Login
Login

Just a Step from Heaven

{{Short description|1994 single by Eternal}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Just a Step from Heaven

| cover = Justastepfromheaven.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Eternal

| album = Always & Forever

| B-side = "I've Got to Be with You", "Fantasy"

| released = {{start date|1994|4|18|df=y}}

| recorded =

| studio = Roundhouse (London, England)

| genre = Pop, R&B

| length = 3:57

| label = EMI, 1st Avenue

| writer = Wayne Cohen, Sheppard Solomon

| producer = Dennis Charles, Ronnie Wilson

| prev_title = Save Our Love

| prev_year = 1994

| next_title = So Good

| next_year = 1994

| misc =

}}

"Just a Step from Heaven" is a song by British girl group Eternal, released as the third single from their debut album, Always & Forever (1993). Released on 18 April 1994 by EMI and 1st Avenue, the single was well received by music critics, entering at number 12 on the UK Singles Chart on 24 April. It climbed to its peak of number eight three weeks later and spent a total of 11 weeks on the UK Singles Chart. It also reached the top 30 in Ireland and New Zealand and experienced minimal success in North America. The song was written by Wayne Cohen and Sheppard Solomon, and produced by Dennis Charles and Ronnie Wilson. Its accompanying music video was directed by Matthew Rolston.{{cite magazine|first=Mark|last=Frith|title=New Singles: Best New Single|work=Smash Hits|date=13 April 1994|page=59|accessdate=3 February 2023|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/57779449@N02/52663416754/in/album-72177720305687071/|author-link=Mark Frith}}

Critical reception

Jon O'Brien from AllMusic complimented the song as an example of "perfect R&B-infused pop".{{cite web|first=Jon|last=O'Brien|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/changing-faces-best-of-louise-mw0000462815|title=Louise — Changing Faces: Best of Louise|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=21 October 2021}} Larry Flick from Billboard magazine wrote, "A glowing moment from the noteworthy Always & Forever album, this midtempo jam chugs along with rich harmonies, a diva-driven lead vocal, and an arrangement that pads a hip-hop foundation with sweet retro-soul nuances and a killer chorus. Juicy."{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1994/BB-1994-05-21-N.pdf|title=Single Reviews|last=Flick|first=Larry|author-link=Larry Flick|magazine=Billboard|page=51|date=21 May 1994|access-date=18 March 2021}} The Stud Brothers from Melody Maker praised the song as "glorious", adding, "With that song and that video, Eternal — a band hitherto known for ersatz soul and the mildest of swingbeat — prove that Brit R&B can be as exhilarating and stylish as its American counterpart."{{cite magazine|author=The Stud Brothers|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/53164918448/|title=Forever Our Girls|work=Melody Maker|date=28 May 1994|page=6|access-date=6 September 2023}}

Sam Steele from NME remarked, "An innocuous uptempo luurve ballard, 'Just a Step...' drapes its perfect soul curves over some barely audible hip-hop scratching, swells into one of those swoonsome string laden choruses and generally sounds stunning in a superfluous supermodel kind of way."{{cite magazine|first=Sam|last=Steele|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/53135372765/|title=Singles|work=NME|date=16 April 1994|page=39|access-date=23 August 2023}} Mark Frith from Smash Hits gave it five out of five and named it Best New Single, commenting, "At first I wasn't very sure about this. Not as sultry and soully as "Stay", missing the great infectious pop energy of "Save Our Love". After listen number five it strikes you — this has the best of both and is the pick of the bunch. Sassy, well-sung and a little bit funky, "Just a Step from Heaven" is another big hit. And the video, directed by the person behind the Salt N Pepa/En Vogue "Whatta Man" promo, is meant to be a little special too. We've probably lost them to America but Eternal are a jewel well worth keeping."

Music video

The music video for "Just a Step from Heaven" was directed by American artist, photographer, director and creative director Matthew Rolston. The Stud Brothers from Melody Maker commented, "Have you seent that video? The one that accompanies Eternal's "Just a Step from Heaven". The one that quite literally kicks off with a gang of kids tearing through an urban wasteland, then cuts to an anthracite-haired goddess, standing at a university podium, delivering a gospel-tinged sermon on self-love, beneath the intimidating clenched-fist of the Black Panther movement. Now that is one serious f*** video. Packaged rebellion, for sure, but what packaging." Easther Bennett of Eternal told in an interview, "Without that video, the song could easily been interpreted as some boy/girl thing. With the video, we stress a greater kind of love and pride. We ask people to see strength in themselves and use it in a positive way."

Track listings

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

  • UK and Australian CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Just a Step from Heaven|others=Eternal|year=1994|type=UK CD single liner notes|publisher=EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records|id=CDEM 311, 7243 8 81249 2 8}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Just a Step from Heaven|others=Eternal|year=1994|type=Australian CD single liner notes|publisher=EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records|id=8812492}}
  1. "Just a Step from Heaven" (radio mix)
  2. "Stay" (Teddy Riley remix)
  3. "I've Got to Be with You"
  4. "Fantasy"
  • UK 7-inch and cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=Just a Step from Heaven|others=Eternal|year=1994|type=UK 7-inch single sleeve|publisher=EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records|id=EM 311, 7243 8 81249 7 3}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Just a Step from Heaven|others=Eternal|year=1994|type=UK cassette single sleeve|publisher=EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records|id=TCEM 311, 7243 8 81249 4 2}}
  1. "Just a Step from Heaven" (remix)
  2. "I've Got to Be with You"
  3. "Stay" (Teddy Riley "Eternal" remix)
  • UK 12-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title=Just a Step from Heaven|others=Eternal|year=1994|type=UK 12-inch single sleeve|publisher=EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records|id=12EM 311, 8812496}}

:A1. "Just a Step from Heaven" (West End Wild & Groovy mix)

:A2. "Just a Step from Heaven" (West End RnB Rub mix)

:B1. "Just a Step from Heaven" (Frankie Foncett mix)

:B2. "Stay" (Teddy Riley remix)

{{col-2}}

  • US cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=Just a Step from Heaven|others=Eternal|year=1994|type=US cassette single sleeve|publisher=EMI Records|id=4KM-58183}}

:A1. "Just a Step from Heaven"

:B1. "I've Got to Be with You"

:B2. "Stay" (extended mix)

  • Japanese mini-CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Just a Step from Heaven|others=Eternal|year=1994|type=Japanese mini-CD single liner notes|publisher=EMI Records|id=TODP-2468}}
  1. "Just a Step from Heaven" (radio mix)
  2. "Stay" (Teddy Riley remix)

{{col-end}}

Credits and personnel

Credits are lifted from the Always & Forever album booklet.{{cite AV media notes|title=Always & Forever|title-link=Always & Forever (Eternal album)|others=Eternal|year=1993|type=UK CD album booklet|publisher=EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records|id=CDEMD 1053, 7243 8 28212 2 9}}

Studios

Personnel

  • Wayne Cohen – writing
  • Sheppard Solomon – writing
  • Dennis Charles – production
  • Ronnie Wilson – production
  • Johnny Douglas – additional production and remix

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1994–1995)

!Peak
position

scope="row"|Australia (ARIA){{cite web|url=http://i.imgur.com/U7zuh2z.jpg|title=The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart week ending 12 Mar 1995|publisher=Australian Record Industry Association Ltd.|access-date=5 January 2016}}

|62

scope="row"{{single chart|Canadatopsingles|84|chartid=2523|access-date=9 August 2019}}
scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1994/MM-1994-05-07.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100|work=Music & Media|date=7 May 1994|page=11|access-date=9 June 2023}}

|38

scope="row"|Europe (European Dance Radio){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1994/MM-1994-06-18.pdf|title=European Dance Radio Top 25|work=Music & Media|date=18 June 1994|page=22|access-date=26 May 2023}}

|5

scope="row"{{single chart|Ireland2|26|song=Just a Step from Heaven|access-date=9 August 2019}}
scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade){{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/eternal/eternal-just-a-step-from-heaven-15822|title=Eternal – Just a Step from Heaven|publisher=Dutch Top 40|language=nl|access-date=18 July 2021}}

|12

scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100 Tipparade){{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Eternal&titel=Just+A+Step+From+Heaven&cat=s|title=Eternal – Just a Step from Heaven|publisher=MegaCharts|language=nl|access-date=18 July 2021}}

|4

scope="row"{{single chart|New Zealand|29|artist=Eternal|song=Just a Step from Heaven}}
scope="row"{{single chart|Scotland|18|date=19940528}}
scope="row"{{single chart|UK|8|date=19940521|access-date=9 August 2019}}
scope="row"|UK Dance (Music Week){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1994/Music-Week-1994-05-07.pdf|title=Dance Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=26|date=7 May 1994|access-date=25 April 2021}}

|12

scope="row"|UK Club Chart (Music Week){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1994/Music-Week-1994-04-09.pdf|title=The RM Club Chart|magazine=Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert)|date=9 April 1994|page=4|accessdate=15 May 2023}}

|2

scope="row"|US Bubbling Under Hot R&B Singles (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=Bubbling Under Hot R&B Singles|magazine=Billboard|volume=106|issue=26|page=35|date=25 June 1994}}

|15

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1994)

!Position

scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC){{cite magazine|title=Top 100 Singles 1994|magazine=Music Week|page=9|date=14 January 1995}}

|69

scope="row"|UK Club Chart (Music Week){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1994/Music-Week-1994-12-24.pdf|title=The RM Club Chart of the Year|magazine=Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert)|date=24 December 1994|page=10|accessdate=20 May 2023}}

|29

{{col-end}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format(s)

!scope="col"|Label(s)

!scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row"|United Kingdom

|18 April 1994

|{{hlist|7-inch vinyl|12-inch vinyl|CD|cassette}}

|{{hlist|EMI|1st Avenue}}

|{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

scope="row"|Japan

|6 July 1994

|Mini-CD

|EMI

|{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/46926/products/270666/1/|title=ジャスト・ア・ステップ・フロム・ヘブン {{!}} エターナル|trans-title=Just a Step from Heaven {{!}} Eternal|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=22 January 2024}}

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Eternal}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Eternal (band) songs

Category:1993 songs

Category:1994 singles

Category:EMI Records singles

Category:First Avenue Records singles

Category:Music videos directed by Matthew Rolston

Category:Songs written by Sheppard Solomon