Right Beside You (Sophie B. Hawkins song)

"Right Beside You" is a song by American singer-songwriter Sophie B. Hawkins, released in July 1994 by Columbia as the first single from the singer's second album, Whaler (1994). The song reached number 56 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number seven on the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart. In Europe, it became a top-30 hit in several countries, including Switzerland, where it climbed to number eight. The track is Hawkins' highest-charting single in the United Kingdom, where it reached number 13. Its accompanying music video was directed by Albert Watson and filmed in New York.

"Right Beside You"
Single by Sophie B. Hawkins
from the album Whaler
B-side	"The Ballad of Sleeping Beauty"
Released	July 26, 1994 (1994-07-26)
Genre	Pop
Length	4:46
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Sophie B. Hawkins Rick Chertoff Stewart Lerman
Producer(s)	Stephen Lipson
Sophie B. Hawkins singles chronology
"I Want You" (1992) "Right Beside You" (1994) "Don't Don't Tell Me No" (1994)
Music video
"Right Beside You" on YouTube

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Matching the wickedly catchy 1992 smash "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover" is a daunting task. On this peek into the quirky pop poet's sophomore collection, Whaler, she takes a conscious step into the dance/pop arena by offering a kicky ditty that is not as instantly memorable as her breakthrough hit, but ultimately just as strong and durable." He added, "Hawkins delivers an urgent and breathy vocal that may draw comparisons to Madonna, though her own unique style shines through to smarter ears. The single has two rock-solid mixes that will do the trick in enticing top 40, club, and rhythm-crossover programmers. Sweet."^[1] Troy J. Augusto from Cash Box named it Pick of the Week, saying, "Slick, danceable track indicates a modest, though thoroughly satisfying, style shift for the lovely Ms. Hawkins who looks to clubs for exposure this time as much as hit radio. Husky and oh-so-seductive vocal delivery makes the difference here, and with nifty remixes offered, looks for almost immediate impact."^[2]

Chuck Campbell from Knoxville News Sentinel felt that the single "is her best chance at renewed fame. Although it's a shallow neo-disco song, and she sounds uncomfortably like Debbie Gibson, at least it has a catchy chorus."^[3] Pan-European magazine Music & Media commented, "Artistically seen, "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover" promoted her overnight to a top position deft beside Cyndi Lauper, and there's still no reason to revise our opinion."^[4] James Hamilton from Music Week's RM Dance Update also described it as a "Madonna-ish canterer".^[5] Jonathan Bernstein from Spin remarked, "You can almost hear the waves crash through the opening techno sea-shanty of "Right Beside You"."^[6]

Music video

The song's accompanying music video was directed by Albert Watson, with Tony Phillips as the director of photography and Craig Fanning as executive producer.^[7] Before the shoot, Hawkins was learning horseback riding and one of her managers suggested she ride a horse in the upcoming video. Watson liked the idea and felt the song's sound suited a beach setting for the video. The video was shot on a beach near Sag Harbor, New York, in the summer of 1994 during stormy conditions.^[8]

Track listings

US CD single^[9] "Right Beside You" (album version) – 4:47 "Right Beside You" (radio 7-inch mix) – 4:11 "Right Beside You" (classic club mix) – 5:55 "Right Beside You" (hard floor mix) – 5:30 "The Ballad of Sleeping Beauty" – 5:04 US and UK cassette single^[10]^[11] "Right Beside You" (album version) "The Ballad of Sleeping Beauty" UK CD1^[12] "Right Beside You" (radio 7-inch mix) "Right Beside You" (classic club mix) "Right Beside You" (hard floor mix) "The Ballad of Sleeping Beauty"

UK CD2^[13] "Right Beside You" (LP version) "Right Beside You" (extended Brain remix) "Right Beside You" (7-inch Brain remix) "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover" (LP version) European maxi-CD single^[14] "Right Beside You" – 4:46 "Right Beside You" (classic club mix) – 5:55 "The Ballad of Sleeping Beauty" – 5:04 "Right Beside You" (extended Brain remix) – 7:32 Japanese CD single^[15] "Right Beside You" (album version) "Right Beside You" (radio 7-inch mix) "Right Beside You" (hard floor mix)

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1994–1996) Peak position Australia (ARIA)^[16] 41 Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[17] 7 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[18] 38 Europe (European AC Radio)^[19] 17 Germany (Official German Charts)^[20] 17 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)^[21] 37 Ireland (IRMA)^[22] 30 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[23] 18 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[24] 15 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[25] 20 Scotland (OCC)^[26] 10 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[27] 30 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[28] 8 UK Singles (OCC)^[29] 13 UK Club Chart (Music Week)^[30] 56 US Billboard Hot 100^[31] 56 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)^[32] 24

Year-end charts Chart (1994) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[33] 73 Germany (Official German Charts)^[34] 87 UK Singles (OCC)^[35] 75

Sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom	—	135,000^[36]

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	July 26, 1994	CD cassette	Columbia	^[37]
Japan	August 25, 1994	CD	Sony	^[38]

References

1. Flick, Larry (July 30, 1994). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 51. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
2. Augusto, Troy J. (August 6, 1994). "Pop Singles — Reviews: Pick of the Week" (PDF). Cash Box. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
3. Campbell, Chuck (July 29, 1994). "Hawkins Has Little Bait For 'Whaler'". Knoxville News Sentinel.
4. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. July 23, 1994. p. 9. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
5. Hamilton, James (August 6, 1994). "Dj directory" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 7. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
6. Bernstein, Jonathan (September 1994). "Spins". Spin. p. 138. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
7. "Music Video: Production Notes" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 29. 16 July 1994. p. 46. Retrieved 26 January 2022 – via World Radio History.
8. Sophie B. Hawkins (October 1, 2020). "Sophie B. Hawkins - Fan Q&A - Dominique from Belgium asks about video for 'Right Beside You'". Retrieved January 27, 2022 – via YouTube.
9. Right Beside You (US CD single liner notes). Sophie B. Hawkins. Columbia Records. 1994. 44K 77596.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
10. Right Beside You (US cassette single sleeve). Sophie B. Hawkins. Columbia Records. 1994. 38T 77537.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
11. Right Beside You (UK cassette single sleeve). Sophie B. Hawkins. Columbia Records. 1994. 660691 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
12. Right Beside You (UK CD1 liner notes). Sophie B. Hawkins. Columbia Records. 1994. 660691 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
13. Right Beside You (UK CD2 liner notes). Sophie B. Hawkins. Columbia Records. 1994. 660691 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
14. Right Beside You (European maxi-CD single liner notes). Sophie B. Hawkins. Columbia Records. 1994. COL 660523 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
15. Right Beside You (Japanese CD single liner notes). Sophie B. Hawkins. Sony Records. 1994. SRCS 7456.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
16. "Sophie B. Hawkins – Right Beside You". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
17. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2620." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
18. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 37. September 10, 1994. p. 13. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
19. "Adult Contemporary Europe Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. October 1, 1994. p. 18. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
20. "Sophie B. Hawkins – Right Beside You" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
21. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (08.9.–14.9. '94)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). September 8, 1994. p. 16. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
22. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Right Beside You". Irish Singles Chart.
23. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 8, 1995" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
24. "Sophie B. Hawkins – Right Beside You" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
25. "Sophie B. Hawkins – Right Beside You". Top 40 Singles.
26. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
27. "Sophie B. Hawkins – Right Beside You". Singles Top 100.
28. "Sophie B. Hawkins – Right Beside You". Swiss Singles Chart.
29. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
30. "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). August 13, 1994. p. 6. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
31. "Sophie B Hawkins Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
32. "Sophie B Hawkins Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
33. "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1994". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
34. "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1994" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
35. "Top 100 Singles 1994". Music Week. January 14, 1995. p. 9.
36. Duffy, Thom (December 24, 1994). "Young U.S. Acts Turn Abroad To Drive Their Careers Home". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 52. p. 53. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
37. . Amazon. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
38. "ライト・ビサイド・ユー・リミックス | ソフィー・B.ホーキンス" [Right Beside You Remix | Sophie B. Hawkins] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved January 29, 2024.

External links

• Full lyrics at official website
• - with some questions related to "Right Beside You"