"Say You'll Be Mine" is a song by British dance-pop group Steps, released as a double A-side with a cover version of Kylie Minogue's "Better the Devil You Know". Steps' cover of "Better the Devil You Know" was later included as the opening track on their third studio album, Buzz (2000), but did not serve as a lead single. A limited-edition single was released as a digipack that was included with a doubled-sided poster in the sleeve. The song is the first to feature all five members on lead vocals.
| "Say You'll Be Mine" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Steps | ||||
| from the album Steptacular | ||||
| A-side | ||||
| Released | 13 December 1999[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1999 | |||
| Studio | PWL (Manchester, England) | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 3:32 | |||
| Label | Jive, Ebul | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Mark Topham, Karl Twigg, Lance Ellington | |||
| Producer(s) | Andrew Frampton, Pete Waterman | |||
| Steps singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Say You'll Be Mine" on YouTube | ||||
"Say You'll Be Mine" / "Better the Devil You Know" was released on 13 December 1999 and reached number four on the UK Singles Chart in January 2000. The double A-side also reached the top 40 in Australia and Ireland. A new Matt Pop's Old Skool Mix was included on the remix album Stomp All Night: The Remix Anthology as the first track on the second disc.
Critical reception
editScottish newspaper Aberdeen Evening Express noted that "this is the first track where the Stepsters all take turns on lead." They added, "The instantly catchy singalong fest has a mature feel and is a dead cert to get you bopping this winter."[2] Lucas Villa from AXS stated that Steps was at "its most adorable" on the "sweet" pop tune "Say You'll Be Mine".[3] Can't Stop the Pop described it as "fascinating" and "one of their most brilliantly uplifting songs", adding that the track is "bursting at the seams with subtly catchy hooks." Also they noted that it is their first song to feature all five members of the group on lead vocals.[4]
Chart performance
editIn the United Kingdom, "Say You'll Be Mine" / "Better the Devil You Know" entered the UK Singles Chart at number seven on 19 December 1999 and peaked at number four for two weeks in January 2000, becoming Steps' sixth consecutive top-five hit and spending 18 weeks on the chart.[5] The double A-side also reached the top 20 in Ireland, peaking at number 13.[6] Elsewhere in Europe, the single reached number seven in Hungary,[7] entered the top 50 in Flanders and the Netherlands,[8][9] and appeared within the top 100 in Germany and Switzerland.[10][11] On the Eurochart Hot 100, the single peaked at number 19 on the issue dated 22 January 2000.[12] In Australia, the double A-side charted for eight weeks, peaking at number 21 on the week of its debut, 30 January 2000.[13]
Music video
editA music video was made for "Say You'll Be Mine", directed by David Amphlett. He also directed the videos for "Tragedy" and "Heartbeat". It features the band acting out different films. H and Claire act out Romeo + Juliet, H and Faye act out Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, H and Lisa act out Titanic, Lee and Claire act out There's Something About Mary, Lee and Faye act out Batman Returns and Lee and Lisa act out Armageddon. The group members also wear gold-coloured outfits while performing a dance routine.[14]
Track listings
editUK and Australian CD single[15]
- "Say You'll Be Mine" – 3:32
- "Better the Devil You Know" – 3:49
- "Better the Devil You Know" (2T's 2 Go mix) – 5:43
UK cassette single and European CD single[16][17]
- "Say You'll Be Mine" – 3:32
- "Better the Devil You Know" – 3:49
Credits and personnel
edit
A-side: "Say You'll Be Mine"editCredits are adapted from the liner notes of Steptacular.[18] Recording
Vocals
Personnel
|
A-side: "Better the Devil You Know"editCredits are adapted from the liner notes of Buzz.[19] Recording
Vocals
Personnel
|
Charts
edit| Chart (1999–2000) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[13] | 21 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[8] | 42 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[12] | 19 |
| Germany (GfK)[10] | 98 |
| Hungary (Mahasz)[7] | 7 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[6] | 13 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[9] | 47 |
| Scotland (OCC)[20] | 3 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[11] | 93 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[5] | 4 |
| UK Indie (OCC)[21] | 1 |
References
edit- ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting 13 December, 1999: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 11 December 1999. p. 23. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
- ^ Aberdeen Evening Express. 6 October 1999. p. 26. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
- ^ Villa, Lucas (19 June 2017). "Steps turns 20: Counting down the pop group's top 10 singles". AXS. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
- ^ "Steps – Say You'll Be Mine". Can't Stop the Pop. 9 December 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
- ^ a b "Steps: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Say You'll Be Mine / Better the Devil...". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
- ^ a b "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 8. 19 February 2000. p. 13. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
- ^ a b "Steps – Say You'll Be Mine / Better the Devil You Know" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ^ a b "Steps – Say You'll Be Mine / Better the Devil You Know" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ^ a b "Steps – Say You'll Be Mine / Better the Devil You Know" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ^ a b "Steps – Say You'll Be Mine / Better the Devil You Know". Swiss Singles Chart.
- ^ a b "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 4. 22 January 2000. p. 27. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
- ^ a b "Steps – Say You'll Be Mine / Better the Devil You Know". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ^ "Steps - Say You'll Be Mine (Official Video)". 25 October 2009. Retrieved 28 November 2020 – via YouTube.
- ^ Say You'll Be Mine / Better the Devil You Know (UK & Australian CD single liner notes). Steps. Jive Records, Ebul Records. 1999. 9201008.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Say You'll Be Mine / Better the Devil You Know (UK cassette single sleeve). Steps. Jive Records, Ebul Records. 1999. 9201004.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Say You'll Be Mine / Better the Devil You Know (European CD single liner notes). Steps. Jive Records, Ebul Records. 1999. 9201009.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Steptacular (European CD album liner notes). Steps. Jive Records, Ebul Records. 1999. 0519442.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Buzz (UK CD album liner notes). Steps. Jive Records, Ebul Records. 2000. 9201172.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 November 2018.