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I Love You Always Forever
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = I Love You Always Forever
| cover = Donna-Lewis-I-Love-You-Always-77530.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Donna Lewis
| album = Now in a Minute
| B-side =
* "Pink Chairs"
* "Have You Ever Loved"
* "Simone"
| released =
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Pop
| length =
* (album version)
* (radio edit)
| label = Atlantic
| writer = Donna Lewis
| producer =
| next_title = Fool's Paradise
| next_year = 1996
| misc =
}}
"'I Love You Always Forever'" is the debut single by Welsh singer Donna Lewis from her debut album, 'Now in a Minute' (1996). Written by Lewis and produced by Lewis and Kevin Killen, it was released as the album's lead single in the United States on 7 May 1996 and in the United Kingdom on 26 August 1996. The song is inspired by H. E. Bates' novel 'Love for Lydia', from which the chorus is taken.
The song was a commercial hit, peaking at number five on the UK Singles Chart and reaching the top 10 in more than 15 countries, including Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Ireland, and Norway. In the US, the song rose to number two on the 'Billboard' Hot 100, where it remained for nine weeks, behind Los del Ro's "Macarena". The single additionally reached number one on the 'Billboard' Mainstream Top 40 chart for eleven weeks and the 'Billboard' Adult Top 40 chart for eight weeks. It was certified Platinum in Australia and Gold in France, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, the UK, and the US. The success of the song saw Lewis nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Female Artist in 1997.[http://www.brits.co.uk/artist/donna-lewis Donna Lewis BRITS Profile] . BRIT Awards Ltd. Retrieved 26 January 2013
In 2016, a cover version of the song by Australian pop singer Betty Who peaked at number six on the ARIA Singles Chart and topped the US 'Billboard' Dance Club Songs chart.
Background
Inspired by the novel 'Love for Lydia' by English author H. E. Bates, "I Love You Always Forever" is a pop song in which the singer declares her endless love for her significant other. The song was originally titled "Lydia", but was later changed because there was no mention of anyone with that name in the song. The chorus, "I love you always forever, near and far closer together", is a quote taken directly from the book.
Composition
"I Love You Always Forever" is written in the key of C major in common time with a tempo of 104 beats per minute. Lewis' vocals span from F3 to G4 in the song.
Reception
The success of "I Love You Always Forever" earned Lewis a nomination for Best British Female Artist at the 1997 Brit Awards. In the US, Andrea Ganis, executive VP of Lewis' record label, Atlantic, said: "Radio stations across the country keep telling us the same thing over and over", Ganis says. "They play it and, almost overnight, it's their most requested song. Maybe it's because things have been so dark lately in pop and then along comes a record that everybody can sing along to. It's almost like a catharsis for a lot of people." It became a "runaway hit" without any extra marketing boost from high-profile events of the time such as a hit movie or the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, and was the first single to achieve over one million airplay detections in the US.
AllMusic editor Tom Demalon called the song "compelling" in his review of 'Now in a Minute'. He noted that Lewis "has a girlish voice that sounds like a less quirky Kate Bush." 'Billboard' described it as a "quietly percussive pop chugger", complimenting Lewis' voice as a "delicate, girlish voice that gives the song a winsome quality, which adds to its already considerable charm." Tracey Pepper from 'Entertainment Weekly' noted that it is "more sophisticated than a first listen might reveal. "I Love You Always Forever"'s chanted chorus, chugging rhythm, and bright melody make it obvious that the newcomer Donna Lewis, whose girlish voice often sounds like Cyndi Lauper's, knows the value of building tension and mood, even in a pop song." Kim Renfro of Insider said that the song is a "true bop" that is reminiscent of Cyndi Lauper's music of 10 years earlier, but with "slightly more pizazz". Eamon Joyce from 'Miscellany News' commented that "upon hearing the song, it's embedded in your head for weeks." Bob Waliszewski of 'Plugged In' stated that Lewis "pledges lifelong commitment" on the song. In 2018, 'Stacker' ranked it at number 10 in their list of "Best pop songs of the last 25 years", noting Lewis' "ethereal voice over a heavenly backdrop of synthesizers and understated drum beats".
Music video
The song's accompanying music video was directed by Randee St. Nicholas. It is very simple, showing Lewis performing the song dressed in all white in a beige rotating room. Other scenes feature her against a black background, with snow boots on her hands against a wall, and playing a piano.
Track listings
'UK CD single'
# "I Love You Always Forever" (LP version) 3:59
# "Pink Chairs" 3:26
# "Have You Ever Loved" 3:31
# "I Love You Always Forever" (Philly remix) 4:00
'UK cassette single'
# "I Love You Always Forever" (LP version) 3:59
# "I Love You Always Forever" (Philly remix) 4:00
'European CD single'
# "I Love You Always Forever" (radio edit) 3:21
# "I Love You Always Forever" (Philly mix) 4:00
# "I Love You Always Forever" (Sylk 130 remix) 9:00
'US CD single'
# "I Love You Always Forever" (radio edit) 3:21
# "Simone" (album version) 4:26
'US maxi-CD and Australian CD single'
# "I Love You Always Forever" (album version) 3:58
# "I Love You Always Forever" (Sylk 130 edit) 4:38
# "I Love You Always Forever" (Sylk 130 remix) 9:00
# "I Love You Always Forever" (Sylk 130 instrumental) 4:59
# "I Love You Always Forever" (drumapella) 5:11
'US 12-inch single'
:A1. "I Love You Always Forever" (Sylk 130 remix) 9:00
:B1. "I Love You Always Forever" (Sylk 130 instrumental) 4:59
:B2. "I Love You Always Forever" (album version) 3:58
:B3. "I Love You Always Forever" (a cappella) 4:10
'US cassette single'
# "I Love You Always Forever" (album version) 3:58
# "Simone" (album version) 4:26
# "I Love You Always Forever" (Sylk 130 edit) 4:38
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"!scope="col"|Chart (1996)
!scope="col"|Position
|-
!scope="row"|Australia (ARIA)
|13
|-
!scope="row"|Austria (3 Austria Top 40)
|23
|-
!scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)
|100
|-
!scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)
|96
|-
!scope="row"|Canada Top Singles ('RPM')
|28
|-
!scope="row"|Canada Adult Contemporary ('RPM')
|5
|-
!scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)
|48
|-
!scope="row"|France (SNEP)
|51
|-
!scope="row"|Germany (Official German Charts)
|74
|-
!scope="row"|Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)
|95
|-
!scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)
|36
|-
!scope="row"|US 'Billboard' Hot 100
|8
|-
!scope="row"|US Adult Contemporary ('Billboard')
|20
|-
!scope="row"|US Adult Top 40 ('Billboard')
|6
|-
!scope="row"|US Mainstream Top 40 ('Billboard')
|2
|-
!scope="row"|US Rhythmic ('Billboard')
|17
|-
|}
Decade-end charts
All-time charts
Certifications
Release history
Other releases
Lewis has re-recorded the song at least twice. A re-recording with slightly modified instrumentation appears as a bonus track of her 2008 album 'In the Pink'. In 2015, Lewis released the song again on her jazz-influenced covers album, 'Brand New Day'. She initially was reluctant to include the song at all; but the track that appears on the album has a "completely different arrangement", and Lewis says she now likes it. Matt Collar of AllMusic felt that the new version was a "ruminative reworking" of the original.
Betty Who version
{{Infobox song
| name = I Love You Always Forever
| cover = I_Love_You_Always_Forever_by_Betty_Who.jpg
| alt =
| border = yes
| type = single
| artist = Betty Who
| album = The Valley
| released =
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
* Synth-pop
* pop
* electronic
| length =
| label = RCA
| writer = Donna Lewis
| producer = Peter Thomas
| chronology = Betty Who
| prev_title = All of You
| prev_year = 2015
| next_title = Heaven
| next_year = 2016
| misc =
}}
Australian pop singer Betty Who released a version of the song on 3 June 2016, with remixes released on 29 July 2016. It was released as the lead single from her second studio album, 'The Valley.'
Music video
The music video, directed by Ben Cope and Daniel Gomes, was released on 14 July 2016.Chart performance
The song is Who's first to reach the ARIA Charts, peaking at number six while also earning a number one on AirCheck's National Radio Airplay Chart. The song has also had minor success in New Zealand, peaking at number 33. The song was successful on the US Dance Club Songs chart, where it peaked at number one, becoming her third number one on the chart.Track listings
'Digital download'# "I Love You Always Forever" 3:43
'Remixes EP'
# "I Love You Always Forever" (Viceroy Remix) 4:08
# "I Love You Always Forever" (Instant Karma Remix) 3:39
# "I Love You Always Forever" (Pink Panda Remix) 4:24
# "I Love You Always Forever" (Mighty Mike & Teesa Remix) 3:26
# "I Love You Always Forever" (Hector Fonseca & Eduardo Lujan Radio Edit) 3:33
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Other uses
* The song is included as part of the "Elephant Love Medley" in the musical 'Moulin Rouge!'.
* The song was covered in 2009 by Japanese pop singer SAWA.
* In 2015, Filipina pop singer Marion Aunor did a cover of the song as part of the original soundtrack of the erotic drama film 'Ex with Benefits'.
* The chorus is interpolated in Lennon Stella's song "Save Us", from her debut album 'Three. Two. One.' (2020).
* The song was heavily sampled in Switch Disco's dance song "Everything", which was released on 25 June 2021. The song peaked at No. 8 on the UK iTunes chart.[http://www.itunescharts.net/uk/artists/music/switch-disco/songs/everything/ Switch Disco - 'Everything' British iTunes Chart Performance][https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkxrw1xv6_M Switch Disco - Everything (Lyric Video)]
See also
*List of number-one dance singles of 2016 (U.S.)
References
* Feldman, Christopher G. 'The Billboard Book of Number 2 Singles'.
Category:1996 songs
Category:1996 debut singles
Category:2016 singles
Category:Atlantic Records singles
Category:Donna Lewis songs
Category:Betty Who songs
Category:Music based on novels
Category:Music videos directed by Randee St. Nicholas
Category:RCA Records singles
Category:Pop ballads
Category:1990s ballads
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