| Northern Star | |
| Cover: | Northernstarsinglecover.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Melanie C |
| Album: | Northern Star |
| B-Side: |
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| Studio: | Various (Los Angeles, London, Glasgow) |
| Length: |
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| Label: | Virgin |
| Producer: | Marius De Vries |
| Prev Title: | Goin' Down |
| Prev Year: | 1999 |
| Next Title: | Never Be the Same Again |
| Next Year: | 2000 |
"Northern Star" is a song by British singer-songwriter Melanie C. It is the title track from her debut solo album and was released as the album's second single on 22 November 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 additionally reached the top 20 in Finland, Italy, and Sweden. In the United Kingdom, the single sold 216,000 copies as of June 2017.
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 E3. The song has a basic sequence of Dm–Am–B–C as its chord progression. The single lasts just over four minutes, being edited from the full track, which lasts almost five and a half minutes.
The music video for "Northern Star" was shot in England on 8–9 September 1999.[1] It starts off looking into a starry sky at night gradually moving down, looking out to sea towards a large star, with Melanie C 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 C 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.
Credits are taken from the Northern Star album booklet.[6]
Studios
Personnel
| Chart (1999–2000) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[7] | 82 |
| scope="row" | |
| Czech Republic (IFPI)[8] | 20 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[9] | 31 |
| scope="row" | |
| scope="row" | |
| Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[10] | 22 |
| Italy (Musica e dischi)[11] | 14 |
| scope="row" | |
| scope="row" | |
| scope="row" | |
| Chart (1999) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[12] | 80 | |
| UK Singles (OCC)[13] | 98 |
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 25 October 1999 | Virgin | [14] | |
| 26 October 1999 | Contemporary hit radio | [15] | ||
| United Kingdom | 22 November 1999 | [16] |