"Northern Star"
Single by Melanie C
from the album Northern Star
B-side
Released22 November 1999 (1999-11-22)
StudioVarious (Los Angeles, London, Glasgow)
Length
  • 4:41 (album version)
  • 4:10 (single version)
  • 5:31 (full version)
LabelVirgin
Songwriter(s)
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

"Northern Star" is a song by British singer-songwriter Melanie C. It is the title track from her debut solo album and was released as the album's second single on 22 November 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 216,000 copies as of June 2017.

Composition

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. The single lasts just over four minutes, being edited from the full track, which lasts almost five and a half minutes.

Music video

The music video for "Northern Star" was shot in England on 8–9 September 1999.[1] It starts off looking into a starry sky at night gradually moving down, looking out to sea towards a large star, with Melanie C 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 C 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.

Track listings

Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from the Northern Star album booklet.[6]

Studios

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Sweden (GLF)[21] Gold 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[22] Silver 216,000[23]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States 25 October 1999 Virgin [24]
26 October 1999 Contemporary hit radio [25]
United Kingdom 22 November 1999
  • CD
  • cassette
 [26]

References

  1. ↑ "Mega MelC Inside Info". spicenews.com. 30 September 1999. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  2. ↑ Northern Star (UK CD1 & Australian CD single liner notes). Melanie C. Virgin Records. 1999. VSCDT1748, 7243 8 96388 0 6.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. ↑ Northern Star (UK CD2 liner notes). Melanie C. Virgin Records. 1999. VSCDX1748, 7243 8 96388 2 0.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ↑ Northern Star (UK cassette single sleeve). Melanie C. Virgin Records. 1999. VSC1748, 7243 8 96388 4 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. ↑ Northern Star (European CD single liner notes). Melanie C. Virgin Records. 1999. VSCDE 1748, 7243 8 96389 2 9.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ↑ Northern Star (UK CD album booklet). Melanie C. Virgin Records. 1999. CDV2893, 7243 8 48469 2 3.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  8. ↑ "Melanie C – Northern Star" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  9. ↑ "Oficiální Česká Hitparáda – Pro týden" (in Czech). IFPI ČR. Archived from the original on 3 March 2000. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  10. ↑ "Billboard: Eurochart Hot 100". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 51. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 18 December 1999. ISSN 0006-2510.
  11. ↑ "Melanie C: Northern Star" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
  12. ↑ "Melanie C – Northern Star" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  13. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Sætin 21 til 40 (17.2– 24.2 2000)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 18 February 2000. p. 12. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  14. ↑ "Hits of the World – Italy" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 6. 5 February 2000. p. 88. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  15. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  16. ↑ "Melanie C – Northern Star". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
  17. ↑ "Melanie C – Northern Star". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
  18. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
  19. ↑ "Årslista Singlar, 1999" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  20. ↑ "Best Sellers of 1999: Singles Top 100". Music Week. 22 January 2000. p. 27.
  21. ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2000" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  22. ↑ "British single certifications – Melanie C – Northern Star". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  23. ↑ 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.
  24. ↑ "Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1322. 22 October 1999. pp. 87, 91.
  25. ↑ "CHR/Pop: Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1322. 22 October 1999. p. 51.
  26. ↑ "New Releases – For Week Starting 22 November, 1999: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 20 November 1999. p. 29. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
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