"Where Do You Go"
Single by No Mercy
from the album No Mercy/My Promise
B-side"Where Do You Go" (remix)
Released13 May 1996 (1996-05-13)
GenreDance-pop
Length4:29
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Frank Farian
No Mercy singles chronology
"Missing (I Miss You Like the Deserts Miss the Rain)"
(1995)		 "Where Do You Go"
(1996)		 "When I Die"
(1996)
Music video
"Where Do You Go" on YouTube

"Where Do You Go" is a song written by Peter Bischof and Frank Farian. It was first recorded in 1995 by German Eurodance band La Bouche as an album-only track from their debut album, Sweet Dreams (1995). A cover version of the song was then recorded by American-German Europop trio No Mercy, taken from their debut album, My Promise (1996). On 13 May 1996, it was released as their first single and became a worldwide hit entering the top five in Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

American entertainment company BuzzFeed ranked the song number eight in their list of "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s" in 2017.[1] In 2021, it was ranked number forty in their list of "The 50 Best '90s Songs of Summer".[2]

Background and release

The group's frontman Marty Cintron was discovered by German music producer Frank Farian when he played at a club in Ocean Drive, Miami. He suggested that they should do a project together. Cintron then went to Farian's studio in Germany. Farian thought the best way to go was with a group, so Cintron introduced him to twin brothers and dancers Ariel and Gabriel Hernández which he had worked with earlier. They had toured with Prince and been in some of his videos. The first song the group recorded was "Missing", which Farian had gotten permission to record after hearing the song in Ibiza.[3] Their version made it to the top 5 in Switzerland and became a big hit throughout Europe. But it was their next single, "Where Do You Go", which was released in May 1996, that became an international success. It peaked at number-one in Denmark, Ireland and Scotland.

Content

"Where Do You Go" is a dance track with a 4/4 rhythm structure, running at a speed of 127 beats per minute. It is built around a drum beat that was sampled from the Todd Terry remix of the song "Missing", by English act Everything But The Girl. The chorus hook "where do you go, my lovely?" references Peter Sarstedt's 1969 hit "Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)".

Critical reception

AllMusic editor Leo Stanley highlighted the song in his review of No Mercy, stating that "they have enough hooks and beats to crossover to the charts and dancefloors."[4] Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Look for this Latin male trio to continue Arista's winning streak of slam-dunking Euro-splashed dance ditties on pop radio." He added, "This time, the beats are spiked with fluttering acoustic guitar riffs and making for a jam that will have punters revisiting their fave old hustle dance steps. Icing on the cake is an immediately contagious chorus and an irresistible a cappella breakdown midway through the song. Fun, fun, fun."[5] Matt Stopera and Brian Galindo from BuzzFeed noted, "Spanish guitar + aggressive '90s dance-music beat = perfection."[6] A reviewer from Chicago Sun-Times deemed it "bewitching".[7] Bob Cannon from Entertainment Weekly said that "like any good dance track, its hook buries itself deep in your brain." He also complimented its "snazzy flamenco guitar licks and production touches".[8] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report commented, "This trio of experienced dancers/performers will find a warm reception from Top 40 programmers searching for fresh sounds to fill those pop/dance slots. The threesome hail from Miami and are currently breaking in Europe with this polished, uptempo production."[9] Howard Cohen for The Miami Herald wrote, "The club song's sole distinction, aside from its fluttery flamenco guitar licks, is an insistently annoying chorus hook you can't shake."[10] Also Diana Valois from The Morning Call stated that its guitar riff "still sounds irresistible".[11] Alan Jones from Music Week said it "shuffles along in much the same style as Missing, with tasteful acoustic guitars and a nicely understated dance beat. Tuneful, well sung and very likely a hit."[12]

Chart performance

"Where Do You Go" was very successful on the charts all over the world, peaking at number-one on both the Canadian RPM Dance/Urban chart and the US Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales chart. In Europe, it reached the top spot in Denmark, Ireland and Scotland. The single made it to the Top 10 also in Austria, Belgium (Wallonia), France, Germany, Hungary (number two), Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100, where it reached number four. In the UK, "Where Do You Go" peaked at number two in its fourth week at the UK Singles Chart, on 2 February 1997.[13] It was held off reaching the top spot by LL Cool J's "Ain't Nobody" and spent two weeks at that position. Additionally, it was a Top 20 hit in Finland and a Top 30 hit in Iceland. Outside Europe, it reached number two in Australia, number five on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Cash Box Top 100 in the US, and number 27 in New Zealand. The single earned a gold record in New Zealand and the US and a platinum record in Australia, Germany, and the UK.

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Where Do You Go" was directed by Austrian film director and film producer Hannes Rossacher and premiered in September 1996. It was filmed in Miami, Florida.

Impact and legacy

In 2017, BuzzFeed ranked "Where Do You Go" number eight in their "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs Of the '90s" list.[14] In 2019, Billboard placed it at number 189 in their ranking of "Billboard's "Top Songs of the '90s".[15] In 2021, BuzzFeed ranked the song number 40 in their "The 50 Best '90s Songs of Summer" list.[16]

Track listings

Charts

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for "Where Do You Go"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[70] Platinum 70,000^
Germany (BVMI)[71] Platinum 500,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[72] Gold 5,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[73] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[74] Gold 700,000[75]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Where Do You Go"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Germany 13 May 1996 CD
[76]
United States 28 May 1996 Contemporary hit radio Arista [77]
18 June 1996 CD [78]
Japan 21 September 1996
  • MCI
  • BMG
 [79]
United Kingdom 6 January 1997
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 Arista [80]

References

  1. ↑ "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
  2. ↑ Stopera, Matt; Galindo, Brian (29 June 2021). "The 50 Best '90s Songs Of Summer". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  3. ↑ Arena, James (2017). Stars of 90's Dance Pop: 29 Hitmakers Discuss Their Careers. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc.
  4. ↑ Stanley, Leo. "No Mercy - No Mercy". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  5. ↑ Flick, Larry (1 June 1996). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  6. ↑ Stopera, Matt; Galindo, Brian (11 March 2017). "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  7. ↑ "No Mercy on the way up `Where Do You Go' lands group at top of charts". Chicago Sun-Times. 27 October 1996. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  8. ↑ Cannon, Bob (20 September 1996). "Where Do You Go". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  9. ↑ Sholin, Dave (24 May 1996). "Gavin Picks > Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report. No. 2106. p. 58. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  10. ↑ Cohen, Howard (22 November 1996). "Music: No Mercy – No Mercy". p. 27G. The Miami Herald.
  11. ↑ Valois, Diana (1 February 1997). "Disc Reviews". p. A34. The Morning Call.
  12. ↑ Jones, Alan (28 December 1996). "Talking Music" (PDF). Music Week. p. 17. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  13. 1 2 "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  14. ↑ Stopera, Matt; Galindo, Brian (11 March 2017). "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  15. ↑ "Greatest of All Time: Billboard's Top Songs of the '90s". Billboard. 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  16. ↑ Stopera, Matt; Galindo, Brian (29 June 2021). "The 50 Best '90s Songs Of Summer". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  17. ↑ "Where Do You Go (EU Maxi CD Single)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 16 March 2012.
  18. ↑ "No Mercy – Where Do You Go". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  19. ↑ "No Mercy – Where Do You Go" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  20. ↑ "No Mercy – Where Do You Go" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  21. ↑ "No Mercy – Where Do You Go" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  22. ↑ "Billboard: Hits of the World". Billboard. 16 November 1996. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  23. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9921." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  24. ↑ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 9683." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  25. ↑ "Billboard: Hits of the World". Billboard. 14 December 1996. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  26. ↑ "Billboard: Hits of the World". Billboard. 28 September 1996. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  27. ↑ "No Mercy: Where Do You Go" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat.
  28. ↑ "No Mercy – Where Do You Go" (in French). Les classement single.
  29. ↑ "No Mercy – Where Do You Go" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  30. ↑ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 33. 17 August 1996. p. 30. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  31. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (12.12.1996 – 18.12.1996)" (PDF). Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 13 December 1996. p. 20. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  32. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Where Do You Go". Irish Singles Chart.
  33. ↑ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 48. 30 November 1996. p. 13. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  34. ↑ "M-1 TOP 40". M-1.fm. 15 August 1996. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  35. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – No Mercy" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  36. ↑ "No Mercy – Where Do You Go" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  37. ↑ "No Mercy – Where Do You Go". Top 40 Singles.
  38. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  39. ↑ "No Mercy – Where Do You Go". Singles Top 100.
  40. ↑ "No Mercy – Where Do You Go". Swiss Singles Chart.
  41. ↑ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  42. ↑ "No Mercy Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  43. ↑ "No Mercy Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  44. ↑ "No Mercy Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  45. ↑ "No Mercy Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  46. ↑ "No Mercy Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  47. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. LX, no. 6. 19 October 1996. p. 6. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  48. ↑ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  49. ↑ "ARIA Top 50 Singles for 1996". ARIA. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  50. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Singles 1996" (in German). Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  51. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1996" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  52. ↑ "RPM Year End Dance Top 50". RPM. Retrieved 12 May 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  53. ↑ "Year End Sales Charts – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1996" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 51/52. 21 December 1996. p. 12. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  54. ↑ "Tops de L'année | Top Singles 1996" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  55. ↑ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1996" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  56. ↑ "Årslista Singlar, 1996" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  57. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1996" (in German). Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  58. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 – 1996". Archived from the original on 1 March 2009. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
  59. ↑ "The Year in Music: Hot Dance Music Maxi-Singles Sales". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 52. 28 December 1996. p. YE-45.
  60. ↑ "Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Top 40/Mainstream Titles". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 4, no. 53. 27 December 1996. p. 30.
  61. ↑ "Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Top 40/Rhythm-Crossover Titles". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 4, no. 53. 27 December 1996. p. 32.
  62. ↑ "1997 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  63. ↑ "1997 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 52. 27 December 1997. p. 7. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  64. ↑ "Top 100 Singles 1997". Music Week. 17 January 1998. p. 27.
  65. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 – 1997". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  66. ↑ "The Year in Music 1997: Hot Dance Maxi-Singles Sales". Billboard. Vol. 52, no. 109. 27 December 1997. p. YE-45.
  67. ↑ "Best of '97: Rhythmic Top 40 Singles". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 5, no. 52. 26 December 1997. p. 42.
  68. ↑ "Best of '97: Top 40/Mainstream Singles". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 5, no. 52. 26 December 1997. p. 38.
  69. ↑ Lwin, Nanda. "Top 100 singles of the 1990s". Jam!. Archived from the original on 29 August 2000. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  70. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1997 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  71. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (No Mercy; 'Where Do You Go')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  72. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – No Mercy – Where Do You Go". Recorded Music NZ.
  73. ↑ "British single certifications – No Mercy – Where Do You Go". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  74. ↑ "American single certifications – No Mercy – Where Do You Go". Recording Industry Association of America.
  75. ↑ "Best-Selling Records of 1996". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 3. BPI Communications Inc. 18 January 1997. p. 61. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  76. ↑ "Where Do You Go". Amazon.de (in German). Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  77. ↑ "Selected New Releases" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1147. 24 May 1996. p. 30. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  78. ↑ "Where Do You Go". Amazon.com. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  79. ↑ "ホエア・ドゥ・ユー・ゴー | ノー・マーシー" [Where Do You Go | No Mercy] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  80. ↑ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 28 December 1996. p. 19. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
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