49ers (band)
| 49ers | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Brescia, Italy |
| Genres | Eurodance, house |
| Years active | 1988-1998 |
| Labels | Island |
| Past members | |
| Gianfranco Bortolotti Ann-Marie Smith |
|
49ers are an Italian house and Eurodance act, featuring producer and DJ Gianfranco Bortolotti and vocalist Ann-Marie Smith. They were named after the San Francisco 49ers American football team, as Smith was the 49th vocalist to audition.
In 1990, two of their songs reached number-one on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart; "Touch Me" and "Don't You Love Me".
Contents |
[edit] Background
[edit] Formation and debut album
The project was formed in 1988, by the producer Gianfranco Bortolotti. The debut single, "Die Walküre", was based on a vocal from Freeez's "I.O.U." (although the woman in the video is Josy Gil Persia) and reached #20 on the French Singles Chart. It was followed by "Shadows" one year later. After this, Bortolotti recruited Dawn Mitchell to front the act. "Touch Me" was partially based on an Aretha Franklin sample ("Rock-a-Lott"), whilst its chorus line was taken from Alysha Warren's song, "Touch Me". "Don't You Love Me" featured a vocal sample from Jody Watley's hit "Don't You Want Me" and peaked at number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100. Other borrowed phrases and hooks are dispersed throughout the accompanying album. It was revealed that Alysha Warren was the actual vocalist. Lip-sync was performed on the videos by Mitchell.
"Touch Me" became a number 3 hit in the UK Singles Chart in January 1990, whilst "Don't You Love Me" peaked at number 12 and the single "Girl to girl" peaked at number 31 in that same listing.[1]
[edit] The follow-up albums
A remix album and the stand-alone single "Believe In Me" (which Mitchell co-wrote and sang) was released in 1991. Soon afterwards, Mitchell left the act and was replaced by Ann-Marie Smith. The second album, Playing With My Heart, was released in 1992. The album spawned five singles, "Move Your Feet", "Got to Be Free", "The Message", "Everything" and "Keep Your Love".
[edit] Other singles
The single "Rockin' My Body" reached number 31 on the UK Singles Chart.[1] They released four more singles including "Lovin' You", "Baby I'm Yours", "I Got The Music (aka I Got It)" and "Let The Sunshine In". Following this, the act broke up in 1998.
[edit] Former members
- Gianfranco Bortolotti - production/arrangement/songwriting (1988–1998)
- Pieradis Rossini - additional production/arrangement/songwriting (1988–1991)
- Alysha Warren (real name: Alyesha Wallen) - lead female (uncredited) vocalist on various tracks (except "I Need You", "I Will Survive", "Die Walküre" and "Shadows") from the self titled Album. (1989–1990)
- Josy Gil Persia - performer (1988–1990)
- Dawn Mitchell - performer - although Mitchell's voice was used on "I Need You", "I Will Survive" and "Believe In Me". (1989–1991)
- Ann-Marie Smith - vocals (1991–1998)
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- 1990: 49ers (a.k.a. Touch Me Japanese edition) - UK #51[1]
- 1991: The Remix Album
- 1992: Playing With My Heart
- 2004: Greatest Hits 1990-2002
[edit] Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS [2] |
GER [3] |
IRE [4] |
SUI [5] |
SWE [6] |
UK [1] |
U.S. [7] |
U.S. Dance [7] |
|||
| 1988 | "Die Walküre" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 49ers |
| 1989 | "Shadows" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1990 | "Touch Me" | 18 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 3 | — | 1 | |
| "Don't You Love Me" | 61 | 25 | 6 | 10 | 17 | 12 | 78 | 1 | ||
| "How Longer" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Girl to Girl" | — | 70 | 13 | 20 | — | 31 | — | — | ||
| "I Need You" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1991 | "Move Your Feet" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Playing with My Heart |
| 1992 | "Got to Be Free" | — | — | — | — | — | 46 | — | 38 | |
| "The Message" | — | — | — | — | — | 68 | — | 32 | ||
| 1993 | "Everything" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Keep Your Love" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994 | "Rockin' My Body" | — | — | — | — | — | 31 | — | — | Singles only |
| 1995 | "Hangin' On To Love" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1996 | "Baby I'm Yours" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1997 | "I Got The Music (I Got It)" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1998 | "Let The Sunshine In" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
[edit] See also
- Cappella
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 208. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Australian peaks
- ^ German peaks
- ^ Search for Irish peaks
- ^ Swiss peaks
- ^ Swedish peaks
- ^ a b Allmusic peaks
