I've Never Been to Me

Last updated

"I've Never Been to Me"
I've Never Been to Me by Charlene 1982 US single reissue.png
Side A of the 1982 US reissue
Single by Charlene
from the album Charlene / Songs of Love (1977) and I've Never Been to Me (1982)
B-side
  • "It's Really Nice to Be in Love Again" (1977)
  • "Somewhere in My Life" (1982)
ReleasedJuly 1977
February 1982 (re-release)
Recorded1976
Genre Pop
Length3:49 (1977)
3:47 (1982)
Label Prodigal (1977)
Motown (1982)
Songwriter(s) Ron Miller, Kenneth Hirsch
Producer(s) Ron Miller, Don Costa,
Berry Gordy
Charlene singles chronology
"Freddie"
(1977)		"I've Never Been to Me"
(1977)		"Are You Free"
(1978)
"Hungry"
(1980)
"I've Never Been to Me"
(1982)
""Used to Be" (with Stevie Wonder)"
(1982)

"I've Never Been to Me" is a ballad, written and composed by Ron Miller and Kenneth Hirsch and made popular via a recording by American singer Charlene. Although its original release in 1977 barely registered on the Billboard Hot 100, its re-release in 1982 hit #3 in the US and earned her a gold certification in Australia, [1] where it held the #1 spot for six weeks. In addition, the song topped the charts in Canada (4 weeks), Ireland (3 weeks) and the United Kingdom. [2] It was also a top ten triumph in Norway, Belgium, New Zealand and the Netherlands and became Motown's first top ten hit by a white female solo singer.

Contents

Content

The song is best known as lyrically formatted for a female vocalist and as such is addressed to a desperate wife and mother who would like to trade her prosaic existence for the jet setting lifestyle the song's narrator has led. The narrator alludes to various hedonistic episodes in her life, concluding that while she's "been to paradise", she's ultimately failed to find self-fulfillment, expressing this with the line, "I've never been to me." There is also an alternative set of lyrics for the song formatted for a male singer, in which the narrator is an elderly man, destined to die the very next day, begging for a dime for a cup of coffee, addressing a younger man who is "raising hell" the way the old man used to do.

Early versions

The earliest version of "I've Never Been to Me" to be released was by Randy Crawford which appeared on her 1976 album Everything Must Change . Charlene had recorded "I've Never Been to Me" in 1976 for her debut album, the self-titled Charlene , a Prodigal release (P610015S1), and the ballad contained a controversial spoken section. Songs of Love (P610018S1) came out six months later in 1977 and was essentially a re-issue of Charlene, having a slightly different track listing but retaining "I've Never Been to Me" without the spoken bridge. In October 1977, "I've Never Been to Me" became Charlene's third consecutive single to stall in the lowest part of Billboard's Hot 100. From the Charlene LP, the first single, "It Ain't Easy Comin' Down", went to No. 97 in March 1977 (and No. 23 on AC). The following single, "Freddie" from the Songs of Love album, made it to No. 96 on the Hot 100 in May 1977 (and No. 40 on AC). The Hot 100 peak of "I've Never Been to Me" in its original formal release without the monologue was No. 97, [3] and while Charlene's preceding two singles had both reached Billboard's Easy Listening chart, "I've Never Been to Me" failed to appear on that chart.

Besides Charlene's version, 1977 also saw the release of versions of the song by Nancy Wilson and Walter Jackson: Nancy Wilson's version served as the title track of her June 1977 album release and was the first version of the song to be released as a single, reaching No. 47 on the Billboard's R&B chart, while Walter Jackson's version – featuring the lyric formatted from a male perspective – was featured on his I Want to Come Back as a Song album released in the spring of 1977.

In February 1978, a mid-tempo recording of "I've Never Been to Me" by Mary MacGregor was released as the advance single from her ...In Your Eyes album: this single reached #29 on Billboard's Easy Listening and Canada's Adult Contemporary charts. [4] A modified version of MacGregor's version was sent out to radio stations with the possibly controversial line in the final chorus, "I spent my life exploring the subtle whoring that costs too much to be free", amended to "I thought my heart would wait but I learned too late that it costs too much to be free". Also in 1978, Marti Caine recorded "I've Never Been to Me" for her album Behind the Smile from which it was issued as a single, and Mary Roos recorded the German rendering by lyricist Michael Kunze entitled "Doch mich selber kenn ich nicht" ("But I do not know myself") for her album Maryland.

Revival

In 1982, Scott Shannon, a disc jockey at Tampa radio station WRBQ-FM, began playing the "I've Never Been to Me" track off the Charlene album (with the original recitative), and response from local listeners was such as to motivate Shannon, a former Motown employee, to alert Motown president Jay Lasker to the track's hit potential. Lasker located Charlene who, discouraged by the poor performance of her 1977 Motown releases and by the label's decision not to release a second album she had recorded, had left the music industry and met and married an Englishman, subsequently accompanying him to his native land and taking a job at a sweetshop in Ilford. Lasker personally telephoned her with the invitation to re-sign with Motown Records to facilitate the re-release of her "I've Never Been To Me" single, which occurred in February 1982.

The Billboard Hot 100 dated March 6, 1982, showed "I've Never Been to Me" by Charlene debuting at No. 84 – already 13 places higher than its 1977 peak. It subsequently rose as high as No. 3 on the Hot 100, where it held for three weeks during May and June, prevented from further chart movement by "Don't Talk to Strangers" by Rick Springfield and "Ebony and Ivory" by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. The song ranked at No. 38 on the Billboard Hot 100-year-end chart for 1982. [5] The track had even greater impact internationally, attaining No. 1 status in Australia (six weeks), Canada (four weeks), Ireland (three weeks), and the United Kingdom (one week). [2] "I've Never Been to Me" also afforded Charlene a top ten hit in Belgium (Flemish Region) (#7), the Netherlands (#7), New Zealand (#5), and Norway (#5). In 1982, Charlene's "I've Never Been to Me" was also a top 10 hit on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart (#7) and a minor C&W chart crossover (#60).

When the song was revived in 1982, the version being played on radio was the take with the monologue (from the Prodigal LP Charlene, P6 10015S1). This version was the one Motown re-issued, not the Songs of Love single version from 1977 (Prodigal, P610018S1). [6] [7] The song was never actually re-recorded by Charlene in 1982.[ citation needed ]

Music video

A music video was made for the song's 1982 reissue. The video was filmed on location at Blickling Hall, Norfolk, England and features Charlene wearing her actual wedding dress from her marriage to Jeff Oliver, whom she had married at the time of the song's revival. [8]

Legacy

As Charlene was unable to successfully follow up the success of "I've Never Been to Me" – her only subsequent Hot 100 entry "Used to Be" (a duet with Stevie Wonder) got as high as No. 46 – she remains a high-profile one-hit wonder. On the 2002 VH1 special 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders , "I've Never Been to Me" was ranked at No. 75. [9] In the program, it was stated that her entry "expresses the post-'70s hangover." The song was the opening number in the 1994 film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, lip-synched by Hugo Weaving's drag queen character. [10]

Chart history

Weekly charts

Nancy Wilson

Chart (1977)Peak
position
US Billboard Hot Soul Singles 47
US Record World [11] 135

Charlene

Chart (1977)Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 [12] 97

Mary MacGregor

Chart (1978)Peak
position
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary [4] 29
US Billboard Adult Contemporary [13] 29

Certifications and sales

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [36] Gold50,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Other versions

A Spanish language recording of "I've Never Been to Me" entitled "Nunca He Ido A Mi" was recorded by Charlene and was one of two B-side tracks featured on the re-release of "It Ain't Easy Comin' Down" – the followup to the 1982 release of "I've Never Been to Me" – in its UK format (in other territories "It Ain't Easy Comin' Down" featured only the one B-side "If I Could See Myself").

Charlene re-released the song in the form of a dance remix via download music in 2008.

Worst song lists

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gladys Knight & the Pips</span> American R&B/soul vocal group

Gladys Knight & the Pips were an American R&B, soul, and funk family music group from Atlanta, Georgia, that remained active on the music charts and performing circuit for over three decades starting from the early 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scherrie Payne</span> American singer (born 1944)

Scherrie Ann Payne is an American singer. Payne is best known as a member and the final lead singer of the R&B/Soul vocal group the Supremes from 1973 until 1977. Payne is the younger sister of singer Freda Payne. Payne continues to perform, both as a solo act and as a part of the "Former Ladies of the Supremes" (FLOS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thelma Houston</span> American singer (born 1943)

Thelma Houston is an American singer. Beginning her recording career in the late 1960s, Houston scored a number-one hit record in 1977 with her recording of "Don't Leave Me This Way", which won the Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juice Newton</span> American pop and country singer (born 1949)

Juice Newton is an American pop and country singer, songwriter, and musician. Newton has received five Grammy Award nominations in the Pop and Country Best Female Vocalist categories – winning once in 1983 – as well as an ACM Award for Top New Female Artist and two consecutive Billboard Female Album Artist of the Year awards. Newton's other awards include a People's Choice Award for "Best Female Vocalist" and the Australian Music Media's "Number One International Country Artist".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Come See About Me</span> 1964 single by The Supremes

"Come See About Me" is a 1964 song recorded by the Supremes for the Motown label. The track opens with a fade-in, marking one of the first times the technique had been used on a studio recording.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Keep Me Hangin' On</span> 1966 single by the Supremes

"You Keep Me Hangin' On" is a song written and composed by Holland–Dozier–Holland. It was first recorded in 1966 by American Motown group the Supremes, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. American rock band Vanilla Fudge released a cover version in June the following year, which reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100. Wilson Pickett recorded it in 1969. English singer Kim Wilde covered "You Keep Me Hangin' On" in 1986, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1987. In the first 32 years of the Billboard Hot 100 rock era, "You Keep Me Hangin' On" became one of the six songs to reach number one by two different musical acts. In 1996, American country singer Reba McEntire's version reached number two on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. The BBC ranked the Supremes' original song at number 78 on The Top 100 Digital Motown Chart, which ranks Motown releases by their all-time UK downloads and streams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Hangover</span> 1976 single by Diana Ross

"Love Hangover" is a song by the Motown singer Diana Ross, recorded in 1975 and released as a single on March 16, 1976. It rose to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot-Selling Soul Singles. It also hit number one on the Record World disco charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Never Can Say Goodbye</span> 1971 song by Clifton Davis, first recorded by the Jackson 5

"Never Can Say Goodbye" is a song written by Clifton Davis and originally recorded by the Jackson 5. The song was originally written and intended for the Supremes; however, Motown decided it would be better for the Jackson 5. It was the first single released from the group's 1971 album Maybe Tomorrow, and was one of the group's most successful records. It has been covered numerous times, most notably in 1974 by Gloria Gaynor and in 1987 by British pop group the Communards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shop Around</span> 1960 song recorded by The MIRACLES

"Shop Around" is a song originally recorded by the Miracles on Motown Records' Tamla subsidiary label. It was written by Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson and Motown Records founder Berry Gordy. It became a smash hit in 1960 when originally recorded by the Miracles, reaching number one on the Billboard R&B chart, number one on the Cashbox Top 100 Pop Chart, and number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was the Miracles' first million-selling hit record, and the first-million-selling hit for the Motown Record Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Tracks of My Tears</span> 1965 single by the Miracles

"The Tracks of My Tears" is a song written by Smokey Robinson, Pete Moore, and Marv Tarplin. It is a multiple award-winning 1965 hit R&B song originally recorded by their group, The Miracles, on Motown's Tamla label. The Miracles' million-selling original version has been inducted into The Grammy Hall of Fame, has been ranked by the Recording Industry Association of America and The National Endowment for the Arts at No. 127 in its list of the "Songs of the Century" – the 365 Greatest Songs of the 20th Century, and has been selected by Rolling Stone as No. 50 on its list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time", among many other awards. In 2021, Rolling Stone ranked the Miracles' original recording of "The Tracks of My Tears" as "The Greatest Motown Song of All Time".

Charlene Marilynn Oliver, better known mononymously as Charlene, is an American easy-listening and R&B singer best known for the song "I've Never Been to Me", which, initially being a commercial flop upon its original release in 1977, became a worldwide hit upon a re-release in 1982 and has remained an enduring adult contemporary music staple. Charlene is also a songwriter, record producer, and author.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Second That Emotion</span> 1967 single by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles

"I Second That Emotion" is a 1967 song written by Smokey Robinson and Al Cleveland. First charting as a hit for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles on the Tamla/Motown label in 1967, "I Second That Emotion" was later a hit single for the group duet Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations, also on the Motown label.

Ronald Norman Miller was an American popular songwriter and record producer who wrote for Motown artists in the 1960s and 1970s and attained many Top 10 hits. Some of his songs, such as "For Once in My Life", have become pop standards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will You Love Me Tomorrow</span> 1960 single by the Shirelles

"Will You Love Me Tomorrow", sometimes known as "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", is a song with words by Gerry Goffin and music composed by Carole King. It was recorded in 1960 by the Shirelles at Bell Sound Studios in New York City, and hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song was the first by an African-American all-girl group to reach number one in the United States. It has since been recorded by many other artists, including a version by co-writer King released on her 1971 album Tapestry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diana Ross discography</span>

The discography of American rhythm and blues singer Diana Ross, the former lead singer of the Supremes, consists of 26 studio albums and 116 singles. Throughout her career, Ross has sold over 100 million records worldwide. Billboard ranked her as the 47th Greatest Artist of all time and the 11th Greatest Hot 100 Female Artist of all time. In 1993, Guinness World Records crowned Ross as the "most successful female artist in music history". Her 11th studio album "Diana" remains the best-selling album of her career, selling more than 10 million copies and album equivalent units around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Light Up My Life (song)</span> 1977 single by Debby Boone

"You Light Up My Life" is a ballad written by Joseph Brooks, and originally recorded by Kasey Cisyk for the soundtrack album to the 1977 film of the same title. The song was lip synced in the film by its lead actress, Didi Conn. The best-known cover version of the song is a cover by Debby Boone, the daughter of singer Pat Boone. It held the No. 1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for ten consecutive weeks in 1977 and topped Record World magazine's Top 100 Singles Chart for a record 13 weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher</span> 1967 song performed by Jackie Wilson

"(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" is an R&B song written by Gary Jackson, Raynard Miner, and Carl Smith. It was recorded by Jackie Wilson for his album Higher and Higher (1967), produced by Carl Davis, and became a Top 10 pop and number one R&B hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)</span>

"Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)" is a song written by the premier Motown songwriting/production team of the 1960s Holland–Dozier–Holland. The first hit recording was sung by Kim Weston in 1965. It was most popular in 1975 when it was recorded by the Doobie Brothers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You've Made Me So Very Happy</span> 1967 single by Brenda Holloway

"You've Made Me So Very Happy" is a song written by Brenda Holloway, Patrice Holloway, Frank Wilson and Berry Gordy, and was released first as a single in 1967 by Brenda Holloway on the Tamla label. The song was later a huge hit for jazz-rock band Blood, Sweat & Tears in 1969, and became a Gold record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'll Try Something New (song)</span>

"I'll Try Something New" is a song written by Smokey Robinson and originally released in 1962 by The Miracles on Motown Records' Tamla subsidiary label. Their version was a Billboard Top 40 hit, peaking at #39, and just missed the Top 10 of its R&B chart, peaking at #11. The song was released later as a joint single by Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations, also becoming a charting version on the Billboard 100 pop singles chart, peaking for two weeks in April 1969 at number 25.

References

  1. ↑ Billboard – Google Books. December 25, 1982. Retrieved March 29, 2014.
  2. 1 2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 410. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  3. ↑ "Top 100 Songs | Billboard Hot 100 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. May 6, 1978. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Charlene". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Charlene – Charlene". Discogs. 1976. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Charlene – Songs Of Love". Discogs.com. 1977. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Charlene | Classic Motown". Classic.motown.com. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  9. ↑ "I've Never Been To Me enjoys a new release". BBC.co.uk. BBC. July 4, 2008. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Soundtracking: "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" - Blog - The Film Experience". thefilmexperience.net. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  11. ↑ Record World, November 19, 1977
  12. ↑ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 – ISBN   0-89820-089-X
  13. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 146.
  14. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (doc). Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  15. ↑ "Charlene – I've Never Been to Me" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. June 12, 1982. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  17. ↑ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. July 3, 1982. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  18. ↑ Danish Charts Archive. September 1982.
  19. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – I've Never Been to Me". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Charlene – I've Never Been to Me" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  21. ↑ "Charlene – I've Never Been to Me". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Charlene – I've Never Been to Me". VG-lista. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  23. ↑ "Charlene: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  24. ↑ "Charlene Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  25. ↑ "Charlene Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  26. ↑ "Charlene Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  27. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 6/05/82". Tropicalglen.com. Archived from the original on June 3, 2015. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  28. ↑ "National Top 100 Singles for 1982". Kent Music Report. January 3, 1983. Retrieved January 22, 2023– via Imgur.
  29. ↑ "AMR Top Singles of 1982". Top100singles.net. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  30. ↑ "Top 100 Singles of 1982 in Canada". Musiccanada.wordpress.com. October 3, 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  31. ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1982". Top40.nl. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  32. ↑ "Top Selling Singles of 1982 – The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  33. ↑ Rees, Dafydd; Lazell, Barry; Jones, Alan (1983). "The Top 100 UK Singles". Chart File Volume 2. London, England: Virgin Books. pp. 80–81. ISBN   0-907080-73-1.
  34. ↑ "Top 100 Hits of 1982/Top 100 Songs of 1982". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  35. ↑ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles – 1982". Tropicalglen.com. Archived from the original on July 11, 2018. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  36. ↑ "Platinum and Gold Singles 1982". Kent Music Report. February 28, 1983. Retrieved November 10, 2021– via Imgur.
  37. ↑ Guterman, Jimmy and O'Donnell, Owen. The Worst Rock n' Roll Records Of All Time (Citadel Press, 1991.)
  38. ↑ "Paul Anka wins worst song poll by CNN". UPI.com. June 27, 2006. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.