nirvanamusic

I still like It Only Takes a Minute and the difference with Take That compared to Boyzone, Westlife and other boybands is that they made their four covers (How Deep Is Your Love less so) their own. They feel and sound like unique Take That records as opposed to carbon copys of the originals, aided by a savvy manager who picked unfamiliar/different arrangements for these songs. Everything stepped up for this single which is understandable considering this was make or break for them, hence the cover. The image, routines, video, production was great for this single. I still find myself singing parts of it which is testament to its longevity. The comment above is perfect and didn't think of it like that, it is 2 Unlimited merged into SAW with a catchy hook.

I agree Reach Out would have been a better single choice and Top 10 also. I can see a fantastic music video to accompany this track also due to its positive, energetic driving sound. Back then not to have a music video was seen as odd and it would have benefitted the track greatly. I think everything around this third single was rushed whether it was I'd Wait For Life in the UK or Reach Out in Europe, both seem to have been afterthoughts with no strategic plans. Odd considering they had just come off two number one singles and were still in the establishing phase of their reunion. It would be great to get an explanation. I know they cut the promotion of I'd Wait For Life short. Panic at the mid weeks, maybe? Better to claim half in than full commitment. Though as I say Reach Out wasn't given much thought either and did well off fan power and goodwill generated from their previous two singles.

I love the upbeat summer feel of Let in the Sun, though that said it isn't replayed too often by myself. I was amazed that the song didn't chart, even lowly, off the back of their Brit Awards performance.

There was a huge possibility that A Million Love Songs could never have seen the light of day. The sixth single from their debut this should have been released a lot sooner than it was. Based on their chart trajectory they could have been history and no one would ever have known this song. This after all was THE song which got their managers attention and started everything for them. Their Angels in the back pocket, in case of emergencies. Robbie said he always knew they would be alright because they had this song. It is a classic and as such sounds that way, devoid of trends and gimmicks, timeless.

I like Promises, it has a great catchy chorus and sound which keeps it infectious still. The video is also great for capturing that early new excitement and fun. Promises going in at #38 and being on the Chart Show remains the most exciting chart position Robbie ever had. On hearing it announced and played, he jumped so much on the bed in the hotel he broke it. It also marks the debut of the iconic TT logo.

What a nightmare system for clarity of sales. I did wonder why certain songs/albums were taking forever to add small sales to be certified. Hopefully BPI and The Official Charts Company will do a complete sales update for their singles/albums to be used as reference.

For groups from their era Take That have done well, sales from others (East 17 - Stay Another Day the exception -, Boyzone etc) have been frozen in time. Back For Good, Never Forget, Everything Changes, and A Million Love Songs have all reached higher sales certifications since the reunion. There are three 90s Take That songs I'm surprised haven't reached Platinum based on their status and longevity: Pray, Relight My Fire and A Million Love Songs. The last two being on Silver (!) though Relight My Fire is closing in on Gold status.

They didn't release The Day After Tomorrow as the fourth single as planned in Christmas 1995. In early January they decided to split with the announcement in February which killed the sales for Nobody Else dead in the water. Between Never Forget released in July and February the following year when they announced the split --on Robbie's birthday-- there wasn't the planned single released to fill that void and bump sales. How Deep Is Your Love was announced at the press conference as the next and final single and the Greatest Hits to follow meant attention turned to this. That is what has been said anyway. There are a lot of their 90s songs which should have higher sales certs in today's context but they were succesful for the times and population. Few singles went Platinum and even the top 10 year end best sellers were filled with Gold status singles. The pop/general cd sales boom came after them in the late 90s. Take That & Party had 7 singles released. Everything Changes, 6. Nobody Else, 3, so even with two huge hits that is still a lot less promotion, visibility, and longevity for the album.

I like Sure and feel it is a good single option, though not as a lead. It sounds very American New Jack Swing and East 17 inspired, trend of the year 1994 as opposed to being original or classically constructed (timeless). This also marked the (brief) change in their image: shaved head, dreadlocks, eyebrow piercing, beards, Mark nose ring, jet black single artwork and dingy lighting etc. Again perhaps copying East 17 for a stronger, broader image. Nobody Else had loads of great single options in my opinion: The Day After Tomorrow, Sunday to Saturday --Japan only release, #9 peak--, Nobody Else, Holding Back the Tears. With the exception of the TV show 'Derry Girls' which loves to play a snippet of the track -the pause after the piano intro when the song comes back in and lyrics begin ''sure, so sure'', it is largely forgotten. I agree the two classics which followed this doesn't help Sure's cause and identity. Interesting note about the graphics, I read Tom Watkins (East 17 manager) comment in an interview about how Nigel Martin Smith (Take That manager) was clueless about artwork in contrast to himself and East 17. I have to agree he was right, they had better artwork. The long music video isn't a hit with me either and makes me want to skip the track altogether. I suppose Robbie coming back from the shops is mildly funny but what was the purpose? Did music video stations at the time play it in full? I have only ever seen the video start on music channels when the group first sing and are dancing in the string vests. Basically the part Derry Girls loves.

I like Cry, though I couldn't hear it on repeat. It is great live and adds a different energy and style. I think for that reason it is a good single choice and like you say returned them to the Top 40. The song was also certified Silver (200,000) despite its low peak, three years after release, so proved a hit for both parties. Aided by the live exposure given to the track over time. Not many, if any, boybands have a Drum 'n' Bass track in their catalogue.

I Found Heaven as you say remains the only Take That single to remain on the black list. It once had company there until Do What U Like was removed upon the band finally embracing it years later. For me I don't like I Found Heaven, a few of the lyrics make me cringe. A great pub quiz question with many wrong answers. People for the most part incorrectly state Could It Be Magic or Everything Changes as Robbie's first ever lead vocal on a single due to its higher recognition and the fact is wasn't shared. Personally, I would have preferred Give Good Feeling released as a single over this. I can't believe THE classic original song of theirs from the debut still hadn't been released at this point, five singles in, considering their fluctuating chart success. It could have changed their whole singles trajectory and future choices. Take That were going to do things the hard way.

Wow, just read those reviews... the question is: do they listen to the audience prior to release day or stand wholeheartedly with their creative decisions?

I agree with the above post. Those were my thoughts exactly. All the other biopics have been softened versions of reality as they are essentially hoping for a sales revival and don't want their protagonist too far removed from likeability. I had high hopes for Greatest Days -Take That feature musical- in Britain at least, but that left after two weeks in the cinemas. It is a hard one to call until the movie is out. I will admit I was excited but now I'm apprehensive. There is a long period still before it is released.

I wasn't aware but that is a long gap for a pop act between records. They definitely lost momentum with the general public somewhere within that time. I think Windows is fine as a single, but agree not as a lead. The album is good, not great, and I like the fact they once again have expanded sounds and genres. The group are in a catch 22 situation, they don't want to just produce the same song and sound for their core audience, like Westlife for example. They continue to develop and expand as a group, not just rely on a safe formula. Whether it works or not at least they have tried new avenues.

Once You've Tasted Love feels like a Pointless answer on the hit gameshow. It doesn't have the notoriety of Do What U Like, the Top 40 chart breakthrough status of Promises or the mania which followed future releases. The song is ok but feels like a song their manager may have liked in his youth as opposed to that of the young group who came more into their own identity after this point.

Completely agree with the review about New Day. The album, aside from Giants, was slim pickings. The only other songs I remember are River for its energy and title track Wonderland's instrumentation. However, I don't feel either could have pushed the album back up the charts. Wonderland has the unfortunate status as their first studio album to miss out on number one (entry at 2) since their debut in 1992 and also first to not go Platinum. The video for New Day is different and fun at least.

I think the remixed version released as a single was great for their sound and also being contemporary. I know it used to be Robbie and Howards favourite song by the group, as mentioned during the Progress era. It was a key single in broadening their audience and appeal, very East 17 with the break beats. Had they released the original version from the music video above they would have risked being type cast, plus they had released a better ballad in A Million Love Songs. I have to say the singles from Everything Changes were spot on and although I enjoy Another Crack In My Heart from the album, it wouldn't have been in favour of the diverse singles they put out for this album campaign.

I remember Take That's split and the crazy aftermath --not seen before or since-- but not How Deep Is Your Love. I always assumed Never Forget was their swansong. What also struck me to learn was how succesful this final single was worldwide. It has definitely grown on me over time and they make enough slight changes to give their version an identity. I just wish they had stuck to their original plan and released The Day After Tomorrow as the fourth single in December 1995, followed by this single the following April. It would have meant sales for Nobody Else wouldn't have been dead in the water following the split and Greatest Hits news. The Day After Tomorrow often ranks high on Take That under-rated gems lists and has a brooding vibe with fantastic vocal arrangements. It could have been a hit in the US/worldwide following Back For Good's huge success across 1995. They could have capitalised with a music video set in New York city. How Deep Is Your Love is acceptable though it would have been nice to have gone out on an original song. Unlike other boybands they weren't defined by their cover versions.

I forgot this was the last song to feature all five, which is a shame. When We Were Young has always been a non starter for me because it had already been bettered. More on that later. The song kind of plods along and never gets out of first gear. Forgotten. Having looked back over the Progressed track listing aside from Love Love, the stand out of the eight new tracks, When We Were Young makes sense to follow that up as the best option due to its thematical content to close out the Progress/Progressed chapter. A far more striking close for this reunion though was a song both fans and critics alike were crying out to become a single: Eight Letters. The sample, emotion, sentiment - written by Robbie, sang by Gary - and a perfect closer not only for this reunion chapter but their history up to that point. With a full proper release for Eight Letters and a striking music video, I believe it would rank high in Take That's overall canon. When you stand these two next to each other (both essentially occupy the same theme) it only shows When We Were Young's weaknesses in comparision.

Like the band I am confused with Do What U Like. Is it a good or bad thing? When they first came back in 2005 it was the only track omitted from both the album and video collection of Never Forget: The Ultimate Collection. The music video was also restricted from Youtube at Gary/the band/possibly Robbie's request for years. However it would appear some years later when the group finally just decided to embrace it. Though having watched the link above I didn't realise their was a non nude/mop and jelly version of the infamous music video, till now. A compromise and agreed edit clearly having been reached. It was after all designed to garner attention and thus served its purpose well. The video is still being talked about after all when other singles have faded from public attention. It is also used positively as a tool to show how far they came from Do What U Like to Back For Good - nowhere to the biggest pop single worldwide of 1995. It also inspired a great joke from the band about how they sold more records once they put their clothes back on. The song itself isn't the greatest and is ignored by myself, I always think Promises was their debut but no that was their chart breakthrough. Regarding the singles from their debut Could It Be Magic, A Million Love Songs, It Only Takes A Minute and Promises get play from myself, alongside Take That and Party and Give Good Feeling from the album. A debut album which is very patchy and dated when compared even with Everything Changes, released only a year later. Give Good Feeling I feel would have been a better single choice due to its dance house vibe. I agree with the observation about later boybands and how they would all go in at number one or at least top 10. A luxury of the tried and tested path and radio/television backing laid out by Take That for future likewise iterations. I suppose ultimately that was part of their legacy, for better or for worse. Bros and New Kids on the Block before them would also have false starts before finding huge chart success so maybe it was a harder era to consolodate/build an initial huge audience?

You are correct, first time around he had one line in Never Forget: "We've come so far and we've reached so high"

I totally agree that Reach Out would have been a better single in the UK. Coupled with a great music video it could have been a hit. I would have placed I'd Wait For Life above maybe a handful of other singles yet to come. As a single from the Beautiful World period I would have loved Wooden Boat for Jason with a proper music video. That way they would have been the only boyband to have had all members lead on a hit song (potentially speaking in this case) What a great way to show the bands talent, no driftwood in Take That. The song was a critics and fan favourite when the album was released. It would also have reaffirmed the new shared Take That principles to the wider public and given Jason his moment. I agree that I'd Wait For Life is taken under by the juggernauts that are Patience, Shine, and Rule The World in a way that Reach Out's drive and enthusiasm or Jason's first lead Wooden Boat wouldn't.

An interesting story about Love Ain't Here Anymore is that Lou Pearlman, the manager of Backstreet Boys and NSYNC, heard Take That's song rewrote the lyrics and presented it to NSYNC saying he wrote it and was an early recording for them. They performed the song in Germany but the audience laughed throughout and the local record executives told them after it was a Take That song that had been released. Lance told both Gary and Robbie this story on his podcast with them. Hope the link above to I'll Be Back For More, NSYNC, works. Pearlman would also rip off British r'n'b boyband MN8's I've Got A Little Something For You and gave it to Backstreet Boys as their debut single We've Got It Goin' On the following year. Backstreet Boys other manager Johnny Wright told a member of MN8 this later after the BSB song was released.

Love Ain't Here Anymore would be in my Top 7. It is easy listening, gorgeous strings and orchestration, brilliant vocal arrangements. It has always had more plays from me over the years than Everything Changes, Babe, Why Can't I Wake Up With You and Relight My Fire from that album. Though Pray remains my favourite from 'Everything Changes' and a high favourite overall. The group seem to have disowned this and I don't understand why. Yes it halted their number 1's streak, briefly, but it was the sixth single off an album that had already sold extensively. I think they would be surprised the reaction this would get on tour with a full orchestra. Any other time it might have gone to #1, however, it was beaten by the largest selling single of 1994 in the UK (Love Is All Around, Wet Wet Wet) and the largest selling single of 1994 in the US (I Swear, All-4-One) Therefore I feel the band should put that into context. The song really showcases them as a vocal group. The US version of this they put out is awful, a slow dull dirge. I much prefer this pop version.

I agree as this is my least favourite as well. However, I do like the fact they expanded their genres and scope. As you say unique but its just not for me and forgotten. Everlasting would have been a better choice from the new songs off Odyssey.