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I Don't Know Anybody Else
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = I Don't Know Anybody Else
| cover = I_don't_know_anybody_else.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Black Box featuring Martha Wash
| album = Dreamland
| released = December 18, 1989
| recorded = 1989
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 4:36
4:10 (sample free mix video edit)
| label = RCA
| writer =
| producer = Groove Groove Melody
| prev_title = Ride on Time
| prev_year = 1989
| next_title = Everybody Everybody
| next_year = 1990
| misc =
}}
"'I Don't Know Anybody Else'" is a song by the Italian music group Black Box. It was the second single from their debut album, 'Dreamland' (1990), and was originally released in the United States in December 1989. It was released worldwide in the early months of 1990 and had a great success in record charts, including Ireland, Switzerland, Norway and the United Kingdom, where it reached the Top 5. In other countries, it peaked between number 5 and number 10. It entered the UK Singles Chart on February 17, 1990 and remained for eight weeks.
The song features an uncredited Martha Wash on lead vocals. The melody line in the intro resembles a section of "Love Sensation" by Loleatta Holloway, the original line being "Can't you see that I love nobody else".
Critical reception
Larry Flick from 'Billboard' stated that the "groove remains in trendy Italo-house vein with diva-styled vocals fueling the fire of tune's brain-imbedding hook." A reviewer from 'Cash Box' wrote that "the group who surprised everyone by breaking out of clubs and onto the pop charts clocks in with its second single, driven by the same intense vocals and formidable House groove that skyrocketed its U.S. debut single, "Everybody, Everybody"." The Daily Vault's Michael R. Smith described it as "effective and timeless" in his review of 'Dreamland', and added that it now "sound fresher and fuller of life than ever." Gene Sandbloom from 'The Network Forty' wrote that the song "has every bit the house power, but this time lead vocalist Katrin Quinol kicks off with an Annie Lennox intro that leaves you almost exhausted after four minutes." Chris Heath from 'Smash Hits' noted that it is "exceedingly similar" to "Ride on Time" and said it is "slightly brilliant".
'Vibe' magazine listed the song at number 11 in their list of 'Before EDM: 30 Dance Tracks from The '90s That Changed the Game' in 2013. They wrote that the song "helped propel Italian house group Black Box into international fame thanks to the tracks strong vocals (exhibited by Martha Wash) fused with beats laid down by club DJ Daniele Davoli and keyboard wiz Mirko Limoni".
Chart performance
"I Don't Know Anybody Else" was successful on the charts on several continents. In Europe, it made it to the Top 10 in Austria, Finland (number two), France, Ireland (number two), Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100, where it hit number five. In the UK, the single peaked at number four in its second week at the UK Singles Chart, on February 18, 1990. Additionally, it was a Top 20 hit in Italy and West Germany, and a Top 30 hit in the Netherlands. Outside Europe, it peaked at number-one on the 'Billboard' Hot Dance Club Play chart in the United States and was a Top 10 hit in Australia, where it peaked at number six and was awarded a gold record after 35,000 singles were sold there. In New Zealand, it went to number 25.
Music video
A music video was made for "I Don't Know Anybody Else", directed by Judith Briant. It features the group performing the song in a club. Briant also directed the video for "Ride on Time" (with Greg Copeland). "I Don't Know Anybody Else" was later published on Black Box' official YouTube channel in June 2009. The video has amassed more than 7,1 million views as of September 2021.
For the US release, the video was re-edited. Visual effects and animations were added on-screen, along with pictures from a Katrin Quinol photoshoot that was later used as the single cover.
Track listings
* 'US 12 single and CD maxi'
# "I Don't Know Anybody Else" (we got salsoul mix) 5:40
# "I Don't Know Anybody Else" (DJ Lelewel mix) 6:47
# "I Don't Know Anybody Else" (a cappella) 3:40
# "I Don't Know Anybody Else" (hurley's house mix) 7:00
# "I Don't Know Anybody Else" (hurley's house dub) 5:08
# "I Don't Know Anybody Else" (deephouse instrumental) 4:30
* 'UK CD single'
# "I Don't Know Anybody Else" (7) - 4:15
# "I Don't Know Anybody Else" (house club/free sample mix) - 6:17
# Ride On Time (original mix) - 4:10
* 'UK 7 single'
# "I Don't Know Anybody Else" (edit one) - 4:10
# "I Don't Know Anybody Else" (edit two) - 3:30
* 'UK first 12 maxi'
# "I Don't Know Anybody Else" (melody mix/sample free mix) (w/o count-in) - 6:33
# "I Don't Know Anybody Else" (house club/free sample mix) - 6:15
* 'UK second 12 maxi'
# "I Don't Know Anybody Else" (we got salsoul mix) 5:40
# Ride On Time (massive mix) - 4:10
# "I Don't Know Anybody Else" (DJ Lelewel mix) 6:47
* 'Italian 12" maxi'
# "I Don't Know Anybody Else" (melody mix/sample free mix) 6:36
# "I Don't Know Anybody Else" (house club/free sample mix) 6:15
* 'Italian 7" single'
# "I Don't Know Anybody Else" (LP version) 4:30
# "I Don't Know Anybody Else" (house club edit) 4:00
Charts
Weekly charts
{|class="wikitable sortable"!Chart (19891990)
!Peak
position
|-
|Australia (ARIA)
|align="center"|6
|-
|-
|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)
|align="center"|5
|-
|Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)
|align="center"|2
|-
|Finland (Suomen virallinen singlelista)
|align="center"|1
|-
|France (SNEP)
|align="center"|9
|-
|Ireland (IRMA)
|align="center"|2
|-
|Italy ('Musica e dischi') Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Black Box".
|align="center"|12
|-
|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)
|align="center"|37
|-
|Netherlands (Single Top 100)
|align="center"|25
|-
|New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)
|align="center"|25
|-
|Norway (VG-lista)
|align="center"|4
|-
|Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)
|align="center"|8
|-
|Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)
|align="center"|3
|-
|UK Singles (OCC)
|align="center"|4
|-
|US 'Billboard' Hot 100
|align="center"|23
|-
|US Hot Dance Club Play ('Billboard')
|align="center"|1
|-
|US Hot R&B Singles Chart ('Billboard')
|align="center"|10
|-
|West Germany (Official German Charts)
|align="center"|12
|-
|}
Year-end charts
Certifications and sales
See also
* List of number-one dance singles of 1991 (U.S.)
References
Category:1990 singles
Category:1989 songs
Category:Black Box (band) songs
Category:English-language Italian songs
Category:Martha Wash songs
Category:Number-one singles in Finland
Category:Polydor Records singles
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