In January 1996, "Lifted" was re-released, reaching a new peak of number four in the UK and entering the top 40 in Austria, Iceland, and Ireland, as well as on the Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks chart.

Songwriter Paul Tucker worked in a house music club in Newcastle and had written a song called "Ocean Drive".

[4] Ethan Alter from AllMusic picked "Lifted" as one of two "best tunes" from the album, stating that it is "virtually guaranteed to buoy one's spirits.

"[6] In Billboard, the reviewer felt singer Tunde Baiyewu's style was in some ways similar to that of Seal, calling the track a "wonderful British-soul single... With its shuffling, funk-derived beat and strumming melody.

[7] Pan-European magazine Music & Media said, "Pop made from an adult angle, but finely tuning into the youngster's taste too by the clever Soul II Soul-inspired rhythm track, it will open up lots of radio possibilities.

"[8] A reviewer from Music Week rated it three out of five, writing, "Feelgood, radio friendly fare from the Newcastle duo which echoes the uplifting sentiments of Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive.

[9] Ralph Tee from the magazine's RM Dance Update deemed it a "wholesome guitar-tinged funky soul tune", noting that the original radio friendly version is mixed by British record producer, remixer and composer Mike Peden.

[10] Another editor, James Hamilton described it as a "husky soulful superb Roger Troutman-ishly vocodered lovely languid strolling 96.8bpm song of hope".