All Around the World (Lisa Stansfield song)


"All Around the World" is a song recorded by British recording artist Lisa Stansfield for her 1989 album, Affection, which became her biggest hit. It was written by Stansfield, Ian Devaney and Andy Morris, and produced by Devaney and Morris. The song received favorable reviews from music critics. Songwriters, Stansfield, Devaney and Morris, received the 1989 Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically. "All Around the World" was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 33rd Annual Grammy Awards. Additionally, Stansfield was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best New Artist. The single is Lisa Stansfield's only solo No. 1 single and first of 8 top ten hits she would achieve in the UK.
In 2003, "All Around the World" was included on . In 2014, the remixes of "All Around the World" were included on the deluxe 2CD + DVD re-releases of Affection, Face Up and on the People Hold On... The Remix Anthology compilation.

Background and release

Stansfield co-wrote the lyrics of "All Around the World" with her former band mates Ian Devaney and Andy Morris from Blue Zone. In a 2019 interview, Stansfield recalled the process when the song was made:
The song came down quickly and on low budget. The vocal part was made in only two takes and real strings were put on afterwards. The song is largely influenced by American singer-songwriter Barry White. As a tribute to him, they made a spoken intro on "All Around the World" like the one on the album version of White's "Let the Music Play", only shorter.
The song was released as the second European single on 16 October 1989. It was remixed by Yvonne Turner, Eddie Gordon, Paul Witts and Steve Anderson. In North America, "All Around the World" was released as the first single on 15 January 1990 and included remixes created by The 45 King and Richard Sweret. In Japan, the single was released on 7 February 1990. Stansfield went on to become the first white British woman to reach number-one on the Billboard R&B chart, the American black music chart. A music video was made to accompany the song, directed by Philip Richardson.

Critical reception

The song received favorable reviews from most music critics. Matthew Hocter from Albumism called it "sultry and heartbreakingly beautiful". AllMusic editor Alex Henderson described it as a "melancholy, Barry White-influenced single" and noted further that "it was obvious that not since Teena Marie had a white female singer performed R&B so convincingly." The Dallas Morning News called it "infectious". Greg Sandow from Entertainment Weekly commented that Stansfield "might be hurtling right to the top of the charts. Can we listen to her soberly? ”We drive each other crazy,” she sings, in a voice like a suffocated flame. ”No two people ever felt this way,” she wants her lucky lover to know." Expressen wrote that Stansfield "sings like an older black woman. An old-fashioned kind of song, very good." Tom Ewing from Freaky Trigger said that "All Around the World" "is a song about guilt and loss, it's no surprise she doesn't sound quite so joyful." Robert Christgau wrote in his review of Affection, that Stansfield's style "is virtually devoid of trademark, display, or drama; all she wants to do with these songs she helped write is sing them." Reading Eagle labeled it as a "hauntingly seductive" track that "revolves around a classic hook." Amy Linden for Rolling Stone noted that Stansfield "accomplishes what she has to with disarming ease. The way she reaches for the high notes and the way her voice slinks around the line "so-oo sad" in "All Around the World" show that this is someone who knows her roots – even if they aren't really hers." John Nichols from Toledo Blade said it is "dazzling" and added that Stansfield's voice "is everywhere it is should be — whispering, soaring, going deep and then going loud. There is no doubt she owns a musical gift." USA Today commented that "All Around the World" "has knocked the socks off listeners... well, all around the world."

Commercial performance

"All Around the World" became a very successful single, peaking at number one in many countries. In Europe, it reached the top of the chart in Austria, Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom, Spain and Belgium. It also peaked at number two in Germany, number three in Ireland, Italy and Switzerland, number four in Sweden, and number seven in Finland.
In the United States, "All Around the World" reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100, and also topped for two weeks the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Dance Club Songs charts. Stansfield became the first white woman to top the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart since Teena Marie scored in 1988 with "Ooo La La La." On the Adult Contemporary Singles, the song peaked at number seven.
In Canada, "All Around the World" reached number three on the Top Singles Chart and Adult Contemporary Chart, and peaked at number one on the Dance/Urban Chart. "All Around the World" also reached number nine in Australia and number ten in New Zealand. The single was certified Platinum in the United States for selling over one million copies and Gold in the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Austria and Sweden.

Music video

The music video of "All Around the World" was directed by Philip Richardson. It was nominated as Best New Artist in a Video on the MTV Video Music Awards in 1990.
The video opens with a close-up of Stansfield in black-and-white speaking the intro. As the song begins, the camera circle around Stansfield, now in colours. The backdrop is a world map. Her hair is very short, she wears red lipstick and her famous kiss curls. Next she sits outdoors in the rain, performing on the stairs in front of a house. Other scenes shows Stansfield singing, while she rotates in the middle of a ring of men standing next to each other as the camera follows her round. Towards the end, she stands in the rain and sings as the raindrops are falling on her face.

1992, 2003 and 2014 versions

In 1992, Stansfield re-recorded "All Around the World" as a duet with Barry White. This version was included on her single, "Time to Make You Mine". All artist royalties from this record were donated to the charity Trading Places. The Peter Stuart-directed music video for the duet version was also released. In November 1992, this duet version was also included on White's retrospective box set, Just for You. In 2003, Stansfield released which was promoted by her signature song, "All Around the World." In the United States, the promotional single included remixes created by Norty Cotto and reached number thirty-four on the Billboards Hot Dance Club Songs. The digital promo single with remix by Junior Vasquez was also released.
In 2014, the remixes of "All Around the World" were included on the deluxe 2CD + DVD re-releases of Affection, Face Up and on the People Hold On... The Remix Anthology compilation. Affection re-release includes: Long Version, Around the House Mix and Runaway Love Mix, all from 1989. Face Up 2014 re-release features remixes from 2003: Norty Cotto Remix, Norty's World Dub and Junior Vasquez Earth Anthem. Finally, People Hold On...The Remix Anthology includes: The Global Quest from 1989, American Club Remix from 1990 and previously unreleased Attack Mix by The 45 King.

Track listings

Australian/European 7" single / Japanese CD single
  1. "All Around the World" – 4:22
  2. "Wake Up Baby" – 3:58
European CD single
  1. "All Around the World" – 4:22
  2. "All Around the World" – 7:02
  3. "Wake Up Baby" – 3:58
  4. "The Way You Want It" – 4:16
Australian/European 12" single
  1. "All Around the World" – 7:02
  2. "Wake Up Baby" – 3:58
  3. "The Way You Want It" – 4:16
European 12" single
  1. "All Around the World" – 6:03
  2. "This Is the Right Time" – 2:30
  3. "All Around the World" – 4:37
  4. "The Way You Want It" – 4:56
UK promotional 12" single
  1. "All Around the World" – 6:17
US 7" single
  1. "All Around the World" – 4:21
  2. "Affection" – 5:50
US 12" single
  1. "All Around the World" – 7:02
  2. "All Around the World" – 11:48
  3. "Affection" – 5:50
US promotional 12" single
  1. "All Around the World" – 7:02
  2. "All Around the World" – 4:21
  3. "All Around the World" – 11:48
  4. "All Around the World" – 4:29
1992 European promotional 12" single
  1. "All Around the World" – 4:34
2003 European promotional CD single
  1. "All Around the World" – 4:22
  2. "The Real Thing" – 4:20
  3. "This Is the Right Time" – 4:31
2003 US promotional 12" single
  1. "All Around The World" – 7:33
  2. "All Around The World" – 2:40
  3. "All Around The World" – 2:40
  4. "All Around The World" – 7:43
  5. "All Around The World" – 7:33
2003 US digital promo
  1. "All Around The World" – 10:50
2006 US digital Dance Vault Mixes
  1. "All Around The World" – 4:21
  2. "All Around The World" – 4:29
  3. "All Around The World" – 7:02
  4. "All Around The World" – 11:48
Other remixes
  1. "All Around the World" – 5:00

    Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications and sales