"Summertime, Summertime" by Nocera

Song#:  2983
Date:  01/17/1987
Debut:  91
Peak:  84
Weeks:  7
Genre:  Dance, Freestyle



Pop Bits:  This Italian singer/songwriter moved to the States when she was 18 and it only took her about a year to secure a recording contract. She signed on with the indie dance label Sleeping Bag and began to record music. Nocera co-wrote and co-produced this first single with Floyd Fisher. It was released in the fall of '86 and it got to #2 on the Dance chart in November. Around the same time it got to #47 at R&B. By the end of the year it began to get picked up by pop radio and after the new year it cracked the Pop chart. It didn't stay long, but it was enough to call for a full album and Nocera's Over the Rainbow got released later in the year. A second single, "Let's Go," became another dance hit for Nocera late in '87 getting to #8. It would get to #70 at R&B, but fail to make the Pop chart. While the album didn't chart, Nocera got the green light to record a follow-up. Unfortunately, Sleeping Bag went out of business and that killed Nocera's second LP and contract. She would then move over to being a background vocalist for several acts including Information Society. Nocera headed up a couple of bands along the way while becoming a successful club DJ in New York.

ReduxReview:  Well, her vocals are certainly unique. A bit shrill, a little girly, and carrying a fairly heavy accent. Granted, she hadn't been in the States all that long, but you could definitely tell she wasn't from around here. The vocals don't sound heavily processed so I would think this was her natural voice and she could sing, but she does remind me of some young girl who think she wants to be a singer and gets her parents to float a recording session to which she shows up all decked out in Madonna gear and sings some song put together by a studio owner/producer. Karaoke, basically. However, I strangely like her voice on this track and the fact that she co-wrote/produced the track says something. The tune is actually quite catchy and she does the octave jump on "take..me" very well. With a different singer and better production, this could have been a hit. The clubs enjoyed the track, but I think it was just a hair too odd for pop radio.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  This song was covered by American singer Corina. Her 1997 version would get to #64 R&B and #86 Pop. It would be her fourth and last Pop chart entry. Corina signed on with the indie label Cutting Records in '87 and issued out a few singles over the next couple of years. Her second single, "Give Me Back My Heart," did well enough to reach #26 on the Dance chart. As the 90s started, Cutting Records got picked up by ATCO and Corina was brought along. Her first single for them was 1991's "Temptation." It would be a hit getting to #6 on the Pop chart while going to #22 at Dance. Her debut album then got released and it would spawn two other lower charting Pop tracks. While the album didn't chart, it seemed like Corina had some momentum, yet something happened and her time at ATCO came to an end. She moved over to So So Def and recorded "Summertime, Summertime" for one of their compilations. Despite being able to chart at Pop and R&B, it seemed it wasn't enough for the label to continue her contract.

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