Over My Shoulder (Mike + The Mechanics song)

1995 single by Mike + The Mechanics From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Over My Shoulder" is a song by the British rock supergroup Mike + The Mechanics. It was released on 13 February 1995 by Virgin Records as the first single from their fourth album, Beggar on a Beach of Gold (1995). Written by Paul Carrack and Mike Rutherford and sung by Carrack, it was the most successful single from that album, peaking at number 12 on UK Singles Chart. It became the band's only hit in certain European countries, including Switzerland and France; in the latter country, it reached number nine and spent 20 weeks in the top 50.

B-side
  • "Something to Believe In"
  • "Always the Last to Know"
  • "Word of Mouth"
Released13 February 1995 (1995-02-13)
Length3:34
Quick facts Single by Mike + The Mechanics, from the album Beggar on a Beach of Gold ...
"Over My Shoulder"
Single by Mike + The Mechanics
from the album Beggar on a Beach of Gold
B-side
  • "Something to Believe In"
  • "Always the Last to Know"
  • "Word of Mouth"
Released13 February 1995 (1995-02-13)
Length3:34
LabelVirgin
Songwriters
Producers
Mike + The Mechanics singles chronology
"Everybody Gets a Second Chance"
(1991)
"Over My Shoulder"
(1995)
"A Beggar on a Beach of Gold"
(1995)
Music video
"Over My Shoulder" on YouTube
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Critical reception

Steve Baltin from Cash Box noted that the song "has received many generous reviews." But he felt that "there's little imagination to this song, and the programmed rhythm has even managed to take the soul out of Paul Carrack's blue-eyed vocals. Lastly, any song that includes whistling, other than Otis Redding's ["(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay"], is asking for trouble. However, it'll still receive fair amounts of airplay, especially on Adult/Contemporary."[1]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Over My Shoulder" was shot primarily on the village green in Chiddingfold on the Weald in Waverley, Surrey, England. The parish church of St Mary's, with its distinctive tower, as well as the village pub The Crown, also appear. It features Hollyoaks actor Nick Pickard as a love-struck teenaged boarding school pupil and Tom Fletcher (later in the pop-rock band McFly) as a little boy in a junior school classroom.[2][3]

Track listings

  1. "Over My Shoulder" – 3:34
  2. "Something to Believe In" – 4:19
  3. "Always the Last to Know" – 4:10
  1. "Over My Shoulder" – 3:34
  2. "Something to Believe In" – 4:19
  3. "Word of Mouth" – 3:55
  4. "Over My Shoulder" (live) – 5:25
  • UK 7-inch and cassette single; Japanese mini-CD single[6][7][8]
  1. "Over My Shoulder" – 3:34
  2. "Something to Believe In" – 4:18

Charts

More information Chart (1995), Peak position ...
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Certifications

More information Region, Certification ...
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[31] Gold 15,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[32] Gold 400,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

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Release history

More information Region, Date ...
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom 13 February 1995
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD1
  • cassette
Virgin [33]
20 February 1995 CD2 [34]
Japan 8 April 1995 Mini-CD [35]
United States 18 April 1995 Contemporary hit radio Atlantic [36]
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References

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