3 Is Family

James Masterton described the song as "bright" and "an almost classic bit of summer pop" in his weekly UK chart commentary, noting that Dawson's voice sounded like Australian singer Kylie Minogue's.{{cite web|url=https://chart-watch.uk/archives/1995/week-ending-july-15th-1995|title=Week Ending July 15th 1995|last=Masterton|first=James|author-link=James Masterton|publisher=Chart Watch UK|date=July 9, 1995|access-date=September 22, 2021}} A reviewer from Music & Media wrote, "Coming from First Avenue in Hitsville, UK again, a hit is born almost per definition. Positioning her, she's the missing link between production stable mates Eternal and Dina Carroll."{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-06-24.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=12|issue=25|page=10|date=June 24, 1995|access-date=May 18, 2021}} British magazine Music Week rated it four out of five, adding, "Yankee Dana is big in Europe, and must be fancied to make her UK breakthrough with this. The radio edit is concise and catchy, while mixes by T-Empo and Dancing Divaz have pushed it to the top of the club chart."{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-06-24.pdf|title= Reviews: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=29|date=June 24, 1995|access-date=May 9, 2021}} James Hamilton from the RM Dance Update declared it as a "Janet Jackson-ishly gurgled and cooed anxious jiggler".{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-07-01.pdf|title=Dj directory|last=Hamilton|first=James|magazine=Music Week|via=Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental insert)|page=15|date=July 1, 1995|access-date=May 10, 2021|author-link=James Hamilton (DJ and journalist)}} Gina Morris from Smash Hits gave it three out of five, writing, "Soulful and life-affirming, '3 Is Family' is the perfect afternoon-in-the-park-having-your-sarnies-nicked-by-pigeons pop song. The next Dina Carroll or Michelle Gayle no less."{{cite magazine|first=Gina|last=Morris|url=https://sites.google.com/view/smash-hits-remembered-1994-5/home/1995/432-21st-june-4th-july-1995|title=Singles|work=Smash Hits|date=June 21, 1995|page=53|access-date=February 14, 2025}} Peter Larsen of Danish radio station VLR said of the song, "It's simply a great pop song, which fully serves its purpose to make the people feel happy," while Sandra Boussu of Belgian radio station Hit-FM 106.1 described it as "summery" and "cheerful".

Despite becoming a European radio hit, ending 1995 as European Hit Radio's 36th-most-successful hit, the song appeared on the official singles charts of only a few countries.{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-12-23.pdf|title=EHR Year -End Top 40|magazine=Music & Media|volume=12|issue=51/52|page=22|date=December 23, 1995|access-date=September 9, 2020}} On the Eurochart Hot 100, the single reached number 28. In the United Kingdom, it debuted at number 19 on July 9, 1995, then peaked at number nine two weeks later, spending a total of eight weeks in the top 100. On Music Week{{'}}s RM Club Chart, it reached number one on June 17, 1995. The song charted for a single week in Iceland, debuting and peaking at number 37 on the Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 on the issue of August 26, 1995. "3 Is Family" spent 11 weeks on the German Singles Chart, climbing to number 59 on September 25. The same month, it debuted at number five in Italy, its peak. Outside Europe, the song managed to chart in Australia, where it peaked at number 54.

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• UK and Australian CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=3 Is Family|others=Dana Dawson|year=1995|type=UK & Australian CD single liner notes|publisher=EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records|id=CDEM 378, 7243 882218 2 5}}

1. "3 Is Family"
2. "Freedom Calling"
3. "The Miracle of Your Love"
4. "3 Is Family" (T-Empo radio mix)

• UK 12-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title=3 Is Family|others=Dana Dawson|year=1995|type=UK 12-inch single sleeve|publisher=EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records|id=12EM 378, 7243 882218 6 3}}

:A1. "3 Is Family" (T-Empo club mix)

:A2. "3 Is Family" (T-Empo dub)

:A3. "3 Is Family" (D.A.R.C. hip hop mix)

:B1. "3 Is Family" (Dancing Divas club mix)

:B2. "3 Is Family" (Dancing Divas dub mix)

:B3. "3 Is Family" (D.A.R.C. R&B mix)

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• UK cassette single and European CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=3 Is Family|others=Dana Dawson|year=1995|type=UK cassette single sleeve|publisher=EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records|id=TC-EM 378, 7243 8 82218 4 9}}{{cite AV media notes|title=3 Is Family|others=Dana Dawson|year=1995|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records|id=7243 8 82519 2 1}}

1. "3 Is Family"
2. "Freedom Calling"

• Japanese CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=3 Is Family|others=Dana Dawson|year=1995|type=Japanese CD single liner notes|publisher=EMI Records|id=TOCP-8647}}

1. "3 Is Family" (radio version)
2. "3 Is Family" (D.A.R.C. R&B mix)
3. "3 Is Family" (D.A.R.C. hip hop mix)
4. "3 Is Family" (D.A.R.C. salsa mix)
5. "3 Is Family" (T-Empo radio edit)
6. "3 Is Family" (Dancing Divas club mix)

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{{Reflist}}

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Category:1995 singles

Category:1995 songs

Category:American dance-pop songs

Category:Dana Dawson songs

Category:EMI Records singles

Category:First Avenue Records singles

Category:Song recordings produced by Ric Wake

Category:Songs written by Billy Mann