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Tuesday, May 25, 2021

"Forgive Me for Dreaming" by Elisa Fiorillo

Song#:  3504
Date:  05/07/1988
Debut:  96
Peak:  49
Weeks:  12
Genre:  Pop


Pop Bits:  The first single from Fiorillo's self-titled debut album, "How Can I Forget You," was a minor chart entry getting to #60 at Pop (#47 Dance). Hoping for something better, this second single was issued out. It would get a little further cracking the top half of the chart, but without a stronger performing single, the album would stall at a low #163. A third single, " You Don't Know," would get to #50 Dance, but would fail to make the Pop chart.

ReduxReview:  Fiorillo sort of got established as a dance-pop artist with her Jellybean collaboration "Who Found Who" and "How Can I Forget You," so it was a slightly surprising that the label issued out this ballad as the second single. I figured they would do another dance oriented track followed by this song. Either way, it was probably destined to do the same amount of business. It was a nice pop ballad that was easy on the ears, but it wasn't quite strong enough to get much further on the chart.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  With her first LP showing promise, Chrysalis Records gave the go-ahead to do a follow-up. Fiorillo didn't necessarily like the pop direction the label was sending her in and wanted to do and R&B album. Apparently, Chrysalis didn't have an R&B department, but let Fiorillo give it a go anyway. She called on producer/engineer David Z who worked with Prince at the Paisley Park Studio and he agreed to helm her second album. While they were working in the studio, Prince unexpectedly stopped by. He asked Fiorillo to sing for him, which she did. Then challenged her to write some lyrics and bring them in the next day so that they could work on a song together. She did and not only did Prince assist with that song, but he took enough interest to write and produce three more songs and collaborate with David Z on another. When finished, the album would be titled I Am and its first single was the Prince collaboration "On the Way Up." It would end up being Fiorillo's second Pop Top 40 hit getting to #27 (#31 Dance). A second single, "Oooh This I Need," one of Prince's songs, would only get to #90. Oddly, the album would fail to chart. Those results left her off the Chrysalis roster. However, she continued to work with Prince and supplied backing vocals on the Batman soundtrack, Graffiti Bridge, and Diamonds and Pearls. She also toured with Prince for several years beginning in 2009. Over the years she would release a few indie albums.

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