I Wanna Be the Only One

"I Wanna Be the Only One" is a song by British R&B girl group Eternal and American R&B/gospel singer BeBe Winans, released in May 1997 by EMI and 1st Avenue as the third single from the group's third album, Before the Rain (1997). Topping the UK Singles Chart, the release also became the group's third collaboration with Winans, who had written and produced their 1994 single "Crazy" (from Always & Forever) and the song "It Will Never End" (from their 1995 album Power of a Woman). The single became the group's 11th non-consecutive top-10 entry on the UK Singles Chart.

"I Wanna Be the Only One"
Single by Eternal featuring BeBe Winans
from the album Before the Rain
B-side
  • "A Friend Is a Friend"
  • "Show Me"
Released19 May 1997 (1997-05-19)[1]
Genre
Length
  • 4:18 (album version)
  • 3:36 (radio edit)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Nigel Lowis
Eternal singles chronology
"Don't You Love Me"
(1997)		 "I Wanna Be the Only One"
(1997)		 "Angel of Mine"
(1997)
Alternative cover
UK CD2

"I Wanna Be the Only One" became Eternal's biggest hit to date; it was the third most-played song on British radio and the most-played song on European radio by a British act in 1997. It earned Eternal a MOBO Award and Capital FM Award for Best Single. It was also nominated for Best Single at the BRIT Awards. As of May 2019, the song has sold 728,000 copies in the UK.[2] In June 2019, "I Wanna Be the Only One" was ranked at number 28 on the Official Charts Company's "Top 100 Girl Band Singles of the Last 25 Years".[3]

Critical reception

Scottish Daily Record named "I Wanna Be the Only One" Single of the Week, viewing it as a "classy" number.[4] The Mirror's Kate Thornton praised it as "a feelgood duet" that "could even be their first number one."[5] A reviewer from Music Week gave it four out of five, describing it as "a gloriously commercial, uptempo tune. The result is superb and another top five hit."[6] The magazine's Alan Jones called it "another surefire winner", "wherein the girls have a foil in the form of BeBe Winans. Bebe's rich gospel tones perfectly complement Eternal's on a smooth, perky, maddeningly commercial pop nugget which makes fine use of brass over a funky groove which moves at quite a pace."[7]

Claudia Connell from News of the World felt it is "a perfect summer song with a gentle gospel sound that shows off four lots of fine vocals."[8] New Straits Times declared it as "an immediately winning tune, lively and catchy. Winans' strong masculine voice contrasts nicely with the girls svelte voices - dig the breathy Yeh-yeh-yeh-yehs, and the call and response sections."[9] Ian Hyland from Sunday Mirror gave the song eight out of ten, noting that "Eternal go seriously gospel with the soul legend that is BeBe Winans. The girls can do no wrong at the moment and if they don't crack America with the new stuff then they may as well give up. Top dance remixes as well."[10]

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by Randee St. Nicholas. It features the group performing in a basement, with a group of females surrounding them. Winans are surrounded by a group of men. These are battling each other. In the end, they all stand together, laughing into the camera. The video was filmed in Islington, London.

Track listings

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[54] Gold 35,000^
Belgium (BEA)[55] Gold 25,000*
France (SNEP)[56] Gold 250,000*
Netherlands (NVPI)[57] Platinum 75,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[58] Platinum 10,000*
Norway (IFPI Norway)[59] Platinum  
Sweden (GLF)[60] Gold 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[61] Platinum 728,000[2]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 17 May 1997. p. 36. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  2. Myers, Justin (30 May 2019). "Number 1 today in 1997: Eternal – I Wanna Be The Only One". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  3. "The Official Top 100 girl band singles and albums of the last 25 years". Official Charts Company. 13 June 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  4. "Single of the week; Eternal: I Wanna Be The Only One". Daily Record. 16 May 1997.
  5. Thornton, Kate (17 March 1997). "Album: Review". The Mirror.
  6. "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 10 May 1997. p. 40. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  7. Jones, Alan (19 April 1997). "Talking Music" (PDF). Music Week. p. 29. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  8. Connell, Claudia (18 May 1997). "Single review; Hot Goss". News of the World.
  9. "Eternal-ly sweet, soulful sounds". New Straits Times. 13 April 1997.
  10. Hyland, Ian (18 May 1997). "Hallelujah! the Eternal Girls Go All Gospel; Music". Sunday Mirror.
  11. I Wanna Be the Only One (UK CD1 liner notes). Eternal. EMI United Kingdom, 1st Avenue Records. 1997. CDEM 472, 7243 8 84040 2 0.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. I Wanna Be the Only One (UK CD2 liner notes). Eternal. EMI United Kingdom, 1st Avenue Records. 1997. CDEMS 472, 7243 8 84041 2 9.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. I Wanna Be the Only One (UK cassette single sleeve). Eternal. EMI United Kingdom, 1st Avenue Records. 1997. TCEM 472, 7243 8 84040 4 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. I Wanna Be the Only One (European CD single liner notes). Eternal. EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1997. 7243 8 84116 2 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. I Wanna Be the Only One (Australian CD single liner notes). Eternal. EMI Records. 1997. 7243 8 84264 2 8.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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