Songoftheday 3/5/19 - Move a step closer you know that I want you, I can tell by your eyes that you want me too...
from the album Find Your Way (1993)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #26 (one week)
Weeks in the Top-40: 17
Today's song of the day comes from British pop/soul singer Gabrielle (aka Louisa Gabrielle Bobb), who grew up in the inner London neighborhood of Hackney. Her first single was released in 1993, which originally was based on a sample of Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car", ended up being her international breakthrough and biggest success in America. "Dreams", written by the singer with Tim Laws, is a mid-tempo strutting but soulful and inspirational number that proves it doesn't have to be flashy to make a mark...
"Dreams" became Gabrielle's first and only top-40 pop hit in the U.S. in January of 1994. Although the song barely made the top-30, it managed to spend over four months in the top-40. The dance remixes of the song, which completely transformed the track in mood and sound, helped it top the Dance Club Play chart in Billboard magazine for a week. Internationally, the single spent three weeks at #1 in her native UK, and made the top ten in Ireland (#2), Australia (#2), Italy (#5), Sweden (#5), Portugal (#5), Belgium (#6), the Netherlands (#7), Denmark (#8), Switzerland (#10), and Iceland (#10).
Gabrielle's second single from Find Your Way was the wonderful slice of sophisti-pop in "Going Nowhere", but while that song went to #9 in the UK, the single tanked in the States, with only the remixes making the dance chart at #14. She did a bit better here in America with the third release, "I Wish", which peaked at #52 on both the pop and R&B charts (her sole hit on the latter list). Finally, the fourth single from the record, "Because Of You", managed to climb to #24 on the British chart.
The singer returned in 1996 with her self-titled sophomore effort, but while lead single "Give Me A Little More Time" was a decent international hit, peaking at #5 in the UK, the retro-soul styled single only "bubbled under" the pop Hot 100 in America at #112 (the dance version did get to #16 on the Club Play chart in Billboard). But while her American fortunes were waning, she was still going strong overseas, landing five top-40 British hits on that disc, including "If You Ever", a cover of the Shai pop smash and collaboration with boy-band East 17, which got to #2 there. Her third release, Rise, also sent five singles into the UK top-40, even returning to #1 with the Bob Dylan-cribbing title track, which also slipped on to the American Dance Club Play chart in Billboard at #13. In 2000, Gabrielle put out a greatest hits set Dreams Can Come True, and scored what so far is her most recent UK top ten hit a #9 with "Don't Need The Sun To Shine (To Make Me Smile)".
By the time Gabrielle came back with her next album Play To Win in 2004, her momentum had shifted at radio, and while the album was still a top ten success, the single "Stay The Same" stalled down at #20. Three years later, with the release of her Always album, Gabrielle landed her most recent hit in the with "Why" with Paul Weller from the Jam and Style Council (UK #42). She continues to record and perform live, with her most recent set, Under My Skin, went to #7 on the British albums list.
(Click below to see the rest of the post)
Here's the dance remix that helped the song reach #1 on Billboard's Dance Music chart...
Next up is Gabrielle live in the studio with the song...
And the singer live on MTV...
Up tomorrow: This song has been my song of the day two times before, but a Canadian takes it all the way to the top in its "fourth" go.
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