"Be Near Me" is a song by English pop band ABC. It was released in April 1985 as the second single from their third studio album, How to Be a ... Zillionaire!. It peaked at No. 26 on the UK Singles Chart in 1985, and was the only single from the album to reach the UK top 40. It was more successful in the United States where it reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also went to number-one on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart in September of that year, remaining on top for two weeks.
Composition The song is written in F major (C mixolydian mode) with a BPM of 125.
Music video The song's music video was directed by Peter Care and shows the four band members in colourful attire playing oversized, cartoonish, instruments, against a white background and floor while the camera makes a series of rolling, panning and swooping shots.
Track listing 7" version US release "Be Near Me" – 3:38 "A to Z" – 2:50
UK release "Be Near Me" – 3:38 "A to Z" – 2:50
12" version US release "Be Near Me" (Munich Disco Mix) – 5:28 "Be Near Me" (Ecstasy Mix) – 4:45 "What's Your Destination?" (instrumental version of "Be Near Me") – 3:36
UK release "Be Near Me" (Munich Disco Mix) – 5:27 "A to Z" – 2:50 "What's Your Destination?" (instrumental version of "Be Near Me") – 3:38
Personnel Credits adapted from the original album liner notes, "One Two Testing" and "International Musician".
ABC Martin Fry - lead and backing vocals Mark White - E-mu Emulator II, Fairlight CMI programming
Additional Musicians Gary Moberley - Fairlight CMI programming Don Snow - piano, Oberheim OB-X and Yamaha DX7 synthesizers Brad Lang - bass guitar Keith LeBlanc - E-mu Drumulator programming David Palmer - hi-hat
Chart performance
Weekly charts Chart (1985)PeakpositionCanada Top Singles (RPM)22UK Singles Chart26US Billboard Hot 1009US Billboard Adult Contemporary 11US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play1US Cash Box Top 10010
Year-end charts Chart (1985)RankU.S. Billboard Hot 10071U.S. Cash Box 90
See also List of Billboard number-one Dance Club songs
References