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Alison Limerick reveals story behind 'Where Love Lives' John Lewis Christmas ad
Feb 15, 2026
90s dance icon Alison Limerick chats to Heart Dance's Toby Anstis about her iconic song 'Where Love Lives' and takes on the One Beat Challenge!
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0:00
It's probably come from the advertising agency
0:03
John Lewis going, we want a new campaign. And then several ideas get thrown at them
0:09
We could try this and we could try this. And so they landed on the idea of this dance floor, young son reconnection
0:17
It's brilliant. And there were probably more than one track that they were looking at to be that song
0:22
Why me? Why Where Love Lives? I don't know. Alison Limerick, welcome to Heart Dance
0:30
Thank you. Thank you for having me. And it was a pleasure. And also I was very excited when we knew you were coming in
0:35
And I just want to be able to say, first of all, thank you from me and dance music fans the world over
0:41
for that iconic tune that is Where Love Lives. Oh, thank you
0:44
It's a beautiful tune. Thank you so much. Yeah, I've loved every minute of it. Yeah
0:50
I mean, you must have really happy memories of the birth of that, how that all came about
0:54
Yeah. And then... And then recorded Where Love Lives. Lattie Cronlund wrote the song, said, do you want to do it
1:00
I was like, yeah. And I literally just signed a year contract back at Starlight
1:06
because I wasn't understudying there, Elizabeth. And I got a phone call from Arista saying
1:11
we want to sign you because we want to put out your single. And I was like, sorry, excuse me, what
1:17
Say what now? But you fell off your skates, didn't you? I literally fell off my chair
1:22
Yeah. because I was like, well, how am I going to do it? I've just signed up for it
1:26
I can't get out of this contract. So I'm going to have to, I was thinking in my head
1:30
well, if I can promote it in the day or after the show
1:35
because we finish at half past ten. So I was thinking all the ways that I could do that
1:39
But the paperwork, of course, took so long that by the time I left in the September
1:48
at the end of that year, the first time I PA'd it was in the November
1:53
Is that 90? That was in 90, yeah. Yes. And then it kind of bubbled under
1:58
and then they relaunched it in 91. Yeah. And then that was before David Morales got his hands on it
2:04
So no, so the... Wasn't that his remi... No, they actually, Frankie and David
2:09
Frankie Knuckles and David Morales, remixed the original original. Yes. But when Arista said
2:17
we probably think we should give it a little bit more push because there was zero push back in the day
2:23
because it was coming out under their club arm. Yeah. And they didn't realise it had the legs to cross
2:29
over into more mainstream. So they went back to Frankie and David
2:34
and they said, well, we'll do this slightly altered. So then they brought out the Where Love Lives Come On In remixes. Yeah
2:42
But the classic mix was always the classic mix. That's the one. That's the one we play. That's the one
2:46
That's the one we love with that piano at the start. Yeah. I mean, I play it. There's never a gig that I do when I don't play your track
2:52
Oh, thank you. Because, you know, the moment that piano kicks in at the start, it quite often gets easily the biggest cheer of the night
2:59
Oh, yeah. And it's also sometimes a tune that saved gigs for me. If it's been a little bit quiet, bang that on
3:05
Mate. There you go. Oh, thank God. Some people are going on the dance floor. It's a saviour for me sometimes
3:09
I've watched Frankie Knuckles tease the front of that in a club in New York
3:14
Amazing. A little bit of the Red Zone mix, which is kind of different
3:21
It doesn really have the full piano in it Right And then people are going is that You that is that You can feel the frisson in the club Just building up to the drop on it And then it will drop a bit of the piano at the front
3:33
And the club, and then he won't play it. And then he won't play it. Oh, he just teases
3:37
Tease it, tease it, tease it. I was so nervous when DJs do that. Yeah. Yeah, but, mate. Get on with the tune
3:41
He knows his audience. Yeah, he did. And those audiences in New York
3:46
they absolutely loved him. So to actually watch him do that with something that you were part of, Yeah
3:51
That was phenomenal. And you were saying that the record comedy, they weren't taking the track seriously
3:55
but more that it was because it was a club tune, so they weren't directing as much effort as they were
3:59
No, they were taking it seriously, but as a club track. Yeah. So it came out in a white unnamed bag first
4:08
and then it came out in the Arista club bag. Yeah. So it had the name on it and the remixes on it
4:15
but it was just a kind of generic bag, so all their club stuff was coming out like that
4:19
And then people were like, I think we need to put her face on the face
4:24
Yes. You know, it's actually getting... It's getting traction. It's getting traction, that's the word
4:28
Did you see it really quickly take off in the clubs? Or were there moments when you thought
4:32
this is going to really do it? Okay, my first ever... And then something sort of..
4:37
My first ever PA, my first ever PA was up the road from where I lived
4:42
because I lived in Hackney, and I did my first PA in Tottenham
4:46
What was the venue? I can't remember. some big club on the main road, I do not remember
4:51
It was all a bit of a blur. Cinderella's Rockefeller's or something like that, probably
4:56
Oh, probably. And I went on stage and on stage, they put me on a podium in the middle of the floor
5:03
of the dance floor, and I stood on this podium and I mimed it. And so the thing was coming from elsewhere
5:09
and people were looking around going, what is she doing? And so that was my first ever show
5:14
My next show was something promoted. We did a Southport Weekender. Mm-hmm
5:23
When everybody knew the song. Legendary. Yeah. Yeah. Southport Weekender. So I'm expecting a similar kind of what's she doing reaction
5:31
And then the piano riff starts and me and my two dancers, because I've got dancers now, ha, ha, ha
5:35
And we come out on the stage and this wall of noise comes at you
5:38
of people just shouting. And then they sang the whole thing from top to toe
5:43
and I was like, huh? What? What happened? I was so blown
5:49
I exploded brain. At that point, you knew something was going on. Something was going on
5:53
Incredible. And then fast forward to now. Yeah. John Lewis. I know
5:58
Actually, can I call you Alison Limerick Lewis? Can we double-barrow your name now? I don't think Mr Lewis would approve. No
6:06
I don't think the partners would approve. Although I have a card. Have you? I'm a card-carrying member
6:10
Well, before you had the record out in the ad or not. Oh, jeez. Or have they given you one now? Yeah, no, no, I've had it for years
6:15
Have they stacked plenty of credit on your card now after this? Unfortunately not, but I wouldn't be averse
6:21
To a little store credit, thank you very much. We'll come to what you're planning on buying a John Lewis
6:25
for your Waitrose or whatever for your Christmas feast. But yeah, so look, talk to me about how you land a gig like this
6:34
On a John Lewis, the most iconic Christmas ad in the UK
6:39
Talk to me. As far as I'm aware, it's probably come from the advertising agency
6:47
John Lewis going we want a new campaign And then several ideas get thrown at them We could try this and we could try this And so they landed on the idea of this dance floor
6:59
young son reconnection. It's brilliant. And there were probably more than one track
7:03
that they were looking at to be that song. Why me? Why Where Love Lives
7:10
I don't know. Oh, because it's one of the most iconic dance shoes ever
7:14
Yeah, but off the top of my head, I can think of three. Well, yeah, but they had to pick one and they picked the best
7:21
Maybe it's just that I'm a Londoner, mate. Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner
7:27
I got the gig on the ad. All right. No, but a lot of those tunes, those are my favourite voices from the 90s
7:33
They're all American. And here I am. Hello. Thank you, John Lewis
7:39
Yeah, yeah. And also the sentiment in the ad is fantastic. It's bang on, isn't it
7:45
When I talk to friends of mine, you know, dads and they've got sons and everything, and they were just pleased to see that, you know
7:50
oh my God, it's a man thing. It's about a man and a son. It's a man and his son, a man and his child
7:54
And you don't often see that and the nostalgia and everything that puts through you
7:58
So people, it's just beautiful. Yeah. And then, you know, obviously there's your version
8:02
and that's the real memory jogger for so many people and we all love it. And then there's Labyrinth getting involved
8:07
Oh my God, so beautiful. And what did you make of that? The way the transition from you into Labyrinth is phenomenal
8:12
It is phenomenal. I mean, I heard Lab's version first first before i saw the ad because i only saw the ad really close to to um so this is when you've
8:22
been told it's going to be your song in it i was told it's going to be my song and that labyrinth
8:26
song was going to be in it right and here's here's here's a this is what labyrinth song
8:30
sounds like yeah so i had the whole song yeah um i was like oh that's really beautiful that's
8:36
really lovely but still no concept of what they hadn't told me the plot of the thing
8:40
so then i'm in i'm in john lewis having a day where they're filming me and we're talking about
8:47
the song and we're doing all kinds of footage for promo um for promotion uh and then they say
8:54
have you seen it and i go no and then i get out a laptop and they throw everybody out of the room
8:59
because nobody else is allowed to see it and then they play it to me and i get all misty-eyed
9:04
because it's so... The transition of the music from the classic into Lab's version right at that moment
9:15
when those two, the father and son reconnect. Exactly that. The imagery, the way they've done it
9:19
is so poignant. It is so powerful. I mean, literally my eyes were whirling up when I saw it for the first
9:23
So a lot of guy friends of mine, exactly the same. It resonates because it's..
9:28
People that went clubbing are that age now. Yeah. They're aging to have teenage kids that they're maybe not connecting to over other things
9:38
but they can connect over music. It is so lovely to talk to you. And you
9:42
But there is one more thing I want to do with you, if you've got time. Careful. I want to get you playing the 1B Challenge
9:48
which is a game that everyone loves playing on Heart Dance at 8.40 every morning. Okay, so here's the deal, right
9:53
I give you a very tiny beat of a club classic. You've got to tell what the track is
9:58
Oh, dear heaven. You up for it? Fatboy Slim got four out of five the other week
10:02
I will get none. Well, let's wait and see. If you get all five, I'm going to give you all five
10:07
You're going to be a one-beat legend. Alison Limerick, are you ready to play the one-beat challenge on Hard Dance
10:11
Oh, my God! Right, you ready for your first one? Yes Alison Limerick good luck No no idea Sorry babe No
10:26
No, it's too late. You needed to have the the on the front of that
10:32
No, no, I'm not giving you that. No, I don't expect you to give that
10:37
Zero out of one. You should have got that. Anyway, you didn't, so you can't be one big legend
10:40
but you can still draw with Fatboy Slim, but you've got to get this one. No pressure
10:45
I've given you more than one beat on that as well. Hum it out
10:56
Oi, producer Jordan. Quiet over in the corner, please. Thank you very much. No, no, I'm not going to get it
11:03
You're really going to kick yourself. No, no, no. How could it have been edited out
11:11
Yeah, OK, well, it could be many things, actually. This isn't going well
11:15
It's not. As well as I thought it would. I warned you. You did
11:19
Yeah. Continue. But I didn't heed to the warnings. Right, here's number three. Heed the warnings
11:23
Sorry. What? One more. No. No. No. Oh, I'm so going to get slapped
11:36
Oh, my God. My. I was really. I picked these thinking, you know, because they're kind of 90s and, you know
11:47
but it's not, yeah, it's not working out yet, is it? It's getting, it's going to get worse
11:54
I'm just, I'm having a cup of tea. I'm going to sip. Wait a minute, wait a minute. Okay, have a cup of tea. Refresh my brain
11:58
Is it sweet enough? Yeah, just about. Or do you want a seventh sugar
12:02
No, you're okay. I've got it there in case you give me something really tricky and then I'm putting it in
12:06
Well, this might be the trickiest to all of them. Ready? No
12:11
Oh, that's me, isn't it? You sure? Yeah. Yeah. Well, yeah, yeah, yeah
12:16
I was going to put that as the last one, but I was thinking it's going so badly. I just better give her something here to hang on to
12:22
Some kind of hope. Right, final one. You've got one out of four so far
12:30
No. No, I'm not going to get it from there. Oh, no. Oh
12:35
Me, call on me. Alison Limerick. I'm sorry. you played the 1B challenge
12:42
on Hard Dance and you scored one out of five and it was me and it was you yeah sorry
12:49
but it was your track it was me yeah do I get bonus points
12:54
for that no you don't do I get minus points for that thank god you got it
12:58
thank goodness you got your own track Alison thank you so much
13:02
for coming in pleasure it's been great to chat to you have a wonderful wonderful Christmas
13:05
and you we're all so happy for you thank you thank you you're back with this amazing song from the John Lewis ad
13:10
playing on a dance. We love it. We love you. I love you so much
13:14
Merry Christmas. Yeah, Merry Christmas. Sorry. What were you going to say? I was going to say that you keep
13:18
playing out of my neighbour's back door all through the summer and I love it and I sing
13:22
along the whole time. You've got hard dance on the neighbours. Yeah, the neighbours play heart
13:26
and then I sing along and then eventually they have to shut their door because they're tired of me
13:31
But I know all the songs. That's what hard dance does though. It does. It does
13:36
Thank you so much. Pleasure. This is hot
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