"I'll Be Your Shelter" is a song by American singer Taylor Dayne from her second studio album, Can't Fight Fate (1989). Written by Diane Warren and produced by Ric Wake, the song was released on April 2, 1990 via Arista Records as the third single from the album. The track was initially offered to Tina Turner, who declined it.
In the United States, "I'll Be Your Shelter" became a commercial success, hitting number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart where it became her seventh and final top-ten single to date. In Canada, it topped the RPM Top Singles chart on the week dated August 4, 1990, become Dayne's only chart-topper in the country. The track also became a hit in Oceania, reaching the top five in Australia and top forty in New Zealand. Billboard named the track Warren's 22nd biggest hit on the Hot 100 as a songwriter.[1]
Background and release
According to Clive Davis in his autobiography The Soundtrack of My Life, he first heard the track when writer Diane Warren played him three demos of her compositions.[2] It also was the same day Warren found out American singer Tina Turner had declined to record the track, which had upset Warren. She said in The Billboard Book of Number One Hits, "So I said, 'Well I'm going to show them. I'm going to get it cut by somebody else.' [...] I played him 'I'll Be Your Shelter' and he freaked. He thought it would be good for Taylor Dayne."[3] The track was first released on April 2, 1990, in the United Kingdom.[4] It was then released on April 23 in the United States to contemporary hit radio.[5]
Critical reception
People Magazine wrote that Dayne had "the spirit and rhythmic sense" to turn the track into a "vivacious party track," although they did note Wake's production as too similar to country rock band Lone Justice's track "Shelter".[6] Steven Daly from Spin called it "a brazen move onto Tina Turner's tuff turf" although saying that the track "almost stalls thanks to some ham-fisted synth bass and clumsy drums."[7]
Chart performance
In the United States, "I'll Be Your Shelter" was Dayne's seventh consecutive (and final) top ten single on the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number four during the summer of 1990.[8] On the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1990, the track ranked at number 63.[9] The song also reached number one in Canada for one week in August 1990 and peaked at number four in Australia.[10][11]
^ ab"She's Never Been Hotter! The New Single and Follow-Up to her #1 Smash, "Love Will Lead You Back"". Radio & Records. No. 836. April 20, 1990. p. 29.
^I'll Be Your Shelter (Canadian cassette single sleeve). Taylor Dayne. Arista Records, BMG Music Canada. 1990. CAS-2005.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^I'll Be Your Shelter (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Taylor Dayne. Arista Records. 1990. 612 996.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^I'll Be Your Shelter (German maxi-CD single liner notes). Taylor Dayne. Arista Records. 1990. 662 996.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^I'll Be Your Shelter (UK CD single liner notes). Taylor Dayne. Arista Records. 1990. 663 211.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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