TMYB is a nice song, I do like it, but it really felt like a "quick release another song that seems similar to FDOML and hopefully it will be another smash in German-speaking countries", a #21 place seems like the right one for me.

 

Numb is a very nice one, good pick.

 

 

You know I respect your opinions Joseph & of course taste is subjective! There’s no right or wrong way to approach these songs, and I honestly think it’s really nice that the generally less appreciated Mel C moments are songs that you’re liking!

 

So this post is of course just my point of view regarding the songs & hopefully some interesting comments on how the singles were received back in the day. Definitely not a suggestion that Joseph shouldn’t feel how he feels (I know you’ll know this :heart: This disclaimer is mainly for the benefit of others so that they can understand where I’m coming from).

I have to say, I definitely prefer Weak to almost every song listed by comparison! Maybe I like First Day of My Life slightly more. I think if I was to present a Melanie C rank, those other songs would have departed by now!

 

At the time of release, The Moment You Believe came across to me like it was intentionally created to try and replicate the success of First Day, which I suppose was an understandable business move, but I feel that the song was too mellow by comparison & didn’t hit in the same way. I do quite like it, but it’s more of a “this is pleasant, easy listening” reaction. Not very special for me though.

 

Let There Be Love is ok, but I do tend to forget about it. It was certainly a “This was a big German hit, this is a perfect career move” moment, but unfortunately it fell completely flat... not just in Germany (where it didn’t chart despite an X Factor performance!), but a lot of the fan base felt “meh” towards it! It just felt very done before. I think it indicated that she was stuck in a rut and that she had maybe lost faith in the better material she had on The Sea (or her label had).

 

Maybe I’m harsh on Better Alone because I still think it was such a crazy choice to be the second single from Beautiful Intentions. Left as an album track and I might have less negative feelings towards it. It seems clear that Melanie thought it was an incredibly strong song, but I never heard hit potential. I’ll always find it interesting that despite feeling like she had no choice but to cancel its UK release, this didn’t deter her from attempting to make Better Alone a hit elsewhere in 2006, even filming a second video for it! The outcome was exactly what I expected - a very minor hit at best, and she damaged the momentum she’d built up with First Day of My Life.

 

I think Weak sits apart from these other songs by having more of an urgency to the production, more intent behind the lyrics... I sense more passion in it. A highlight moment from The Sea! I still can’t quite believe this was the single that was her first to miss the Top 200. :( At least it was nice that Radio 2 believed in it, and they’ve been pretty supportive ever since.

I’m excited to see where these songs eventually place in your rank, Joseph! *.*

 

 

I agree with most of this... Let there be love is a nice enough listen but why she or the record company thought it was the right decision when she had tracks like Burn and Stupid Game on the record to release!?!? I do like it an album track (and it has a beautiful video) but not really here for it as a single. Also Better Alone I agree was a weird choice for a single after NBS, there were much stronger tracks on the album, always thought something like Last night on earth or You will see would have done well, funnily enough there was a version of it with Snoop Dog rapping too on Youtube which was fantastic! :wub: (Fanmade obviously).

 

The moment you believe though is one of my favourite Melanie C ballads I adore it, it's such a belt out and sing along moment and I think it's superior to First day of my life. :wub:

 

Weak is her best ballad after Northern Star, if this had been released in the 90's / early 00's could have seen it having very similar success to Northern Star it was totally let down by the crappy British public :cry:

Top 20

 

Anymore

Better Alone

Blame It On Me

Carolyna

Dear Life

First Day of My Life

Here It Comes Again

I Turn to You

If That Were Me

Let There Be Love

Let’s Love

Never Be the Same Again

Next Best Superstar

Northern Star

On the Horizon

Rock Me

Room for Love

Think About It

This Time

Who I Am

 

Any hopes for the top 20? :o

 

 

Yeah that This Time doesn't make it... oh too late :lol: There's only a few Melanie C singles that I don't like (Cosmic Shower, Cool as you, I want candy,) and This Time is one of them. I don't mind it as an album track it's ok but I remember thinking "what the heck are you doing!?" when she announced it was a single :blink:

Yeah that This Time doesn't make it... oh too late :lol: There's only a few Melanie C singles that I don't like (Cosmic Shower, Cool as you, I want candy,) and This Time is one of them. I don't mind it as an album track it's ok but I remember thinking "what the heck are you doing!?" when she announced it was a single :blink:

:o :o :o This Time is a beauty! No spoilers but I wouldn't expect it out yet :kink:

Yeh Yeh Yeh and Numb - both enjoyable bops!

 

YYY is very of its time, certainly one of the few options on Reason that seemed like it had single potential. It's unfortunate that her injury from the reality TV show The Games meant that she had to postpone the release of it by a couple of months... and then relegate it to the lesser side of a Double A Side with Melt. Has she talked about her participation in The Games in recent years? Even though it was a sports related show, I'll always be a bit surprised that she agreed to do it.

 

Numb served as a great taster from Version of Me and ended up being one of the best tracks on it! :wub:

Yeh yeh yeh should have probably been the song that started the reason campaign !!

Yeh Yeh Yeh should have a different name :coffee:

Edited June 3, 20205 yr by Mr.X

Yeh Yeh Yeh should have a different name :coffee:

 

 

Let me guess No, No, No? :lol:

Really enjoying this thread Joseph. Very interesting to hear your take on Melanie's career through fresh ears.

 

It's interesting to read that you've noticed some mis-steps with single choices, that have bugged fans for years.

 

I wonder if you've listened to many of Melanie's b-sides? I think you'll find a few gems there. In my opinion, some even overshadow the single track. For example, I found 'Love to You' and 'Like That' both more exciting than 'Here It Comes Again'. 'Stronger' is another great one.

Really enjoying this thread Joseph. Very interesting to hear your take on Melanie's career through fresh ears.

 

It's interesting to read that you've noticed some mis-steps with single choices, that have bugged fans for years.

 

I wonder if you've listened to many of Melanie's b-sides? I think you'll find a few gems there. In my opinion, some even overshadow the single track. For example, I found 'Love to You' and 'Like That' both more exciting than 'Here It Comes Again'. 'Stronger' is another great one.

Thanks so much for the reply Michael, I'm really pleased you're enjoying the read through! :heart:

 

I've heard NONE of her b-sides yet! That's gonna be my next mission now I've heard all of her studio albums, thanks so much for the recommendations! I'm actually in the process of trying to buy all of her CD singles right now (which is annoying expensive...!! :lol:)

20 Better Alone

 

 

Another ballad moment now! Better Alone is a strong ballad, but I think it's one that could have worked best as an album track perhaps? It wasn't really what she needed after Next Best Superstar I'd have thought (and the lack of UK release in the end does speak volumes). However, that doesn't stop it being a really enjoyable, solid track. Melanie's voice is at its absolute best, and it's got a belter of a chorus. I love how the production builds too!

 

Thanks so much for the reply Michael, I'm really pleased you're enjoying the read through! :heart:

 

I've heard NONE of her b-sides yet! That's gonna be my next mission now I've heard all of her studio albums, thanks so much for the recommendations! I'm actually in the process of trying to buy all of her CD singles right now (which is annoying expensive...!! :lol:)

 

 

Omg some of her B-sides are incredible! How Already Gone and I love you without trying (tbh most of the Reason B-sides) didn't make it onto albums I'll never know! I mean Miss B-sides are B-sides for a reason has some flawed taste at time :lol:

 

I made my own version of Reason using some B-sides and getting rid of some album tracks and the album is so much better for me (although I do like the album I don't think it flows great) You should try it sometime

 

1. Here it comes again

2. Yeh, yeh, yeh

3. On the horizon

4. I love you without trying

5. Reason

6. Let's love

7. Water

8. Living without you

9. Positively somewhere

10. Home

11. Knocked out

 

I took Melt out as much as it pained me because it's a beautiful track, just because I couldn't find somewhere for it where it didn't slow the album down too much. Although I like Lose myself in you I think the B-sides are stronger, and how Do I and Soul Boy got onto the album I'll never know :blink: :huh:

Ps your review on Better Alone is spot on. I'm really enjoying this thread Joseph, hope you stick around after you've done :wub:

Better Alone would be near the bottom for me .

Better Alone would be in my Top 3. Adore it

Ps your review on Better Alone is spot on. I'm really enjoying this thread Joseph, hope you stick around after you've done :wub:

Thanks Spiceboy, really glad you're enjoying :heart: I'll have to check out your rearranged version of Reason some time!!

 

Better Alone would be near the bottom for me .

Better Alone would be in my Top 3. Adore it

A polarising song! :o Pretty much in the middle for me! :lol: I love how we all seem to think quite differently about it!

I always really enjoyed Better Alone and it's UK video is also gorgeous. But yeah as a single, it never worked.

 

So strange how attached she seemed to it. It seemed to me that she was trying to compensate for not having released Reason as the second single from that album, as a way to turn things around, maybe?

 

Specially odd when she flopped with it already in the UK and then threw everything at it again in Germany lol like, let it go?!

 

This would have been a good run of singles for the album:

 

1. Beautiful Intentions

2. Next Best Superstar

3. You'll Get Yours (single mix, shorter and a bit better produced lol, more punchy)

4. Little Piece of Me

5. First Day of My Life

 

:D

19 Let’s Love

 

 

Let's Love wasn't a single in most places... but perhaps it should have been? :thinking: It was released in Japan as a single alongside its use in a Toyota advert over there, but never received a music video or any actual promotion. I'm glad the song features to some degree in her singles discography though, it's a really punchy track that I initially overlooked and have actually bumped up my rank since I started counting down. If they were going to give Yeh Yeh Yeh a double A-side, I'd have preferred this over Melt (though I suppose they wanted a ballad to contrast, which makes sense, but nonetheless...).

 

19 Let’s Love

 

One of the CD singles I don't own, and I doubt I ever will either! :cry: One of the better tracks on Reason, for sure!

Agree. Let's Love deserved better!