"Touch Me" is an Italo house song by Italian group 49ers. Produced by Gianfranco Bortolotti, it was released on 4 December 1989 as the third single from their debut album, 49ers (1990). The song received favorable reviews from music critics, reaching number three on the UK Singles Chart[1] and it was a top 10 hit in at least 10 other countries in Europe. Outside Europe, it was the first of four hits on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart for 49ers. It samples Aretha Franklin's "Rock-A-Lott" and Alisha Warren's "Touch Me".

"Touch Me"
Single by 49ers
from the album 49ers
B-side"Remix"
Released4 December 1989
GenreItalo house
Length3:43
LabelIsland
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Gianfranco Bortolotti
49ers singles chronology
"Shadows"
(1989)
"Touch Me"
(1989)
"Don't You Love Me"
(1990)
Music video
"Touch Me" on YouTube

Chart performance

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"Touch Me" was quite successful on the charts across several continents. The song remains the group's biggest hit to date, peaking at number-one on both the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in the United States and the RPM Dance/Urban chart in Canada. It spent two weeks at number-one and a total of eleven weeks on the Billboard dance chart.[2] In Europe, the single entered the top 10 in Austria (9), Denmark (5), Finland (3), Greece (3), Ireland (4), Spain (6), Sweden (8), Switzerland (6), the UK and West Germany (7). In the UK, it peaked at number three in its sixth week at the UK Singles Chart, on January 14, 1990.[3] Additionally, "Touch Me" was a top 20 hit in Belgium (12) and the Netherlands (13). In Oceania, it also entered the top 20, reaching number 15 in New Zealand and number 18 in Australia.

Critical reception

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AllMusic editor Alex Henderson felt that Italian producer Gianfranco Bortolotti "sees to it that vocal personality is a prime ingredient of such exuberant offerings" as "Touch Me".[4] Bill Coleman from Billboard described the song as a "soulful "Ride On Time"-style workout", noting that "strong production and a contagious chorus render track satisfying."[5] He added that "the energetic technotrack utilizes the a cappellas (and quite well actually)" of Aretha Franklin's "Rock-A-Lott" and Alisha Warren's modest UK hit "Touch Me".[6] Ernest Hardy from Cashbox found that inspired by the success of Black Box and “Ride on Time”, "this one finds Aretha Franklin in the Loleatta Holloway role." He concluded, "It is full of energy".[7]

Bob Stanley from Melody Maker felt it's "a beautifully constructed rip-off of "Ride On Time" (which in turn was a beautifully constructed rip-off of "Theme from S'Express")."[8] A reviewer from Music & Media declared it as "storming dance material with house rhythm and loads of samples. Definitely a record with chart and dance floor potential. Listen up."[9] Lola Borg from Smash Hits complimented it as "genuine Italian house music", noting that "it sounds like a cross between Lil Louis (with mad barking dogs) and Black Box and it's fiendishly good and can only be appreciated fully by wiggling all over the shop whilst it's on at full blast."[10] Another editor, Ian Cranna, praised the single as "glorious", with "prime quality Italian house-thumping beats ahoy, rousing piano and strings galore and singalong catchy pop bits all over the shop."[11]

Music video

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A music video was produced to promote the single, featuring singer Dawn Mitchell, 49ers frontwoman at that time.

Track listing

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7" single, West Germany, Austria & Switzerland (1989)
No.TitleLength
1."Touch Me" (Radio Version)3:43
2."Touch Me" (Instrumental Edit)3:40
12" single, West Germany, Austria & Switzerland (1989)
No.TitleLength
1."Touch Me" (Sexual Version)6:06
2."Touch Me" (Radio Version)3:43
3."Touch Me" (Instrumental)5:50
CD maxi, West Germany, Austria & Switzerland (1990)
No.TitleLength
1."Touch Me" (Radio Version)3:43
2."Touch Me" (Hard Core Remix)5:36
3."Touch Me" (Hard Core Version)6:26
4."Touch Me" (Sexual Version)5:53
5."Touch Me" (Instrumental))5:50

Charts

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References

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  1. ^ "49ers - Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 101.
  3. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100 14 January 1990 - 20 January 1990". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  4. ^ Henderson, Alex. "49ers - 49ers". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  5. ^ Coleman, Bill (24 February 1990). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 79. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  6. ^ Coleman, Bill (3 March 1990). "Dance Trax: Prince Of Nip-House Lazy Gets Crazy On Debut" (PDF). Billboard. p. 29. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  7. ^ Hardy, Ernest (31 March 1990). "Pop Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Cashbox. p. 18. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  8. ^ Stanley, Bob (17 March 1990). "Albums". Melody Maker. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  9. ^ "Previews: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 10 February 1990. p. 15. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  10. ^ Borg, Lola (13 December 1989). "Singles". Smash Hits. p. 49. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  11. ^ Cranna, Ian (7 March 1990). "Review: LPs". Smash Hits. No. 294. p. 55. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  12. ^ a b c d e "Touch Me", in various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved February 9, 2008)
  13. ^ Belgian peak Archived 9 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 9024." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  15. ^ Danish Singles Chart. 30 March 1990.
  16. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 27 January 1990. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  17. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 9789511210535.
  18. ^ "Top 3 Greece" (PDF). Music & Media. 7 April 1990. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  19. ^ Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved April 10, 2008)
  20. ^ "Single top 100 over 1990" (PDF) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 15 April 2010.
  21. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  22. ^ "Touch Me", UK Singles Chart Official Charts Company (Retrieved April 10, 2008)
  23. ^ Waddell, Ray (7 February 2012). "Madonna Sets 2012 World Tour Dates". Billboard. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  24. ^ "49ers singles, German Singles Chart" (in German). musicline. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
  25. ^ "Top 50 Dance Tracks of 1990". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 23 September 2018.