I Swear by All-4-One

Every New Zealand #1 single…

I Swear by All-4-One

Topped the NZ chart: from 10 July 1994 for five weeks

The third quarter of 1994 may be the most toothless in the history of the New Zealand singles chart. Three stale songs topped the charts during the quarter:

Wet Wet Wet’s insipid remake of ‘Love Is All Around’ was the highest-selling song of the year.
BoyzIIMen’s ‘I’ll Make Love To You’ failed to recapture the magic of ‘End of the Road‘.
All-4-One’s ‘I Swear’ also tried to recapture the magic of ‘End of the Road’, turning a country hit into a smooth soul tearjerker.

‘End of the Road’ worked because it was nuanced, a bittersweet breakup song. On the other hand, ‘I Swear’ is smooth and treacly, calculated for wide appeal, and drowning in sugary strings. The saxophone solo leading into a whole tone key change for the final chorus is a nauseating cliche.

The song was already a country hit. John Michael Montgomery’s version topped the U.S. Hot Country Singles & Tracks in 1993.

Fortunately, someone made the reverent cover that this beautiful song deserves…

8 Comments

EclecticMusicLover

July 16, 2024 / 9:39 am Reply

Three insipid songs for sure!
- Aphoristical
  
  July 17, 2024 / 8:57 pm Reply
  
  But how do you feel about ‘Underwear’?
  - EclecticMusicLover
    
    July 18, 2024 / 2:28 am Reply
    
    It’s a cute performance from the film, but I just don’t care for the song in general.
    - Aphoristical
      
      July 18, 2024 / 7:57 pm Reply
      
      I Swear feels a bit calculated, right? Like they’re trying to write a song to be played at weddings and rake in the royalties.
christiansmusicmusings

July 16, 2024 / 12:05 pm Reply

Admittedly, I have a weak spot for Wet Wet Wet’s “Love Is All Around.” The BoysIIMen and All-4-One songs, on the other hand, didn’t grab me. I guess “Underwear” by Minions is the clear winner! 🙂
- Aphoristical
  
  July 17, 2024 / 8:57 pm Reply
  
  Yeah, Christian defended Wet Wet Wet too. It’s kind of OK, just a bit too smooth. It’s not what you’d expect to be the top selling single of NZ in 1994.
Badfinger (Max)

July 16, 2024 / 2:02 pm Reply

I have heard the first two you mentioned way too many times…I’ll take Underwear (I swear)!
Love is All Around…I do like the Wet Wet Wet version but prefer the Troggs and REM’s cover of it.
- Aphoristical
  
  July 17, 2024 / 8:55 pm Reply
  
  The Wet Wet Wet cover is a bit too smooth, but it is kind of OK in hindsight. Got pretty sick of it as a testosterone-filled 14 year old.