Downtown Venus

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"Downtown Venus"
Single by P.M. Dawn
from the album Jesus Wept
B-side"She Dreams Persistent Maybes"
ReleasedAugust 22, 1995 (1995-08-22)
StudioBliss
GenreRock
Length3:40
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)P.M. Dawn
P.M. Dawn singles chronology
"You Got Me Floatin'"
(1993) 		"Downtown Venus"
(1995) 		"Sometimes I Miss You So Much (Dedicated to the Christ-Consciousness)"
(1995)
Audio
"Downtown Venus" on YouTube

"Downtown Venus" is the first single released from American hip hop-R&B act P.M. Dawn's third studio album, Jesus Wept (1995). The second track on the album,[1] the song was written by the duo's lead vocalist, Prince Be (under his real name, Attrell Cordes) and produced by P.M. Dawn. It is built around a sample of "Hush" by Deep Purple, so writer Joe South was given a writing credit.

Released on August 22, 1995 by Gee Street and Island, "Downtown Venus" did not replicate the success of the band's previous singles, peaking at number 48 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 58 in the United Kingdom. Because of its guitar-driven rock sound, the song was serviced to alternative radio stations and reached number 39 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, marking P.M. Dawn's only appearance on the listing.

Composition[edit]

"Downtown Venus" is heavily built on a sample of the 1967 song "Hush", written by Joe South, as covered by English rock band Deep Purple in 1968.[2] Billboard magazine editor Paul Verna has described the track as a rock song with pop and R&B tones.[3] Larry Flick of the same publication compared the song's vocals to those of John Lennon and noted its "psychedelic" guitar chords.[4]

Release and commercial performance[edit]

Before the song was sent to contemporary hit radio (CHR), Gee Street Records and Island Records decided to service the track to alternative radio stations first, as they wanted to demonstrate that P.M. Dawn could stray from their established pop sound; this was done during late August and early September, and the song was added to rhythmic contemporary and contemporary hit radio on August 22, 1995.[5][6] In Japan, a CD single was released on October 16, 1995.[7]

"Downtown Venus" became P.M. Dawn's only song to appear on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, on which it peaked at number 39 in September 1995.[8] Following the single's physical release as well as additions to CHR playlists, the song reached number 48 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 21 on the Billboard Top 40/Mainstream chart in early October.[9][10] It did not fare well internationally, stalling at number 43 in Canada, number 58 in the United Kingdom, and number 73 in Australia.[11][12][13]

Critical reception[edit]

Dave Jennings from Melody Maker wrote, "'Downtown Venus' is, amazingly, giddily upbeat and downright urgent. I'm trying to be by myself.../You could be into you/But you don't know what you're like, sings Prince Be in a fine display of introspection turned into inspired action. It positively froths over with radio-friendliness and everyday friendliness, and this time it shouldn't be just the Prince's analyst who'll understand."[14] Paul Moody from NME said, "This time our man throws a dash of Deep Purple's 'Hush' into the usual stream of (sub)consciousness burble and comes up, erm, trumps! You would be into you/But you don't know what you're like! croons Sir Be in a coquettish Prince-like whisper. Swoon. A hit!"[15]

Track listings[edit]

Credits and personnel[edit]

Credits are taken from the US CD single liner notes.[18]

Studio

  • Recorded at Bliss Studios

Personnel

  • Prince Be – wrtting (as Attrell Cordes), vocals
  • Joe South – writing ("Hush")
  • Cameron Greider – electric and acoustic guitars, bass guitar
  • P.M. Dawn – production
  • Michael Fossenkemper – mixing

Charts[edit]

Chart (1995) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[13] 73
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[11] 43
UK Singles (OCC)[12] 58
US Billboard Hot 100[9] 48
US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[8] 39
US Top 40/Mainstream (Billboard)[10] 21

References[edit]

  1. ^ "P.M. Dawn – Jesus Wept". AllMusic. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  2. ^ Wilkening, Matthew (October 3, 2015). "20 Years Ago: P.M. Dawn Release Their Wrongly Ignored Masterpiece, 'Jesus Wept'". The Boombox. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  3. ^ Verna, Paul (October 21, 1995). "Reviews & Previews – Albums" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 42. p. 79. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  4. ^ Flick, Larry, ed. (September 9, 1995). "Reviews & Previews – Singles" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 36. p. 112. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  5. ^ Sprague, David (August 26, 1995). "Gee Street Has Alternative Route for 3rd PM Dawn Set" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 34. p. 14. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  6. ^ "Selected New Releases" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1108. August 18, 1995. pp. 31, 37. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  7. ^ "ダウンタウン・ビーナス | P.M.ドーン" [Downtown Venus | P.M. Dawn] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  8. ^ a b "P.M. Dawn: Alternative Airplay". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  9. ^ a b "P.M. Dawn: The Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  10. ^ a b "P.M. Dawn: Pop Airplay". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2801." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  12. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  13. ^ a b Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 220.
  14. ^ Jennings, Dave (September 30, 1995). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 32. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  15. ^ Moody, Paul (September 23, 1995). "Singles". NME. p. 45. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  16. ^ Downtown Venus (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). P.M. Dawn. Gee Street Records, Island Records. 1995. 422-854 408-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ Downtown Venus (US cassette single sleeve). P.M. Dawn. Gee Street Records, Island Records. 1995. 422-854 408-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ^ a b Downtown Venus (US CD single liner notes). P.M. Dawn. Gee Street Records, Island Records. 1995. 422-854 409-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ^ Downtown Venus (UK & Australasian CD single liner notes). P.M. Dawn. Gee Street Records, Island Records, Mercury Records. 1995. GESCD 63, 854 417-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ^ Downtown Venus (Japanese CD single liner notes). P.M. Dawn. Gee Street Records, Island Records. 1995. PHCR-8337.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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