Halo (Texas song)

"Halo"
Single by Texas
from the album White on Blonde
B-side
  • "Asking for Favours"
  • "Coming Down"
Released7 April 1997 (1997-04-07)[1]
StudioAbbey Road (London, England)
Length4:10
LabelMercury
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Texas singles chronology
"Say What You Want"
(1997) 		"Halo"
(1997) 		"Black Eyed Boy"
(1997)
Alternative covers
UK CD2 cover
Music video
"Halo" on YouTube

"Halo" is a song by Scottish alternative rock band Texas, released on 7 April 1997 as the second single from their fourth studio album, White on Blonde (1997). The song was written by Texas frontwoman Sharleen Spiteri and guitarist Johnny McElhone and was produced by Texas and Mike Hedges. "Halo" debuted and peaked at number 10 on the UK Singles Charts. The music video, filmed in Hong Kong, features Spiteri and a Chinese woman acting as her "halo".

Release and promotion

"Halo" was released as the second single from White on Blonde on 7 April 1997.[2] It debuted at number 10 in the United Kingdom on 13 April 1997. During the song's second week it fell to number 17, and during its third week it fell to number 21. In its fourth week the song dropped to number 36, and in its fifth week it fell out the UK top 40 at number 51. In total, the song spent eight weeks on the UK Singles Chart.[3] In the band's native Scotland, the single peaked at number three.[4] Outside the UK, it reached number 27 in Iceland and briefly charted in the Flanders region of Belgium.[5][6]

Critical reception

Dominic Pride from Music & Media wrote that the song is "just as infectious" as "Say What You Want", "with building strings and one of the strongest hooks currently going." He added, "Texas have a knack of making songs which fit radio perfectly, and this one makes Sharleen Spiteri's voice virtually jump out of the speakers. As big a hit as the last one."[7] A reviewer from Music Week rated it four out of five, saying, "This simply-structured, classic-sounding single produced by Mike Hedges boasts another breathtaking vocal from Sharleen Spiteri, and can only further emphasise what a superb comeback White On Blonde is."[8] Ian Hyland from Sunday Mirror gave it seven out of ten, describing it as "radio-friendly", with "strings and brass [that] combine with Deborah Harry-ish vocals to make the perfect breezy summer hit."[9] David Sinclair from The Times noted "the staid string arrangements" of the song.[10]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Halo" was filmed in Hong Kong[11] in 1997 and begins with a Chinese man running through a street. It features Spiteri wearing a blue dress while singing the song in front of a brick wall. A Chinese woman wearing the same dress is also featured as her "halo". The video was inspired by the Wong Kar-wai film Chungking Express.[citation needed]

Track listings

Personnel

Personnel are lifted from The Greatest Hits album booklet.[17]

  • Texas – production
    • Johnny McElhone – writing, keyboards, programming, orchestra arrangement
    • Sharleen Spiteri – writing, guitars
    • Ally McErlaine – guitars
    • Eddie Campbell – keyboards, programming, orchestra arrangement
    • Richard Hynd – drums, programming
  • Mike Hedges – production
  • Martin Greene – orchestra arrangement

Charts

References

  1. ^ "Records Out on April 7, 1997" (PDF). Music Week. 29 March 1997. p. 36.
  2. ^ "Reviews – Records Out on April 7, 1997" (PDF). Music Week. 29 March 1997. p. 36. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (3.7. '97 – 9.7. '97)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 4 July 1997. p. 22. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Texas – Halo" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  7. ^ Pride, Dominic (12 April 1997). "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. p. 11. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  8. ^ "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 29 March 1997. p. 36. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  9. ^ Hyland, Ian (6 April 1997). "Orbital Make a Heavenly Saints Sound". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  10. ^ Sinclair, David (8 February 1997). "The week's top pop releases; Records". The Times.
  11. ^ "Texas in Demand : Texas and Sharleen Spiteri fansite - Lyrics". Archived from the original on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  12. ^ Halo (UK CD1 liner notes). Texas. Mercury Records. 1997. MERCD 482, 574 361-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ Halo (UK CD2 liner notes). Texas. Mercury Records. 1997. MERDD 482, 574 363-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ Halo (UK cassette single sleeve). Texas. Mercury Records. 1997. MERMC 482, 574 360-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ Halo (European CD single liner notes). Texas. Mercury Records. 1997. 574 360-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ^ Halo (Australasian maxi-CD single liner notes). Texas. Mercury Records. 1997. 574 869-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ The Greatest Hits (UK CD album booklet). Texas. Mercury Records. 2000. 548 264-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ^ "Texas ARIA Chart history (complete 1988-2024)". ARIA. Retrieved 28 July 2024 – via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
  19. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 17. 26 April 1997. p. 16.
  20. ^ "Najlepsze single na UK Top 40–1997" (in Polish). Archived from the original on 4 June 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2019.