Spending My Time

"Spending My Time" is a song by Swedish duo Roxette, released as the fourth single from their third studio album, Joyride (1991). It was written by Per Gessle and Mats Persson, and produced by Clarence Öfwerman. The single attained moderate success, reaching the top ten in Germany and Italy, and the top twenty in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, while peaking at number twenty-two on the UK Singles Chart and thirty-two on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.

"Spending My Time"
Single by Roxette
from the album Joyride
B-side"The Sweet Hello, The Sad Goodbye"
Released21 November 1991 (1991-11-21)
RecordedJuly 1990
StudioEMI Studios, Stockholm
Genre
Length4:39
LabelEMI
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Clarence Öfwerman
Roxette singles chronology
"The Big L."
(1991)		 "Spending My Time"
(1991)		 "Church of Your Heart"
(1992)
Music video
"Spending My Time" on YouTube

A remix was created by MC King Carli and Dr Renault (pseudonyms used by Öfwerman & Anders) at EMI Studios in Stockholm, Sweden, in July 1991, and was included on the single. A Spanish version of the song, titled "Un Día Sin Ti" ("A Day Without You"), was released in 1996 as the lead single from the duo's Spanish-language compilation album Baladas en Español.

Composition and style

The verse is written in the key of A (F#min - D - E ... B - Bmin), whereas the chorus is in the key of E (E - B - C#min - A - F#min - B...).

Critical reception

AllMusic editor Bryan Buss noted "the quiet desperation" of the song in his review of Joyride.[1] Larry Flick from Billboard described the song as a "acoustic-anchored pop/rock ballad" and noted further that the "memorable melody and throaty vocals by Marie Fredriksson are [the] track's true highlights."[2] Swedish newspaper Expressen called it a "high-pitched melancholy ballad".[3] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report wrote, "In a Top 40 world starved for pop music, Per and Marie can be considered a delicacy. No matter what the tempo, all their songs contain melodies that win listeners over immediately. Hearing this latest release makes it easy to understand why they've established such a large and loyal international following."[4]

Göteborgsposten complimented the song for its "strong" chorus.[5] Kim Såtvedt from Norwegian newspaper Laagendalsposten also complimented Roxette for their "beautiful ballads" like "Spending My Time", noting it as "enthralling".[6] Music & Media described it as a "melancholic ballad".[7] Brendon Veevers from Renowned for Sound called it "the greatest musical creation of all time", adding the song as "such an emotional charged and exquisitely delivered song".[8] Rolling Stones J.D. Considine noted Fredriksson's "vocal fire-work" on the song.[9] Miranda Sawyer from Smash Hits commented, "Yes, it's a hankies-up ballad with a thumping Swedish beat."[10]

Commercial performance

The song was not as commercially successful as the duo's preceding singles. It peaked at number thirty-two on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, ending a run of five consecutive top two singles on the chart.[11] In the liner notes of their 1995 greatest hits compilation Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus!, Per Gessle said he believed that "Spending My Time" was "going to be our biggest hit ever, which might have happened if not our American record company had fired a lot of... ah, never mind."[12] At the end of 1991, EMI merged with other record companies to form EMI Records Group North America. The merger resulted in the new company firing over a hundred members of staff, and saw Roxette receiving little support from the new label.[13] The song also peaked at number nine in Canada.[14]

Music video

The music video for "Spending My Time" was directed by Wayne Isham and depicts lead singer Marie Fredriksson at multiple places in a house, such as sitting by a window, lying in bed, sitting on a couch and at a table. Gessle also appears occasionally playing the guitar.[15]

Formats and track listings

All songs written by Per Gessle and Mats Persson, except "The Sweet Hello, the Sad Goodbye" by Gessle.

  1. "Spending My Time" – 4:39
  2. "The Sweet Hello, The Sad Goodbye" – 4:49
  1. "Spending My Time" – 4:39
  2. "Listen to Your Heart" (Swedish Single Version) – 5:10
  1. "Spending My Time" (Electric Dance Remix) – 5:27
  2. "Spending My Time" – 4:39
  3. "The Sweet Hello, The Sad Goodbye" – 4:49
  1. "Spending My Time" – 4:39
  2. "The Sweet Hello, The Sad Goodbye" – 4:49
  3. "Spending My Time" (Electric Dance Remix) – 5:27
  4. "Spending My Time" (Electric Dance Remix/Instrumental) – 5:27
  1. "Spending My Time" – 4:39
  2. "The Sweet Hello, The Sad Goodbye" – 4:49
  3. "Spending My Time" (Electric Dance Remix) – 5:27
  4. "Listen to Your Heart" (7" Edit) – 4:06

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Ballad Hits.[24]

  • Recorded at EMI Studios in Stockholm, Sweden in July 1990.
  • Mixed by Alar Suurna, Per Gessle and Clarence Öfwerman at EMI Studios in Stockholm.

Musicians

Charts

"Un Día Sin Ti" (1996)
"Un Día Sin Ti"
Single by Roxette
from the album Baladas en Español
B-side"Timida" ("Vulnerable")
Released29 October 1996 (1996-10-29)
LabelEMI
Songwriter(s)
  • Per Gessle
  • Mats Persson
  • Luis G. Escolar
Producer(s)Clarence Öfwerman
Roxette singles chronology
"She Doesn't Live Here Anymore"
(1996)		 "Un Día Sin Ti"
(1996)		 "No Sé Si Es Amor"
(1997)
Music video
"Un día sin ti" on YouTube

Roxette released a Spanish-language compilation album, Baladas en Español, in 1996. It consisted of twelve of their down-tempo singles and album tracks, which were translated by Spanish songwriter Luis Gomez-Escolar. This album was only released in Spanish and Portuguese-speaking territories. A translated version of "Spending My Time", titled "Un Día Sin Ti" ("A Day Without You"), was released in November 1996 as the album's lead single.

Music video

A new music video was filmed for this version of the song. It was created by Jonas Åkerlund, who would go on to direct a total of twelve music videos for the duo. It features close-up shots of Marie singing and Per playing guitar, interspersed with clips of a woman descending into alcoholism, and suggestively sniffing a table counter.[15]

Formats and track listings

Music by Per Gessle and Mats Persson. Original lyrics by Gessle. Spanish lyrics by Luis G. Escolar.

  • CD single (EU 8652672)
  1. "Un Día Sin Ti" ("Spending My Time") – 4:39
  2. "Tímida" ("Vulnerable") – 4:44

Charts
Chart (1996–97) Peak
position
Spain (AFYVE)[45] 20
Poland Airplay (ZPAV)[46] 48
US Latin Pop Songs (Billboard)[47] 10

References
  1. "Roxette - Joyride". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  2. "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. 19 October 1991. p. 77. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  3. "ROXETTE: Joyride". Expressen. 26 March 1991.
  4. Sholin, Dave (11 October 1991). "Gavin Picks > Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report. No. 1877. p. 60. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  5. "ROXETTE Joyride". Göteborgsposten. 26 March 1991.
  6. Såtvedt, Kim (6 June 1991). "Plater". Laagendalsposten (in Norwegian) (105). p. 7. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  7. "Spotlight: Roxette" (PDF). Music & Media. 30 March 1991. p. 13. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  8. Veevers, Brendon (12 December 2013). "TOP 10 ROXETTE BALLADS". Renowned for Sound. Archived from the original on 15 March 2015. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  9. J.D. Considine (27 June 1991). "Roxette: Joyride: Music Review". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Archived from the original on 25 March 2008. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  10. Sawyer, Miranda (16 October 1991). "Review: Singles". Smash Hits. p. 41. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  11. "Roxette Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  12. "Digital booklet". Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus (liner notes). Roxette. Stockholm, Sweden: EMI Records. 1995. 7243 836203 2 6.CS1 maint: others (link)
  13. Charlie Amter (4 July 2011). "EMI Sets U.S. Release for New Roxette Album". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  14. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2036." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  15. Ballad & Pop Hits - The Complete Video Collection (DVD liner notes). Roxette. EMI. 2003. 7243 4 90946 9 7.CS1 maint: others (link)
  16. "Spending My Time" (Swedish 7" single). Roxette. EMI. 1991. 1364117.CS1 maint: others (link)
  17. "Spending My Time" (German 7" single). Roxette. EMI. 1991. 1C 006-13 6411 7.CS1 maint: others (link)
  18. "Spending My Time" (US cassette single). Roxette. EMI. 1991. 4KM-50366.CS1 maint: others (link)
  19. "Spending My Time" (Canadian cassette single). Roxette. Capitol Records. 1991. 4KM 73169.CS1 maint: others (link)
  20. "Spending My Time" (UK 7" single). Roxette. EMI. 1991. EM 215.CS1 maint: others (link)
  21. "Spending My Time" (12" single). Roxette. EMI. 1991. 1364116.CS1 maint: others (link)
  22. "Spending My Time" (European CD maxi single). Roxette. EMI. 1991. 1364112.CS1 maint: others (link)
  23. "Spending My Time" (UK CD maxi single). Roxette. EMI. 1991. CDEM 215.CS1 maint: others (link)
  24. Lindström, Sven (2002). The Ballad Hits (CD liner notes). Roxette. Capitol Records. 72435 42798-2 9.
  25. "Australian-charts.com – Roxette – Spending My Time". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  26. "Austriancharts.at – Roxette – Spending My Time" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  27. "Ultratop.be – Roxette – Spending My Time" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  28. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2049." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  29. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8 no. 49. December 7, 1991. p. 33. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved October 28, 2018 – via American Radio History.
  30. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  31. "Offiziellecharts.de – Roxette – Spending My Time". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  32. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Spending My Time". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  33. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8 no. 50. December 14, 1991. p. 33. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved October 28, 2018 – via American Radio History.
  34. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 48, 1991" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  35. "Dutchcharts.nl – Roxette – Spending My Time" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  36. "Charts.nz – Roxette – Spending My Time". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  37. "Lista Przebojów Trójki – Polskie Radio Online: Notowanie nr516 - 10 stycznia 1992". Polskie Radio (in Polish). 10 January 1992. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  38. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  39. "Swedishcharts.com – Roxette – Spending My Time". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  40. "Swisscharts.com – Roxette – Spending My Time". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  41. "Roxette: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  42. "Roxette Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  43. "The RPM Top 100 Adult Contemporary tracks of 1992". RPM. Vol. 56 no. 25. 19 December 1992. ISSN 0315-5994. Retrieved 4 June 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  44. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1992" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  45. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  46. "Lista Przebojów Trójki - Polskie Radio Online: Notowanie nr773 - 22 listopada 1996". Polskie Radio (in Polish). 22 November 1996. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  47. "Latin Songs: Top Latin Pop Songs Chart | 15 March 1997". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 15 March 1997. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
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