To Miss Someone

"To Miss Someone" is a song by American singer Maria McKee, released in 1989 as the second single from her debut studio album Maria McKee. The song, written by McKee and produced by Mitchell Froom, was covered by Northern Irish singer Feargal Sharkey in 1991.

"To Miss Someone"
Single by Maria McKee
from the album Maria McKee
ReleasedAugust 1989 (US)[1]
October 22, 1990 (UK)[2]
Length
  • 3:51 (album version)
  • 3:41 (single edit)
LabelGeffen
Songwriter(s)Maria McKee
Producer(s)Mitchell Froom
Maria McKee singles chronology
"I've Forgotten What It Was in You (That Put the Need in Me)"
(1989)		 "To Miss Someone"
(1989)		 "Show Me Heaven"
(1990)
Music video
"To Miss Someone" on YouTube

Background

McKee was inspired to write "To Miss Someone" after the split of her band Lone Justice in 1987. She revealed in 1989, "It was pretty much an all-time low. I loved that band. I went to New York having left my boyfriend and my band and, it's true, pain does make you write better songs, but I wouldn't want to go through it for the sake of the song."[3]

Release

"To Miss Someone" was issued as McKee's second single in the US in August 1989.[1] It was issued as a single in the UK and Germany in October 1990.[2]

Music video

The song's music video was directed by Jesse Dylan.[4] It achieved light rotation on VH1.[5]

Critical reception

Upon its release as a single in the US, Billboard picked "To Miss Someone" as "new and noteworthy" and described the "heart warming and comforting easy-paced ballad" as "lyrically astute and expertly produced by Froom". They added, "[The] song should be embraced by adult contemporary programmers, boding well for acceptance at the pop level. Has the potential to be a sleeper."[6] The Gavin Report commented, "McKee gives justice to a feeling we have all felt at one time or another. Her musical and writing approach is eloquently heard on this track. The lady definitely can stand alone."[7]

In a review of Maria McKee, Holly Crenshaw of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution described the song as a "quiet lament" on which McKee "shad[es] her voice with tentativeness" and "explores how a failed relationship can leave one person with a pathetic obsession for the other".[8] Len Righi of The Morning Call noted how McKee "goes from breathy edge of panic to full-throated roar" on the track.[9]

In the UK, David Stubbs of Melody Maker was critical of the song, considering it to be "smalltown FM fare, with Maria bleating demurely about a broken heart only to be interrupted by a church organ solo as if our cup of joy were not full enough already". He added, "An obviously vapid follow-up to 'Show Me Heaven'. Wasn't this girl supposed to be, like, good once?"[10]

Track listing

CD promotional single (US)[11]

  1. "To Miss Someone" (Edit) – 3:45
  2. "To Miss Someone" (LP Version) – 3:51

7-inch single (UK and Germany)[12]

  1. "To Miss Someone" (Edit) – 3:43
  2. "Nobody's Child" – 3:56

7-inch single (Australia)[13]

  1. "To Miss Someone" – 3:51
  2. "Drinkin' in My Sunday Dress" – 3:29

12-inch single (UK)[14]

  1. "To Miss Someone" (Edit) – 3:43
  2. "Nobody's Child" – 3:56
  3. "Breathe" – 4:32

CD single (UK and Germany)[15]

  1. "To Miss Someone" (Edit) – 3:43
  2. "Nobody's Child" – 3:56
  3. "Breathe" – 4:32

Personnel

Production

Charts
Chart (1990) Peak
position
UK Music Week Playlist Chart[16] 54

Feargal Sharkey version
"To Miss Someone"
Single by Feargal Sharkey
from the album Songs from the Mardi Gras
Released1991
Length3:41
LabelVirgin
Songwriter(s)Maria McKee
Producer(s)Barry Beckett
Feargal Sharkey singles chronology
"Women & I"
(1991)		 "To Miss Someone"
(1991)		 "Cry Like a Rainy Day"
(1991)

Northern Irish singer Feargal Sharkey covered "To Miss Someone" on his third and final studio album Songs from the Mardi Gras (1991). Produced by Barry Beckett, it was released as the third single from the album. Sharkey had previously recorded the McKee-penned "A Good Heart" which reached the UK number one spot in 1985.[17][18]

Critical reception

Upon its release as a single, Barbara Ellen of New Musical Express praised Sharkey for having "the most heavenly wheeze in pop", but felt that "here he sadly does not improve on McKee's majestic original". Martin Price and Graham Massey of 808 State, as guest reviewers, were also critical. Price felt that on the song "he's trying to sound too sophisticated" and prefers him when he "sounds dead raw". Massey believed the song "just sounds like FM radio averageness" and added that Sharkey is "better when he writes his own stuff".[19] Everett True of Melody Maker wrote, "He's fucked now, isn't he? Fancy having a voice like that and treating it to a song like this. Take that any way you like."[20] In a review of Songs from the Mardi Gras, Paul Sexton of Select described "To Miss Someone" as a "pretty obvious attempt to re-create the conditions of 'A Good Heart'".[21]

Track listing

7-inch and cassette single (UK)[22][23]

  1. "To Miss Someone" – 3:41
  2. "I'll Take It Back" (Live) – 3:57

CD single (UK)[24]

  1. "To Miss Someone" – 3:41
  2. "I'll Take It Back" (Live) – 3:57
  3. "Never Never" (The Assembly) – 3:46
  4. "Miss You Fever" (Instrumental) – 4:11

Personnel

Production

  • Barry Beckett – producer on "To Miss Someone" and "Miss You Fever"
  • Justin Niebank – mixing on "To Miss Someone" and "Miss You Fever"
  • Feargal Sharkey – producer on "I'll Take It Back"
  • Andy Mason – mixing on "I'll Take It Back"
  • The Assembly – producers on "Never Never"

Other

  • Idest – sleeve design
  • Peter Smith – photography

Charts
Chart (1991) Peak
position
UK Music Week Playlist Chart[25] 52

References
  1. ""To Miss Someone" - The new single and video from Maria McKee" (PDF). Gavin Report. No. 1771. August 25, 1989. p. 25. Retrieved July 27, 2022 – via World Radio History.
  2. Smith, Robin (20 October 1990). "This Week - The Next Seven Days in View: Releases". Record Mirror. p. 33. ISSN 0144-5804.
  3. Hey, Chrissy (July 22, 1989). "UK: Lone Justice" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. 53, no. 2. p. 7. Retrieved July 27, 2022 – via World Radio History.
  4. Fell, Ron (August 25, 1989). "Biofeedback" (PDF). Gavin Report. No. 1771. p. 30. Retrieved July 27, 2022 – via World Radio History.
  5. "VH1" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 806. September 15, 1989. p. 82. Retrieved July 27, 2022 – via World Radio History.
  6. "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 101, no. 35. September 2, 1989. p. 71. Retrieved July 27, 2022 – via World Radio History.
  7. "Adult Contemporary: Reviews" (PDF). Gavin Report. No. 1771. August 25, 1989. p. 26. Retrieved July 27, 2022 – via World Radio History.
  8. Crenshaw, Holly (July 2, 1989). "Record Review: Maria McKee fares well on her gutsy solo LP". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. N-7.
  9. Righi, Len (July 1, 1989). "Records". The Morning Call. p. A71.
  10. Stubbs, David (17 November 1990). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 30.
  11. To Miss Someone (US CD promotional single liner notes). Maria McKee. Geffen Records. 1989. PRO-CD-3666.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. To Miss Someone (UK and German 7-inch single sleeve notes). Maria McKee. Geffen Records. 1990. GEF 83, 5439-19663-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. To Miss Someone (Australian 7-inch single sleeve notes). Maria McKee. Geffen Records. 1990. 7-22800.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. To Miss Someone (UK 12-inch single sleeve notes). Maria McKee. Geffen Records. 1990. GEF83T.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. To Miss Someone (UK and German CD single liner notes). Maria McKee. Geffen Records. 1989. GEF83CD.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. "Playlist Chart" (PDF). Music Week. December 1, 1990. Retrieved July 27, 2022 – via World Radio History.
  17. Fairweather, Steve (April 12, 1991). "Cuts Deeper: Don't you know that it's different for Joe". Stirling Observer. p. 7.
  18. "FEARGAL SHARKEY; full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  19. Ellen, Barbara; Price, Martin; Massey, Graham (17 August 1991). "Singles". New Musical Express. p. 22.
  20. True, Everett (17 August 1991). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 28.
  21. Sexton, Paul (April 1991). "Reviews: The New Discs". Select. p. 81.
  22. To Miss Someone (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Feargal Sharkey. Virgin Records. 1991. VS1367.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  23. To Miss Someone (UK cassette single liner notes). Feargal Sharkey. Virgin Records. 1991. VSC 1367.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  24. To Miss Someone (UK CD single liner notes). Feargal Sharkey. Virgin Records. 1991. VSCDG 1367.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  25. "Playlist Chart" (PDF). Music Week. August 24, 1991. Retrieved July 27, 2022 – via World Radio History.
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