49ers (group)

This article is about the Italo house music group. For the Delaware hip-hop duo, see The 49ers. For other uses, see 49er.

49ers
Origin	Brescia, Italy
Genres	Eurodance, Italo house
Years active	1988-1998
Labels	Media Records Island 4th and Broadway
Past members	Gianfranco Bortolotti Luca Cittadini Diego Leoni Pieradis Rossini Ann-Marie Smith

49ers was an Italian house and Eurodance act, featuring producers and DJs Gianfranco Bortolotti, Luca Cittadini, Diego Leoni and Pieradis Rossini with vocalist Ann-Marie Smith. They were named after the San Francisco 49ers American football team, and because former vocalist Dawn Mitchell was the 49th vocalist to audition.

In 1990, two of their songs reached number-one on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart; "Touch Me" and "Don't You Love Me".

Background

Formation and debut album

The project was formed in 1988, by the producer Gianfranco Bortolotti. The debut single, "Die Walküre", was based on a vocal from Freeez's "I.O.U." (although the woman in the video is Josy Gil Persia) and reached #20 on the French Singles Chart. It was followed by "Shadows" one year later. After this, the group recruited Dawn Mitchell to front the act. "Touch Me" was partially based on an Aretha Franklin sample ("Rock-a-Lott"), whilst its chorus line was taken from Alysha Warren's song, "Touch Me". "Don't You Love Me" featured a vocal sample from Jody Watley's hit "Don't You Want Me" and peaked at number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100. Other borrowed phrases and hooks are dispersed throughout the accompanying album. It was revealed that Mitchell was Lip-syncing the vocals on "Touch Me". She then provided vocals on five other songs from that album.

"Touch Me" became a number 3 hit in the UK Singles Chart in January 1990, whilst "Don't You Love Me" peaked at number 12 and the single "Girl to Girl" peaked at number 31 in that same listing.[1]

The follow-up albums

A remix album and the stand-alone single "Believe In Me" (which Mitchell co-wrote and sang) was released in 1991. Soon afterwards, Mitchell left the act and was replaced by Ann-Marie Smith. The second album, Playing With My Heart, was released in 1992. The album spawned five singles, "Move Your Feet", "Got to Be Free", "The Message", "Everything" and "Keep Your Love".

Other singles

The single "Rockin' My Body" reached number 31 on the UK Singles Chart.[1] They released four more singles including "Lovin' You", "Baby I'm Yours", "I Got The Music (aka I Got It)" and "Let The Sunshine In". Following this, the act broke up in 1998.

In 2010, 49ers briefly returned with a single for Italian label Ego Music, entitled "Je Cherche Apres Titine", which featured samples from Charlie Chaplin's comedy film "Modern Times" from 1936.

In September 2012, Gianfranco Bortolotti revived Media Records under new name, Media Songs s.r.l.[2] In 2013, 49ers released a song called "Shine on in love" with a singer Cheryl Porter.[2]

Former members

• Gianfranco Bortolotti - production/arrangement/songwriting (1988–1998)
• Luca Cittadini - additional production/arrangement/songwriting (1988–1992)
• Diego Leoni - additional production/arrangement/songwriting (1988–1992)
• Pieradis Rossini - additional production/arrangement/songwriting (1988–1991)
• Alysha Warren (real name: Alyesha Wallen) - lead female (uncredited) vocals on "Touch Me" (1989–1990)
• Josy Gil Persia - performer (1988–1990)
• Dawn Mitchell - performer - although Mitchell's voice was used on "Don't You Love Me", "I Need You", "Girl to Girl", "How Longer, "I Will Survive" and "Believe In Me". (1989–1991)
• Ann-Marie Smith - vocals (1991–2002)
• Cheryl Porter - vocals (2013)
• Chris Mazelle - vocals (2022)

Discography

Studio albums

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions
		AUS [3][4]	SWE [5]	UK [1]
49ers	Released: 1990 Label: Island Formats: CD, Cassette	56	41	51
Playing with My Heart	Released: September 1992 Label: Island Formats: CD	179	—	—

Compilation albums

Title	Album details
The Remix Album	Released: 1991 Label: Island
Greatest Hits 1990-2002	Released: 2004 Label:

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions														Album
		ITA [6]	AUS [3][7]	AUT	BEL (FLA)	FRA	GER [8]	IRE [9]	NED	NZ	SWE [10]	SUI [11]	UK [1]	US [12]	US Dance [12]
1988	"Die Walküre"	—	—	—	—	20	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	49ers
1989	"Shadows"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"Touch Me"	—	18	9	20	—	7	4	18	15	8	6	3	—	1
1990	"Don't You Love Me"	—	61	—	36	—	25	6	—	—	17	10	12	78	1
	"How Longer" (ITA only)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"Girl to Girl"	—	116	—	—	—	70	13	—	—	—	20	31	—	—
	"I Need You"	20	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1992	"Move Your Feet"	6	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Playing with My Heart
	"Got to Be Free"	—	182	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	46	—	38
	"The Message"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	68	—	32
1993	"Everything"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"Keep Your Love"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1994	"Rockin' My Body"	—	163	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	31	—	—	Singles only
1995	"Hangin' on to Love" (FIN only)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1996	"Lovin' You"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"Baby I'm Yours"	9	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1997	"I Got the Music (I Got It)"	21	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1998	"Let the Sunshine In" (FR only)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

See also

• Cappella
• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart

References

1. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 208. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
2. "Media songs official's sounds on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free". Archived from the original on 2012-10-30. Retrieved 2013-04-16.
3. Australian (ARIA Chart) peaks:
   • Top 50 peaks: "australian-charts.com > 49ers (singles)". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
   • Top 100 peaks: Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
   • "Girl to Girl": "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 18 January 2017". Imgur.com. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
4. "49ers ARIA chart history (albums), received from ARIA in May 2024". ARIA. Retrieved 5 July 2024 – via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
5. "swedishcharts.com > 49ers - 49ers (album)". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
6. "Italian Chart - 49ers". hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
7. "49ers ARIA chart history (singles), received from ARIA in May 2024". ARIA. Retrieved 5 July 2024 – via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
8. German peaks^[dead link‍]
9. Search for Irish peaks
10. Swedish peaks
11. Swiss peaks
12. Allmusic peaks