I was nonplussed when Gary Barlow launched his solo career with the dreary ballad ‘Forever Love’. Nonplussed, and bored. Was that it, from the man meant to be the next George Michael?
Love Won’t Wait, by Gary Barlow (his 2nd of three solo #1s)
1 week, from 4th – 11th May 1997
I was also surprised that I had no recollection of ever hearing what must have been a hugely anticipated record. Almost a year later, Barlow’s debut album was ready, and his second single was released ahead of it. ‘Love Won’t Wait’ also doesn’t ring a bell, but at least it’s relatively up-tempo. There’s a hint of disco in the beat, and the bridge has a soaring chord progression. This might be… fun?
And then we reach the chorus, and I do recognise this one! Love won’t wait, Forever and a day… It’s a pretty basic, soul-pop song with some nice seventies touches. One reviewer compared it to Cliff Richard’s output from that time, and now I can’t un-hear that. It also sounds like the sort of song Take That would have chucked out as the third or fourth single from one of their earlier albums. It’s no great shakes, is what I’m saying; but it’s much better than ‘Forever Love’.
It also has an interesting back-story. It was written by none other than Madonna, during sessions for her ‘Bedtime Stories’ album in 1994. I couldn’t imagine something this unremarkable coming from Madge, but someone’s uploaded the demo onto YouTube. It feels more Motown than disco, and even in its rough form it sounds better than Barlow’s version. That’s true star quality, I suppose.
And I also suppose we can claim this as a belated second ‘90s #1 for Madonna, her first since ‘Vogue’. She will be back soon, though, with a chart-topper under her own steam. Did anyone at the time imagine that we would have to wait so much longer for another Gary Barlow chart-topper, though? The album, ‘Open Road’, produced just one further Top 10 hit, while his second solo album in 1999 produced none. He won’t trouble the top spot for a decade, until Take That have their spectacular comeback, and won’t manage his final solo #1 for another fifteen years.
I have been, and probably still am, a bit harsh on Gary Barlow. Yes, he’s written some great pop songs. But though he’s finally achieved his goal, and ascended to the British pop pantheon, better late than never, he’s no Cliff, Elton, or George Michael. No Robbie Williams either, the man who will be taking the mantle of Britain’s Biggest Pop Star from under his former bandmate’s nose, very soon.
The UK Number Ones Blog 
Havent Heard this since it left the chart rundown behind and I’d forgotten it was a Madonna track. Frankly it sounds more like a B side to Lucky Star or an early single. Mildly pleasant and better than Gazza’s last number one but it is very very forgettable. George Michael’s Star People was robbed of another chart-topper by this blandness…
I think this is quite a nice pop song. Still nothing too special. He was really let down by the material when launching his solo career.
Well…I like it better with him than…well you know. It’s not too bad….
Well, colour me shocked… Haha : ) I think ‘not too bad’ is the perfect description of this record.
Yea I would have liked it better with all real instruments…You will be very proud of me! I’m starting a “Guilty Pleasure songs Thursday” and guess what blonde has a song on it! The one song I like. It will be coming in a couple of weeks.
Oh wow – looking forward to it! I remember you saying you liked ‘Borderline’… Though you posting a Madonna song would be such a seismic event, I worry it might bring about the apocalypse, or something…
Even if you hadn’t written that it was originally written by Madonna, I would’ve picked up the Madonna influence because this definitely sounds like a Madonna song, something she would’ve done anytime in the 80s. I like this a lot better than his first chart-topper. He’s not a particularly noteworthy singer, but his voice is perfectly serviceable. George Michael he definitely is not. Still, I like this way more than Westlife’s chart-toppers.
Irrelevant side note: the main girl in the music video is exactly how I imagine the stereotypical 90s English girl to look.
She does look like she should be in a Richard Curtis movie, serving coffee to Hugh Grant. Plus she has a classic example of the 90s ‘Rachel’ haircut.
Hey there – I’ve just come across your blog – American here (North Carolina), chart lover and devout Anglophile working to get as knowledgeable about the UK charts as I am about the US ones. Looking forward to catching up on the first 40 years of #1’s you’ve written about! Re: this one from Gary Barlow, I was visiting London in 1997 and the Tower Records at Piccadilly Circus (which I am now very nostalgic for) was playing Gary’s album, so I picked it up. I wasn’t familiar with him as Take That were never nearly as big in the US as elsewhere. What strikes me is how the really good songs on the album were not the singles, especially the lovely ballad “I Fall So Deep.” I’m always fascinated by what the labels think are the hits. Anyway thanks for a great blog and looking forward to catching up!
Hi there! Glad you’re on board, and thanks for commenting! There are quite a few number ones to catch up on : )
I have to admit to never listening to a Gary Barlow, or a Take That, album. But hearing that, it makes it seem all the stranger that the songs chosen for the singles were so uninspiring!