"Better Best Forgotten" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() CD2 cover | ||||
Single by Steps | ||||
from the album Step One | ||||
B-side | "Why?" | |||
Released | 8 March 1999 [1] | |||
Recorded | 1998 | |||
Studio | PWL (Manchester, England) | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 3:42 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Steps singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Better Best Forgotten" on YouTube |
"Better Best Forgotten" is a song by British pop group Steps, released on 8 March 1999. It was the final single to be taken from their debut album, Step One . The song became the group's fourth top-10 hit in the UK, peaking at number two on the UK Singles Chart, and it also reached the top 20 in Ireland and the Flanders region of Belgium.
A stripped back ballad version of the track was performed during the 2012 Christmas with Steps tour. "Better Best Forgotten" features all three girls singing a verse each with the boys joining in for the choruses.
Can't Stop the Pop wrote that this was the song "most strikingly consistent" with the "ABBA-on-speed" vision, that Pete Waterman strove to achieve with the group. They added that Faye, Lisa and Claire "all bring such drama" to the track, "they sing as though their life depends on it, and that – among many other things – is what worked so well about Steps." [2] Scottish newspaper Daily Record noted that the group "continue to shine in the charts with their latest Abba-esque hit", "Better Best Forgotten". [3] They also wrote that this "catchy tune" is "sure to fill the dance floors." [4] Sarah Davis from Dotmusic stated that "this predictably Abba-sounding track builds energetically to reach its adrenaline-filled peak in a hook-laden, singalong chorus. The group really cannot put a foot wrong at present". [5] Gary James from Entertainment Focus noted it as a "uplifting" and "energetic" pop song, with "fairytale references of happy endings and taking chances." He added that this track is "definitely not best forgotten". [6] Mark Beaumont from NME said it is "great". [7] Sunday Mirror commented, "A poppy enough tune from the smiley five piece but they need some new material. And fast." [8]
"Better Best Forgotten" entered the UK Singles Chart at number two in March 1999, beaten to number one by Boyzone's "When the Going Gets Tough". It spent 17 weeks on the British charts and became the first single for Steps to fall off the chart and re-enter. The song topped the UK Indie Chart while reaching number eight in Ireland. Additionally, it was a top-20 hit in Belgium and peaked at number 11 on the Eurochart Hot 100.
A music video was made to accompany the song, directed by David Amphlett. It has a watery-theme, and the group wear blue outfits. Group members Lee and H play with water pistols, and interfere with the girls' singing. During the video shoot, a glass wall collapsed on Faye.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Better Best Forgotten" (radio edit) |
| 3:42 |
2. | "Why?" |
| 4:08 |
3. | "Better Best Forgotten" (W.I.P. '99 Cream of Manchester Mix) |
| 6:16 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Better Best Forgotten" (radio edit) |
| 3:42 |
2. | "Better Best Forgotten" (Nip on the Dance Floor W.I.P. Mix) |
| 5:20 |
3. | "Better Best Forgotten" (instrumental) |
| 3:42 |
4. | "Better Best Forgotten" (video) |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Better Best Forgotten" (radio edit) |
| 3:42 |
2. | "Why?" |
| 4:08 |
A-side: "Better Best Forgotten"Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Step One . [12] Recording
Vocals
Personnel
| B-side: "Why?"Credits are adapted from the liner notes of "Better Best Forgotten". [9] Recording
Vocals
Personnel
|
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [23] | Gold | 400,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
"I Know Him So Well" is a duet from the concept album and subsequent musical Chess by Tim Rice, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. It was originally sung by Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson. In this duet, two women – Svetlana, the Russian chess champion's estranged wife, and Florence, his mistress – express their bittersweet feelings for him and at seeing their relationships fall apart.
"Better the Devil You Know" is a song by Australian singer-songwriter Kylie Minogue, taken from her third studio album Rhythm of Love (1990). The song was written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman and was released as the album's lead single on 30 April 1990 by PWL and Mushroom Records. "Better the Devil You Know" is known as the song that re-invented Minogue with more sex appeal, as her previous albums were presented with her "girl next door" persona. Her music onwards presented a more independent approach.
"Tragedy" is a song released by the Bee Gees, written by Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb, included on their 1979 album Spirits Having Flown. The single reached number one in the UK in February 1979 and repeated the feat the following month on the US Billboard Hot 100. In 1998, it was covered by British pop group Steps, whose version also reached number one in the UK. In 2024, it was used in the film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, as well as its trailer.
"Stomp" is a song by British pop group Steps, released as a single on 16 October 2000. The song features a modified orchestral riff from "Everybody Dance", released by Chic in 1978, but Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers did not receive songwriting credits until the release of Gold: Greatest Hits in 2001. "Stomp" was the group's second and final single to hit number one on the UK Singles Chart. The track was later released in Australia, Japan, and Europe.
"One for Sorrow" is a song by British pop-dance group Steps, released as the third single from their debut album, Step One (1998). It also became the quintet's first single to reach the top five on the UK Singles Chart. Debuting at number two and spending 11 weeks on the UK chart, the song established Steps's intention to revive the ABBA sound, striking a considerable resemblance to their 1980 hit "The Winner Takes It All". A remixed version became their debut US single in 1999 and was featured on the Drive Me Crazy film soundtrack. It peaked at number 38 on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in October 1999.
"Love's Got a Hold on My Heart" is a song by British pop music group Steps. It was released as the lead single from the band's second album, Steptacular (1999). The song features Faye Tozer and Claire Richards on lead vocals. The single peaked at number two in the United Kingdom and became a top-20 hit in Finland, Flanders, Ireland, and New Zealand.
"It's the Way You Make Me Feel" is a song by British dance-pop group Steps, released as their 12th single on 1 January 2001. It is the second track to be released from their third album, Buzz, and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. This was the first song the band performed following their official reformation in October 2011. One of the single's B-sides, a cover of Marvin Gaye's "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby", was taken from the Motown Mania compilation.
"Chain Reaction" is a song by American singer Diana Ross, released on November 12, 1985 by RCA and Capitol, as the second single from her sixteenth studio album, Eaten Alive (1985). The song was written by the Bee Gees and contains additional vocals from Barry Gibb. Sonically, "Chain Reaction" is an R&B and dance-pop song. According to the Gibbs' biography, the brothers had initial reservations about offering the song to Ross in case it was too Motown-like for her.
"Say You'll Be Mine" is a song by British dance-pop group Steps, released as a double A-side with a cover version of Kylie Minogue's "Better the Devil You Know". Steps' cover of "Better the Devil You Know" was later included as the opening track on their third studio album, Buzz (2000), but did not serve as a lead single. A limited-edition single was released as a digipack that was included with a doubled-sided poster in the sleeve. The song is the first to feature all five members on lead vocals.
"Last Thing on My Mind" is by English girl group Bananarama from their sixth studio album, Please Yourself (1993). It was released on 16 November 1992 by London Records as the album's second single. The track was produced by Mike Stock and Pete Waterman, two-thirds of the Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) trio. Waterman stated in 2002 the song was influenced by Mozart. The single peaked at number 72 on the UK Singles Chart. Composer Mike Stock blamed the song's poor chart performance on what he claimed to be a deteriorating relationship between the band and their label, London Records, resulting in a poor marketing campaign.
"Deeper Shade of Blue" is a song by British dance-pop group Steps, released as the fourth single from their second studio album, Steptacular (1999), on 3 April 2000. The song was originally recorded by English singer-songwriter Tina Cousins, but aside from a few promotional 12-inch vinyl discs pressed in 1998, her version remains unreleased. "Deeper Shade of Blue" entered the UK Singles Chart at number four and spent one more week in the top 10 before falling down the charts. After a total of nine weeks, it left the top 100.
"When I Said Goodbye" and "Summer of Love" are two songs by British pop music group Steps, released as a double A-side single. "When I Said Goodbye" is taken from their second studio album, Steptacular (1999), while "Summer of Love" was a previously unavailable track, later included on their third album, Buzz (2000). Following its release on 3 July 2000, the single peaked at number five in the United Kingdom and number 18 in Ireland.
"5,6,7,8" is a song by British group Steps from their debut studio album, Step One (1998). A techno-pop and country pop song written by Barry Upton and Steve Crosby and produced by Karl Twigg, Mark Topham and Pete Waterman, it was released as their debut single in November 1997 by Jive and EBUL following their formation after each group member responded to a magazine advert looking for people to audition to be in a pop band.
"Heartbeat" is a song by British pop group Steps, from their debut studio album Step One (1998). Issued as a double A-side with their cover of the 1979 Bee Gees single "Tragedy", it was released on 9 November 1998 as the fourth single off the album. "Heartbeat" was solely written by Jackie James, and it was the first ballad released as a single by the group. While promoting the 2012 Hit Factory Live event, Pete Waterman revealed that the song had sat in a drawer for years before he gave it to the band to record.
"Here and Now" and "You'll Be Sorry" are two songs by British pop group Steps. Both tracks appear their third studio album, Buzz (2000). Released on 4 June 2001, the songs were the band's fourth double A-side single. In Europe, the song "Here and Now" was released alongside "Summer of Love" instead. The single reached number four in the United Kingdom and number 23 in Ireland.
"Thank ABBA for the Music" is a medley of songs originally released by pop group ABBA, performed by Steps, Tina Cousins, Cleopatra, B*Witched and Billie. The medley consists of "Take a Chance on Me", "Dancing Queen", "Mamma Mia", and "Thank You for the Music". It was originally performed during the 1999 Brit Awards, which occurred on 16 February, and its release coincided with the debut of the ABBA musical Mamma Mia!. The medley peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart in April 1999 and reached the top 10 in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and Sweden.
"Words Are Not Enough" is a song by British dance-pop musical group Steps, written by Andreas Carlsson and Pelle Nylén. The track was included on the group's first compilation album, Gold: Greatest Hits (2001), and was released as a double A-side single with a cover of the 1984 song "I Know Him So Well", from the musical Chess (1986).
"Shakespeare's Words" is a song by Popstars: The Rivals male winners One True Voice, released on 2 June 2003. The song was the second and final release by the band, as they split up in August 2003 without having released an album. The song reached number 10 on the UK Singles Chart and number 39 in Ireland.
"After the Love Has Gone" is a song by Steps, released as their seventh single, and the third from their second album Steptacular. The track continues the group's pop sound but has clear Asian musical influences. Claire Richards provides lead vocals.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)