#i didn't know lisa stansfield was there

[fruitcage]

[my-chaos-radio]

Release: October 16, 1989

Lyrics:

I don't know where my baby is

But I'll find him, somewhere, somehow

I've got to let him know how much I care

I'll never give up looking for my baby

Been around the world and I, I, I

I can't find my baby

I don't know when, I don't know why

Why he's gone away

And I don't know where he can be, my baby

But I'm gonna find him

We had a quarrel and I let myself go

I said so many things, things he didn't know

And I was, oh, oh, so bad

I don't think he's coming back, mm, mhm

He gave the reason, the reasons he should go

And he said things he hadn't said before

And he was, oh, oh, so mad

And I don't think he's coming back, coming back

I did too much lying

Wasted too much time

Now I'm here and crying, I, I, I

Been around the world and I, I, I

I can't find my baby

I don't know when, I don't know why

Why he's gone away

And I don't know where he can be, my baby

But I'm gonna find him

So open hearted, he never did me wrong

I was the one, the weakest one of all

And now I'm, oh, oh, so sad

I don't think he's coming back, coming back

I did too much lying

Wasted too much time

Now I'm here and crying, I, I, I

Been around the world and I, I, I

I can't find my baby

I don't know when, I don't know why

Why he's gone away

And I don't know where he can be, my baby

But I'm gonna find him

I'm going to find him, my baby

Been around the world and I, I, I

I can't find my baby

I don't know when, I don't know why

Why he's gone away

And I don't know where he can be, my baby

But I'm gonna find him

I did too much lying

Wasted too much time

Now I'm here and crying, I, I, I

Been around the world and I, I, I

I can't find my baby

I don't know when, I don't know why

Why he's gone away

And I don't know where he can be, my baby

But I'm gonna find him

I've been around the world

Looking for my baby

Been around the world

And I'm gonna, I'm gonna find him

Songwriter:

Been around the world and I, I, I

I can't find my baby

I don't know when, I don't know why

Why he's gone away

And I don't know where he can be, my baby

Andy Morris / Etterlene Jordan / Mark Dwayne Debarge / Ian Devaney / Lisa Stansfield / Paul Hardcastle

SongFacts:

"All Around the World" is a song by English singer, songwriter and actress Lisa Stansfield from her debut studio album, Affection (1989). It was released as the album's second single on 16 October 1989 by Arista Records. It was written by Stansfield, Ian Devaney and Andy Morris, and produced by Devaney and Morris. The song received favorable reviews from music critics. Songwriters, Stansfield, Devaney and Morris, received the 1989 Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically. "All Around the World" was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 33rd Annual Grammy Awards. Additionally, Stansfield was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best New Artist. The song became the first of two UK number-one singles for Stansfield (the second being an appearance on George Michael and Queen's "Five Live" EP) and the first of eight top-ten hits she would achieve in that country.

In 2003, "All Around the World" was included on Biography: The Greatest Hits. In 2014, the remixes of "All Around the World" were included on the deluxe 2CD + DVD re-releases of Affection, Face Up and on the People Hold On … The Remix Anthology compilation (also on The Collection 1989–2003).

The song came down quickly and on low budget. The vocal part was made in only two takes and real strings were put on afterwards. The song is largely influenced by American singer-songwriter Barry White. As a tribute to him, they made a spoken intro on "All Around the World" like the one on the album version of White's "Let the Music Play", only shorter.

Stansfield co-wrote the lyrics of "All Around the World" with her former bandmates Ian Devaney and Andy Morris from Blue Zone. In a 2019 interview, Stansfield recalled the process when the song was made:

I came into the studio, and Ian was messing around at the piano. He had a melody, and I just started singing: "Been around the world and I, I, I…" Everyone laughed but Ian said, "Wait, it's really good, that." It just came into my head – it was nonsense, but had a really good feel to it. "I, I, I" became the main hook. We'd no idea how massive it would become.

The song was released as the second European single on 16 October 1989. It was remixed by Yvonne Turner, Eddie Gordon, Paul Witts and Steve Anderson. In North America, "All Around the World" was released as the first single on 15 January 1990 and included remixes created by The 45 King and Richard Sweret. In Japan, the single was released on 7 February 1990. Stansfield went on to become the first white British woman to reach number-one on the Billboard R&B chart, the American black music chart. A music video was made to accompany the song, directed by Philip Richardson.

[natromanxoff]

Daily Star - April 23, 1992

Credits to Roberto Macchi.

So chart-aching

Tuneless superstars can't match Freddie

I DIDN'T realise how much the world would miss Freddie Mercury until I saw his Wembley tribute this week.

Because, with a few notable exceptions, not one of the performers came within a mile of being HALF as good as Freddie.

Struggling in vain to do justice to his songs, the world's top stars sounded like they were collectively about to burst their vocal chords.

As they strained to hit the notes Freddie's voice used to master with such ease, it became embarrassingly obvious that none of them were a patch on the great man.

Elton John couldn't decide which key he was going to sing in.

His solution was to try three different ones before giving up and letting Axl Rose finish it for him.

Seal looked great, but sang as if he'd got his private parts trapped in a vice. Paul Young sounded as if he was gagging on whatever he'd had for dinner. And even Brian May had trouble not sounding like a tom cat on heat.

The only stars who looked and sounded as if they had a right to be on the stage were George Michael, Annie Lennox, Axl Rose and Lisa Stansfield.

I'm not knocking the idea of the concert. Anything that makes the world more aware of the dangers of AIDS has got to be a great thing.

But why did we have to listen to Elizabeth Taylor making that awful schmaltzy speech? She didn't tell us anything we don't already know. And her delivery was deeply embarrassing.

Sickly

"We love you all," she chortled. No wonder the audience screamed at her to get off.

Liz is a great old gal and the world should be thankful for her unstinting efforts on behalf of AIDS sufferers. But a sickly, American-style sermon was not what was needed.

Nor did we need David Bowie's theatricals, as he knelt on stage to say The Lord's Prayer.

And we shouldn't kid ourselves that stars who appear at these concerts do it all out of the goodness of their hearts.

Sure, they waive their fee. But the world-wide publicity sends their record sales soaring.

Def Leppard know this, which is why they had leaflets about their latest album distributed at Wembley station.

Message

And as for Elton John congratulating Queen for "working their asses off for three weeks" to organise the concert — I mean, come on!

The rest of us manage to work our asses off five days a week.

The concert was a good idea, and if one person heeds its message and escapes HIV infection it will have done its job.

But the greatest sadness of that concert was how glarigly obvious it is that there are no new stars to take Freddie's place.

For my money he's still the greatest showman of them all.

[Photo caption: DOUBLE ACT: Annie Lennox and Bowie. Elton (inset) was off-key.]

[Photo caption: WORTHY: George Michael]

[weaversweek]

A miscellaneous collection of female-led vocals here. The section of My Year In Mix that doesn't have a proper theme. Other than brilliance.

"Do you know" - Michelle Gayle

After leaving The Eastenders, and before joining the cast of Wolfblood, Michelle had a singing career. "Do you know" was the lead single from her patchy album Sensational, a celebration of her strong soul voice with some lovely guitar licks.

"Some kind of bliss" - Kylie Minogue

Pop Kylie? Weepie Kylie? Dance Kylie? Going Through The Motions Kylie? For me, the best Kylie is Manic Street Kylie, the Impossible Princess album was a collaboration with many indie stars of the day, chafing at the confines of her pop-dance career. The lead single was atypical of the album, which was darker and stranger and more disquieting than anything she's recorded before.

The single flopped, of course; turned out the record-buying public wanted to buy an Elton John b-side and not the living pop princess. The bold gamble didn't pay off for Kylie, as it did for Janet Jackson and for Madonna in the subsequent months. Kylie retreated back into her shell afterwards, less introspective and more predictable.

"The real thing" - Lisa Stansfield

Who remembers the Lisa Stansfield comeback of 1997? She'd been absolutely ubiquitous from summer 1989 - when Coldcut launched Lisa into the music stardom - until doing So Natural in late 1993. And then radio silence until a remix of "People hold on" at the start of 1997, the lead single from her next album.

Unlike some stars we could mention, Lisa avoided following the trends, and didn't work with other famous people from Greater Rochdale. "The real thing" is all Lisa, all the time. The song is smooth and sensual, all about Lisa falling in love, heart-eyes and dewey feelings.

"Romeo me" - Sleeper

Louise Wener and her backing band (the titular Sleeperblokes) released third album Pleased to Meet You. The fashion had changed, indie pop with a 60s aesthetic was no longer in vogue, although Louise's writing had somehow become even deeper and more meaningful.

"Romeo me", originally entitled "Romeo and Juliet", compares the narrator to the starcrossed lovers. Turned out to be a starcrossed single, the last released before the group split and Louise concentrated on her novel-writing.

"Time to say goodbye" - Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli

A little light opera into the top ten? And why not. Sarah Brightman (ex-wife of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lord Hyphen of the West End) and Andrea Bocelli (husband of Angela Giorgihu, opera's power couple) teamed up for the song - originally presented at the 1995 San Remo song contest, loosely translated into English the following year, and adding the bolero rhythm.

What's the song blithering on about? "Con te partirò" - I will leave with you. Not about goodbyes farewells so longs, but about ending one chapter of life and beginning another. It's the biggest selling single in German history, a record most unlikely to be beaten. And it was loosely covered by Donna Summer in 1999, the disco diva's final leap into the singles chart before her untimely death in 2009.

[brn1029]

On this date in music!

April 20th

1949 - Phil Spector

Phil Spector's father commited suicide when Phil was just 9 years old. The title of the song 'To Know Him Is To Love Him,' which Phil Spector wrote for the Teddy Bears, (the only vocal group of which he was a member), comes from the inscription on his father's headstone.

1957 - Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley started an eight week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'All Shook Up.' It went on to be the biggest single of 1957 selling over 2 million copies.

1959 - Dolly Parton

Goldband Records released 'Puppy Love' by a 13-year old Dolly Parton in the US, a song that was recorded two years earlier when she was just eleven years old. The song didn't chart.

1968 - Deep Purple

Deep Purple made their live debut at a gig in Tastrup, Denmark. Formerly known as Roundabout, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore suggested a new name: Deep Purple, named after his grandmother's favourite song (which had been a hit for Peter De Rose), after his grandmother had repeatedly asked if they would be performing the song.

1971 - 420

Five friends at San Rafael High School in California coined the term "4:20" as a euphemism for smoking pot. April 20th became a popular day to spark one up, as does 4:20pm. Fans of the Grateful Dead helped spread the phrase, the Boston song 'Smokin'' clocks in at 4 minutes, 20 seconds, and if you multiply the title numbers in Bob Dylan's 'Rainy Day Women #12 And #35,' you get 420.

1976 - George Harrison

George Harrison, who is good friends with Eric Idle, joined Monty Python on stage at New York's City Center. Dressed as a Canadian Mountie, Harrison joined the chorus for 'The Lumberjack Song.' No mention was made of Harrison's appearance, and few in the audience recognised him. The next night, Harry Nilsson showed up to perform the same feat, but with disastrous results, as he fell into the audience and broke his arm.

1980 - George Burns

84 year old George Burns, who starred in the movie Oh God with John Denver, became the oldest person to have a hit on the Billboard Hot 100 when 'I Wish I Was 18 Again' peaked at No.49. When asked if he wished he were 18 again, Burns replied "I wish I was 80 again." Before this, his most recent charting record had been a spoken word comedy routine with his wife and partner Gracie Allen in the summer of 1933.

1981 - John Phillips

John Phillips of The Mamas & the Papas was jailed for five years after pleading guilty to drug possession charges; the sentence was suspended after 30 days. Phillips started touring the US lecturing against the dangers of taking drugs.

1985 - Bruce Springsteen

The charity record 'We Are The World' by USA For Africa was at No.1 on the UK singles chart. The US artists' answer to Band Aid had an all-star cast including Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen, Diana Ross, Bob Dylan, Daryl Hall, Huey Lewis, Ray Charles, Billy Joel and Paul Simon plus the composer's of the track, Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie.

1991 - Steve Marriott

Steve Marriott leader of Small Faces and Humble Pie, died in a fire at his home in Essex. His work became a major influence for many 90s bands. Small Faces had the 1967 UK No.3 & US No.16 single 'Itchycoo Park', plus 1968 No.1 UK album 'Ogden's Nut Gone Flake', Humble Pie, 1969 UK No.4 single 'Natural Born Bugie'. As a child actor he played parts in Dixon of Dock Green and The Artful Dodger in Oliver.

1992 - Freddie Mercury

'A Concert For Life' took place at Wembley Stadium as a tribute to Queen singer Freddie Mercury and for aids awareness. Acts appearing included; Elton John, Roger Daltrey, Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath), David Bowie, Mick Ronson, James Hetfield, George Michael, Seal, Paul Young, Annie Lennox, Lisa Stansfield, Robert Plant, Joe Elliott and Phil Collen, Axl Rose and Slash.

1993 - Aerosmith

Aerosmith released 'Get A Grip' their 11th studio album which became their best selling album to date with sales over 20m. The album which featured the hits: 'Livin' On The Edge' and 'Crazy' also featured guests Don Henley and Lenny Kravitz.

2001 - Peter Frampton

A memorial concert for former Small Faces and Humble Pie front man Steve Marriott took place at the London Astoria with Peter Frampton, Midge Ure, Chris Farlowe and Humble Pie.

2020 - Willie Nelson

Stuck at home in lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic, Willie Nelson staged the "Come And Toke It" live stream (in reference to 420 day, "the unofficial weed holiday"), to support efforts to legalize marijuana and free those incarcerated for it. Other guests included Ziggy Marley, Kacey Musgraves, Billy Ray Cyrus and Toby Keith.