Before the Rain (album)

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Before the Rain
Eternal Before the Rain.jpg
Studio album by
Eternal
Released17 March 1997
Recorded1996–97
GenreR&B, soul
Length49:02
LabelEMI, First Avenue
Producer
  • Dennis Charles
  • Ronnie Wilson
  • Nigel Lowis
  • Simon Climie
  • Harvey Mason, Jr.
Eternal chronology
Power of a Woman
(1995) 		Before the Rain
(1997) 		Greatest Hits
(1997)
Singles from Before the Rain
  1. "Someday"
    Released: August 5, 1996
  2. "Don't You Love Me"
    Released: February 24, 1997
  3. "I Wanna Be the Only One"
    Released: May 19, 1997
  4. "Think About Me"
    Released: June 25, 1997 (Japan Only)

Before the Rain is the third album by the British R&B vocal group Eternal, released in March 1997. The album includes the single "I Wanna Be the Only One" (a duet with BeBe Winans) which became Eternal's first and only number one hit in the United Kingdom. The album features lead vocals from Vernie Bennett ("Think About Me") and Kéllé Bryan ("I'm Still Crying", "All My Love"), and is their last to feature Bryan.

A commercial success, the album went Gold in its first week, debuting with sales of 100,000 copies before being certified Platinum. In June 2019, Before the Rain was ranked at number 35 on the Official Charts Company's Top 40 biggest girl band studio albums of the last 25 years.[1] According to Billboard, a US release was planned for August 26, 1997, featuring 4 additional tracks. "Dreams", produced by Peter Mokran and Emosia was slated as the lead single and was serviced to R&B radio on June 9, 1997.[2]

Single releases[]

"Someday", which was the theme to Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, was released as a single in 1996, the year before Before the Rain was released. "Don't You Love Me" was released just before the album's release, followed by the duet with American singer BeBe Winans "I Wanna Be the Only One" which reached #1 in the UK, becoming Eternal's first and only number one hit there. "How Many Tears" was scheduled for release as a single but plans were dropped due to the future release of the Greatest Hits. Australian version of the album includes the original mix of Dreams. Dreams was intended to be a single in the US where a repackaged version of Before The Rain would've been released, re-titled "Dreams" and including a further two new songs. These are thought to have been "Angel Of Mine" and "Talk About it".

Critical reception and sales[]

Before The Rain received a positive response from music critics and fans and it gained Eternal a MOBO Award. The album peaked at number 3 on the UK Albums Chart and was certified Platinum by the BPI for sales of over 300,000 copies.

Track listing[]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Don't You Love Me"
  • Cynthia Biggs
  • Carolyn Mitchell
  • Terence Dudley
  • Christopher Kellum
  • Dennis Charles
  • Ronnie Wilson
3:49
2."I Wanna Be the Only One" (duet with BeBe Winans)
Andy Bradfield4:18
3."How Many Tears"
  • St. Paul Peterson
  • Oliver Leiber
Harvey Mason, Jr.4:37
4."Grace Under Pressure"
  • Bruce Forest
  • John Themis
  • Beverley Skeete
  • Derek Green
  • Andy Whitmore
  • Charles
  • Wilson
4:41
5."Someday"
Simon Climie4:14
6."Think About Me" (featuring Basil Reynolds)Michelle Lewis
  • Charles
  • Wilson
4:39
7."Promises"
  • Easther Bennett
  • Vernie Bennett
  • Charles
  • Wilson
4:07
8."I'm Still Cryin"
Lowis4:50
9."All My Love" (featuring G-Man)
  • Lowis
  • Bryan
  • Plato
Lowis3:06
10."What Do You Mean When You Say"Vernie Bennett
  • Charles
  • Wilson
4:58
11."Why Am I Waiting"
  • E. Bennett
  • Mason
  • Robert Gerald
  • Denis Ingoldsby
Mason4:16
12."It's Never Too Late" (Interlude)E. Bennett
  • Charles
  • Wilson
1:14
Australian bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
13."Dreams"
  • Charles
  • Wilson
4:13

Japanese Bonus Tracks[]

  • 1. "Finally" (On the Japanese Edition this was placed as the First Track)
  • 14. "12 Months"
  • 15. "I'll Take A Pass On Love"
  • 16. "I Wanna Be The Only One" (This version features only Easther on lead vocals)

Charts[]

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[19] Gold 100,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[20] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] Platinum 300,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References[]

  1. ^ "The Official Top 40 biggest girl band studio albums of the last 25 years". Official Charts Company. 13 June 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  2. ^ Billboard (21 June 1997). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1997-06-21. p. 83. Retrieved 18 December 2017. eternal record sales.
  3. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Eternal – Before the Rain". Hung Medien.
  4. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Eternal – Before the Rain" (in German). Hung Medien.
  5. ^ "Danishcharts.dk – Eternal – Before the Rain". Hung Medien.
  6. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Eternal – Before the Rain" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  7. ^ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH.
  8. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 1997-03-01" (in Japanese). Oricon.
  9. ^ "Charts.nz – Eternal – Before the Rain". Hung Medien.
  10. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Eternal – Before the Rain". Hung Medien.
  11. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  12. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Eternal – Before the Rain". Hung Medien.
  13. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Eternal – Before the Rain". Hung Medien.
  14. ^ "Eternal | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
  15. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  16. ^ "Danishcharts – Jahreshitparade 1997". Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  17. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Jahreshitparade 1997". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  18. ^ "Chart Archive – 1990s Albums". Retrieved 24 September 2011.
  19. ^ "Japanese album certifications – Eternal – ビフォア・ザ・レイン" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 28 July 2021. Select 1997年3月 on the drop-down menu
  20. ^ "Dutch album certifications – Eternal – Before the Rain" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved July 15, 2012. Enter Before the Rain in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  21. ^ "British album certifications – Eternal – Before the Rain". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 25 July 2012.


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