"Northern Star" is a song by British singer-songwriter Melanie C. It is the title track from her debut solo album and was released as the album's second single on 22 November 1999. It was written by Melanie C and Rick Nowels. The song was produced by Marius De Vries and received positive reception from music critics. The single charted at number four on the UK Singles Chart, becoming her third top-five single. It additionally reached the top 20 in Finland, Italy, and Sweden. In the United Kingdom, the single sold 216,000 copies as of June 2017.
According to the sheet music published by Musicnotes.com by Hal Leonard Corporation, "Northern Star" is composed in the key of A major, and is written in the time signature of common time. It is set in a moderate tempo of 101 beats per minute, with Chisholm's voice spanning from B5 to E♭3. The song has a basic sequence of Dm–Am–B♭–C as its chord progression.[1]
Music video[]
The music video for "Northern Star" was shot in South Africa and London by director Steve Green. Melanie was shot against a green screen in a London studio on 8–9 September 1999, whilst the backdrop footage was shot previously during a rainy August just outside Cape Town, South Africa.[2] It starts off looking into a starry sky at night gradually moving down, looking out to sea towards a large star, with Melanie walking down a rocky coast surrounded by a desert. She then walks in between two train tracks and as the chorus begins, two trains drive at high speed in opposite directions, later there is a brief scene in a cave with miners. Then Melanie walks through a somewhat Arctic-like area which blends into an urban setting which instantly changes into a sandy beach. During the instrumental she is seen walking through a forest and crossing over a river during daytime, later back in an urban building set. The video ends with her back on the coast at night.
^Chisholm, Melanie; Nowels, Rick (1999). "Digital Sheet Music – Melanie C – Northern Star". Musicnotes.com. Hal Leonard Corporation. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^Northern Star (UK CD1 & Australian CD single liner notes). Melanie C. Virgin Records. 1999. VSCDT1748, 7243 8 96388 0 6.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Northern Star (UK CD2 liner notes). Melanie C. Virgin Records. 1999. VSCDX1748, 7243 8 96388 2 0.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Northern Star (UK cassette single sleeve). Melanie C. Virgin Records. 1999. VSC1748, 7243 8 96388 4 4.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Northern Star (European CD single liner notes). Melanie C. Virgin Records. 1999. VSCDE 1748, 7243 8 96389 2 9.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)