Be Near Me

"Be Near Me" is a song by English pop band ABC. It was released in April 1985 as the second single from their third studio album, How to Be a ... Zillionaire!. It peaked at No. 26 on the UK Singles Chart in 1985, and was the only single from the album to reach the UK top 40. It was more successful in the United States where it reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[5][6] The song also went to number-one on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart in September of that year, remaining on top for two weeks.^[7]

"Be Near Me"
Single by ABC
from the album How to Be a ... Zillionaire!
B-side	"A to Z", "What's Your Destination?"
Released	29 March 1985[1]
Recorded	December 1984
Genre	Synth-pop[2] dance-pop[3] blue-eyed soul[4]
Length	3:38
Label	Neutron Mercury Vertigo
Songwriter(s)	Martin Fry Mark White
Producer(s)	Martin Fry Mark White
ABC singles chronology
"(How to Be A) Millionaire" (1984) "Be Near Me" (1985) "Vanity Kills" (1985)
Music video
"Be Near Me" on YouTube

Composition

The song is written in F major (C mixolydian mode) with a BPM of 125.

Music video

The song's music video was directed by Peter Care and shows the four band members in colourful attire playing oversized, cartoonish, instruments, against a white background and floor while the camera makes a series of rolling, panning and swooping shots.^[8]

Track listing

7" version

US release

1. "Be Near Me" – 3:38
2. "A to Z" – 2:50

UK release

1. "Be Near Me" – 3:38
2. "A to Z" – 2:50

12" version

US release

1. "Be Near Me" (Munich Disco Mix) – 5:28
2. "Be Near Me" (Ecstasy Mix) – 4:45
3. "What's Your Destination?" (instrumental version of "Be Near Me") – 3:36

UK release

1. "Be Near Me" (Munich Disco Mix) – 5:27
2. "A to Z" – 2:50
3. "What's Your Destination?" (instrumental version of "Be Near Me") – 3:38

Personnel

Credits adapted from the original album liner notes, "One Two Testing" and "International Musician".^[9][10]

ABC

• Martin Fry - lead and backing vocals
• Mark White - E-mu Emulator II, Fairlight CMI programming

Additional Musicians

• Gary Moberley - Fairlight CMI programming
• Don Snow - piano, Oberheim OB-X and Yamaha DX7 synthesizers
• Brad Lang - bass guitar
• Keith LeBlanc - E-mu Drumulator programming
• David Palmer - hi-hat

Chart performance

Weekly charts Chart (1985) Peak position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[11] 22 UK Singles Chart[12] 26 US Billboard Hot 100 9 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play 1 US Cash Box Top 100[13] 10

Year-end charts Chart (1985) Rank U.S. Billboard Hot 100[14] 71 U.S. Cash Box [15] 90

See also

• List of Billboard number-one Dance Club songs