Especially for You
| "Especially for You" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan | ||||
| from the album Ten Good Reasons | ||||
| B-side | "All I Wanna Do Is Make You Mine" | |||
| Released | 28 November 1988 | |||
| Format | ||||
| Recorded | Sydney, Australia | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 3:58 | |||
| Label | PWL | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Stock Aitken Waterman | |||
| Kylie Minogue singles chronology | ||||
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| Jason Donovan singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| Kylie and Jason "Especially for You" on YouTube | ||||
"Especially for You" is a song performed by the Australian recording artists Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan, from Donovan's debut album Ten Good Reasons (1989). The single was released on 28 November 1988 and was written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman.
"Especially for You" received many positive reviews from older and contemporary critics, who deemed it one of the strongest of each singer's album, but also dubbed the song a classic. The song had commercial success, reaching number one in the UK, Ireland, Greece and Belgium and peaking inside the Top 5 in countries including Australia, New Zealand, France, Finland and Switzerland. In 2015 the song was voted by the British public as the nation's 20th favourite 1980s number one in a poll for ITV.[1]
Kylie Minogue also performed this song as a duet with Kermit the Frog on the show An Audience with... Kylie Minogue in 2001.
Background
Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan both appeared on the Australian TV series Neighbours but before they recorded the song, both left the series to concentrate on a music career. Kylie released the album Kylie, while Donovan was working on his studio album Ten Good Reasons. Both singers' production company Stock, Aitken & Waterman wrote a song for the singers so they could sing a duet on the track. The song was released as a single on 28 November 1988 but later was included on the American version of Kylie Minogue's second album, Enjoy Yourself.
In an interview with Sara Cox on BBC Radio 2 on Sounds of the 80s, broadcast 15 December 2017, Pete Waterman stated the original idea for the release of the duet between the two stars was suggested to the label by retail chain Woolworths who said they would order 250,000 copies of the record.
Years after the single was released, the song was included on four compilations released by the singers:
- Kylie Minogue's compilations
- Greatest Hits (1992)
- Greatest Hits 1987–1999 (2003)
- Greatest Hits 87–97 (2003)
- Ultimate Kylie (2004)
- Jason Donovan's compilations
- Greatest Hits (1991)
- Greatest Hits (2006)
In July 2012, Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan performed the song at the Hit Factory Live concert, their first performance together since 1989.[2]
Chart performance
"Especially for You" debuted at number two in Australia and stayed at that position for four consecutive weeks. This is Jason Donovan's highest peak in Australia, but not Kylie's, after setting a record with her first three singles debuting at Number One. In New Zealand, the song debuted at number four, until peaking at number two. To date, this is Donovan's only single to peak in the Top 20, and Kylie's highest and longest-charting single in that country, staying for 21 weeks.[3] The song then debuted at number two on the UK Singles Chart, staying there for four weeks, rising to number one for three consecutive weeks. The song stayed in the chart for 14 weeks in total. It was Kylie's 2nd Number One of 7,[4] and Jason's first Number One of 4.[5] In 2014 the song became one of only 154 singles in UK Official Charts History to reach 1 million sales.[6]
In the European markets, the song debuted at number 39 on the French Singles Chart and rose to number three for two consecutive weeks. This was Kylie's highest single in France until "Can't Get You Out of My Head" (2001). The song debuted at number 73 on the Dutch Top 40, peaking at number four for a sole week, and was her highest until "Can't Get You Out Of My Head". The song spent a sole week at number ten in Norway, making it one of her lowest singles on that chart. The song had debuted at number 15 in Sweden, until peaking at number twelve for a solitary week. In Switzerland, the song peaked at number two for a single week, staying in the charts for fifteen weeks. This was Minogue's highest until "Can't Get You Out Of My Head". The song peaked at number twelve in Austria for one week.[7]
"Especially for You" was Kylie's biggest-selling single in the United Kingdom until 2001's "Can't Get You Out of My Head". The duet is also the bestselling Stock Aitken Waterman-penned single,[8] selling more than one million copies to date as of December 2014.
Track listings
These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Especially for You".
- CD single
- "Especially for You (Extended)" - 5:01
- "All I Wanna Do Is Make You Mine" (Extended) - 6:00
- "Especially for You" - 3:58
- 7" single
- "Especially for You" - 3:58
- "All I Wanna Do Is Make You Mine" - 3:34
- 12" single
- "Especially for You" (Extended) - 5:01
- "All I Wanna Do Is Make You Mine" (Extended) - 6:00
Live performances
Minogue performed the song on the following concert tours:
- Showgirl: The Greatest Hits Tour
- Showgirl: The Homecoming Tour
- Aphrodite World Tour 2011 (only performed during her tour in Manila, Philippines upon request)[9]
- Kiss Me Once Tour (performed upon request in Liverpool)
- A Kylie Christmas at the Royal Albert Hall
- Golden Tour
The song was also performed on:
- An Audience with Kylie Minogue 2001 TV special, a duet with Kermit the Frog.
- Sport Relief 2014 duet with Donovan and David Walliams.
Donovan performed the song on the following concert tours:
- Doin' Fine Tour 1990
- Ten Good Reasons & Greatest Hits Tour 2016
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
Certifications
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Cover versions
- Denise van Outen and Johnny Vaughan and pop group Steps released a cover version for UK TV Charity BBC Children in Need in 1998 which charted at number three on the charts.
- Filipino acoustic band MYMP covered the song for their 2005 album Versions. 10 years later fellow Filipino performers Myrtle Sarrosa and Edgar Allan Guzman, did a sample in Your Face Sounds Familiar in its second season exactly 27 years after the original release.[36]
- Taiwan pop singer Genie Cho covered the song in her 2009 album 1 + 1 Play n Fun featuring Leon Jay Williams
- Indonesian singer Sierra Soetedjo covered the song in her 2010 album Only One.
- Wink (Japanese band) on their 1989 album, Especially for You (Yasashisa ni Tsutsumarete)
- The Imogen Styles covered the song for the K25 anniversary of Kylie Minogue's 25th year in the music industry [37]
- Tim Campbell covered the song on his 2018 album Electrifying 80s.
References
- ↑ Westbrook, Caroline (25 July 2015). "The Nation's Favourite 80s Number One: 12 more classic 80s chart-toppers which didn't make the cut". Metro. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
- ↑ "Kylie Minogue has confirmed she is duetting with Jason Donovan at PWL Hyde Park - 06-Jun-2012". Home.nzcity.co.nz. 2012-06-06. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
- ↑ Steffen Hung. "Kylie & Jason - Especially for You". charts.org.nz. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
- ↑ Official Charts. "Kylie Minogue". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2014-12-13.
- ↑ Official Charts. "JASON DONOVAN". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2014-12-13.
- ↑ Justin Meyers. "Kylie and Jason's Especially for You hits one million UK sales. Kylie: "I'm thrilled!"". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2014-12-13.
- ↑ Steffen Hung. "Kylie & Jason - Especially for You". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
- ↑ Thomas, Holly (2012-06-08). "Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan to duet for the first time in 23 years". Dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
- ↑ Kylie Minogue - Especially for You (Aphrodite Tour 2011 Live in Manila) on YouTube
- ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Kylie & Jason – Especially for You". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Kylie & Jason – Especially for You" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Kylie & Jason – Especially for You". Tracklisten. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Kylie & Jason – Especially for You" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 5, 1989" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. 6 (4). January 28, 1989. pp. 30–31. OCLC 29800226.
- ↑ "Kylie & Jason: Especially for You" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ↑ "Lescharts.com – Kylie & Jason – Especially for You" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Kylie & Jason – Especially for You". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Especially for You". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ↑ "Charts.nz – Kylie & Jason – Especially for You". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Kylie & Jason – Especially for You". VG-lista. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Kylie & Jason – Especially for You". Singles Top 100. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Kylie & Jason – Especially for You". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ↑ Scaping, Peter, ed. (1991). "Top 100 Singles: 1988". BPI YearBook 1989/90. London, England: British Phonographic Industry. pp. 64–65. ISBN 978-0-9061-5410-6.
- 1 2 "ARIA End of Year Singles 1989". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on July 11, 2017. Retrieved 2011-10-11.
- ↑ "Ultratop: Jaaroverzichten 1989". Ultratop. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved 2016-05-29.
- ↑ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts: Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment Charts. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved 2016-05-29.
- ↑ "Swiss Year-End Charts 1989". Swiss Singles Chart. Archived from the original on August 12, 2017. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
- ↑ "Jaaroverzichten - Single 1989". Single Top 100. Archived from the original on December 20, 2017. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
- ↑ "Top Selling Singles of 1989". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on March 1, 2018. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
- ↑ "Year-End Charts '89 – Top 100 Singles". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications. 3 March 1990. p. 16.
- ↑ "French single certifications – Kylie Minogue & Jason Donovan – Especially for You" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved January 10, 2015. Select KYLIE MINOGUE & JASON DONOVAN and click OK.
- ↑ "British single certifications – Kylie & Jason – Especially for You". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 10, 2015. Select singles in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Especially for You in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- ↑ Myers, Justin (May 25, 2018). "Kylie Minogue's Official Top 40 biggest selling songs". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on April 6, 2017. Retrieved 2011-10-11.
- ↑ Your Face Sounds Familiar: Myrtle Sarrosa and Edgar Allan Guzman as Kylie Minouge and Jason Donovan
- ↑ Video on YouTube