Hey Child (East 17 song)

Last updated

"Hey Child"
Hey Child (East 17 song).jpg
Single by East 17
from the album Around the World (the Journey So Far)
ReleasedJanuary 6, 1997 (1997-01-06)
Length4:06
Label London
Songwriter(s) Anthony Mortimer
Producer(s)
  • Mike Rose
  • Nicholas Foster
East 17 singles chronology
"If You Ever"
(1996)		"Hey Child"
(1997)		"Each Time"
(1998)
Music video
"Hey Child" on YouTube

"Hey Child" is a song by British boy band East 17 released by London Records. The song was the second and final single from East 17's first Greatest Hits compilation, Around the World Hit Singles: The Journey So Far (1996), released on 6 January 1997.

Contents

Critical reception

Victoria Segal from Melody Maker noted "new track "Hey Child" is grisly as only a song called "Hey Child" can be." [1]

Music video

The music video for "Hey Child" was directed by Badger Smith and Iain Titterington. [2] "Hey Child" music video features lead vocalist on the song Tony Mortimer performing in front of children facing different scenarios, all in colour, whilst intercut with the whole group singing the song against a white background, shot in black and white.

Brian Harvey comments: Media and public fallout

This was the final single released by the original band members following lead singer Brian Harvey's dismissal on 18 January 1997 during promotion of this single.

Harvey was sacked from East 17 after making comments in a radio interview that appeared to condone the use of the drug ecstasy, in which he claimed to have taken 12 pills in one night. [3] These comments caused an uproar in the press and general public with the matter being raised by Member of Parliament Barry Legg during Prime Minister's Questions. The band were subsequently blacklisted from UK radio stations, mainstream youth media, and lost a considerable amount of their young fans in the aftermath of the controversy. [4]

Tony Mortimer left East 17 several months later after Harvey was allowed to rejoin the group who then re-launched under the rebranded name of E-17. [5]

Track listings

  1. "Hey Child" (7" Radio Edit) - 4:06
  2. "Hey Child" (Matthew Roberts' Low Pressure Phunk Remix) - 8:19
  3. "Hey Child" (Trade Mix) - 6:25
  4. "Hey Child" (4 X Men Mix) - 5:33

Charts

Chart (1997)Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders) [6] 14
Estonia (Eesti Top 20) [7] 4
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [8] 42
Europe (European Hit Radio) [9] 42
Germany (GfK) [10] 46
Ireland (IRMA) [11] 20
Israel (IBA) [12] 6
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [13] 82
Poland ( Music & Media ) [14] 11
Scotland (OCC) [15] 6
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [16] 45
UK Singles (OCC) [17] 3

References

  1. ↑ Segal, Victoria (9 November 1996). "Albums". Melody Maker . p. 49. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  2. ↑ "East 17: Hey Child". IMDb . Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  3. ↑ "East 17 singer sacked for making ecstasy remarks". The Independent. 18 January 1997. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  4. ↑ Barry Legg (16 January 1997). "Prime Minister's Questions". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . United Kingdom: House of Commons. col. 450. What is his reaction to the comments made today by Brian Harvey of East 17, who says that Ecstasy makes people feel better and that he takes up to 12 tablets a day?
    Nigel Evans (16 January 1997). "Business of the House". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . United Kingdom: House of Commons. col. 463. Brian Harvey and East 17 are idolised by many thousands of youngsters, some as young as 12. All the campaigning that has been done by voluntary bodies and others may now be jeopardised by the fact that Brian Harvey has come up with those stupid remarks.
    Barry Legg (17 January 1997). "Public Entertainments Licences (Drug Misuse) Bill". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . United Kingdom: House of Commons. col. 526. We heard some dreadful remarks from Mr. Brian Harvey of East 17. [...] However, there was also a promising sign yesterday. I spoke to a 12-year-old schoolgirl in my constituency, who said that she would be taking down the posters of East 17. [...] Incidentally, I was pleased yesterday to note that many radio stations and record companies said that they would ban the music of East 17.
  5. ↑ "Life of troubled pop star Harvey". bbc.co.uk. 1 June 2005. Retrieved 31 December 2009.
  6. ↑ "East Seventeen – Hey Child" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
  7. ↑ "Eesti Top 20". Sõnumileht (in Estonian). 28 January 1997. p. 8. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  8. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 14, no. 4. 25 January 1997. p. 23. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  9. ↑ "EHR Top 40" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 14, no. 9. 1 March 1997. p. 21. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  10. ↑ "East Seventeen – Hey Child" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  11. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Hey Child". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  12. ↑ "UK World Hits: Israel" (PDF). Music Week . 22 February 1997. p. 38. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  13. ↑ "East Seventeen – Hey Child" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Major Market Airplay – Week 4/1997" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 14, no. 4. 25 January 1997. p. 35. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  15. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  16. ↑ "East Seventeen – Hey Child". Swiss Singles Chart.
  17. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
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