Don't Look Any Further
Encyclopedia
"Don't Look Any Further" is a 1984 single by former Temptations
lead singer Dennis Edwards
, featuring Siedah Garrett
. The single was written by Franne Golde, Dennis Lambert and Duane Hitchings. It peaked at #2 on the Billboard Black Singles chart and peaked at #72 on the Billboard Hot 100
.
. It was the third single from their second album Elegant Slumming
(1993). The song is a cover version. Produced by M People. It was released on 29 November 1993. The song peaked at number nine on the UK Singles Chart
.
The M People, version stayed very faithful to the original, incorporating the much sampled baseline, with a trademark deeper moog sound, programmed drumming sticking to the same familiar base drum beat. However, instead of the guitar in the middle eight, they used a saxophone in its place and just one set of keys with progressive and chords plays throughout with splices of percussive drumming at junctions between verses and choruses.
Finally, the backing vocals were provided by critically acclaimed British R&B Gospel Group Nu Colours.
The Dennis Edwards original only charted as high as number 45 in the UK.
The song spent a total of 10 weeks on the chart, leaving in early February 1994, so "Don't Look Any Further" had the second longest chart sojourn of any M People single, after the 11 weeks of both predecessor singles. Elsewhere, they secured their second consecutive Top 5 hit in New Zealand where it peaked at number 4 and stayed in the chart for 18 weeks. In Switzerland it took the single seven weeks to peak at number 23, but stayed in the Swiss Top 40 for 18 weeks in total.
" and "One Night in Heaven
", radio was quick to follow on their popularity after the single was serviced to radio at the end of October 1993. It entered the chart at number 68 to and steadily climbed to 41 to 21 to 12 the week before release and then it climbed to 6 and then peaked at 4 where it stayed for one week before falling to 5 in it seventh week on the chart. It then fell one place for the following three weeks which meant it was a firm Christmas airplay single as well. It stayed on the airplay chart for a total of 14 weeks and left in mid-February 1994 whilst "Renaissance", the next single, was already making steady progress up the chart in the other direction.
, The Berlin Wall, Berliner Dom
, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church
and the Fernsehturm
(the TV Tower in Alexanderplatz) are all featured within the video adding to atmospheric backdrop seen in a misty haze.
As only the second M People
music video to be filmed abroad, the external shots show Heather walking around the cold city centre as is also Mark Bell who is never seen singing with Heather but they seem to pass each other at various points without realising while walking around town. Mike, Paul and Shovell are also seen chatting to each other under bridges, whilst Heather seems oblivious to their existence.
Other internal shots show both Heather and Mark leaning up against separate opposing walls and later are seen in a split-screen effect singing their duet but, again, never directly to each other. During the final chorus, Heather is seated in a quiet German pub alone on a table at the fore and in the background Mike, Paul and Shovell are seated around another table and they join in to sing the chorus. In this final scene, the camera continues to pan horizontally from right to left and back repeatedly as the four main members of the band all sing together.
tours, Mark Bell would continue to duet the song with Heather. But on subsequent tours, the male lead would change: on the Bizarre Fruit
Tours, Heather would duet with backing vocalist Paul Johnson. On the Fresco Tour she’d sing with the late Lynden David Hall
, who was also supporting them and Nate James
would duet on the 2005 Re-union Tour, as he was supporting them. Other duets have been sung with backing vocalist Tommy Blaize after 2007.
) who gave a funkier interpretation with additional backing vocals on the chorus whereas, the similar sounding "Strip to the Bone" mix (also by Danny D) gave the song a funkier version with an additional rap ad-lib of "the drum, the bass" to bridge the verse and chorus.
when it was just a side profile of Heather that made up the artwork.
12" Maxi
CD Maxi
The most well-known sample of the song's distinctive bass-line is Eric B. & Rakim
's 1987 single "Paid in Full."
2Pac's song "Hit Em Up," from his 1998 compilation album Greatest Hits
, also sampled "Don't Look Any Further."
The "Don't Look Any Further Remix" of the song "Unpretty
" by R&B girl group
TLC
heavily samples the song.
The Notorious B.I.G.
and Junior Mafia also sampled "Don't Look Any Further" for their song "Gettin' Money (Remix)."
Australian Hip Hop group The Herd also sampled the bass line on their song
"77%".
Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock
also sampled the bass-line in their song "Make It Hot"
Lil Wayne
sampled "Don't Look Any Further" on his 2002 single "Way of Life". It featured Big Tymers
and TQ
and it was released from his album 500 Degreez
.
Houston rapper Z-Ro
sampled the song in "Mo City Don (Freestyle)" off his album Let the Truth Be Told.
episode "Orison," as a high school memory trigger/divine warning for Dana Scully
.
The instrumental also been used as an underscore in several first season episodes of Everybody Hates Chris
It also appears in episode 4 of HBO's How to Make It in America
.
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
lead singer Dennis Edwards
Dennis Edwards
Dennis Edwards is a soul and R&B singer, most noted for being one of Motown act The Temptations' lead singers replacing David Ruffin. He is the father of Issa Pointer, whose mother is Ruth Pointer of The Pointer Sisters.-Career:...
, featuring Siedah Garrett
Siedah Garrett
Siedah Garrett is an American songwriter and singer.-Biography:She appeared as a contestant on Password Plus in 1980.She performed "One Man Woman" on Quincy Jones' Grammy-Award winning "Back on the Block."...
. The single was written by Franne Golde, Dennis Lambert and Duane Hitchings. It peaked at #2 on the Billboard Black Singles chart and peaked at #72 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
Track listing
US 7" Vinyl- a. "Don't Look Any Further"
- b. "I Thought I Could Handle It"
M People version
"Don't Look Any Further" is the eighth single from British band M PeopleM People
M People are a British house music act from Manchester, who formed in 1990 and achieved success throughout most of the 1990s. The name M People is from the initials of Mike Pickering, who formed the group.-Career:...
. It was the third single from their second album Elegant Slumming
Elegant Slumming
Elegant Slumming is the second album by British house music band M People. It was released on 4 October 1993 charting and peaking at number 2 on the UK Album Chart and spent 87 weeks in the Top 75...
(1993). The song is a cover version. Produced by M People. It was released on 29 November 1993. The song peaked at number nine on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
Composition
Heather sings the lead of the duet the song which was originally sung by Dennis Edwards and Mark Bell sings the female part (originally sung by Siedah Garrett). Heather slightly alters the third line of the first verse: "What you need is a lover, someone to take over. Oh babe, don’t look any further." instead of singing: "What you need is lover, a man to take over. Oh girl, don’t look any further."The M People, version stayed very faithful to the original, incorporating the much sampled baseline, with a trademark deeper moog sound, programmed drumming sticking to the same familiar base drum beat. However, instead of the guitar in the middle eight, they used a saxophone in its place and just one set of keys with progressive and chords plays throughout with splices of percussive drumming at junctions between verses and choruses.
Finally, the backing vocals were provided by critically acclaimed British R&B Gospel Group Nu Colours.
Chart Performance
Don't Look Any Further received very positive reception from critics. The single became the fourth consecutive top 10 hit for the band and their third consecutive Top 10 from the Elegant Slumming album. It charted and peaked at number 9, spending five weeks in the Top 20 with weekly sales starting at 82,000 copies and it continued to sell over 60,000 copies in each of the following four weeks as it moved from 9 to 11 to 12 to 14 to 19. In its sixth week there was a minor a surge in sales to climb two places to 17 to 27 to 44 to 52 to 70.The Dennis Edwards original only charted as high as number 45 in the UK.
The song spent a total of 10 weeks on the chart, leaving in early February 1994, so "Don't Look Any Further" had the second longest chart sojourn of any M People single, after the 11 weeks of both predecessor singles. Elsewhere, they secured their second consecutive Top 5 hit in New Zealand where it peaked at number 4 and stayed in the chart for 18 weeks. In Switzerland it took the single seven weeks to peak at number 23, but stayed in the Swiss Top 40 for 18 weeks in total.
Airplay
With the two airplay successes of "Moving on UpMoving on Up
Moving on Up is the seventh overall single from British band M People and the second single from their second album Elegant Slumming . Written by Mike Pickering and Paul Heard. Produced by M People. It was released on 13 September 1993...
" and "One Night in Heaven
One Night in Heaven
One Night in Heaven is the sixth overall single from British band M People and the first single from their second album Elegant Slumming . Written by Mike Pickering and Paul Heard. Produced by M People. It was released on 14 June 1993. The song peaked at number six on the UK Singles...
", radio was quick to follow on their popularity after the single was serviced to radio at the end of October 1993. It entered the chart at number 68 to and steadily climbed to 41 to 21 to 12 the week before release and then it climbed to 6 and then peaked at 4 where it stayed for one week before falling to 5 in it seventh week on the chart. It then fell one place for the following three weeks which meant it was a firm Christmas airplay single as well. It stayed on the airplay chart for a total of 14 weeks and left in mid-February 1994 whilst "Renaissance", the next single, was already making steady progress up the chart in the other direction.
Music Video
The video was filmed over two days in Germany’s capital city of Berlin on 26 and 27 October 1993 while the band was still promoting "Moving On Up"’s success around Europe. Great landmarks including the Brandenburg GateBrandenburg Gate
The Brandenburg Gate is a former city gate and one of the most well-known landmarks of Berlin and Germany. It is located west of the city centre at the junction of Unter den Linden and Ebertstraße, immediately west of the Pariser Platz. It is the only remaining gate of a series through which...
, The Berlin Wall, Berliner Dom
Berliner Dom
Berlin Cathedral is the colloquial name for the Evangelical Oberpfarr- und Domkirche in Berlin, Germany...
, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church
Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church
The Protestant Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church is located in Berlin on the Kurfürstendamm in the centre of the Breitscheidplatz. The original church on the site was built in the 1890s. It was badly damaged in a bombing raid in 1943...
and the Fernsehturm
Fernsehturm
The Fernsehturm is a television tower in the city centre of Berlin, Germany. Close to Alexanderplatz and part of the World Federation of Great Towers , the tower was constructed between 1965 and 1969 by the former German Democratic Republic administration who intended it as a symbol of Berlin,...
(the TV Tower in Alexanderplatz) are all featured within the video adding to atmospheric backdrop seen in a misty haze.
As only the second M People
M People
M People are a British house music act from Manchester, who formed in 1990 and achieved success throughout most of the 1990s. The name M People is from the initials of Mike Pickering, who formed the group.-Career:...
music video to be filmed abroad, the external shots show Heather walking around the cold city centre as is also Mark Bell who is never seen singing with Heather but they seem to pass each other at various points without realising while walking around town. Mike, Paul and Shovell are also seen chatting to each other under bridges, whilst Heather seems oblivious to their existence.
Other internal shots show both Heather and Mark leaning up against separate opposing walls and later are seen in a split-screen effect singing their duet but, again, never directly to each other. During the final chorus, Heather is seated in a quiet German pub alone on a table at the fore and in the background Mike, Paul and Shovell are seated around another table and they join in to sing the chorus. In this final scene, the camera continues to pan horizontally from right to left and back repeatedly as the four main members of the band all sing together.
Live Performances
During both legs of the Elegant SlummingElegant Slumming
Elegant Slumming is the second album by British house music band M People. It was released on 4 October 1993 charting and peaking at number 2 on the UK Album Chart and spent 87 weeks in the Top 75...
tours, Mark Bell would continue to duet the song with Heather. But on subsequent tours, the male lead would change: on the Bizarre Fruit
Bizarre Fruit
- Release history :...
Tours, Heather would duet with backing vocalist Paul Johnson. On the Fresco Tour she’d sing with the late Lynden David Hall
Lynden David Hall
Lynden David Hall was a singer, songwriter, arranger, and producer.- Life and career :Born in Wandsworth, South London, he won the 'best newcomer' accolade at the 1998 MOBO Awards....
, who was also supporting them and Nate James
Nate James
Nathaniel James Harold Speas, known as Nate James, is a British soul singer-songwriter. James released his debut soul album Set the Tone in 2005 which won him two MOBO Nominations for Best Newcomer and Best R&B Artist.He released on his Frofunk imprint via Independent Labels around the world and...
would duet on the 2005 Re-union Tour, as he was supporting them. Other duets have been sung with backing vocalist Tommy Blaize after 2007.
Remixes
The two mixes were provided by British House Music Producer (Dancing) Danny D (aka D MobD Mob
D Mob is one of the stage names used by British house music producer Dancin' Danny D .The 1988 UK hit "We Call It Acieed" hit #3 in the UK Singles Chart, and was one of a wave of acid house singles to enjoy success that year. The video was directed by Marek Budzynski...
) who gave a funkier interpretation with additional backing vocals on the chorus whereas, the similar sounding "Strip to the Bone" mix (also by Danny D) gave the song a funkier version with an additional rap ad-lib of "the drum, the bass" to bridge the verse and chorus.
Artwork
One of the four sofas as seen on the Elegant Slumming album cover is featured on the cover of this single on its own. It is this particular pink sofa that Heather was sat on on the cover of the parent album and her not being there incorporates the idea of "look(ing) no further" and finding no one there, in total contrast to the previous single Moving On UpMoving on Up
Moving on Up is the seventh overall single from British band M People and the second single from their second album Elegant Slumming . Written by Mike Pickering and Paul Heard. Produced by M People. It was released on 13 September 1993...
when it was just a side profile of Heather that made up the artwork.
Track listings
7” Mini- "Don't Look Any Further" (M People Master Edit) 3:25
- "La Vida Loca" 4:31
12" Maxi
- "Don't Look Any Further" (M People Master Mix) 5.28
- "Don't Look Any Further" (Strip to the Bone Mix) 5:26
- "Don't Look Any Further" (Danny D Mix) 5.38
- "La Vida Loca" 4:31
CD Maxi
- "Don't Look Any Further" (M People Master Edit) 3:25
- "Don't Look Any Further" (Strip to the Bone Mix) 5:26
- "Don't Look Any Further" (Danny D Mix) 5.38
- "La Vida Loca" 4:31
Chart positions
| Chart (1993) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| German Singles Chart | 29 |
| UK Singles Charts | 9 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart | 4 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 25 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 23 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 29 |
Other use in sampling
In 1988, British, blue-eyed, soul group, The Kane Gang, took their version to number fifty-two on the UK singles chart, and number sixty-four on the Hot 100. The Kane Gang's rendition of "Don't Look Any Further", was number one on the dance charts for one week, and was their sole entry on the chart.The most well-known sample of the song's distinctive bass-line is Eric B. & Rakim
Eric B. & Rakim
Eric B. & Rakim were a hip-hop duo composed of DJ Eric Barrier and MC Rakim .Hailing from Long Island, New York, the pair are generally considered by hip hop enthusiasts to be one of the most influential and innovative groups in the genre...
's 1987 single "Paid in Full."
2Pac's song "Hit Em Up," from his 1998 compilation album Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits (2Pac album)
Greatest Hits is a double disc greatest hits album for late rapper 2Pac, released by Amaru/Death Row Records in 1998. The album's non-chronological sequence highlights 2Pac's career; the 21 popular hits, some slightly re-edited for legal reasons, are accompanied by four previously unreleased songs:...
, also sampled "Don't Look Any Further."
The "Don't Look Any Further Remix" of the song "Unpretty
Unpretty
"Unpretty" is a 1999 single recorded by TLC. Produced by Dallas Austin and co-written by Austin and TLC group member Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins. "Unpretty" was the second single released from FanMail. It became the group's fourth U.S...
" by R&B girl group
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
TLC
TLC (band)
TLC is an American musical trio whose repertoire spanned R&B, hip-hop, soul, funk, and new jack swing. Originally consisting of singer Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, rapper-singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes and singer Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas it found success in the 1990s while also enduring a series of spats...
heavily samples the song.
The Notorious B.I.G.
The Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough...
and Junior Mafia also sampled "Don't Look Any Further" for their song "Gettin' Money (Remix)."
Australian Hip Hop group The Herd also sampled the bass line on their song
"77%".
Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock
Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock
Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock are a hip-hop duo from Harlem, New York who are best known for their hit "It Takes Two." The duo consists of Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock .- Career :Their first U.S...
also sampled the bass-line in their song "Make It Hot"
Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...
sampled "Don't Look Any Further" on his 2002 single "Way of Life". It featured Big Tymers
Big Tymers
The Big Tymers were an American rap duo active from 1997 to 2005 from New Orleans, Louisiana. The Big Tymers consisted of Cash Money Records co-founder, Baby and former Cash Money in-house producer, Mannie Fresh. Baby later changed his stage name to Birdman after the group was dissolved...
and TQ
Terrance Quaites
Terrance Quaites , known professionally as TQ, is an American R&B singer. He is perhaps best known for his hit song "Westside", which became a top 40 hit in several countries in 1998.-Music:...
and it was released from his album 500 Degreez
500 Degreez
500 Degreez is the third studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released July 23, 2002 on Cash Money Records.The title of the album is a nod to fellow rapper Juvenile's album from four years earlier, 400 Degreez. The album peaked at number six on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and peaked at...
.
Houston rapper Z-Ro
Z-Ro
Joseph Wayne McVey , better known by his stage name Z-Ro, is an American rapper, singer and producer from Houston, Texas. He was named one of America's most underrated rappers by the New York Times.-Early life:...
sampled the song in "Mo City Don (Freestyle)" off his album Let the Truth Be Told.
In popular culture
"Don't Look Any Further" played a prominent role in the plot of The X-FilesThe X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
episode "Orison," as a high school memory trigger/divine warning for Dana Scully
Dana Scully
FBI Special Agent Dana Katherine Scully, M.D. is a fictional character and protagonist on the Fox television series The X-Files , played by Gillian Anderson. She also appeared in two theatrical films based on the series...
.
The instrumental also been used as an underscore in several first season episodes of Everybody Hates Chris
Everybody Hates Chris
Everybody Hates Chris is an African American television period sitcom inspired by the teenage experiences of comedian Chris Rock , while growing up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York . The show is set from 1982 to 1987; however, Rock himself was a teenager during years...
It also appears in episode 4 of HBO's How to Make It in America
How to Make It in America
How to Make It in America is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on February 14, 2010. The series follows the lives of Ben Epstein and his friend Cam Calderon as they try to succeed in New York City's fashion scene...
.