"Show Me Heaven" is a song written by American singer and songwriterMaria McKee, Eric Rackin andJay Rifkin, and recorded by McKee for the soundtrack to theTom Cruise filmDays of Thunder, released in June 1990. Produced byPeter Asher, thepower ballad[1] received favorable reviews from most music critics, reached number one on theUK Singles Chart for four weeks and became the sixth-highest-selling single of 1990 in the UK. Additionally, the song became a worldwide hit, topping the charts of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Norway and becoming a top-five hit in Australia, Ireland, Sweden, and Switzerland. It has since been covered by numerous other artists, includingTina Arena.
"Show Me Heaven" originated as "Secret Fire", a track written by Eric Rackin andJay Rifkin for the soundtrack ofDays of Thunder.[2] WhenGeffen contacted McKee in the hope she would record the song, the singer dismissed the idea, but the label insisted they send her the demo tape for consideration.[3] On hearing the demo, McKee felt the lyrics were "appalling".[2] She toldSimon Mayo in 1991: "I liked the melody but I said I'd only do it if I could change the lyrics."[3] McKee's demand was initially refused, but she was later given permission to rewrite the lyrics.[2][3]
ScottishAberdeen Press and Journal described the song as "more heaven" from the formerLone Justice singer, complimenting her vocals as "superbly lazy, yet faultless".[4] Jeffery Kennedy fromBay Area Reporter felt it was a "blatantHollywood hyperballad that perfectly showcased her gilded throat".[5]Larry Flick fromBillboard stated that it's a "delicate, well-sung ballad that could give the long-overlooked McKee her first bonafide hit."[6] A reviewer fromCashbox viewed the singer as the "lost goddess of the pop airwaves", remarking her "heartachingly lovely jewel of a voice [that] can squeeze diamonds out of the coal-black grooves of a record."[7]Greg Sandow fromEntertainment Weekly called the song "affecting".[8] Tom Ewing ofFreaky Trigger declared it as a "post-Madonnapower ballad", adding that McKee "can belt, but she's most comfortable away from the chorus, giving "Show Me Heaven" a more tender and dynamic performance."[9] Dave Sholin from theGavin Report constated that "there aren't many singers on the planet who can outdo Maria's remarkable vocal range. It was her voice that first endeared me to her band Lone Justice. Now as a soloist, she puts all that special ability to the test on the heart-stopping love theme from theTom Cruise film,Days of Thunder. A couple of listens won me over."[10]
David Giles fromMusic Week felt that McKee's "powerful voice endows a fairly ordinaryMORsoft rock song with a certain piquancy that lifts it well above the average soundtrack song."[11] Gene Sandbloom fromThe Network Forty praised the singer's "tremendous voice and stage presence", naming the song "one of the most memorableballads of the year." He added, "Before you even get to the chorus, you know this is the kind of heart warming song that can't miss bringing in across the board demos come weekly music research time. If you missed the film, don't worry. If you didn't like McKee's past work, forget it. This is one of those magic moments when everything falls perfectly into place, and you'll realize it with one listen."[12] Stuart Bailie fromNME named it "Single of the Week", viewing it as "a deal more sophisticated" than her debut as a solo artist the year before.[13] Another editor, Mark Ramshaw, described it as "floaty".[14] John Wirt fromThe News-Journal complimented it as a "stunning love song with bite."[15]Sunday Tribune's reviewer praised it as a "Californian voice of an angel".[16]
"Show Me Heaven" spent four weeks at number one on theUK Singles Chart,[17] ending the year as the country's sixth highest-selling single,[18] and is McKee's only UK number-one as a performer (although the song "A Good Heart"—written by her—was a UK number-one forFeargal Sharkey in November 1985). Thepower ballad[1] had even greater success in Norway, topping theNorwegian Singles Chart for 10 weeks. The track was also a number-one success in Belgium and the Netherlands.[19]
"Show Me Heaven" failed to enter the USBillboard Hot 100 but did reach number 28 on theBillboard Adult Contemporary chart.[20] In Canada, "Show Me Heaven" reached number 69 on theRPM Top Singles chart and number 30 on theRPM Adult Contemporary chart.[21][22] Elsewhere, the single reached number two in Ireland and Sweden, number three in Australia, number four in Switzerland, and the top 20 in Austria, Germany and New Zealand.[23][19]
Australian singerTina Arena released her version of "Show Me Heaven" as the fifth single from her third studio album,Don't Ask (1994), on November 20, 1995. Although it was not released in her home country, her version of the song reached number 29 in the United Kingdom, number 33 in New Zealand and number 78 in Germany. It also peaked at number three on the USBillboardBubbling Under Hot 100 and number 52 on the CanadianRPM Adult Contemporary chart.
Larry Flick fromBillboard viewed Arena's version of "Show Me Heaven" as "a stirring rendition". He stated that "Arena has the voice and attitude to match the bombast ofMcKee's performance, but she wisely opts for a slow and stylish ascension to the song's requisite thunderclap climax. Actually, Arena sounds like a babyCeline Dion throughout much of this fine single—which is not necessarily a bad thing."[56] Daina Darzin fromCash Box said it "suggests Arena is more like Australia’s answer toMariah Carey. Her lush, gently crescendoing take on Maria McKee’s 1990 hit should impactAdult Contemporary stations like that giant spaceship in the previews ofIndependence Day."[57]James Masterton forDotmusic felt that Arena's version "stays fairly faithful to the original, the powerful song suiting her voice quite well. Having said that it fails to add much to the song, a good though it is, the track is unlikely to emulate the feats of the original."[58] Pan-European magazineMusic & Media described it as "soulful", noting that it "has aWhitney Houston style intro, but very soon Miss Arena makes it clear that her own voice is much warmer, a fact emphasised by thegospel harmonies of the background singers."[59]
In 1993,Cheap Trick lead singerRobin Zander released a version of the song on his self-titled debut solo album. Zander's version was issued as a single and features McKee on backing vocals.[69]
^Show Me Heaven (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Maria McKee. Epic Records. 1990. 656303 8.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Show Me Heaven (UK cassette single sleeve). Maria McKee. Epic Records. 1990. 656303 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Show Me Heaven (UK CD single liner notes). Maria McKee. Epic Records. 1990. 656303 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Show Me Heaven (Australian CD single disc notes). Maria McKee. Epic Records. 1990. 656325 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Show Me Heaven (European mini maxi-CD single disc notes). Maria McKee. Epic Records. 1990. 656303 3.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
