Northern Star (song)

"Northern Star" is a song by British singer-songwriter, Melanie C. It is the title track from her debut solo album of the same name and it was released as the second single in the winter of 1999. It was written by Melanie C and Rick Nowels. The song was produced by Marius De Vries and received positive reception from music critics. The single charted at number four on the UK Singles Chart, becoming her third top-five single. It additionally reached the top 20 in Finland, Italy, and Sweden. In the United Kingdom, the single sold over 200,000 copies.

"Northern Star"
Single by Melanie C
from the album Northern Star
B-side	"Follow Me" "Something's Gonna Happen"
Released	29 November 1999
Recorded	1999
Genre	Dream pop ambient electronica
Length	4:10 (single version) 4:41 (album version) 5:31 (full version)
Label	Virgin
Songwriter(s)	Melanie Chisholm Rick Nowels
Producer(s)	Marius De Vries
Melanie C singles chronology
"Goin' Down" (1999) "Northern Star" (1999) "Never Be the Same Again" (2000)
Audio sample
file help
Music video
"Northern Star" on YouTube

Composition

"Northern Star" is a mid-tempo pop song with elements of electronica and ambient music. According to the sheet music published by Musicnotes.com by Hal Leonard Corporation, "Northern Star" is composed in the key of A major, and is written in the time signature of common time. It is set in a moderate tempo of 101 beats per minute, with Chisholm's voice spanning from B₅ to E♭₃. The song has a basic sequence of Dm–Am–B♭–C as its chord progression.[1]

Music video

The music video for "Northern Star" was shot in South Africa and London by director Steve Green. Melanie was shot against a green screen in a London studio on 8–9 September 1999, whilst the backdrop footage was shot previously during a rainy August just outside Cape Town, South Africa.[2] It starts off looking into a starry sky at night gradually moving down, looking out to sea towards a large star, with Melanie walking down a rocky coast surrounded by a desert. She then walks in between two train tracks and as the chorus begins, two trains drive at high speed in opposite directions, later there is a brief scene in a cave with miners. Then Melanie walks through a somewhat Arctic-like area which blends into an urban setting which instantly changes into a sandy beach. During the instrumental she is seen walking through a forest and crossing over a river during daytime, later back in an urban building set. The video ends with her back on the coast at night.

Formats and track listings

• European CD single 1

1. "Northern Star" (Single Version) — 4:10
2. "Follow Me" — 4:45

• Australian CD single / European CD single 2 / UK CD single 1

1. "Northern Star" (Single Version) — 4:11
2. "Follow Me" — 4:48
3. "Northern Star" (Full Version) — 5:35
4. "Northern Star" (Video) — 3:57

• UK CD single 2

1. "Northern Star" (Single Version) — 4:10
2. "Something's Gonna Happen" — 3:59
3. "Northern Star" (Acoustic Version) — 2:51

• Digital download / UK cassette single

1. "Northern Star" (Single Version) — 4:10
2. "Follow Me" — 4:47
3. "Northern Star" (Full Version) — 5:34

Live performances

Melanie C performed the song on the following concert tours:

• From Liverpool to Leicester Square
• Northern Star Tour
• Reason Tour
• The Barfly Mini-Tour
• Beautiful Intentions Tour
• This Time Canadian Tour
• The Sea – Live

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (1999–2000) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[3] 82 scope="row" Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[4] 9 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[5] 31 scope="row" Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[6] 16 scope="row" Germany (Official German Charts)[7] 50 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[8] 22 Italy (Musica e dischi)[9] 14 scope="row" Scotland (OCC)[10] 5 scope="row" Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[11] 7 scope="row" Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[12] 75 scope="row" UK Singles (OCC)[13] 4

Year-end charts Chart (1999) Position Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[14] 80 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales Sweden (GLF)[15] Gold 15,000^^ United Kingdom (BPI)[16] Silver 216,000[17] ^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Chisholm, Melanie; Nowels, Rick (1999). "Digital Sheet Music – Melanie C – Northern Star". Musicnotes.com. Hal Leonard Corporation. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
3. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
4. "Ultratop.be – Melanie C – Northern Star" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
5. "Billboard: Eurochart Hot 100". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 111 (51). 18 December 1999. ISSN 0006-2510.
6. "Melanie C: Northern Star" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
7. "Offiziellecharts.de – Melanie C – Northern Star". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
8. "Íslenski Listinn Sætin 21 til 40 (17.2– 24.2 2000)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 18 February 2000. p. 12. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
9. "Hits of the World – Italy" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 112 no. 6. 5 February 2000. p. 88. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
10. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
11. "Swedishcharts.com – Melanie C – Northern Star". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
12. "Swisscharts.com – Melanie C – Northern Star". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
13. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
14. "Årslista Singlar, 1999" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
15. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2000" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
16. "British single certifications – Melanie C – Northern Star". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
17. Copsey, Rob (29 June 2017). "The ultimate Official Spice Girls solo chart: all their singles ranked by sales". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 July 2019.