Stewart's version reached
No. 3 on the
UK Singles Chart, No. 5 on the US BillboardHot 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.
"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-Leaguefootball 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]