World in Your Hands

AllMusic editor William Cooper complimented the song as "competent and entertaining".{{cite web|first= William |last= Cooper |title= Culture Beat – Serenity |publisher= AllMusic |url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/serenity-mw0000105591 |accessdate= 19 April 2020}} In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton said, "Just when it seemed Culture Beat records could not get any faster they suddenly release a slow one."{{cite web|last=Masterton|first=James|title=Week Ending April 2nd 1994|url=https://chart-watch.uk/archives/1994/week-ending-april-2nd-1994|website=Chart Watch UK|date=27 March 1994|accessdate=6 September 2021|author-link=James Masterton}} Ian Gittens from Melody Maker found that it "isn't quite so instant [as "Anything"] but it does boast the kind of killer chorus which many infinitely hipper club acts and DJs would die for."{{cite magazine|first=Ian|last=Gittens|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/53116952940/|title=Singles|work=Melody Maker|date=26 March 1994|page=35|access-date=17 August 2023}} Alan Jones from Music Week commented, "After a trio of big hits, it is becoming obvious that Culture Beat aren't going to disappear overnight. And this is actually a more stylish and better-written song than some of their tunes, but it will probably meet with more resistance too as it is less obvious "in your face". Basically, it is a sweet ballad, but one which has been submerged beneath heavy percussion and bass elements and, like all the group's songs, it comes with a leaden rap."{{cite magazine|first= Alan |last= Jones |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1994/Music-Week-1994-03-19.pdf |title= Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles |magazine= Music Week |date= 19 March 1994 |page= 12 |accessdate= 15 April 2021}}

Terry Staunton from NME commented, "Stress on my mind, I think I'll end it all/People tell me to stand tall/But I don't wanna live/Got nothin' to give/And I'm tired of hitting walls. Bloody hell! Continental techno pop with a suicide lyric! Can't wait to read The Chart Show captions on this one. Never mind 'Mr. Vain', Culture Beat ought to be calling the Samaritans. Inevitably destined for the Top Ten, and surely the only hit from this or any other year that advocates topping yourself with a bullet and a shot of gin." Sylvia Patterson from Smash Hits was less enthustiastic and gave it two out of five, writing, "They are the new Snap! and to prove it they're here with a song just like all the others except it's got that "sinister" moody synth and underwater piano."{{cite magazine|first=Sylvia|last=Patterson|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/57779449@N02/52591936298/in/album-72177720304791287/|title=New Singles|magazine=Smash Hits|date=2 March 1994|page=56|access-date=29 December 2022|author-link=Sylvia Patterson}}

"World in Your Hands" was a hit in most of the European countries where it was released, but didn't reach the same level of success as the previous singles of the band. However, it entered the top 10 in both Finland and the Netherlands, reaching number four and ten, respectively. Additionally, the single was a top-20 hit in Ireland (13), Denmark (16), Germany (18), and the United Kingdom. In the latter, it reached number 20 in its first week at the UK Singles Chart, on 27 March 1994. On the UK Dance Singles Chart, it fared better, peaking at number 17. In the group's native Germany, the single peaked at number 18 in its fourth week on the German Singles Chart, with four weeks inside the top 20 and 14 weeks within the chart. On the Eurochart Hot 100, "World in Your Hands" reached number 25 in May 1994, in its fifth week on the chart after charting in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Netherland and Switzerland.{{cite magazine|url=http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Music-and-Media/90s/1994/MM-1994-05-07.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100|magazine=Music & Media|volume=11|issue=19|date=7 May 1994|page=11|accessdate=15 March 2018}} Outside Europe, the song reached numbers 37 and 57 in New Zealand and Australia, respectively.

The music video of "World in Your Hands" was directed by Swedish-based director Matt Broadley.{{cite web|url=http://www.mattbroadley.com/credits/|title=Credits - Matt Broadley|accessdate=29 January 2017|publisher=mattbroadley.com}} It was filmed in Stockholm, Sweden,{{cite web|url=https://www.eurokdj.com/search/video.php?id=711|title=Culture Beat - World in Your Hands Music Video 1994|accessdate=17 August 2023|publisher=Eurokdj.com}} featuring lead singer Tania Evans and rapper Jay Supreme performing in a winter landscape. In the beginning, Evans sits in the backseat of a driving car, while Supreme walks on a ship dock. Then Evans performs while standing on a frozen lake covered with snow. At the end, they both meet on a cliff with a view over Stockholm in the background. The video was A-listed on Germany's VIVA in April 1994.{{cite magazine|title=Station Reports > VIVA TV/Cologne|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1994/MM-1994-04-16.pdf|magazine=Music & Media|volume=11|issue=16|date=16 April 1994|page=21|accessdate=19 December 2022}} Broadley had previously directed the videos for the group's earlier singles, "Mr. Vain" and "Anything". In 2024, "World in Your Hands" was made available on Culture Beat's official YouTube channel, remastered to 4K.{{cite web|title=Culture Beat - World in Your Hands (Official Video)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp-sBLlZJZ0|publisher=YouTube|date=22 October 2024|accessdate=29 May 2025}}

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• 7-inch, Europe (1994)

1. "World in Your Hands" (Radio Edit) – 4:10
2. "World in Your Hands" (Tribal Mix) – 6:52

• 12-inch, Germany (1994)

1. "World in Your Hands" (Tribal Mix) – 6:52
2. "World in Your Hands" (Groovy Mix) – 7:27
3. "Anything" (Trancemix) – 6:30
4. "World in Your Hands" (Radio Edit) – 4:10

• CD single, UK and Europe (1994)

1. "World in Your Hands" (Radio Edit) – 4:10
2. "World in Your Hands" (Tribal Mix) – 6:58
3. "World in Your Hands" (Extended Album Version) – 7:24
4. "Anything" (Trance Mix) – 6:30

• CD maxi-single, Europe (1994)

1. "World in Your Hands" (Radio Edit) – 4:11
2. "World in Your Hands" (Tribal Mix) – 6:56
3. "World in Your Hands" (Extended Version) – 7:32
4. "World in Your Hands" (Extended Album Version) – 7:23

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• CD maxi-single, Australia (1994)

1. "World in Your Hands" (Radio Edit) – 4:10
2. "World in Your Hands" (Tribal Mix) – 6:52
3. "World in Your Hands" (Groovy Mix) – 7:27
4. "World in Your Hands" (Extended Version) – 7:32
5. "World in Your Hands" (Extended Album Version) – 7:23

• CD maxi-single - Remix, Europe (1994)

1. "World in Your Hands" (MKM's Danish Flex Mix) – 6:23
2. "World in Your Hands" (M.S. Dance-Mix) – 6:11
3. "World in Your Hands" (Club In Trance-Mix) – 7:08
4. "World in Your Hands" (Not Normal Mix) – 7:35

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Category:1990s ballads

Category:1993 songs

Category:1994 singles

Category:Culture Beat songs

Category:Dance Pool singles

Category:English-language German songs

Category:Music videos directed by Matt Broadley

Category:Music videos shot in Sweden

Category:Songs written by Jay Supreme

Category:Songs written by Nosie Katzmann

Category:Songs written by Torsten Fenslau