Number One (Alexia song)

Last updated
"Number One"
Alexianumberone.jpg
Single by Alexia
from the album Fan Club
ReleasedNovember 11, 1996 (Italy)
Genre Eurodance
Length3:46
Label DWA Records
Songwriter(s) Roberto Zanetti & Alessia Aquilani
Producer(s) Roberto Zanetti
Alexia singles chronology
"Summer Is Crazy"
(1996)
"Number One"
(1996)
"Uh La La La"
(1997)
Audio video
"Number One" on YouTube

"Number One" is a song by Italian singer Alexia, [1] released as the third single from her debut album, Fan Club (1997). Co-written by Alexia, it was her third successive top 5 hit on the Italian singles chart. In both Finland and Spain, it peaked within the top 5. A set of Spanish versions were released, although these were not specifically for the Spanish market.

Contents

A sample used at the beginning of the song is called East West - The Ultimate Piano Collection, released in 1995.

Releases and formats

The song was released in Italy on CD and 12" (coded DWA 96.06), with releases in other European countries following. Once again the German edition would be released by ZYX, the Spanish release by Blanco Y Negro, the French release by Panic (a subsidiary of Polygram, the Finnish release by K-Tel and the Brazilian release by Spotlight. A full set of releases were commissioned for Europe by Sony Music, once again on their Dancepool label; a Maxi CD, 2 track CD and 12" release (Sony code 663995).

Two remix releases followed; the 'Happy Remix and Spanish versions' remix release and a second release entitled 'remix'. All the tracks across these two vinyl releases were later released on one CD. This would be Alexia's second American release, once again through Popular Records in 1997, with "Me and You" being added on the releases. The American promotional 12" contained a new remix of "Me and You", though it was mistakenly labelled the 'Extended Euromix'.

Chart performance

"Number One" went on to become an international hit on the charts in Europe. It reached number two in Finland, and was a top 5 hit also in Italy and Spain, peaking at number three and four. In Italy, it stayed within the singles chart for a total of nine weeks. [2] Additionally, the single was a top 40 hit in Flemish Belgium and France. On the Eurochart Hot 100, it climbed to number 60 in December 1996, as its highest position on that chart.

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote that "import enthusiasts are already big fans of this fast-paced Italo-disco ditty. Alexia is a charming ingénue with the potential for great things, as evidenced in a performance that has more natural flair and earthy grit than is normally found on records like these. Producer Robyx surrounds her with a strobing dance beat and fluttering flamenco guitars, à la No Mercy's "Where Do You Go". One of several festive, hit-worthy jams on Alexia's forthcoming debut album, Fun Club ." [3] Pan-European magazine Music & Media described the song as "vocal dreamhouse by Italo producer Robyx. In the Club Short Mix, the usual piano is replaced by an acoustic guitar which gives the song that lucky holiday feeling." [4]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Number One" was directed by Italian director Alessandra Pescetta. [5] It first aired in January 1997.

Track listing

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "Number One"
Chart (1996)Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [6] 32
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [7] 60
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) [8] 2
France (SNEP) [9] 36
Italy ( Musica e dischi ) [2] 3
Spain (AFYVE) [10] 4
US (Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100)11

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexia (singer)</span> Italian singer (born 1967)

Alexia is an Italian singer. Before recording in Italian in the 2000s, she made records in English in the 1990s. Many of those were international hits. Before her solo career, she was the vocalist of Ice MC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Limit (2 Unlimited song)</span> 1993 single by 2 Unlimited

"No Limit" is a song recorded by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance group 2 Unlimited, released in January 1993 by Byte, ZYX and PWL. It was their fifth single in total and the first to be released from their second album, No Limits! (1993). Co-written by the group's Ray Slijngaard and Anita Dels, the song became one of their most commercially successful singles, especially in Europe, reaching the number-one spot in 35 countries and the top 10 in several others. Like previous releases, the UK version of the single removed all of the raps from Slijngaard, leaving just Dels' vocals. One word from the rap was kept, the word 'Techno' which was looped and repeated during the middle of the song, turning the line into "Techno! Techno! Techno! Techno!" and giving the song an extra vocal hook. Its accompanying music video was directed by Nick Burgess-Jones and received heavy rotation on MTV Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Get Ready for This</span> 1991 single by 2 Unlimited

"Get Ready for This" is a song recorded by Belgian/Dutch music group 2 Unlimited. It was released in 1991 as the lead single from their debut album, Get Ready! (1992). Originally, the single was produced as an instrumental, titled the "Orchestral Mix". It became a hit and conscious of their popularity, Wilde & De Coster wanted a more accessible, formatted formula for their project to grow. Ray was then asked to write lyrics and add a rap to the track. On Ray Slijngaard's suggestion, Anita Doth joined as the female vocalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Home (Depeche Mode song)</span> 1997 single by Depeche Mode

"Home" is a song by English electronic music group Depeche Mode, released on 16 June 1997 as the third single from their ninth album, Ultra (1997). The song is sung by guitarist Martin Gore, rather than the band's main singer, Dave Gahan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twilight Zone (2 Unlimited song)</span> 1992 single by 2 Unlimited

"Twilight Zone" is a song by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance act 2 Unlimited, released in January 1992 by Byte Records as the second single from the act's debut studio album, Get Ready! (1992). The UK release of the single was the first 2 Unlimited single to include the vocals of Anita Doth, as they had not been featured on their breakthrough hit "Get Ready for This". However, Ray Slijngaard's rap verses were once again removed. The instrumental "Rave" version of the song sounds different from the original "Not Enough" version, with a more hi-NRG style with more bass and added cowbells. The music video was directed by David Betteridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uh La La La</span>

"Uh La La La" is a song recorded by Italian singer-songwriter Alexia featuring additional vocals by an uncredited male rapper. It was released by DWA Records and Sony Music as the fourth single from the singer's debut album, Fan Club (1997), and is written by Roberto Zanetti and Alexia herself. The song was a summer hit of 1997 in Europe and became Alexia's international breakout success. It reached number-one in Spain, number two in Finland and was a top 10 hit also in Austria, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Sweden and the UK. After its success in Europe, the song was remixed for a UK release the following year, which also saw release in Australia, where it peaked at number 17. This was her last single to be released by different labels in different territories as after this all her releases would be by Sony. The music video for "Uh La La La" was directed by Luca Lucini and filmed in the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Life (Haddaway song)</span> 1993 single by Haddaway

"Life" (known as "Life (Everybody Needs Somebody to Love)" in the US) is a song by Trinidadian-German Eurodance artist Haddaway. Written and produced by Dee Dee Halligan (Tony Hendrik) and Junior Torello (Karin Hartmann-Eisenblätter), the song was released in July 1993 by Coconut Records as the second single from Haddaway's debut album, The Album (1993), and the follow-up to his successful debut single, "What Is Love". The song peaked at number one in Finland, Israel, Spain and Sweden, as well as on the RPM Dance chart and the Eurochart Hot 100, and was a top-10 hit in at least 13 countries. The music video for "Life", partly inspired by the 1927 film Metropolis, was directed by Angel Gracia and filmed in Frankfurt, Germany. By March 1994, the single had sold 1.5 million copies worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anything (Culture Beat song)</span> 1993 single by Culture Beat

"Anything" is a song recorded by German Eurodance group Culture Beat, released in December 1993 by Dance Pool as the third single from the group's second album, Serenity (1993). Written by Nosie Katzmann with Jay Supreme, Torsten Fenslau and Peter Zweie, the song was very successful on the charts in Europe. It reached the top five in at least nine countries, including Belgium, France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. The song's music video was directed by Matt Broadley and filmed in London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baby Baby (Corona song)</span> 1995 single by Corona

"Baby Baby" is a song by Italian band Corona, released in February 1995 by ZYX Music as the second single from their debut album, The Rhythm of the Night (1995). The song, written by Francesco Bontempi and Antonia Bottari, was originally a hit in 1991 for Italian project Joy & Joyce as "Babe Babe". Both tracks were produced by Bontempi under his Lee Marrow guise. It was very successful on the singles charts around the world, peaking at number-one in Italy, and on the RPM Dance/Urban chart in Canada. In the UK, it peaked at number five for two weeks. Two different music videos were produced for the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Try Me Out</span> 1995 single by Corona

"Try Me Out" is a song by Italian Eurodance project Corona, released in July 1995 by ZYX as the third single from their debut album, The Rhythm of the Night (1995). The song was written by Francesco Bontempi, Giorgio Spagna and Annerley Gordon, and contains samples from the 1987 song "Toy" by Teen Dream. Going for a harder, more underground house music sound, it peaked within the top 10 in Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Spain, the UK, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100. Outside Europe, the song was a top-10 hit also in Australia and on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, while peaking at number 43 in New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dub-I-Dub</span> 1995 single by Me & My

"Dub-I-Dub" is the debut single by Danish Eurodance duo Me & My, released in August 1995 from their eponymous album (1995). It was successful on the charts in many countries, peaking at number-one in Denmark and Japan, and being a top 10 hit in Belgium, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Russia, Spain and Sweden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Think About the Way</span> 1994 single by Ice MC

"Think About the Way" is a song by British, Italian-based rapper Ice MC, released in March 1994 as the second single from his third album, Ice'n'Green (1994), on which it appears in four versions, and his tenth single overall. It was produced by Roberto Zanetti, also known as Robyx, and was written by Zanetti and Ice MC, though many releases credit Zanetti as the sole writer. The female vocals were performed by Italian singer Alexia, though she was also uncredited and doesn't appear in the music video for the song, directed by Giacomo de Simone. The song was very successful in Europe, reaching the top 5 in Belgium and Italy, and the top 15 in Denmark, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden and the Netherlands. In the UK and Ireland, it was released under the title "Think About the Way ", which it refers to the first words of the first verse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Club Bizarre</span>

"Club Bizarre" is the single performed by the German musical project U96, created by record producer Alex Christensen. The song was released in February 1995 and is the second track from the album of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Me and You (Alexia song)</span> 1995 single by Alexia

"Me and You" was the first solo single by the Italian singer Alexia, released in 1995. It featured guest vocals from Double You and reached number 1 on the Italian charts. The song was initially released in Italy on CD and 12", with releases in other European countries following. The German edition would be released by ZYX, the Spanish release by Blanco Y Negro and the French release by Panic, a subsidiary of Polygram. A remix 12" was later released. In 1996, the track was released in America on Popular Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Summer Is Crazy</span> 1996 single by Alexia

"Summer Is Crazy" is a song by Italian singer Alexia, released as the second single from her debut studio album, Fan Club (1997). Co-written by Roberto Zanetti and Alexia, the song was very successful, reaching number one on the Italian Singles Chart and becoming a Top 5 hit in both Finland and Spain. This was the first of two Alexia singles to feature radio jingles of the track on the CD. The song would also be featured as a B-side on the UK editions of "Gimme Love" in 1998, although due to a misprint, writing credits went only to Alexia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gimme Love (Alexia song)</span> 1998 single by Alexia

"Gimme Love" is a song by Italian singer Alexia, released in March 1998 as the lead single from her second album, The Party (1998). It reached number one in both Italy and Spain, and charted in the top 20 of the UK Singles Chart, where a complete set of remixes for the British market were issued. It is based on the 1977 song "Gimme Some" by Brendon. A music video was also produced to promote the single.

<i>Fan Club</i> (Alexia album) 1997 studio album by Alexia

Fan Club is the debut studio album by Italian singer Alexia released in 1997. The album featured mostly eurodance tracks, as was producer Robyx's speciality. It was released in 1997 after the release of Alexia's fourth single "Uh La La La", yet strangely no further singles were released from the album with the exception of two country specific releases of "Virtual Reality" and "Hold On". A version of "Virtual Reality" had already been released in Italy credited to E.Y.E. featuring Alexia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Music I Like</span> 1998 single

"The Music I Like" is a song by Italian singer Alexia, released in 1998 as the second single from her second album, The Party (1998). It is her sixth single overall and reached number one in Italy. A complete set of remixes for the UK market were issued which were later released in Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everybody's Free (To Feel Good)</span> 1991 single by Rozalla

"Everybody's Free (To Feel Good)" is a song by Zambian-born Zimbabwean singer Rozalla, released in August 1991 by label Pulse-8 as the second single from her second album, Everybody's Free (1992). The song was written by Nigel Swanston and Tim Cox, and produced by Band of Gypsies. It had been a staple in the clubs in Ibiza and Mallorca in the summer of 1991, and hordes of recovering ravers were delighted to find "that tune about being free to feel good and stuff" was available to buy back home. Upon its release, the song reached number two in Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain, while entering the top 10 in Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. On the Eurochart Hot 100, the single reached number six, and in Zimbabwe, it peaked at number four. It also topped the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. Several music videos have been made to promote the song. It is widely regarded as one of the biggest dance anthems of the 1990s and it has been remixed and re-released several times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Had a Little Boy</span> 1990 single by Snap!

"Mary Had a Little Boy" is a song recorded by German Eurodance group Snap!, released in December 1990 by Logic Records as the fourth and final single from their debut studio album, World Power (1990). The song features vocals by Penny Ford, who also co-wrote the lyrics, and reached number-one in Zimbabwe and on the RPM Dance/Urban chart in Canada. Its lyrics are based on the nineteenth century nursery rhyme, Mary Had a Little Lamb. The chorus includes the line "Mary had a little boy, little did she know; and everywhere that Mary went, the little boy was sure to go". The music video for the song was directed by James Hudson and filmed in London. The song was re-recorded and included on their 2003 remix album The Cult of Snap! featuring Milky & 2NF.

References

  1. "Alexia - Number One".
  2. 1 2 "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved May 31, 2022.Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Alexia".
  3. Flick, Larry (September 27, 1997). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard . Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  4. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . November 30, 1996. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  5. "Alexia: Number one". Mvdbase.com. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
  6. "Alexia – Number One" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  7. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . December 7, 1996. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  8. "Number One", in various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved April 10, 2008)
  9. "Alexia – Number One" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  10. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN   84-8048-639-2.