La Bouche
| La Bouche | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Frankfurt, Germany |
| Genres |
Eurodance Hi-NRG House Techno Pop |
| Years active | 1994–2001 |
| Labels | Hansa Records, RCA (U.S.) |
| Past members |
Frank Farian Melanie Thornton† (1994-2001) Lane McCray Natacha Wright (2000-2001) Kayo Shekoni (2001) |
La Bouche (French: The Mouth) was a German-American eurodance duo formed by Frank Farian in Frankfurt in 1994, originally consisting of Melanie Thornton and Lane McCray, scoring two major worldwide hits in the mid-1990s with "Be My Lover" and "Sweet Dreams".[1]
History with the original lineup
Primarily produced by long time friend, Frankfurt-based Techno DJ Ulli Brenner, their debut single "Sweet Dreams" was released in 1994 and was a pan-European and Australian hit. It was followed by "Be My Lover" in 1995, which peaked at number one in Germany and Australia, while also reaching the Top 10 in fourteen European countries. It also peaked at number 27 in 1995 and number 25 in 1996 in the UK Singles Chart when re-issued in that year.[2]
While still with the group Thornton had some American chart success as featured vocalist on the Le Click hit "Tonight Is The Night", which reached number 68 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was included on the U.S. release of La Bouche's album Sweet Dreams, which was released in 1996, and peaked at number 28 on the Billboard 200. It was certified double-platinum by the RIAA and sold over 8 million copies worldwide.
"Be My Lover" went to number 1 on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart in 1995 and climbed to number 6 on the Hot 100 in early 1996. It was then re-released in the UK and reached a new peak of number 25. It went on to win the ASCAP award for the "Most Played Song in America", and sold 6 million copies worldwide. "Sweet Dreams" also went to number 13 in the U.S. "Fallin' in Love", a cover of the 1975 Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds song, and "I Love To Love" were also hit singles taken from the album.
The first single from their second album S.O.S. was called "You Won't Forget Me". Released in 1998, it reached number 48 on the Hot 100.
In 1997 La Bouche recorded a cover version of the Elton John song "Candle in the Wind 1997" also known as "Goodbye England's Rose" for their album "A Moment Of Love" in a gospel version featuring guest vocalists Chilli, Christin Sargent, Freda Goodlett, Rejime, The Jackson Singers, Joan Faulkner, Ma Belle & No Mercy.
Breakup, a new lineup, and a 'continuation' of the original lineup
In 2000, Thornton left the group to pursue a solo career. She was replaced by singer Natacha Wright and a single was released entitled "All I Want" in April of the same year. It failed to chart, and Farian decided to put the group to rest. During this time Thornton as a solo singer was climbing the German charts with her hit, "Love How You Love Me".
Towards the end of 2001, Thornton was asked to record "Wonderful Dream (Holidays Are Coming)" for a Coca-Cola Christmas TV commercial to be shown on German television. While promoting it, and a re-release of her solo album Ready To Fly, she was killed in a plane crash near Zurich on November 24, 2001. After her death, the single went on to become her biggest hit, reaching number 3 on the German singles chart.
In April 2002, Farian compiled songs from Thornton's album along with selections from the first and second La Bouche albums into a best of collection entitled The Best of La Bouche (feat. Melanie Thornton).
In November 2002, one year following Thornton's death, Farian prepared a tribute single entitled "In Your Life", a song which had been previously unreleased. Farian combined her vocals with Kayo Shekoni from Le Click, who provided additional vocals to complete the mix. The single was released worldwide in 2002 and in the U.S. in 2003. It peaked at number 9 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart.
In 2007 a 3-track EP was released on iTunes under the name 'Le Click' titled "Let's Click: 90's Dance Classics." These are 3 tracks from the S.O.S & A Moment Of Love album recording sessions that didn't make the cut.
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | AUT | FIN | NZ | NED | NOR | SWE | SWI | U.S. | ||||||
| Sweet Dreams |
|
10 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 41 | 26 | 29 | 2 | 28 | ||||
| A Moment of Love |
|
— | — | 21 | — | — | — | — | 40 | — | ||||
| SOS |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 194 | ||||
| The Best of La Bouche |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| Greatest Hits |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||||||||||||
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) |
Album | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [2] |
U.S. [8] |
GER [9] |
AUS [10] |
SWE [10] |
AUT [10] |
ITA [11] |
SWI [10] |
FIN [12] |
FRA [10] |
NED [10] | ||||
| 1994 | "Sweet Dreams" [A] | 63 | 13 | 8 | 8 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 15 | 32 | 31 | Sweet Dreams | |
| 1995 | "Be My Lover" | 27 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 18 | 7 | 3 | ||
| "Fallin' In Love" | 43 | — | 13 | 39 | 19 | 13 | — | 13 | 4 | 24 | 15 | |||
| "I Love to Love" | — | — | 21 | 6 | 42 | 19 | — | — | 18 | 27 | 30 | |||
| 1996 | "Be My Lover" (Remix) | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Sweet Dreams" (Remix) | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Bolingo (Love Is In The Air)" | — | — | 26 | — | 23 | 19 | — | 15 | 15 | — | — | SOS | ||
| 1997 | "You Won't Forget Me" | — | 48 | 29 | — | 24 | — | — | — | 18 | 28 | — | ||
| 1998 | "A Moment Of Love" | — | — | 100 | — | — | — | — | — | 18 | — | — | ||
| 1999 | "S.O.S." | — | — | 78 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000 | "All I Want" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Singles only | |
| 2002 | "In Your Life" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
Notes
- A^ "Sweet Dreams" was released in North America and re-released in the UK in 1996.
References
- ↑ IMO Records. http://www.imorecords.co.uk/house-2/house-artists/la-bouche-biography/ "La Bouche Biography"], IMO Records' Retrieved on 08 March 2011.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 310. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (La Bouche)" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
- ↑ Music Canada: Certifications
- ↑ "Certifications Albums Or - année 1995". Disque en France. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
- ↑ "Vuonna myönnetyt kulta- ja platinalevyt: La Bouche". IFPI (Finland). Retrieved 2010-08-14.
- ↑ "AWARDS 1995". IFPI (Switzerland). Retrieved 2010-08-14.
- ↑ Allmusic.com - Charts & Awards
- ↑ German peaks
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Intl. peak positions
- ↑ Top Italian singles per year
- ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 9789511210535.
- ↑ German certification for "Sweet Dreams"
- ↑ Austrian certifications ifpi.at (Retrieved July 28, 2008)
- ↑ French certifications Disqueenfrance.com (Retrieved July 28, 2008)
- ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank ('Be My Lover')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved July 19, 2008.
- ↑ U.S. certifications riaa.com (Retrieved July 28, 2008)
External links
- La Bouche´s Official Fansite (German)
- La Bouche - Biography, discography, singles
- La Bouche - Discography
- Gecko Girl's La Bouche website
- Melanie Thornton & La Bouche Forum (English) (German)
- La Bouche Chart History at Billboard.com
- La Bouche (Russian)