Sleeping Satellite

"Sleeping Satellite"
File:Sleepingsateillite.jpg
Single by Tasmin Archer
from the album Great Expectations
Released	31 August 1992
Format	7" vinyl, CD single
Genre	Pop
Length	4:15
Label	Virgin Music (UK) SBK Records/Capitol-EMI (US)
Writer(s)	Tasmin Archer, John Beck, John Hughes
Producer(s)	Julian Mendelsohn, Paul Wickens
Tasmin Archer singles chronology
"Sleeping Satellite" (1992) "In Your Care" (1993)

"Sleeping Satellite" was the debut single by the British singer-songwriter Tasmin Archer, released in 1992. The song was a number one in the UK, and was also an international hit.

Lyrics and music

Although first released in 1992, Archer and her co-writers wrote the song in the late 1980s, but it was only when Archer got a record deal that the song saw the light of day.

Four instruments were used in the recording of "Sleeping Satellite", John Hughes and Robbie McIntosh provided the guitars in the song, and John Beck and Paul Wickens were keyboard players. The drummer was Graham Broadhead whilst Gary Maughan played Fairlight.

Archer sings backing vocals on the track along with Tessa Niles and Carol Kenyon.

The lyrics of the song reference the Apollo Missions of the 1960s, characterised as "man's greatest adventure"; the sleeping satellite of the title being The Moon.

Chart performances

"Sleeping Satellite" was released to the UK on 31 August 1992 and swiftly rose up the UK charts to the number one spot, replacing "Ebeneezer Goode" by The Shamen. It stayed there for two weeks, before being dethroned by Boyz II Men’s "End of the Road".

The song was a multiformat success in the U.S. The song hit the Modern Rock Tracks chart the last week of February 1993. Inching up to a peak of #12, it was her best showing on any U.S. chart, but the song gradually proved its crossover potential in April when it appeared first on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart and the following week hit the main chart. By the early '90s, the Billboard Hot 100 had splintered into several sub-charts, and the song hit two of these, peaking in late May/early June 1993 at #29 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart, and at #16 on the Top 40 Mainstream chart. "Sleeping Satellite" also hit #24 on the Adult Contemporary chart. The single peaked at #32 on the traditional Hot 100.

Archer's song was successful throughout the world, notably hitting the top 5 in Sweden and Switzerland, #6 in France, and #14 in Australia.

"Sleeping Satellite" is Tasmin Archer’s most successful single to date, her only UK Top 10, and her only single to chart in the U.S.

The song was the final song played on Pennine FM before the station's closure in April 2010.

Cover versions

• 1992: A dance remake was released by Italy-based Ketty DB featuring the same lyrics and melody but with a danceable, haunting arrangement.
• 2003: Another dance remix was released by Aurora. A selection of the original lyrics were used with an electronic synth sound as a backing track.
• 2005: The song was also covered by Australian progressive rock band Karnivool and was released as the B-side to their single "Themata".
• 2007: Danish singer Bryan Rice covered the song for his second album Good News.
• 2007: Russian vocal drum and bass duo Stim Axel mixed a cover.
• 2008: A house remix of the song was released by French DJ Junior Caldera and peaked at #37 on the French Singles Chart.
• 2009: Jan Johnston released a cover with multiple mixes on the Perfecto label.
• 2010: Enduser used the sample from the song in his song "2/3" (from "1/3" EP).
• 2011: Kim Wilde recorded the song for her covers album, Snapshots, and it was released as the lead single along with "It's Alright".
• 2012: Stereolove also known as DJ James Fraser releases an electronic down-tempo cover in August 2012. Track peaked at Number 1 on the Juno Records UK Pop / Trance charts in November 2012, as well as hitting Number 1 in Melbourne, Australia on Kiss FM and Joy 94.9. Track peaked at number 23 on the US DJ Pool Starfleet Top 50 Dance charts. From the forthcoming album Enjoy This Trip due mid-2013.
• 2009: Lady Gaga was inspired by this song for her track So Happy I Could Die on the Fame Monster.

Track listings

CD single

1. "Sleeping Satellite"
2. "Sleeping Satellite" (acoustic version)
3. "Man at the Window" (acoustic version)
4. "Sleeping Satellite" (extended version)

7"

1. "Sleeping Satellite"
2. "Sleeping Satellite" (acoustic version)

12"

1. "Sleeping Satellite"
2. "Sleeping Satellite" (acoustic version)
3. "Sleeping Satellite" (extended version)

U.S. CD single

1. "Sleeping Satellite" (CHR edit)
2. "Sleeping Satellite" (A/C version)
3. "Sleeping Satellite" (alternative rock version)
4. "Sleeping Satellite" (full CHR mix)

Certifications

Country	Certification	Date	Sales certified
UK	Silver	1 October 1992	200,000

Charts

Peak positions

Chart (1992-1993)	Peak position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart	14
Austrian Singles Chart	11
Dutch Top 40	9
French SNEP Singles Chart	6
German Singles Chart	12
Irish Singles Chart	1
Italian Singles Chart	3
Swedish Singles Chart	4
Swiss Singles Chart	5
UK Singles Chart	1
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	32
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks	24
U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks	12
U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream	16

Year-end charts

Chart (1992)	Position
Dutch Top 40	77
Italian Top 100	16
UK Singles Chart	16

Chart successions

Preceded by "Ebeneezer Goode" by The Shamen	Irish IRMA number-one single 16 October 1992 – 5 November 1992 (4 weeks)	Succeeded by "End of the Road" by Boyz II Men
	UK number-one single 11 October 1992 – 24 October 1992 (2 weeks)

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics