Northern Star (song)
"Northern Star" | ||||
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Single by Melanie C | ||||
from the album Northern Star | ||||
B-side |
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Released | 29 November 1999 | |||
Recorded | 1999 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:10 (Single version) 4:41 (Album version) 5:31 (Full version) | |||
Label | Virgin | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Marius De Vries | |||
Melanie C singles chronology | ||||
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Audio sample | ||||
Music video | ||||
"Northern Star" on YouTube |
"Northern Star" is a song by British singer-songwriter, Melanie C. It is the title track from her debut solo album of the same name and it was released as the second single in the winter of 1999. It was written by Melanie C and Rick Nowels. The song was produced by Marius De Vries and received positive reception from music critics. The single charted at number four on the UK Singles Chart, becoming her third top-five single. It reached the top 20 in Finland, Italy and Sweden. In the United Kingdom, the single sold over 200,000 copies, and it has sold over 1,000,000 copies worldwide.[citation needed]
Composition
"Northern Star" is a mid-tempo pop song with elements of electronica and ambient music. According to the sheet music published by Musicnotes.com by Hal Leonard Corporation, "Northern Star" is composed in the key of A major, and is written in the time signature of common time. It is set in a moderate tempo of 101 beats per minute, with Chisholm's voice spanning from B5 to E♭3. The song has a basic sequence of Dm–Am–B♭–C as its chord progression.[1]
Music video
The music video for "Northern Star" was shot in Brighton, England on 8–9 September 1999.[2] It starts off looking into a starry sky at night gradually moving down, looking out to sea towards a large star, with Melanie walking down a rocky coast surrounded by a desert. She then walks in between two train tracks and as the chorus begins, two trains drive at high speed in opposite directions, later there is a brief scene in a cave with miners. Then Melanie walks through a somewhat Arctic-like area which blends into an urban setting which instantly changes into a sandy beach. During the instrumental she is seen walking through a forest and crossing over a river during daytime, later back in an urban building set. The video ends with her back on the coast at night.
Formats and track listings
UK CD1/Australian CD
- "Northern Star" (single version) – 4:10
- "Follow Me" – 4:47
- "Northern Star" (full version) – 5:31
- "Northern Star" (music video)
UK CD2
- "Northern Star" (single version) – 4:10
- "Something's Gonna Happen" – 3:59
- "Northern Star" (acoustic version) – 2:53
UK Cassette/iTunes EP
- "Northern Star" (single version) – 4:10
- "Follow Me" – 4:47
- "Northern Star" (full version) – 5:31
Official versions
- "Northern Star" (album version) – 4:41
- "Northern Star" (single version) – 4:10
- "Northern Star" (acoustic version) – 2:53
- "Northern Star" (full version) – 5:31
Live performances
Melanie C performed the song on the following concert tours:
- From Liverpool to Leicester Square
- Northern Star Tour
- Reason Tour
- The Barfly Mini-Tour
- Beautiful Intentions Tour
- This Time Canadian Tour
- The Sea – Live
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
Certifications
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References
- ^ Chisholm, Melanie; Nowels, Rick (1999). "Digital Sheet Music – Melanie C – Northern Star". Musicnotes.com. Hal Leonard Corporation.
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(help) - ^ [1]
- ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
- ^ "Melanie C – Northern Star" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
- ^ "Billboard: Eurochart Hot 100". Billboard. 111 (51). Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 18 December 1999. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ "Melanie C: Northern Star" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
- ^ "Íslenski Listinn Sætin 21 til 40 (17.2– 24.2 2000)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 18 February 2000. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
- ^ "Indice per Interprete: M". Hit Parade Italia (in Italian). Retrieved 2 July 2018.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
- ^ "Melanie C – Northern Star". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
- ^ "Melanie C – Northern Star". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
- ^ "Årslista Singlar – År 1999" (in Swedish). Hitlistan. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
- ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2000" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-17. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
- ^ Copsey, Rob (29 June 2017). "The ultimate Official Spice Girls solo chart: all their singles ranked by sales". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
- ^ "British single certifications – Melanie C – Northern Star". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Northern Star in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.