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| OCC: Gary Barlow's Biggest Solo Hits |
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 Nov 25 2020, 08:14 PM
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 BuzzJack Idol
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QUOTE Gary Barlow's biggest solo hits on the Official Chart 25 November 2020 | By George Griffiths This week, Gary Barlow is set to launch his fifth solo album, Music Played By Humans. His first standalone release in six years, the record has so far been trailed by singles Elita and Incredible - and faces serious competition from Miley Cyrus and Steps in pursuit of the Number 1 spot on the Official Albums Chart. So, we thought it was high-time we take a look at Gary's greatest hits from his solo career. As the chief songwriter of Take That, he's had a hand in some pop classics, and his golden pen has given him his own solo success - he's so far clinched three Number 1 singles. From two successive chart-toppers, a commission by the Queen and even a duet with a knight of the realm, here are Gary Barlow's top 10 biggest solo singles on the UK's Official Singles Chart. 10. Since I Saw You Last Released: 14 April 2014 Official Chart peak: Number 65 The title track from Gary's fourth and most recent solo effort, Since I Saw You Last is a very personal track for the former X Factor judge - detailing how hard he found it to establish himself as a solo artist after Take That's first split in the 90s. 9. Stronger Released: 5 July 1999 Official Chart peak: Number 16 Stronger was a contentious pick for the first single from Gary's second album, Twelve Months, Eleven Days. Primarily a dance-pop tune, it was a risky swerve away from the mid-tempo balladry of his debut. Writing in his autobiography A Better Me, Gary says he objected to the song's release and change in direction. It only managed a peak of Number 16, so maybe he knew what he was talking about. 8. Face to Face (with Elton John) Released: 20 January 2014 Official Chart peak: Number 69 Two musical legends teaming up together, Face To Face was released as the second single from Since I Saw You Last. Despite peaking at Number 69, the duet with Sir Elton John is clearly beloved by fans, comfortably earning a spot in Gary's Top 10 most popular songs. 7. So Help Me Girl Released: 11 July 1997 Official Chart peak: Number 11 The third single from his first album, So Help Me Girl didn't match the Number 1 peaks of Forever Love and Love Won't Wait, just missing out on the Top 10 and peaking at Number 11. Produced by super-producer David Foster (Celine Dion, Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey), the track is a cover of the original song by US country artist Joe Diffie. 6. Open Road Released: 31 October 1997 Official Chart peak: Number 7 The title track from Gary's debut studio album became his fourth single as a solo artist. Upon release in 1997, it hit Number 7 on the Official Singles Chart, giving the singer-songwriter his third UK Top 10 single of the campaign. Much like debut single Forever Love, it was written and produced entirely by the man himself. 5. Love Won't Wait Released: 25 April 1997 Official Chart peak: Number 1 Love Won't Wait served as the second single from Gary's debut album, Open Road, and gave him his second consecutive solo Number 1 single. Fun fact: the song is actually a discarded Madonna demo - written by the Queen of Pop and Shep Pettibone for inclusion on Bedtimes Stories - before being scrapped and given a new lease of life on Gary's album. 4. Shame (with Robbie Williams) Released: 27 August 2010 Official Chart peak: Number 2 UK Chart sales: 261,000 An iconic team-up if there ever was one. Long before Take That reunited for the mighty The Flood, Gary and Robbie buried the hatchet publicly on this nostalgia-laden duet, which was created to celebrate 20 years of Robbie's solo career. It peaked at Number 2 on the Official Singles Chart, and warmed the hearts of 90s fangirls everywhere in the process. This would not be the boys' last team-up either, he would later help co-write Robbie's comeback single Candy in 2012, which did peak at Number 1. 3. Forever Love Released: 8 July 1996 Official Chart peak: Number 1 UK Chart sales: 318,000 Every boyband member has to have a signature debut single and Gary's is no exception. Forever Love is a heartfelt mid-tempo ballad which was written and produced entirely by Gary himself. Entering the Official Singles Chart at Number 1 selling just over 100,000 copies in its first week, it gave the pop star the distinction of being the first Take That member (yep, even considering Robbie) with a solo UK Number 1 single. 2. Sing (with The Commonwealth Band featuring The Military Wives) Released: 28 May 2012 Official Chart peak: Number 1 UK Chart sales: 427,000 Gary and Andrew Lloyd-Webber were commissioned to write and compose Sing to celebrate The Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012. As such, it features over 200 musicians from around the Commonwealth, also including Gareth Malone's Military Wives choir and even Prince Harry giving a cheeky shake of the tambourine. Upon release, the song topped the Official Singles Chart in its second week and has notched up 427,000 chart sales, including 3.8 million streams. 1. Let Me Go Released: 15 November 2013 Official Chart peak: Number 2 UK Chart sales: 558,000 Let Me Go, Gary's biggest song on the UK Official Singles Chart, was written as an ode to his stillborn daughter Poppy, turning the pain of her loss into a joyful commemoration and celebration of life. It's by far Gary's biggest track too, with over half a million chart sales, including 13.6 million streams. POS TITLE ARTIST PEAK YEAR 1 Let Me Go Gary Barlow 2 2013 558,000 2 Sing Gary Barlow and the Commonwealth Band 1 2012 427,000 3 Forever Love Gary Barlow 1 1996 318,000 4 Shame Robbie Williams & Gary Barlow 2 2010 261,000 5 Love Won't Wait Gary Barlow 1 1997 6 Open Road Gary Barlow 7 1997 7 So Help Me Girl Gary Barlow 11 1997 8 Face To Face Gary Barlow feat. Elton John 69 2014 9 Stronger Gary Barlow 16 1999 10 Since I Saw You Last Gary Barlow 65 2014 ©2020 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved. https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/g...l-chart__31684/ |
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Nov 25 2020, 09:49 PM
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 Hello?
Joined: 8 March 2006
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He's had a lot of drab solo singles but Face to Face is absolutely excellent, I have no idea how that only got to No.69, his stock was quite high at the time and they performed it on the X Factor final.
Open Road was easily my favourite from his early career, for me it would have made a great debut solo single. |
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Nov 25 2020, 10:59 PM
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BuzzJack Platinum Member
Joined: 10 March 2006
Posts: 19,161 User: 151
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'Love Won't Wait' was a Madonna reject?! Never knew that!
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Nov 25 2020, 11:09 PM
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BuzzJack Idol
Joined: 8 December 2010
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QUOTE(M4NGO @ Nov 25 2020, 10:59 PM)  'Love Won't Wait' was a Madonna reject?! Never knew that! Here's the original!  |
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Nov 25 2020, 11:19 PM
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BuzzJack Platinum Member
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Posts: 19,161 User: 151
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^ Thanks! I think I prefer Madonna's version but it definitely would have sounded out of place on 'Bedtime Stories'.
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Nov 25 2020, 11:40 PM
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Shakin Stevens
Joined: 29 December 2007
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QUOTE(gooddelta @ Nov 25 2020, 09:49 PM) He's had a lot of drab solo singles but Face to Face is absolutely excellent, I have no idea how that only got to No.69, his stock was quite high at the time and they performed it on the X Factor final. Open Road was easily my favourite from his early career, for me it would have made a great debut solo single. Yeh was strange at how much of a relative flop it was |
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Nov 26 2020, 01:53 AM
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BuzzJack Idol
Joined: 29 June 2006
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Face to face is one of my faves along with forever love and let me go. Live wont wait I was never a huge fan and was by far my least liked single from his debut, the madonna version is even worse.
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Nov 26 2020, 08:02 AM
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BuzzJack Legend
Joined: 13 November 2015
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I think Face to Face didn't do well cos it was a post-album single and it was not easy for post-album tracks to chart at the time.
One thing I never understood is how Gary Barlow ended up with a Madonna demo. How did he have access to that?  cos if I remember from that time, it's not that Madonna sent it to him, Gary just found her demo, but no clue how
This post has been edited by Bjork: Nov 26 2020, 09:30 AM |
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Nov 26 2020, 08:21 AM
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BuzzJack Platinum Member
Joined: 31 August 2010
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I like LWW at the time, its not too great now.
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Nov 26 2020, 10:28 AM
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BuzzJack Platinum Member
Joined: 10 March 2006
Posts: 19,161 User: 151
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QUOTE(Bjork @ Nov 26 2020, 08:02 AM) One thing I never understood is how Gary Barlow ended up with a Madonna demo. How did he have access to that? cos if I remember from that time, it's not that Madonna sent it to him, Gary just found her demo, but no clue how A quick google reveals that the song was passed around after Madonna ditched it in favour of a more R&B sound for 'Bedtime Stories' and one of the people it was sent to was Gary Barlow's manager. |
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Nov 26 2020, 03:53 PM
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BuzzJack Idol
Joined: 29 June 2006
Posts: 128,409 User: 845
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Since i saw you last while not an official single almost did as good as face to face which was a single, but both are great though.
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Nov 26 2020, 03:58 PM
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BuzzJack Platinum Member
Joined: 10 March 2006
Posts: 19,161 User: 151
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QUOTE(Feel_The_Fever @ Nov 26 2020, 03:53 PM) Since i saw you last while not an official single almost did as good as face to face which was a single, but both are great though. Pretty sure 'Since I Saw You Last' was an official single. |
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Nov 26 2020, 04:20 PM
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 10 November 2010
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Yeah Face to Face was a victim of the success of Let Me Go and the great performance of the album.
Gary never liked LWW, it was given to him by Simon Fuller. |
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 Nov 27 2020, 08:42 AM
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 BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 10 April 2008
Posts: 3,669 User: 5,829
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QUOTE(jay727 @ Nov 26 2020, 06:20 PM) Gary never liked LWW, it was given to him by Simon Fuller. * Simon Cowell? This post has been edited by Voodoo: Nov 27 2020, 08:42 AM |
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Nov 27 2020, 02:16 PM
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"Jayrusaleminians" - Umi.
Pronouns: he/him
Joined: 4 April 2007 Posts: 41,425 User: 3,217
      
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QUOTE(Voodoo @ Nov 27 2020, 08:42 AM) * Simon Cowell? Simon Fuller briefly managed Gary Barlow. He was definitely Gary's manager for the release of Love Won't Wait, but it's a little unclear when they parted company, other than it being sometime in 1997. The Sun, 3rd May 1997: Gary has been closer to The Spice Girls' success than most as they share a manager, Simon Fuller. With Fuller - now a serious player in US music circles - Gary stands a very real chance of making his American dream a reality. He also has the backing of one of the most influential men in showbiz, Arista Records' Clive Davis. They have helped him create an album of self-penned songs, co-writes and cover versions painstakingly made with the difficult-to-please Yanks in mind. But one man not now in Gary's life is Take That's creator Nigel Martin-Smith. Gary admits - not without shame - that he parted company from Martin-Smith because he didn't 'fit in' with his ambitious plans. "It's not something I'm at all proud of" Gary says. "And I did it in a really s**t way. I sent Nigel a letter from my lawyer and didn't even phone him. He had no warning and it must have been a hell of a shock. But I couldn't cope with doing it face to face. After six brilliant years I just couldn't walk into his office and tell him I was looking for a new manager. But it was time to move on and Simon was the right man to help me crack it as a a solo artist here and in the States. He has shown that with The Spice Girls. I can never repay Nigel - I wouldn't be here now if it wasn't for him - but I just had to act in my own best interests." Independent, 16th March 1998: But he's given two managers their marching orders since the TT split: Nigel Martin-Smith for not being into breaking him in the US enough, and Simon Fuller, who had enough on his plate at the time with the Spice Girls (until they dumped him, too). |
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