You're Not Alone (Olive song) explained

You're Not Alone
Cover:OliveYoureNotAlone.jpg
Caption:Artwork for UK CD2 (1997)
Type:single
Artist:Olive
Album:Extra Virgin
Genre:Breakbeat
Length:
  • 4:30 (album version)
  • (1996 radio edit)
  • (1997 radio edit)
Label:
Producer:
  • Tim Kellett
  • Robin Taylor-Firth
Prev Title:Miracle
Prev Year:1996
Next Title:Outlaw
Next Year:1997

"You're Not Alone" is a song written by Tim Kellett and Robin Taylor-Firth and performed by British trip hop group Olive on their debut album, Extra Virgin (1996). First released as a single in August 1996, it found greater success in 1997 in a remixed version, reaching number one on the UK Singles Chart that May. The song has been covered by a number of artists, most notably by German trance DJ and producer ATB in 2002 and Danish singer-songwriter Mads Langer in 2009.

Critical reception

Barry Walters for The Advocate remarked that the song "in its original rendition resembles recent Everything But the Girl and now comes across as every other perfect pop-turned-disco masterpiece."[1] Larry Flick from Billboard described "You're Not Alone" as a "lush, ambient tune that has the dark and torchy texture of Everything But the Girl, but with a far more mainstream-friendly, classic-soul flavor." He complimented singer Ruth-Ann Boyle that "brings a rich, smoky quality to the song, while musicians Robin Taylor-Firth and Tim Kellett underline her performance with sweet, swirling strings and jittery breakbeatstyled percussion."[2] Scottish Daily Record called it a "hypnotic dance chart-topper", noting that features former Simply Red "keyboard wiz" Kellett.[3] Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian felt "the single's summery lilt was balanced by a majestic keyboard riff".[4] Jennifer Nine from Melody Maker wrote, "A Nightmares On Wax guy, a Simply Red sideman and a girl with no last name (of course) have accomplished, quite handily, what they evidently set out to do. A shuffly and vulnerable downbeat, vaguely melancholy—if somewhat fatally unmysterious—Top Shop version of the Massive-Nicolette-Everything But the Girl-you know who end of things."[5]

A reviewer from Music Week gave the 1996 version four out of five, saying, "Weirded-out production and a good tune, this provides the perfect preview of an excellent album."[6] In 1997, they rated the remix three out of five, describing it as a "sparkling pop groove [that] ought to do the chart business and already has strong club support thanks to remixes from the likes of Oakenfold and Roni Size."[7] Ian Hyland from Sunday Mirror gave it eight out of ten, commenting, "No, not the greasy woman out of 'On The Buses' but a top dance groove techno type group who sound a bit European but have turned up this pearler of a club monster all the same. Remixes galore make it hard to ignore but if you are a Friday nighter, you'will have heard it already."[8] David Sinclair from The Times noted that "strangely out-of-phase dance production gives this haunting tune a distinctive edge."[9]

Music video

Three entirely different music videos were filmed for "You're Not Alone". The first video features all three band members Ruth-Ann Boyle, Tim Kellett and Robin Taylor-Firth appearing in spectral forms in a hotel room. The second video is the version which is seen the most and is set in a dark night-time setting in France. It features all three band members and includes scenes in a public toilet, and by a road with glowing headlights of cars. A third video (which also includes elements from the second) is a montage of the band members in dark, moody urban settings. This video only features the remaining two band members, Boyle and Kellett.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1997)Peak
position
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[11] 17
Denmark (Tracklisten)[12] 4
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[13] 7
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[14] 4
Italy (Musica e dischi)[15] 18
Spain (AFYVE)[16] 6
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[17] 5
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[18] 9

Year-end charts

Chart (1997)Position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[19] 86
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[20] 81
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[21] 53
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[22] 61
UK Singles (OCC)[23] 37
UK Club Chart (Music Week)[24] 3
US Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard)[25] 36

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)
United Kingdom19 August 1996[26]
United Kingdom (re-release)5 May 1997[27]
United States21 July 1997Modern rock radioRCA[28]

ATB version

You're Not Alone
Cover:Atb You Are Not Alone.jpg
Type:single
Artist:ATB
Album:Dedicated
Genre:Trance
Label:
  • Kontor (DE)
  • Radikal (US)
  • ID&T (NL)
  • Central Station (AU)
Producer:André Tanneberger
Prev Title:Hold You
Prev Year:2001
Next Title:I Don't Wanna Stop
Next Year:2003

German trance producer and disc jockey ATB covered the song and released it as a single on 15 April 2002 in Germany. The US CD release by Radikal Records had a cover misprint indicating the identical 4 track list as the 12-inch record release, however the CD contained 5 tracks.

Personnel

Source:[29]

Charts

Chart (2002) Peak
position
Czech Republic (IFPI)[30] 26
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[31] 6

Mads Langer version

You're Not Alone
Cover:Mads-Langer-Youre-NotAlone.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Mads Langer
Studio:Medley (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Genre:Pop rock
Label:Copenhagen
Producer:
  • Søren Mikkelsen
  • Mads Langer

Danish singer-songwriter Mads Langer released a cover version of the song on 14 December 2009. The song charted in Belgium, Denmark, Italy, and the Netherlands. The cover version was later included on Langer's first international studio album, Behold which was released on 9 May 2011.

Personnel

Source:[33]

Certifications

Other versions

See also

Notes and References

  1. Walters, Barry (2 September 1997). "Music". The Advocate. Issue 741.
  2. Flick, Larry. Larry Flick. Reviews & Previews: Singles . . 12 July 1997 . 77 . 4 December 2020.
  3. "Charts Slot". Daily Record. 6 June 1997.
  4. Sullivan, Caroline (23 May 1997). "Music: This week's pop CD releases". The Guardian.
  5. Jennifer. Nine. Singles. Melody Maker. 31 August 1996. 46. 17 May 2024.
  6. Reviews: Singles. Music Week. 21. 3 August 1996. 1 September 2021.
  7. Reviews: Singles. Music Week. 26 April 1997. 10. 16 May 2022.
  8. Hyland, Ian (4 May 1997). "You'll Go Ape as North and South Monkey around!; Music". Sunday Mirror.
  9. Sinclair, David (10 May 1997). "The week's top pop releases; Records". The Times.
  10. http://theivors.com/archive/1990-1999/the-ivors-1998/ The 43rd Ivor Novello Awards – 1998 Winners
  11. Olive Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs). https://web.archive.org/web/20200126014038/https://www.billboard.com/music/olive/chart-history/CNS. dead. 26 January 2020. Billboard. 25 January 2020.
  12. Hits of the World: Denmark (IFPI/Nielsen Marketing Research) 06/19/97. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. 109. 27. 41. 5 July 1997. 0006-2510.
  13. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 14. 22. 31 May 1997. 19. 25 January 2020.
  14. News: Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (26.6. '97 – 2.7. '97). Dagblaðið Vísir. is. 16. 27 June 1997. 3 October 2019.
  15. Hits of the World – Italy. Billboard. 109. 32. 36. 9 August 1997. 4 June 2020.
  16. Book: Salaverri, Fernando. Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002. 1st. September 2005. Fundación Autor-SGAE. Spain. 84-8048-639-2.
  17. Olive Chart History (Dance Club Songs). Billboard. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20200126013935/https://www.billboard.com/music/Olive/chart-history/DSI. 26 January 2020. 17 October 2021.
  18. Olive Chart History (Dance Singles Sales). Billboard. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20200126022215/https://www.billboard.com/music/olive/chart-history/DSA. 26 January 2020. 25 January 2020.
  19. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 1997. Ultratop. nl. 27 February 2019.
  20. Year in Focus – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1997. Music & Media. 14. 52. 27 December 1997. 7. 5 February 2020.
  21. News: Árslistinn 1997 – Íslenski Listinn – 100 Vinsælustu Lögin. Dagblaðið Vísir. is. 25. 2 January 1998. 16 February 2020.
  22. Web site: Romanian Top 100 Singles Airplay – Top of the Year 1997. Romanian Top 100. ro. 4 May 2020. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20050122082314/http://www.rt100.ro/topul-anului-1997.html. 22 January 2005.
  23. Top 100 Singles 1997. Music Week. 27. 17 January 1998.
  24. The Club Top 100 of 1997. Music Week, in RM (Dance Update Supplemental insert). 10 January 1998. 5. 9 January 2023. J.D. Considine.
  25. The Year in Music 1997: Hot Dance Maxi-Singles Sales. Billboard. 109. 52. YE-45. 27 December 1997.
  26. New Releases: Singles. Music Week. 35. 19 August 1996. 12 June 2021.
  27. New Releases: Singles. Music Week. 33. 3 May 1997.
  28. Upcoming New Releases. Hits. 11. 552. 54. 19 July 1997.
  29. You're Not Alone . . 2002 . CD liner notes . Kontor Records.
  30. Web site: Oficiální česká hitparáda - 22/2002. IFPI CR. cs. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20020601185717/http://www.ifpicr.cz/radio.htm. 1 June 2002. 9 February 2021.
  31. Web site: Romanian peak . 25 December 2004 . 21 May 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20041225043304/http://www.rt100.ro/editie-top-100_x10021.html . 25 December 2004 .
  32. Web site: OLiS – oficjalna lista airplay. OLiS. pl. 1 July 2024. Select week 22.06.2024–28.06.2024..
  33. You're Not Alone . . 2011 . CD liner notes . Embassy of Music.
  34. http://germancharts.com/airplay_charts.asp German Airplay Chart
  35. Dance Club Songs – June 17, 2017. Billboard. 17 June 2017. 6 June 2017.
  36. Web site: Lloyds Bank Ad Song 2018 – 'You're Not Alone' Running of the Horses – Advert Music. tvadsongs.uk. 3 May 2018.