Sleeping Satellite

"Sleeping Satellite"
Single by Tasmin Archer
from the album Great Expectations
Released 31 August 1992
Format 7" vinyl, CD single
Genre Pop
Length 4:15
Label Virgin Music (UK)
SBK Records/Capitol-EMI (US)
Writer(s) Tasmin Archer, John Beck, John Hughes
Producer(s) Julian Mendelsohn, Paul Wickens
Tasmin Archer singles chronology
"Sleeping Satellite"
(1992)		 "In Your Care"
(1993)

"Sleeping Satellite" was the debut single by the British singer-songwriter Tasmin Archer, released in 1992. The song was a number one in the UK,[1] and was also an international hit.

Lyrics and music

Although first released in 1992, Archer and her co-writers wrote the song in the late 1980s, but it was only when Archer got a record deal that the song saw the light of day.

Four instruments were used in the recording of "Sleeping Satellite", John Hughes and Robbie McIntosh provided the guitars in the song, and John Beck and Paul Wickens were keyboard players. The drummer was Graham Broadhead whilst Gary Maughan played Fairlight.

Archer sings backing vocals on the track along with Tessa Niles and Carol Kenyon.

The lyrics of the song reference the Apollo Missions of the 1960s, characterised as "man's greatest adventure"; the sleeping satellite of the title being The Moon.

Chart performances

"Sleeping Satellite" was released to the UK on 31 August 1992 and swiftly rose up the UK charts to the number one spot, replacing "Ebeneezer Goode" by The Shamen. It stayed there for two weeks, before being dethroned by Boyz II Men’s "End of the Road".

The song was a multiformat success in the U.S. The song hit the Modern Rock Tracks chart the last week of February 1993. Inching up to a peak of #12, it was her best showing on any U.S. chart, but the song gradually proved its crossover potential in April when it appeared first on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart and the following week hit the main chart. By the early '90s, the Billboard Hot 100 had splintered into several sub-charts, and the song hit two of these, peaking in late May/early June 1993 at #29 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart, and at #16 on the Top 40 Mainstream chart. "Sleeping Satellite" also hit #24 on the Adult Contemporary chart. The single peaked at #32 on the traditional Hot 100.

Archer's song was successful throughout the world, notably hitting the top 5 in Sweden and Switzerland, #6 in France, and #14 in Australia.

"Sleeping Satellite" is Tasmin Archer’s most successful single to date, her only UK Top 10, and her only single to chart in the U.S.

The song was the final song played on Pennine FM before the station's closure in April 2010.

Cover versions

Track listings

CD single
  1. "Sleeping Satellite"
  2. "Sleeping Satellite" (acoustic version)
  3. "Man at the Window" (acoustic version)
  4. "Sleeping Satellite" (extended version)
7"
  1. "Sleeping Satellite"
  2. "Sleeping Satellite" (acoustic version)
12"
  1. "Sleeping Satellite"
  2. "Sleeping Satellite" (acoustic version)
  3. "Sleeping Satellite" (extended version)
U.S. CD single
  1. "Sleeping Satellite" (CHR edit)
  2. "Sleeping Satellite" (A/C version)
  3. "Sleeping Satellite" (alternative rock version)
  4. "Sleeping Satellite" (full CHR mix)

Certifications

Country Certification Date Sales certified
UK[9] Silver 1 October 1992 200,000

Charts

Peak positions

Chart (1992-1993) Peak
position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart[10] 14
Austrian Singles Chart[10] 11
Dutch Top 40[11] 9
French SNEP Singles Chart[10] 6
German Singles Chart[12] 12
Irish Singles Chart[13] 1
Swedish Singles Chart[10] 4
Swiss Singles Chart[10] 5
UK Singles Chart[14] 1
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[15] 32
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks[15] 24
U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks[15] 12
U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream[15] 16

Year-end charts

Chart (1992) Position
Dutch Top 40[11] 77
Italian Top 100[11] 16
UK Singles Chart 16

Chart successions

Preceded by
"Ebeneezer Goode" by The Shamen		 Irish IRMA number-one single
16 October 1992 – 5 November 1992 (4 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"End of the Road" by Boyz II Men
UK number-one single
11 October 1992 – 24 October 1992 (2 weeks)

References

  1. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 545–6. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. ↑ "Ketty DB Discography at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  3. ↑ "Ketty DB - Sleeping Satellite (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  4. ↑ "Aurora Feat Naimee Coleman - Sleeping Satellite (CDr) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  5. ↑ "Sleeping Satellite", by Junior Caldera, French Singles Chart Lescharts.com (Retrieved 28 September 2008)
  6. ↑ "DJ James Fraser produces dance music tracks under the banner of Stereolove with guest artists under the banner of Stereolove feat". Stereolove.com.au. 2012-05-10. Retrieved 2013-04-26.
  7. ↑ "STEREOLOVE SLEEPING SATELLITE HITS NUMBER 1 ON THE JUNO POP / TRANCE CHARTS | Stereolove / DJ James Fraser - Dance Music". Stereolove.com.au. 2012-11-20. Retrieved 2013-04-26.
  8. ↑ "1. Stereo Love". Facebook. 2012-07-24. Retrieved 2013-04-26.
  9. ↑ UK certifications Bpi.co.uk (Retrieved 14 September 2008)
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 "Sleeping Satellite", Australian, Austrian, French, Swedish, Swiss Charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved 15 December 2007)
  11. 1 2 3 "Single top 100 over 1992" (PDF) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 15 April 2010.
  12. ↑ German Singles Chart Charts-surfer.de (Retrieved 14 September 2008)
  13. ↑ Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved 14 September 2008)
  14. ↑ "Sleeping Satellite", UK Singles Chart Chartstats.com (Retrieved 14 September 2008)
  15. 1 2 3 4 Billboard Allmusic.com (Retrieved 14 September 2008)
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