Express (Dina Carroll song)

Last updated
"Express"
Express - Dina Carroll single.jpg
Single by Dina Carroll
from the album So Close
Released3 May 1993 (1993-05-03) [1]
Genre
Length3:38
Label A&M
Songwriter(s)
  • Dina Carroll
  • Nigel Lowis
Producer(s) Nigel Lowis
Dina Carroll singles chronology
"This Time"
(1993)
"Express"
(1993)
"Don't Be a Stranger"
(1993)
Music video
"Express" on YouTube

"Express" is a song by British singer and songwriter Dina Carroll, released in May 1993 by A&M Records as the fifth single from her first album, So Close (1993). The song, co written by Carroll with its producer, Nigel Lowis, was a chart success in the UK, peaking at number 12 on the UK Singles Chart. On the Eurochart Hot 100, it peaked at number 44 in June 1993.

Contents

Critical reception

Jon O'Brien from AllMusic noted the "jazz-funk" of the song. [2] Everett True from Melody Maker said, "'Express' kinda mixes in one of those cool jazz grooves so favoured by today's crop of happening young rappers with a female vocal which occasionally reminds me of The Lady, Aretha Franklin herself." [3] Pan-European magazine Music & Media remarked that Carroll "uses the Bowie trick of implementing a weird noise just beyond the irritation factor. Very Dina-mic dance stuff." [4] Alan Jones from Music Week gave it three out of five, writing that she "vamps it up on this pop/funk confection, one of the lesser tracks from her outstanding debut album So Close." [5]

In a 2015 retrospective review, Pop Rescue felt that the singer's vocals are "whispery, sometimes sultry". [6] Phil Shanklin of ReviewsRevues stated that it "is unlike anything else on the album. A funky track with a honking sax – Dina comes off like a one-woman En Vogue in this club stomper." [7] James Hamilton from the Record Mirror Dance Update called it a "choppy jiggler". [8] Adam Higginbotham from Select described it as "solid, tastefully-cut soul bleeding subtly into brisk garage beats" and added that it is "careful funky". [9] Another Select editor, Rupert Howe, complimented the song's "aspiration towards funkiness". [10]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Express" (7-inch radio mix 'West End Remix')
  • Dina Carroll
  • Nigel Lowis
3:38
2."Express" (12-inch master)
  • Carroll
  • Lowis
5:05
3."Special Kind of Love" (Brothers in Rhythm remix)7:27
4."Ain't No Man" (West End remix)
  • Carroll
  • Lowis
8:00

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1993)Peak
position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [11] 44
Europe (European Hit Radio) [12] 39
Ireland (IRMA) [13] 28
UK Singles (OCC) [14] 12
UK Airplay ( Music Week ) [15] 2
UK Dance ( Music Week ) [16] 3
UK Club Chart ( Music Week ) [17] 5

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)</span> 1992 single by En Vogue

"My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" is a song by American pop/R&B group En Vogue, released in March 1992 by Eastwest Records as the lead single from their multi-platinum second album, Funky Divas (1992).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's Too Late (Carole King song)</span> 1971 song by Carole King

"It's Too Late" is a song from American singer-songwriter Carole King's second studio album, Tapestry (1971). Toni Stern wrote the lyrics and King wrote the music. It was released as a single in April 1971 and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts. Sales were later platinum-certified by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Billboard ranked "It's Too Late" and its fellow A-side, "I Feel the Earth Move", as the No. 3 record for 1971.

Geraldine "Dina" Carroll is an English singer. She had a string of hits during the 1990s, including the UK top ten singles, "It's Too Late" (1991), "Don't Be a Stranger" (1993), "The Perfect Year", (1993), and "Escaping" (1996). Carroll released two studio albums, So Close (1993) and Only Human (1996), both of which reached number two on the UK Albums Chart and were certified platinum. She won Best British Female Solo Artist at the 1994 Brit Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What's My Name? (Snoop Doggy Dogg song)</span> 1993 single by Snoop Doggy Dogg

"Who Am I? " is the debut solo single by American rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg, released on November 11, 1993, as the debut single from his first album, Doggystyle (1993), with the record labels Death Row and Interscope Records. The song, produced by Dr. Dre, features samples and interpolations from George Clinton's "Atomic Dog" in its chorus and throughout, the bass line from Funkadelic's "(Not Just) Knee Deep," and an interpolation from Parliament's "Give Up the Funk " in its bridge. The song contains additional vocals by Jewell and Edward Tony Green, and its intro contains a sample from the Counts' "Pack of Lies." A vocal sample from Parliament's "P. Funk " can be heard throughout. The accompanying music video was directed by Fab Five Freddy, featuring the rapper transforming into a dog.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Things Can Only Get Better (D:Ream song)</span> 1993 single by D:Ream

"Things Can Only Get Better" is a song by Northern Irish musical group D:Ream, released in 1993 by Magnet Records and FXU as the second single from the group's debut album, D:Ream On Volume 1 (1993). It was written by Peter Cunnah and Jamie Petrie, and was a sleeper hit. The single was remixed and re-released in December 1993, to coincide with the band being a support act for Take That's UK tour, spending four weeks at number one. The song also reached the top 10 in eight countries. In the US, it peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Two Can Play That Game (song)</span> 1994 single by Bobby Brown

"Two Can Play That Game" is a song by American R&B singer-songwriter Bobby Brown from his third album, Bobby (1992). The single release was remixed by K-Klass and originally reached No. 38 on the UK Singles Chart in June 1994. In April 1995, it re-entered the chart, peaking at No. 3. It received positive reviews from music critics and also reached No. 3 in the Netherlands. Additionally, it became a top-20 hit in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, and Italy. On the Eurochart Hot 100, "Two Can Play That Game" peaked at No. 10. This version of the song appeared on Brown's remix album of the same name, released later in 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feel Like Makin' Love (Bad Company song)</span> 1975 power ballad

"Feel Like Makin' Love" is a song by English supergroup Bad Company. The power ballad originally appeared on their second LP, Straight Shooter (1975), and was released as a single in June of the same year by Swan Song Records. It was named the 78th best hard rock song of all time by VH1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Time (Dina Carroll song)</span> 1993 single by Dina Carroll

"This Time" is a song by British singer-songwriter Dina Carroll, released on 15 February 1993 by A&M Records as the fourth single from her debut album, So Close (1993). The song was written by Carroll with Nigel Lowis, who also produced it. It features strings by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, peaking at number 23 on the UK Singles Chart and number 78 on the Eurochart Hot 100. The music video for the song was directed by Michael Geoghegan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blow Your Mind (Jamiroquai song)</span> 1993 single by Jamiroquai

"Blow Your Mind" is the third overall single to be released from British funk/acid jazz band Jamiroquai's debut studio album, Emergency on Planet Earth (1993). It was released on 24 May 1993 through Sony Soho Square in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 12 on the UK Singles Chart. The song was written by frontman Jay Kay with Toby Smith, and produced by Rick Pope. Its accompanying music video was directed by Vaughan Arnell and Anthea Benton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Love I Lost</span> 1973 single by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes

"The Love I Lost" is a song by American R&B group Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. Group member Teddy Pendergrass sang lead vocals. Originally written as a ballad by Philly soul songwriters Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, the song was transformed into a funk song and features drummer Earl Young. It was released from the Black & Blue album in late 1973 and sold more than a million copies. In the 21st century, the track has been the subject of extended re-edits by notable remixers Tom Moulton, Theo Parrish, and Dimitri From Paris.

<i>So Close</i> (album) 1993 studio album by Dina Carroll

So Close is the debut album by British soul–dance singer Dina Carroll, released in January 1993 on the A&M label. The album made its chart debut at #2 and remained in the top 20 of the UK Albums Chart for six months. It was shortlisted for the 1993 Mercury Prize. It ended 1993 as the fourth-best-selling album of the year in the United Kingdom, and its success continued into 1994 as it remained in the top 20 for another three months and again rose to a peak of #2. It eventually sold 1.5 million copies and was the highest selling debut album by a British female singer in UK chart history, a record it held until 2001 when it was overtaken by Dido's No Angel.

<i>Only Human</i> (Dina Carroll album) 1996 studio album by Dina Carroll

Only Human is the second album by British soul/dance singer Dina Carroll, released in 1996 on the Mercury label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Remembering the First Time</span> 1995 single by Simply Red

"Remembering the First Time" is a song by British soul and pop band Simply Red. Written by frontman Mick Hucknall, it was featured on their fifth album, Life (1995), and released by EastWest in December 1995 in a new remix for the single. It reached number 22 on the UK Singles Chart and number three on the UK Club Chart. The song also peaked at number seven in Iceland, number 19 in Spain, and number 23 in the Netherlands. On the Eurochart Hot 100, it reached number 80. The music video for the song was directed by Irish filmmaker Michael Geoghegan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Be a Stranger (Dina Carroll song)</span> 1993 single by Dina Carroll

"Don't Be a Stranger" is a song by British singer-songwriter Dina Carroll, released on 4 October 1993 by A&M Records and 1st Avenue as the sixth and final single from her debut album, So Close (1993). The song was written by Coral Gordon and Geoff Gurd, produced by Nigel Lowis, and the strings on the track were performed by the London Session Orchestra. It was a success in the United Kingdom, reaching number three on the UK Singles Chart, and it also reached the top 30 in Ireland and Sweden. On the Eurochart Hot 100, the song peaked at number 11 in November 1993, while outside Europe, it was a number-one hit in Israel. Its accompanying music video was directed by Marcus Nispel and filmed in Czech Republic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Escaping (song)</span> 1989 single by Margaret Urlich

"Escaping" is the debut solo single of New Zealand singer Margaret Urlich. The song was released in September 1989 by CBS and charted at number one for three weeks in the New Zealand singles chart, later reaching number 17 in Australia. It is the opening track on Urlich's debut album, Safety in Numbers (1989), and also features on her 1994 live album Live.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U R the Best Thing</span> 1992 single by D:Ream

"U R the Best Thing" is the debut single of Northern Irish musical group D:Ream, included on their first album, D:Ream On Volume 1 (1993). Originally a club hit released in 1992, the song has been remixed and re-released twice: in 1993 and in 1994. The 1994 version, also known as the Perfecto mix, was most successful peaking at number three in Scotland, number four on the UK Singles Chart and number six in Ireland. It also peaked at number 13 on the Eurochart Hot 100. The 1993 version reached number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in the US. There were made three different music videos to promote the single; the 1994 version was directed by Marcus Nispel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ain't No Man (Dina Carroll song)</span> 1992 single by Dina Carroll

"Ain't No Man" is a song by British singer-songwriter Dina Carroll. After singing on two singles with British dance production duo Quartz, she was relaunched as a solo artist with the song, which was released in June 1992 by A&M and 1st Avenue Records as the first single from the singer's debut album, So Close (1993). Lyrically, the song is sung from the view of a woman singing to her man, telling him that there ain't no man that makes her feel like he do. Carroll told in a 1992 interview, "We wanted an anthemic, memorable song. For some reason, Nigel [Lowis] brought up 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough', and that idea evolved into 'Ain't No Man'." The song was well received among music critics and peaked at number 16 in the UK charts, number 26 in the Netherlands and number 63 in Germany. Its music video was directed by Pedro Romhanyi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Perfect Year</span> 1993 single by Dina Carroll

"The Perfect Year" is a song performed by English singer-songwriter Dina Carroll, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton. It is taken from the 1993 musical Sunset Boulevard, produced by Nigel Lowis, and was released as a single on 29 November 1993 by A&M and 1st Avenue. Later, it was included on Carroll's second album, Only Human (1996). Becoming one of her most successful songs, it peaked at number five in the United Kingdom and number four in Ireland. On the Eurochart Hot 100, it reached number 17 in January 1994. In 2001, the song was included on Carroll's first compilation album, The Very Best of Dina Carroll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special Kind of Love</span> 1992 single by Dina Carroll

"Special Kind of Love" is a song by British singer-songwriter Dina Carroll, released in September 1992 by A&M Records and 1st Avenue as the second single from her debut album, So Close (1993). The song was written and produced by American record producers, songwriters, and remixers Clivillés and Cole. Carroll was approached by them and invited to New York to become the first British artist to work with the producers. The song reached number 16 in the UK Singles Chart, number 26 in the Netherlands and number 60 in Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">So Close (Dina Carroll song)</span> 1992 single by Dina Carroll

"So Close" is a song by British singer and songwriter Dina Carroll, released in November 1992 by A&M Records and 1st Avenue as the third single from her debut album by the same name (1993). The song was written by Carroll with its producer, Nigel Lowis, and peaked at number 20 on the UK Singles Chart. In the US, it charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100, peaking at numbers 95 and 79. The accompanying music video was directed by German feature film director and producer Marcus Nispel, featuring Carroll performing in Apollo Theatre.

References

  1. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week . 1 May 1993. p. 23.
  2. O'Brien, Jon. "Dina Carroll – The Very Best of Dina Carroll". AllMusic . Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  3. True, Everett (8 May 1993). "Singles". Melody Maker . p. 29. Archived from the original on 17 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  4. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 10, no. 20. 15 May 1993. p. 15. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  5. Jones, Alan (8 May 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week . p. 12. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  6. "Review: "So Close" by Dina Carroll (CD, 1993)". Pop Rescue. 19 June 2015. Archived from the original on 18 June 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  7. Shanklin, Phil (2 May 2015). "100 Essential Albums- Number 86– So Close – Dina Carroll ( A&M 1993)". ReviewsRevues. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  8. Hamilton, James (8 May 1993). "Djdirectory" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 7. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  9. Higginbotham, Adam (1 April 1993). "Reviews: New Albums". Select . p. 73. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  10. Howe, Rupert (1 February 1993). "Reviews: New Albums". Select . p. 69. Archived from the original on 28 November 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  11. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 23. 5 June 1993. p. 19. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  12. "EHR Top 40" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 26. 26 June 1993. p. 30. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 May 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  13. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Express". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  14. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  15. "Top 50 Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week . 5 June 1993. p. 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 April 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  16. "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week . 15 May 1993. p. 24. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 September 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  17. "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 22 May 1993. p. 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 January 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.