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"Mr. Vain" is a popular song by Culture Beat from the album Serenity. Released in 1993, it achieved a huge success throughout the world.
[edit] Background and chart performances
Written by Steven Levis, Nosie Katzmann and Jay Supreme and produced by Torsten Fenslau and Peter Zweier, Mr. Vain was the biggest selling single across Europe in 1993. Typical of the Eurodance style of the time, the song first broke in Germany before breaking more widely through the Summer, eventually topping the chart in twelve countries. It reached number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned a gold disc.
It first entered the UK Singles Chart in late July 1993 at #24 but its popularity grew and quickly climbed the chart and hit the #1 spot on 28th August and spent 4 weeks there, and spent a total of 15 weeks in the chart and was the 10th biggest selling single in the UK in 1993.
It is notable in the UK as it was the first number one single not to be available as a 7" since the 1950s and heralded the demise of the 7" single as a mass market medium.
[edit] Covers and samples
- One of the song's original writers Nosie Katzmann recorded a new country version of the tune.
- Ray Hamilton recorded an instrumental version of the track.
- The Pet Shop Boys covered their song during a live performance in Rio de Janeiro, as part of their 1994 "Discovery" Tour. A video of the performance can be found here: [2] The cover was performed middle of "One in a million".
[edit] Track listings
- CD maxi (April 16, 1993)
- "Mr. Vain" (Vain mix) — 6:35
- "Mr. Vain" (decent mix) — 7:06
- "Mr. Vain" (special radio edit) — 4:17
- CD maxi - Remix (June 17, 1993)
- "Mr. Vain" (remix) (Mr. house) — 6:18
- "Mr. Vain" (remix) (Mr. rave) — 6:42
- "Mr. Vain" (remix) (Mr. trance) — 6:20
- "Mr. Vain" (remix) (Mr. hardcore) — 6:37
[edit] Remixes
- Mr. Vain [ Special Radio Edit ] 4:18
- Mr. Vain [ Album Version ] 5:39
- Mr. Vain [ Fm802 Rock Kids 802 Mix ] 4:26
- Mr. Vain [ Mr. House / Mr. Intense ] 6:18
- Mr. Vain [ Vain Mix ] 6:35
- Mr. Vain [ Decent Mix ] 7:04
- Mr. Vain [ Mr. Rave ] 6:41
- Mr. Vain [ Hyper Rave Mix ] 5:33
- Mr. Vain [ Mr. Trance ] 6:19
- Mr. Vain [ Tribal Mix ] 4:48
- Mr. Vain [ Mr. Hardcore / Hardcore Mix ] 6:37
- Mr. Vain [ Mr. Club ] 6:38
- Mr. Vain [ Mr. Liebrand ] 5:39
[edit] Certifications
| Country |
Certification |
Date |
Sales certified |
| Austria[1] |
Gold |
August 2, 1993 |
15,000 |
| France[2] |
Silver |
1993 |
125,000 |
| Germany[3] |
Platinum |
1993 |
300,000 |
| Norway[4] |
Platinum |
1993 |
10,000 |
| Sweden[5] |
Gold |
November 10, 1993 |
10,000 |
| UK[6] |
Gold |
September 1, 1993 |
400,000 |
| U.S.[7] |
Gold |
January 18, 1994 |
500,000 |
[edit] Charts
|
1 Remix
|
| End of year chart (1993) |
Position |
| Australian Singles Chart[15] |
16 |
| Austrian Singles Chart[16] |
10 |
| Swiss Singles Chart[17] |
11 |
| UK Singles Chart[18] |
10 |
|
Preceded by
"Informer by Snow |
German number-one single
June 18, 1993 - August 13, 1993 (9 weeks) |
Succeeded by
"What's Up" by 4 Non Blondes |
Preceded by
"What Is Love" by Haddaway |
Austrian number-one single
July 11, 1993 (1 week) |
Succeeded by
"(I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You" by UB40 |
Preceded by
"What Is Love" by Haddaway |
Swiss number-one single
July 18, 1993 - August 8, 1993 (4 weeks) |
Succeeded by
"What's Up" by 4 Non Blondes |
Preceded by
"(I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You" by UB40 |
Norwegian VG-Lista number-one single
30/1993 - 31/1993 (2 weeks) |
Succeeded by
"What's Up" by 4 Non Blondes |
Preceded by
"(I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You" by UB40 |
Dutch number-one single
July 24, 1993 - July 31, 1993 (2 weeks) |
Succeeded by
"What's Up" by 4 Non Blondes |
Preceded by
"Living on My Own" by Freddie Mercury |
UK Singles Chart number-one single
August 28, 1993 - September 18, 1993 (4 weeks) |
Succeeded by
"Boom! Shake the Room" by DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince |
Preceded by
"I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" by Meat Loaf |
Australia (ARIA) number-one single
October 30, 1993 (1 week) |
Succeeded by
"All That She Wants" by Ace of Base |
[edit] References
- ^ Austrian certifications ifpi.at (Retrieved August 31, 2008)
- ^ French certifications Chartsinfrance.com (Retrieved August 31, 2008)
- ^ German certifications musikindustrie.de (Retrieved August 31, 2008)
- ^ Norwegian certifications Ifpi.no (Retrieved August 31, 2008)
- ^ Swedish certifications Ifpi.se (Retrieved September 11, 2008)
- ^ UK certifications Bpi.co.uk (Retrieved August 31, 2008)
- ^ U.S. certifications riaa.com (Retrieved August 31, 2008)
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Mr. Vain", in various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved February 10, 2008)
- ^ German Singles Chart Charts-surfer.de (Retrieved April 10, 2008)
- ^ Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved April 10, 2008)
- ^ Italian Single Chart Hit parade Italia (Retrieved May 30, 2008)
- ^ "Mr. Vain - Remix", in Swiss Singles Chart Lescharts.com (Retrieved February 10, 2008)
- ^ UK Singles Chart Chartstats.com (Retrieved April 10, 2008)
- ^ a b c d Billboard Allmusic.com (Retrieved August 31, 2008)
- ^ 1993 Australian Singles Chart aria.com (Retrieved August 31, 2008)
- ^ 1993 Austrian Singles Chart Austriancharts.at (Retrieved August 31, 2008)
- ^ 1993 Swiss Singles Chart Hitparade.ch (Retrieved August 31, 2008)
- ^ 1993 UK Singles Chart [1] (Retrieved March 3rd, 2008)