"Rhythm of My Heart" is a song written by Marc Jordan and John Capek that was first recorded by Dutch rock and roll artist René Shuman, included on his 1986 self-titled debut album. In 1991, British singer Rod Stewart recorded the song for his album Vagabond Heart with production by Trevor Horn. It is the album's opening track and was released as its second single on 4 March 1991 by Warner.
| "Rhythm of My Heart" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Rod Stewart | ||||
| from the album Vagabond Heart | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | 4 March 1991[1] | |||
| Length | 4:12 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Trevor Horn | |||
| Rod Stewart singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Stewart's version reached No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and No. 1 on the Canadian and Irish charts. The melody is an adaptation of "Loch Lomond". The meter, stanzas and lyrics are also based on the poem, a nod to Stewart's own Scottish heritage. Kevin Weed played the Great Highland bagpipes heard during Stewart's version.
Track listings
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Charts
Year-end charts
| Chart (1991) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[22] | 13 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[23] | 29 |
| Belgium (Ultratop)[24] | 80 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[25] | 4 |
| Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[26] | 4 |
| Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[27] | 26 |
| Europe (European Hit Radio)[28] | 2 |
| Germany (Official German Charts)[29] | 16 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[30] | 38 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[31] | 20 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[32] | 34 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[33] | 50 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[34] | 12 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[22] | Gold | 35,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[35] | Silver | 200,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
Covers
"Rhythm of My Heart" was also covered by Runrig, who released it as a single in 1996. This is the version heard on the Loch Ness soundtrack when it was released on CD in 2005, instead of Stewart's version heard in the movie. A live version of the song from his 2013 performance at The Troubadour, West Hollywood was included on the deluxe edition of the album Time. The same year, Russian Scooter tribute band Section 1 made a jumpstyle cover of the song for their album "Horsepowers Tide For A Furious Ride". It was also released as a single the same year. Amy Macdonald and Stewart performed the song (with adjusted lyrics) at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
In popular culture
Stewart's version of the song was used during the closing credits of the 1996 family movie Loch Ness. The single was also played during the bar scenes in the 2000 film The Perfect Storm, scenes that are set several months after Stewart's song was released (October 1991) so the song gives a time-period context. The song is used by Australian A-League football team Sydney FC by the club's active supporter group The Cove at the 23rd minute of games to remember the Cove members who have died. "Rhythm of My Heart" was played at the British farewell ceremony in Hong Kong in 1997.[36]