"Whenever You're Near Me" | ||||
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Single by Ace of Base | ||||
from the album Cruel Summer | ||||
B-side | "He Decides" | |||
Released | 6 October 1998 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 3:32 | |||
Label | Arista | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Ole Evenrude | |||
Ace of Base singles chronology | ||||
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"Whenever You're Near Me" is the second single from Swedish group Ace of Base's third American record, Cruel Summer . The original version of the song, "Life Is a Flower", was a huge hit in Europe and Japan. The lyrics were rewritten by song composer Mike Chapman, and the song was released to radio stations in North and South America on October 6, 1998. This version peaked at number 76 in the United States and number 51 in Canada; it was the band's last charting hit in both countries.
Larry Flick from Billboard wrote that the song "shows Ace Of Base revisiting the more familiar pop/reggae sound that made the group a top 40 favorite." He noted that the track "builds upon a bankable sound rather than mimicking it. The song has a decidedly more complex arrangement, which is rife with sunny Caribbean percussion and a sweet smattering of acoustic guitar/synth interplay." He also added that Jenny's and Linn's vocals are "notably more restrained here than on past singles, which allows the melody and chorus to work their contagious magic without vocal overkill. Downright irresistible, this cute single should saturate airwaves within seconds." [1] Gary Shipes from The Stuart News noted in his review, that "Whenever You're Near Me" and "Adventures in Paradise" are pristine pop productions worthy of ABBA and Trevor Horn's '80s confections for Buggles, Dollar and Frankie Goes to Hollywood." [2]
CD singles
CD Maxi
Chart (1999) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [3] | 51 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [4] | 76 |
US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales ( Billboard ) [5] | 12 |
"Cruel Summer" is a song by English girl group Bananarama. It was written by Bananarama and Steve Jolley, Tony Swain, and produced by Jolley and Swain. Released in 1983, it was initially a stand-alone single but was subsequently included on their self-titled second album a year later. The song reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart in 1983, and after its inclusion in the 1984 film The Karate Kid, it reached number nine on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Cruel Summer is a 1998 album by Swedish pop group Ace of Base, released as the band's third album in North America on 14 July 1998 and in Japan on 25 August 1998 by Arista Records. Flowers was the group's third album worldwide, but Arista Records decided to release a different version of the album in North America, Japan, and Latin America, retitled Cruel Summer. This version of the album featured the new track "Everytime It Rains" and many new versions of songs that were first featured on Flowers. As executive producer, Clive Davis enlisted collaborators including production team Cutfather & Joe and songwriter Billy Steinberg. While primarily a pop album, Cruel Summer explores the genres of euro disco, Motown, and dance.
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