Peak UK Chart Position: #11 in April 1989.

Matt Black and Jonathan More were behind the UK remix and production duo Coldcut, who had first come to prominence in 1987 by remixing Eric B & Rakim’s “Paid In Full” and turning it into a British top twenty hit. They also thrust two very talented female singers into the spotlight – firstly, Yazz, who was the featured vocalist on “Doctorin’ The House” in 1988 before the duo produced her number one single “The Only Way Is Up”. The following year, it was Lisa Stansfield who would feature on “People Hold On”, ahead of her debut Coldcut-produced solo single “This Is The Right Time”.

Quick facts:

• “People Hold On” was Coldcut’s last credited appearance in the top forty until 1997’s “More Beats & Pieces” got to number 37.
• Lisa Stansfield went on to feature on three UK number ones: “All Around The World” later in 1989, Band Aid II’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas” that same year, and with George Michael on the “Five Live EP” (performing “These Are The Days Of Our Lives”) in 1993.
• “People Hold On” would return to the charts in 1997, remixed by Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (aka Dan Bewick and Matt Frost), and peaking at number four.
• Coldcut released new material last year, with their “Only Heaven EP” being released last November. Stansfield released a “Live In Manchester” album and video in August 2015, and will be performing in Switzerland in May.

Here’s “People Hold On”, which was up nine to number 15 on this day in 1989, as performed on Top of the Pops eleven days later.