Send Me a Lover

Summary

"Send Me a Lover" is a song by American singer-songwriter and actress Taylor Dayne. It was written by Rick Hahn and George Thatcher, and released on September 6, 1993, as the second single from her third album, Soul Dancing (1993). In the United States, it peaked at number 50 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 19 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks. In Canada, "Send Me a Lover" reached number 24 on the Top Singles chart and number eight on the Adult Contemporary chart. The song was originally recorded by Canadian singer Celine Dion in 1992, but her version remained unreleased until 1994.

"Send Me a Lover"
Single by Taylor Dayne
from the album Soul Dancing
ReleasedSeptember 6, 1993 (1993-09-06)
GenrePop
Length4:28
LabelArista
Songwriter(s)
  • Richard Hahn
  • George Thatcher
Producer(s)Humberto Gatica
Taylor Dayne singles chronology
"Can't Get Enough of Your Love"
(1993)
"Send Me a Lover"
(1993)
"I'll Wait"
(1994)
Music video
"Send Me a Lover" on YouTube

Critical reception edit

Jose F. Promis from AllMusic felt that the song "stands as one of Dayne's finest moments".[1] Larry Flick from Billboard declared it as "a heartbroken power ballad that will connect with anyone who has suffered from unrequited love. Bombastic production builds from soft to earth-shaking in the blink of an eye, and Taylor matches the arrangement with a performance that might shatter a glass or two. A better radio bet than the previous "Can't Get Enough of Your Love"."[2] Mike Joyce from The Washington Post stated that one listen to ballads like "Send Me a Lover", "with stirring choruses, modulations, and melismatic twists, is enough to convince you that Dayne knows the ins and outs of the idiom."[3]

Track listing edit

  • US CD maxi-single
  1. "Send Me a Lover" – 4:28
  2. "With Every Beat of My Heart" – 4:22
  3. "Love Will Lead You Back" – 4:37
  4. "If You Were Mine" – 5:01
  5. "Someone Like You" – 3:50

Charts edit

Chart (1993) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[4] 42
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[5] 24
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[6] 8
Netherlands (Single Top 100 Tip)[7] 15
US Billboard Hot 100[8] 50
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[9] 19

Release history edit

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States September 6, 1993
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
Arista [citation needed]
Japan October 21, 1993 Mini-CD [10]

Celine Dion version edit

"Send Me a Lover"
Song by Celine Dion
from the album Kumbaya Album Nineteen Ninety Four
Released1994
GenrePop
Length4:31
LabelSony
Songwriter(s)
  • Richard Hahn
  • George Thatcher
Producer(s)Humberto Gatica

Canadian singer Celine Dion recorded "Send Me a Lover" in 1992, but her version remained unreleased until 1994. The song was recorded during the Celine Dion album sessions, and produced by Humberto Gatica.[11]

Background and release edit

Dion's recording, with heavily revised verses and slightly altered chorus lyrics, was offered to various benefit collections, mostly for women's causes. First it was released on the Kumbaya Album Nineteen Ninety Four (1994).[11] All proceeds from this CD went to support AIDS awareness and services. It also appeared on the In Between Dances (1995) (of which profits were given to research on breast cancer), The Power of Peace (1996) (to celebrate the 50 years of CARA), and Women for Women, Vol. 2 (1996) (another album to get funds for the research on breast cancer). "Send Me a Lover" was played on the adult contemporary radio since September 1996,[12] as an album cut from The Power of Peace, without an official single release.[13]

Commercial performance edit

"Send Me a Lover" entered the US Radio & Records's Adult Contemporary chart in November 1996[14] and peaked at number 16 in January 1997.[15] It also entered the Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart in January 1997 and peaked at number 23 in the same month.[16]

Critical reception edit

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Here's a wonderful song that Dion has contributed to The Power of Peace, a fine 13-track compilation designed to raise money for CARE. Sharp ears will remember Taylor Dayne's hit version of this forlorn power ballad, which Dion dives into with white-knuckled power. AC listeners who cannot get enough of the Canadian diva will feast on this treat".[13]

Charts edit

Weekly charts edit

Chart (1996–1997) Peak
position
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[16] 23
US Adult Contemporary (Radio & Records)[15] 16

Year-end charts edit

Chart (1997) Position
US Adult Contemporary (Radio & Records)[17] 78

References edit

  1. ^ Promis, Jose F. "Taylor Dayne – Soul Dancing". AllMusic. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  2. ^ Flick, Larry (September 4, 1993). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 63. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  3. ^ Joyce, Mike (September 5, 1993). "Big Voices Are Back: Carey, Braxton and Dayne". The Washington Post. p. G08.
  4. ^ "Taylor Dayne – Send Me a Lover". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
  5. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2297." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  6. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2298." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  7. ^ "Taylor Dayne – Send Me a Lover" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  8. ^ "Taylor Dayne Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
  9. ^ "Taylor Dayne Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
  10. ^ "センド・ミー・ア・ラバー | テイラー・デイン" [Send Me a Lover | Taylor Dayne] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Kumbaya Album Nineteen Ninety Four". Discogs. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  12. ^ "AC - Most Added" (PDF). Radio & Records. September 27, 1996. p. 72. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  13. ^ a b Flick, Larry (November 9, 1996). "Reviews & Previews: Singles" (PDF). Billboard. p. 68. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  14. ^ "AC Top 30" (PDF). Radio & Records. November 8, 1996. p. 63. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  15. ^ a b "AC Top 30" (PDF). Radio & Records. January 10, 1997. p. 58. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  16. ^ a b "Celine Dion Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  17. ^ "AC - 97 of 1997" (PDF). Radio & Records. December 12, 1997. p. 89. Retrieved June 9, 2023.