Dreamland (Black Box album)

Last updated
Dreamland
Black box dreamland.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 8, 1990
RecordedNovember 1988–September 1989
Genre
Length40:41
Label RCA
Producer Groove Groove Melody
Black Box chronology
Dreamland
(1990)
Mixed Up
(1991)
Singles from Dreamland
  1. "Ride on Time"
    Released: July 19, 1989
  2. "I Don't Know Anybody Else"
    Released: December 18, 1989
  3. "Everybody Everybody"
    Released: March 15, 1990
  4. "Fantasy"
    Released: 1990
  5. "Strike It Up"
    Released: February 6, 1991
  6. "Open Your Eyes"
    Released: 1991
  7. "Hold On"
    Released: 1992

Dreamland is the debut studio album by the Italian music group Black Box. It was released on May 8, 1990 through RCA Records, and was preceded in 1989 by the international hit single "Ride on Time". The album was certified Gold in both the United States and the United Kingdom. It is noted for "Ride on Time" and the ensuing lawsuits by Loleatta Holloway and Martha Wash over their lack of proper credit and payment for their vocal contributions to the album.

Contents

Background and artwork

When the album was originally released, the credits listed the band members as Daniele Davoli, Mirko Limoni and Valerio Semplici (as the producers, songwriters and musicians), as well as Katrin Quinol on vocals. "Ride on Time" had been released as a single prior to the album's release, and singer-songwriter Dan Hartman and singer Loleatta Holloway had threatened to sue Black Box, as well as label RCA Records, claiming that the song contained heavy sampling of an earlier recording by the two (the 1980 number-one dance club hit "Love Sensation"), although no credit had been given to them upon the release of the single. Subsequently, Hartman was given songwriting credit for this track, and Holloway was listed as the featured vocalist prior to the release of the album. However, American singer Martha Wash actually sang the lead vocals on six of the other eight tracks on the album, although she was not credited in any way. The songs sung by Wash are: "Everybody Everybody"; "I Don't Know Anybody Else"; "Open Your Eyes"; "Fantasy"; "Hold On"; and "Strike It Up". Many of these songs were released as singles and achieved significant success on radio airplay and dance charts across the world. Wash claimed in a lawsuit filed soon after the success of the album's release that she was paid a flat fee as a "session singer" to record demos of the tracks that would eventually appear on the album, but that those songs would be re-recorded with a different vocalist. She reached a settlement with RCA Records that led to her recording contract with the label, as well as an undisclosed monetary compensation. [2] The legal action by Wash and Holloway spurred legislation in the United States making vocal credits mandatory on albums and music videos.

The artwork of Dreamland depicts Katrin Quinol displaying her toned legs and longing stare, while sporting a cropped jacket and mini skirt. [3]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [4]
Robert Christgau Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [5]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Melody Maker (mixed) [7]
New Musical Express 8/10 [8]
Record Mirror Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [9]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [10]

A review published in Music Week magazine elected Dreamland "Album of the week", adding that there are "some interesting instrumentals and a cover of Earth, Wind & Fire's "Fantasy" [that] break the mould that seem to set in at the start of the LP with every song souding like "Ride on Time"". [11]

Promotional videos

Various music videos were produced for Dreamland:

Montage videos were also made for "The Total Mix" and "Open Your Eyes".

Track listing

All tracks are written by Daniele Davoli, Mirko Limoni, and Valerio Semplici, except where noted

Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)VocalsLength
1."Everybody Everybody"  Martha Wash 5:24 [fn 1]
2."I Don't Know Anybody Else" Wash4:36
3."Open Your Eyes" Wash5:21
4."Fantasy"
Wash5:14
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)VocalsLength
1."Dreamland"  2:03
2."Ride on Time"
Loleatta Holloway [fn 2] 4:37
3."Hold On" Wash5:38
4."Ghost Box"  3:57
5."Strike It Up" 
  • Wash (vocals)
  • Oscar Pabon (rap)
[fn 3]
5:15

Footnotes

  1. North American editions of the album have the Le Freak Mix 7" Edit of this song, which is 4:09 in length.
  2. Digital streaming vocals replaced by Celestine Walcott-Gordon (current Black Box stage vocalist).
  3. Digital streaming rap by Stepz.

Personnel

Black Box

Vocalists

Additional musicians

Production

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [30] Platinum70,000^
Canada (Music Canada) [31] 2× Platinum200,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [32] Gold50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [33] Gold25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [34] Gold400,000^
United States (RIAA) [35] Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>Shake Your Money Maker</i> (album) 1990 studio album by the Black Crowes

Shake Your Money Maker is the debut studio album by American rock band the Black Crowes, released on February 13, 1990, on Def American Recordings. It is the only album by the band to feature guitarist Jeff Cease. The album is named after a classic blues song written by Elmore James. The Black Crowes have played the song live many times over the years, but it is not included on this album.

<i>Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Cant We?</i> 1993 studio album by The Cranberries

Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? is the debut studio album by Irish alternative rock band the Cranberries. Released on 1 March 1993 through Island Records after four EPs, it is both the band's first full-length album and major label release. The album was written entirely by the band's lead singer Dolores O'Riordan and guitarist Noel Hogan and contains the band's highest charting US single, "Linger". The album reached number one on the UK and the Irish albums charts. It spent a total of 86 weeks on the UK chart. On 24 June 1994, it became the fifth album in rock history to reach number one more than a year after release. At the end of 1995, it ranked as the 50th best selling album in Australia. It reached number 18 on the US Billboard 200 albums chart and stayed on this chart for 130 weeks; the album sold six million copies worldwide.

Black Box is an Italian house music group popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The group is currently made up of DJ Daniele Davoli, classically trained clarinet teacher Valerio Semplici, keyboardist and electronic musician Mirko Limoni, and vocalist Celestine Walcott-Gordon. French fashion model Katrin Quinol joined the act in 1989 and became the official face of Black Box, appearing on the cover of their single and album releases as well as in music videos, including the hit "Ride on Time", which was the highest-selling single of 1989 in the UK. The following year, it was revealed that Quinol was lip-syncing and had not performed on the recording. American singer Martha Wash performed the majority of the songs on the group's debut album, Dreamland, while being uncredited.

<i>Automatic for the People</i> 1992 album by R.E.M.

Automatic for the People is the eighth studio album by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released by Warner Bros. Records on October 5, 1992, in the United Kingdom and Europe, and on the following day in the United States. R.E.M. began production on the album while their previous album, Out of Time (1991), was still ascending top albums charts and achieving global success. Aided by string arrangements from John Paul Jones and conducted by George Hanson, Automatic for the People features ruminations on mortality, loss, mourning, and nostalgia.

<i>Gonna Make You Sweat</i> 1990 studio album by CC Music Factory

Gonna Make You Sweat is the debut studio album by American musical production group C+C Music Factory, released in the US on December 18, 1990. Following on the success of contemporaries Black Box and Technotronic, Gonna Make You Sweat was a worldwide smash, reaching number two on the US Billboard 200.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Vibrations (Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch song)</span> 1991 single by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch

"Good Vibrations" is a song by American group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch featuring Loleatta Holloway. It was released in July 1991 as the lead single from their debut album, Music for the People (1991). The song became a number-one hit in the United States, Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland.

<i>Dreamland</i> (Robert Miles album) 1996 album by Robert Miles

Dreamland is the debut studio album by Robert Miles. It was released on 7 June 1996 to critical acclaim in Europe, where it was a hit, and was also released in the United States about a month later, with a new track sung by Maria Nayler, "One and One." This new track became very popular and was later released as a single in the US and Germany.

<i>The Best of 1990–2000</i> 2002 greatest hits album by U2

The Best of 1990–2000 is the second greatest hits album by Irish rock band U2. It was released on 5 November 2002 through Island Records and Interscope Records. It was issued as both a single-disc CD compilation and as a multi-disc compilation called The Best of 1990–2000 & B-Sides, which included a second disc of 14 B-sides released between 1990 and 2000 and a bonus DVD. A video album of the same name was later released in December 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loleatta Holloway</span> American singer (1946–2011)

Loleatta Holloway was an American singer known for disco songs such as "Hit and Run" and "Love Sensation". In December 2016, Billboard named her the 95th-most successful dance artist of all time. According to the Independent, Holloway is the most sampled female singer in popular music, used in house and dance tracks such as the 1989 Black Box single "Ride on Time".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martha Wash</span> American singer-songwriter, actress, and producer

Martha Elaine Wash is an American singer-songwriter, actress, and producer. Known for her distinctive and powerful voice, Wash first achieved fame as half of the Two Tons O' Fun, along with Izora Armstead, as they sang backing vocals for the disco singer Sylvester including on his signature hit "You Make Me Feel ". After gaining their own record deal, they released three consecutive commercially successful songs which all peaked at number two in the dance charts. The duo was renamed The Weather Girls in 1982 after they released the top-selling single "It's Raining Men", which brought them to mainstream pop attention. The Weather Girls released five albums and were heavily featured on Sylvester's albums.

<i>Their Law: The Singles 1990–2005</i> 2005 greatest hits album by the Prodigy

Their Law: The Singles 1990–2005 is a singles collection from the UK band the Prodigy. It was released on 17 October 2005, and entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 1 on 23 October.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ride on Time</span> 1989 single by Black Box

"Ride on Time" is a song by the Italian house music group Black Box. It was released as a single in July 1989 and included on Black Box's debut album, Dreamland (1990).

"Love Sensation" is a 1980 song performed by American R&B singer Loleatta Holloway, taken from her album of the same name. The song was produced and written by Dan Hartman, arranged by Norman Harris, and mixed by Tom Moulton. It was a hit on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart, where the song spent a week at No. 1 in September 1980. Vocals from the song have been widely sampled, particularly in electronic dance music, such as in the 1989 Black Box song "Ride on Time".

<i>Wide Awake in Dreamland</i> 1988 studio album by Pat Benatar

Wide Awake in Dreamland is the seventh studio album by American rock singer Pat Benatar, and her eighth album overall, released in 1988. After a string of successful albums, this was her last rock-oriented album of the 1980s, before she would go on to try a blues-based sound with True Love in 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fantasy (Earth, Wind & Fire song)</span> 1978 single by Earth, Wind & Fire

"Fantasy" is a song by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, which was issued as a single in 1978 by Columbia Records.

<i>Cool as Ice</i> (soundtrack) 1991 soundtrack album by various artists

Cool as Ice (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to David Kellogg's 1991 film Cool as Ice. It was released on October 8, 1991, via SBK Records. Production was handled by Gail "Sky" King and Chris Cuben-Tatum. It features contributions from the film star Vanilla Ice, alongside Derek B, Lonnie Gordon, Naomi Campbell, Partners in Kryme, Rozalla and Stanley Clarke among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everybody Everybody</span> 1990 single by Black Box

"Everybody Everybody" is a song by the Italian house music group Black Box, from their debut studio album, Dreamland (1990). The song was written by Daniele Davoli, Mirko Limoni, and Valerio Semplici, while produced by Groove Groove Melody. It was released by RCA Records as the third single from the album. The house, pop and Eurodisco song consists of an organ, drums, horns, and strings. "Everybody Everybody" contains a sample of Larry Blackmon's vocals and a drum loop from Bobby Byrd's 1987 remix of James Brown's song "Hot Pants" (1971).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Don't Know Anybody Else</span> 1989 single by Black Box featuring Martha Wash

"I Don't Know Anybody Else" is a song by Italian music group Black Box. It was the second single from their debut album, Dreamland (1990), and was originally released in the United States in December 1989 by RCA. The single was released worldwide in the early months of 1990 and had a great success in record charts, including Ireland, Switzerland, Norway and the United Kingdom, where it reached the top 5. In other countries, it peaked between number five and number ten. It entered the UK Singles Chart on 17 February 1990 and remained for eight weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strike It Up</span> 1991 single by Black Box

"Strike It Up" is a song by Italian music group Black Box. It was the fifth single from their debut studio album, Dreamland (1990), and was released on 6 February 1991 in many countries worldwide by Polydor and Deconstruction. The single was a success on many charts, including the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, where it peaked at number eight. It also topped the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in June 1991 for one week. In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number 16 on the UK Singles Chart. "Strike It Up" also was a top-10 hit in Denmark, Greece, Ireland, and the Netherlands. And on the Eurochart Hot 100, the track reached number 38. The accompanying music video was directed by Neil Thompson.

<i>The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 2</i> 2013 studio album by Five Finger Death Punch

The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 2 is the fifth studio album by American heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch, and the second of two albums released by the band in 2013, with Volume 1 having been released on July 30. It was released on November 19, 2013 through Prospect Park. The album was entirely produced by Kevin Churko and Five Finger Death Punch.

References

  1. "Dreamland - Black Box | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" via www.allmusic.com.
  2. Pareles, Jon (6 December 1990). "Lawsuits Seek Truth In Music Labeling" . The New York Times . Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  3. Newman, Jason (2 September 2014). "Martha Wash: The Most Famous Unknown Singer of the '90s Speaks Out". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  4. AllMusic review
  5. Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Black Box". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  6. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music . Omnibus Press.
  7. Smith, Andrew (21 April 1990). "Albums". Melody Maker . Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  8. Quantick, David (5 May 1990). "Long Play". New Musical Express . p. 34.
  9. Cheeseman, Phil (21 April 1990). "Albums". Record Mirror . p. 19. ISSN   0144-5804.
  10. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 61.
  11. "LP Reviews" (PDF). Music Week . 28 April 1990. p. 26. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  12. "Australiancharts.com – Black Box – Dreamland". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  13. "Austriancharts.at – Black Box – Dreamland" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  14. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 9070". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  15. "Dutchcharts.nl – Black Box – Dreamland" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  16. "Tous les "Chart Runs" de chaque Album classé (database)" (in French). infodisc.fr. Archived from the original on 22 June 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  17. "Offiziellecharts.de – Black Box – Dreamland" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  18. "Charts.nz – Black Box – Dreamland". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  19. "Norwegiancharts.com – Black Box – Dreamland". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  20. "Swedishcharts.com – Black Box – Dreamland". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  21. "Swisscharts.com – Black Box – Dreamland". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  22. "Black Box | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  23. "Black Box, TLP" . Billboard . Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  24. "Black Box, BLP" . Billboard . Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  25. "RPM Top 100 Albums of 1990". RPM . 12 December 1994. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  26. "Top Selling Albums of 1990". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  27. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1990". Billboard. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  28. "ARIA Top 100 Albums for 1991". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  29. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1991". Billboard. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  30. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1991 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  31. "Canadian single certifications – Black Box – Dreamland". Music Canada . Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  32. Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (PDF) (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. p. 926. ISBN   84-8048-639-2 . Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  33. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Dreamland')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  34. "British single certifications – Black Box – Dreamland". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  35. "American single certifications – Black Box – Dreamland". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved July 12, 2022.