Don't Be a Stranger (Dina Carroll song)

"Don't Be a Stranger"
"Don't Be a Stranger"
Single by Dina Carroll
from the album So Close
B-side	"Born to Be (Your Lover)"
Released	4 October 1993
Recorded	1992
Genre	Pop
Length	4:42
Label	A&M; 1st Avenue;
Songwriter(s)	Coral Gordon; Geoff Gurd;
Producer(s)	Nigel Lowis
Dina Carroll singles chronology
Audio
	"Don't Be a Stranger" on YouTube

"Don't Be a Stranger" is a song by British singer Dina Carroll, released as the sixth and final single from her debut album, So Close (1993), on 4 October 1993. The record was produced by Nigel Lowis, and the strings on the track were performed by the London Session Orchestra.^[2]

"Don't Be a Stranger" was a success in the United Kingdom, reaching number three on the UK Singles Chart, and it also reached the top 30 in Ireland and Sweden. On the Eurochart Hot 100, it reached number 11. A black-and-white music video was shot to accompany the song in Prague, Czech Republic, featuring such landmarks as Charles Bridge and St. Vitus Cathedral; it was directed by German feature film director and producer Marcus Nispel.^[3]

Critical reception[]

Scottish newspaper Aberdeen Evening Express stated that "Don't Be a Stranger" is "sure to be a huge hit."^[4] Jon O'Brien from AllMusic called it "epic".^[5] Alan Jones from Music Week gave it four out of five. He wrote, "Accompanied by a 40-piece orchestra, Carroll turns in a powerful vocal on a dramatic ballad, which makes full use of its expensive accompaniment."^[6] Pop Rescue described it as "wonderful and absolutely faultless", noting that the singer's vocals are "rich, strong, and flawless." They added that "it was clear that this belter of a song would push her towards recording more big ballads."^[7] Phil Shanklin of ReviewsRevues deemed it a "gem from its dramatic introduction", with "a build up that Celine Dion would have been proud of. This is Dina’s best moment."^[8]

Track listings[]

7-inch single, Europe (1993)^[9]
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Don't Be a Stranger" (radio mix)
2.	"Born to Be (Your Lover)" (Nigel Lowis Mix)

12-inch vinyl, UK (1993)^[2]
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Don't Be a Stranger"
2.	"Born to Be (Your Lover)" (Nigel Lowis Mix)
3.	"Born to Be (Your Lover)" (Platinum Mix)
4.	"Don't Let Me Be the One"

CD single, UK (1993)^[10]
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Don't Be a Stranger" (radio mix)
2.	"Born to Be (Your Lover)" (Nigel Lowis Mix)
3.	"Don't Let Me Be the One"
4.	"Born to Be (Your Lover)" (Platinum Mix)

CD single, Europe (1993)^[11]
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Don't Be a Stranger" (LP version)	4:20
2.	"Don't Be a Stranger" (remix)

Charts[]

Weekly charts[]

Chart (1993)	Peak position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[12]	11
Ireland (IRMA)^[13]	6
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[14]	26
UK Singles (OCC)^[15]	3
UK Dance Singles (Music Week)^[16]	15

Year-end charts[]

Chart (1993)	Position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[17]	94
UK Singles (OCC)^[18]	23

Sales and certifications[]


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)^[19]	Silver	200,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References[]

^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 2 October 1993. p. 25. Retrieved 22 June 2021. Misprinted as 27 September.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Don't Be a Stranger (UK 12-inch single vinyl disc). Dina Carroll. A&M Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1993. 580 389-1.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ "Dina Carroll: Don't Be a Stranger (1993)". IMDb. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
^ Aberdeen Evening Express. 25 September 1993. p. 66. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
^ O'Brien, Jon. "Dina Carroll – The Very Best of Dina Carroll". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
^ Jones, Alan (9 October 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream – Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 18. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
^ "REVIEW: "SO CLOSE" BY DINA CARROLL (CD, 1993)". Pop Rescue. 19 June 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
^ Shanklin, Phil (2 May 2015). "100 Essential Albums- Number 86– So Close – Dina Carroll ( A&M 1993)". ReviewsRevues. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
^ Don't Be a Stranger (European 7-inch single sleeve). Dina Carroll. A&M Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1993. 580 388-7.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ Don't Be a Stranger (UK CD single liner notes). Dina Carroll. A&M Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1993. 580 389-2.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ Don't Be a Stranger (European CD single liner notes). Dina Carroll. A&M Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1993. 580 400-2.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10 no. 48. 27 November 1993. p. 17. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Don't Be a Stranger". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
^ "Swedishcharts.com – Dina Carroll – Don't Be a Stranger". Singles Top 100.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
^ "Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 16 October 1993. p. 30. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
^ "1993 Year-End Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10 no. 51/52. 18 December 1993. p. 15. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
^ "Top 100 Singles 1993". Music Week. 15 January 1994. p. 24.
^ "British single certifications – Dina Carroll – Don't Be a Stranger". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 1 February 2020.

[1] "Single Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 2 October 1993. p. 25. Retrieved 22 June 2021. Misprinted as 27 September.

[uk12-2] Jump up to: ^a ^b Don't Be a Stranger (UK 12-inch single vinyl disc). Dina Carroll. A&M Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1993. 580 389-1.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[3] "Dina Carroll: Don't Be a Stranger (1993)". IMDb. Retrieved 3 February 2020.

[4] Aberdeen Evening Express. 25 September 1993. p. 66. Retrieved 26 November 2020.

[5] O'Brien, Jon. "Dina Carroll – The Very Best of Dina Carroll". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 November 2020.

[6] Jones, Alan (9 October 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream – Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 18. Retrieved 3 April 2021.

[7] "REVIEW: "SO CLOSE" BY DINA CARROLL (CD, 1993)". Pop Rescue. 19 June 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2020.

[8] Shanklin, Phil (2 May 2015). "100 Essential Albums- Number 86– So Close – Dina Carroll ( A&M 1993)". ReviewsRevues. Retrieved 14 October 2020.

[9] Don't Be a Stranger (European 7-inch single sleeve). Dina Carroll. A&M Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1993. 580 388-7.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[10] Don't Be a Stranger (UK CD single liner notes). Dina Carroll. A&M Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1993. 580 389-2.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[11] Don't Be a Stranger (European CD single liner notes). Dina Carroll. A&M Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1993. 580 400-2.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[12] "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10 no. 48. 27 November 1993. p. 17. Retrieved 25 January 2020.

[sc_Ireland2_-13] "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Don't Be a Stranger". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 1 February 2020.

[sc_Sweden_Dina_Carroll-14] "Swedishcharts.com – Dina Carroll – Don't Be a Stranger". Singles Top 100.

[sc_UK_-15] "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.

[16] "Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 16 October 1993. p. 30. Retrieved 9 April 2021.

[17] "1993 Year-End Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10 no. 51/52. 18 December 1993. p. 15. Retrieved 1 February 2020.

[18] "Top 100 Singles 1993". Music Week. 15 January 1994. p. 24.

[United_KingdomDina_CarrollDon't_Be_a_StrangersingleCertRef-19] "British single certifications – Dina Carroll – Don't Be a Stranger". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 1 February 2020.

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hide v t Dina Carroll
Studio albums	So Close Only Human
Compilations	The Very Best of Dina Carroll
Singles	"It's Too Late" "Ain't No Man" "Special Kind of Love" "So Close" "This Time" "Express" "Don't Be a Stranger" "The Perfect Year" "Escaping" "Only Human" "Livin' for the Weekend" "One, Two, Three" "Without Love" "It's Only Rock 'n Roll" "Someone Like You"