Take Me to Your Heaven (song)

"Take Me to Your Heaven"
"Take Me to Your Heaven"
Single by Charlotte Nilsson
from the album Charlotte
Released	21 June 1999
Recorded	1999
Genre	Pop; dansband; schlager;
Composer(s)	Lars Diedricson
Lyricist(s)	Marcos Ubeda; Gert Lengstrand;
Producer(s)	Micke Wendt
Eurovision Song Contest 1999 entry
Country	Sweden
Artist(s)	Charlotte Nilsson
Language	English
Composer(s)	Lars Diedricson
Lyricist(s)	Marcos Ubeda
Finals performance
Final result	1st
Final points	163
Entry chronology
	◄ "Kärleken är" (1998)
	"When Spirits Are Calling My Name" (2000) ►
Official performance video
	"Take Me to Your Heaven" on YouTube

"Take Me to Your Heaven" is a song recorded by Swedish singer Charlotte Nilsson, with music composed by Lars Diedricson and English lyrics by Marcos Ubeda. It represented Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 1999 held in Jerusalem, winning the contest, having previously won that year's Melodifestivalen as "Tusen och en natt" (IPA: [ˈtʉ̌ːsɛn ɔ ɛn ˈnatː]; "A thousand and one night") with Swedish lyrics by Gert Lengstrand.

On 24 April 1999, the Swedish-language version entered radio chart Svensktoppen as number-one and spent eight consecutive weeks on the top spot, remaining on the chart until 4 September 1999. The English-language version was internationally released as a single on 21 June 1999, produced by Mikael Wendt. At the singles charts, it peaked at number 2 in Sweden, number 5 in Flemish Belgium, number 10 in Norway, number 20 in the United Kingdom, and number 23 in the Netherlands.

Background

Conception

"Tusen och en natt" was composed by Lars Diedricson with Swedish lyrics by Gert Lengstrand, and recorded by Charlotte Nilsson.^[2]

In addition to the original Swedish-language version, she also recorded an English-language version of the song, "Take Me to Your Heaven", with the lyrics written by Marcos Ubeda. The song is an up-beat song about love, with the singer asking her lover to take her to heaven by loving her.^[3] The music video is set in the wintertime with Charlotte walking in the snow.

Eurovision

On 27 February 1999, "Tusen och en natt" performed by Nilsson in Swedish competed in the 38th edition of the Melodifestivalen. It received 217 points, winning the competition. As the festival was used by Sveriges Television (SVT) to select their song and performer for the 44th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, the song became the Swedish entry, and Charlotte Nilsson the performer, for Eurovision.^[4]

On 29 May 1999, the Eurovision Song Contest was held at the International Convention Centre in Jerusalem hosted by the Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA), and broadcast live throughout the continent. Nilsson performed "Take Me to Your Heaven" in English (taking advantage of new rules removing the requirement to perform in a national language) fifteenth on the night, following Cyprus's "Tha'ne erotas" by Marlain, and preceding Portugal's "Como tudo começou" by Rui Bandeira.^[5]

At the close of voting, the song had received 163 points, placing first and winning the contest.^[6] The song was succeeded in 2000 as contest winner by "Fly on the Wings of Love" by the Olsen Brothers representing Denmark.

Aftermath

Charlotte Nilsson represented Sweden again in the 2008 contest as Charlotte Perrelli with the song "Hero", placing eighteenth.^[7]

On 9 May 2024, Perrelli performed the song as part of a sing-along interval act in the second semi-final of the 2024 contest held in Malmö, Sweden.^[a]^[9]

Track listings

Swedish CD single

"Take Me to Your Heaven" – 3:04
"Tusen och en natt" – 3:38
"Take Me To Your Heaven" (Tocclo-Mix) – 3:24
"Take Me To Your Heaven" (The Specialist-Mix) – 4:25
"Take Me to Your Heaven" (Instrumental Version) – 3:04

UK CD single

"Take Me To Your Heaven" – 3:03
"Take Me To Your Heaven" (Club Mix – The Specialist-Mix II) – 4:16
"Take Me To Your Heaven" (RnB Mix – Tocclo-Mix) – 3:21
"Take Me To Your Heaven" (Dance Mix – The Specialist-Mix) – 4:25

UK cassette single

"Take Me to Your Heaven" – 3:00
"Take Me to Your Heaven" (Club Mix) – 4:16
"Take Me to Your Heaven" (RnB Mix) – 3:22
"Take Me to Your Heaven" (Dance Mix) – 4:22

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1999)	Peak position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[10]	5
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[11]	38
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[12]	21
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[13]	23
Norway (VG-lista)^[14]	10
Scotland (OCC)^[15]	17
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[16]	2
UK Singles (OCC)^[17]	20

Year-end charts

Chart (1999)	Position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[18]	64
Europe Border Breakers (Eurochart Hot 100)^[19]	98
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[20]	168
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[21]	49

Notes

^ In a medley with "My Number One" by Helena Paparizou and "Everyway That I Can" by Sertab Erener.^[8]

References

^ "Charlotte Perrelli rasar mot vinnarlåten: "Vilken skitlåt" | Hänt". Hänt. 18 September 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
^ "Tusen och en natt - lyrics". The Diggiloo Thrush.
^ "Take Me to Your Heaven - lyrics". The Diggiloo Thrush.
^ "Melodifestivalen 1999". Sveriges Television Archives (in Swedish).
^ "Eurovision Song Contest 1999". Eurovision Song Contest.
^ "Eurovision Song Contest 1999 scoreboard". Eurovision Song Contest.
^ "Eurovision Song Contest 2008 scoreboard". Eurovision Song Contest.
^ "Sing-Along Greatest Hits" on YouTube at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 second semifinal
^ "Eurovision Song Contest 2024 second semifinal". Eurovision Song Contest. 9 May 2024. SVT / EBU.
^ "Charlotte – Take Me to Your Heaven" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 26. 26 June 1999. p. 8. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Charlotte" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
^ "Charlotte – Take Me To Your Heaven" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
^ "Charlotte – Take Me to Your Heaven". VG-lista.
^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
^ "Charlotte – Take Me to Your Heaven". Singles Top 100.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
^ "Jaaroverzichten 1999" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
^ "1999 Border Breakers Top 100" (PDF). Music & Media. 1 January 2000. p. 13. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
^ "Jaarlijsten 1999" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
^ "Årslista Singlar, 1999" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 19 December 2020.

External links

"Take Me To Your Heaven" at Discogs (list of releases)

Preceded by "Diva" by Dana International	Eurovision Song Contest winners 1999	Succeeded by "Fly on the Wings of Love" by Olsen Brothers

[9] In a medley with "My Number One" by Helena Paparizou and "Everyway That I Can" by Sertab Erener.^[8]

[1] "Charlotte Perrelli rasar mot vinnarlåten: "Vilken skitlåt" | Hänt". Hänt. 18 September 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2024.

[2] "Tusen och en natt - lyrics". The Diggiloo Thrush.

[3] "Take Me to Your Heaven - lyrics". The Diggiloo Thrush.

[4] "Melodifestivalen 1999". Sveriges Television Archives (in Swedish).

[5] "Eurovision Song Contest 1999". Eurovision Song Contest.

[6] "Eurovision Song Contest 1999 scoreboard". Eurovision Song Contest.

[7] "Eurovision Song Contest 2008 scoreboard". Eurovision Song Contest.

[8] "Sing-Along Greatest Hits" on YouTube at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 second semifinal

[10] "Eurovision Song Contest 2024 second semifinal". Eurovision Song Contest. 9 May 2024. SVT / EBU.

[sc_Flanders_Charlotte-11] "Charlotte – Take Me to Your Heaven" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.

[12] "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 26. 26 June 1999. p. 8. Retrieved 7 May 2018.

[sc_Dutch40_Charlotte-13] "Nederlandse Top 40 – Charlotte" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.

[sc_Dutch100_Charlotte-14] "Charlotte – Take Me To Your Heaven" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 27 June 2018.

[sc_Norway_Charlotte-15] "Charlotte – Take Me to Your Heaven". VG-lista.

[sc_Scotland_-16] "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.

[sc_Sweden_Charlotte-17] "Charlotte – Take Me to Your Heaven". Singles Top 100.

[sc_UK_-18] "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.

[19] "Jaaroverzichten 1999" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 2 May 2018.

[20] "1999 Border Breakers Top 100" (PDF). Music & Media. 1 January 2000. p. 13. Retrieved 12 May 2022.

[21] "Jaarlijsten 1999" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 11 May 2022.

[22] "Årslista Singlar, 1999" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 19 December 2020.

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v t e Charlotte Perrelli
Studio albums	Charlotte (1999) Miss Jealousy (2001) Gone Too Long (2004) I din röst (2006) Hero (2008) The Girl (2012) Mitt liv (2017)
Christmas albums	Rimfrostjul (2008) Min barndoms jul (2013)
Melodifestivalen songs	"Take Me to Your Heaven" (1999) "Still Young" (2021)

v t e Eurovision Song Contest 1999
Countries	Austria Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Croatia Cyprus Denmark Estonia France Germany Iceland Ireland Israel Lithuania Malta Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Slovenia Spain Sweden Turkey United Kingdom
Artists	Aistė Rui Bandeira Vanessa Chinitor Dino and Béatrice Doris Dragović Eden Trine Jepsen and Michael Teschl Lydia Marlain Marlayne The Mullans Nayah Charlotte Nilsson Tuba Önal and Grup Mistik Precious Evelin Samuel and Camille Selma Bobbie Singer Sürpriz Darja Švajger Mietek Szcześniak Times Three Van Eijk
Songs	"All Out of Luck" "Believe 'n Peace" "Como tudo começou" "Diamond of Night" "Dön Artık" "For a Thousand Years" "Happy Birthday" "Je veux donner ma voix" "Journey to Jerusalem – Kudüs'e Seyahat" "Like the Wind" "Living My Life Without You" "Marija Magdalena" "No quiero escuchar" "One Good Reason" "Przytul mnie mocno" "Putnici" "Reflection" "Say It Again" "Strazdas" "Take Me to Your Heaven" "Tha'nai erotas" "This Time I Mean It" "When You Need Me"

v t e Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest
Melodifestivalen
Participation	1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 ~~2020~~ 2021 2022 2023 2024
Artists	ABBA Afro-dite The Ark Arvingarna Alice Babs Robin Bengtsson Anna Bergendahl Inger Berggren Lars Berghagen Marie Bergman Christer Björkman Brita Borg Carola Chips Kikki Danielsson The Dolls Edin-Ådahl Lotta Engberg Malena Ernman Fame Family Four Forbes Frans Friends Ted Gärdestad Claes-Göran Hederström Herreys Lasse Holm Benjamin Ingrosso Cornelia Jakobs Jan Johansen Jill Johnson Tommy Körberg Tomas Ledin Lill-Babs Lill Lindfors Loreen John Lundvik Siw Malmkvist ~~The Mamas~~ Marcus & Martinus Sanna Nielsen Tommy Nilsson The Nova One More Time Charlotte Perrelli Lena Philipsson Roger Pontare Eric Saade Björn Skifs Martin Stenmarck Robin Stjernberg Svante Thuresson Monica Törnell Tusse Östen Warnerbring Ingvar Wixell Måns Zelmerlöw Monica Zetterlund
Songs	"Absent Friend" "Alla andra får varann" "April, april" "Augustin" "Bara hon älskar mig" "Beatles" "Boogaloo" "Bra vibrationer" "Dag efter dag" "Dance You Off" "Det blir alltid värre framåt natten" "Det börjar verka kärlek, banne mig" "Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley" "E' de' det här du kallar kärlek?" "Eloise" "En dag" "En gång i Stockholm" "Euphoria" "Fångad av en stormvind" "Fångad i en dröm" "Främling" "Give Me Your Love" "Härliga sommardag" "Hero" "Heroes" "Hold Me Closer" "I Can't Go On" "I morgon är en annan dag" "If I Were Sorry" "Invincible" "It Hurts" "Jennie, Jennie" "Judy, min vän" "Just nu!" "Kärleken är" "Las Vegas" "Lilla stjärna" "Listen to Your Heartbeat" ~~"Move"~~ "Never Let It Go" "Nygammal vals" "Popular" "Satellit" "Se på mej" "Sol och vår" "Som en dröm" "Som en vind" "Stad i ljus" "Stjärnorna" "Take Me to Your Heaven" "Tattoo" "This Is My Life" "Too Late for Love" "Undo" "Unforgettable" "Den vilda" "Vita vidder" "Voices" "La Voix" "Waterloo" "When Spirits Are Calling My Name" "The Worrying Kind" "You" "You're Summer"
Note: Entries scored out signify where Sweden did not compete