (1984). The song which was written by the band's lead songwriter and drummer Enrique "Kiki" Garcia and was released worldwide in 1984 becoming a top success across Europe where the album impacted the charts with this hit.

Song history

"Dr. Beat" was not quite as popular in the US as some of Miami Sound Machine's later singles, only peaking at number 17 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. However, it became one of the group's biggest international hits, reaching the top 10 in Spain and peaking at number six in the United Kingdom.

The song has maintained popularity through inclusion on a number of 1980s retrospective albums. It also became popular again in 2005 when Scottish DJ and producer Mylo mashed the song up with his hit "Drop the Pressure" to create "Doctor Pressure", which became a hit single in its own right.[1][2]

Chart performance

"Dr. Beat" became a sensation in the charts across Europe, becoming the band's first song to enter the charts in a career for more than eight years. The song firstly entered the chart in the UK at the top 10, helped in large part by an appearance on Top of the Pops by the band, and then started to make debut on other European charts. The song was less popular in the United States in comparison to the other countries, only entering the top 20 at the Dance Club Play charts.

The song was certified Silver by the BPI in the United Kingdom for its sales of 200,000 copies and Gold by the ARIA in Australia for its sales of 35,000 units.[3]

Music video

At the beginning of the music video for the song, which was shot on location on the rooftop of the Bacardi Imports building where Enrique Garcia and Emilio Estefan worked for a short time, Gloria Estefan is singing and dancing on the roof of a tall building, in front of frantic crowd. Estefan is calling for Dr. Beat, which is played by songwriter and drummer Enrique Garcia, to help cure her from her desire to dance continuously. Dr. Beat takes her from the scene to the hospital, as Estefan performs a choreography on the way. In the hospital, Dr. Beat conducts some investigations and performs surgery on Estefan. In the end a boom box is removed from inside of Estefan where it was attached to a cord similar to a umbilical cord on a child and cut by Dr. Beat.

Formats and track listings

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Dr. Beat".

  1. "Dr. Beat" (long version)
  2. "Dr. Beat" (instrumental version)
  1. "Dr. Beat" (album version)
  2. "When Someone Comes Into Your Life" (album version)

Official versions

Original versions

  1. Album version – 4:26
  2. Long version – 6:26
  3. Instrumental version – 5:26
  4. Hustlers Up-Town full length disco remix – 6:51

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] Silver 250,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ Guerra, Joey (November 12, 2008). "Stars sing Estefan's praises before Latin Grammys". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  2. ^ "Gloria Estefan – Latin queen plays the Liverpool Echo arena". Liverpool Echo. July 3, 2009. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  3. ^ "Dr. Beat (Single – 1984)". Geocities.com. Archived from the original on October 27, 2009.
  4. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). Sydney: Australian Chart Book. p. 199. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. ^ "Miami Sound Machine – Dr. Beat" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  6. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Gloria Estefan". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 76. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  7. ^ "Miami Sound Machine – Dr. Beat" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  8. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Dr Beat". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  9. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 39, 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  10. ^ "Miami Sound Machine – Dr. Beat" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  11. ^ "Miami Sound Machine – Dr. Beat". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  12. ^ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (M)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  13. ^ "Miami Sound Machine – Dr. Beat". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  14. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  15. ^ "Gloria Estefan – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  16. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Miami Sound Machine – Dr. Beat" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  17. ^ "National Top 100 Singles for 1985". Kent Music Report, No. 599. December 30, 1985. Retrieved September 30, 2020 – via Imgur.
  18. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1984" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  19. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  20. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1984" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  21. ^ "British single certifications – Miami Sound Machine – Conga". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
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