Save Tonight

"Save Tonight" is a song written and performed by Swedish rock musician Eagle-Eye Cherry, released on 7 October 1997 as the lead single from his debut album, Desireless (1997). It is the album's opening track and gained substantial radio success, reaching number three in Ireland, number five in the United States, number six in the United Kingdom, and number two in Cherry's native Sweden. "Save Tonight" was awarded the Rockbjörnen award in the "Swedish song of the year 1997" category.^[2]

"Save Tonight"
Single by Eagle-Eye Cherry
from the album Desireless
B-side	"Conversation"
Released	7 October 1997 (1997-10-07)
Genre	Alternative rock[1]
Length	3:55
Label	Superstudio Blå Polydor Work
Songwriter(s)	Eagle-Eye Cherry
Producer(s)	Adam Kviman
Eagle-Eye Cherry singles chronology
"Save Tonight" (1997) "When Mermaids Cry" (1998)
Music video
"Save Tonight" on YouTube

Critical reception

Larry Flick of Billboard wrote, "With a voice mildly reminiscent of Seal, the lad gives "Save Tonight" a richly soulful edge that cuts through the track's shiny arrangement of strumming acoustic guitars and prickly electric licks. Beyond the single's well-crafted surface are vivid, storyteller lyrics that are smarter than what you'll typically find on radio. An excellent, commercially sound way of introducing the artist's sterling full-length debut, Desireless, this cut demands immediate modern and mainstream rock radio play—and perhaps even triple-A and eventually top 40 stations."^[3] Scottish newspaper Daily Record felt that with the song, "late jazz legend Don's son and Neneh's brother is living up to his musical heritage."^[4]

Music video

The monochrome music video for the song was filmed at Skånegatan 92-94 in Stockholm's Södermalm district from 9–10 September 1997,^[5] and features Cherry playing different characters and seeing the story from different perspectives. Cherry prepares for a date by buying roses and a bottle of wine at a deli; he waves goodbye to the butcher, who proves to be another Cherry. A robber wearing tights over his head as a disguise (purchased in a nearby shop at the start of the video) enters the deli and takes money from he cash register; when he runs out, he is hit by a pickup truck. Both he and the driver are additional duplicates of Cherry, and two others appear as a man playing guitar and a homeless person sleeping on the sidewalk. The Cherry who entered the deli walks past and tosses some change to the latter before departing for his date. The video is edited to make it appear as a single continuous take.

Track listings

• Swedish and European CD single; UK cassette single^[6][7][8]

1. "Save Tonight" – 3:55
2. "Conversation" – 4:55

• UK CD single^[9]

1. "Save Tonight"
2. "Save Tonight" (Bacon & Quarmby remix)
3. "Conversation"
4. "Save Tonight" (video)

• Australasian CD single^[10]

1. "Save Tonight"
2. "Save Tonight" (Bacon & Quarmby remix)
3. "Conversation"

Personnel

Personnel are lifted from the Desireless album booklet.^[11]

• Eagle-Eye Cherry – music, lyrics, vocals, background vocals, co-production
• Mattias Torell – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
• Klas Åhlund – electric guitar
• Elias Modig – bass
• Magnus Persson – drums
• Adam Kviman – production, mixing, engineering

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1997–1999) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[12] 20 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[13] 17 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[14] 9 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[15] 27 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[16] 9 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[17] 22 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[18] 6 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[19] 8 European Border Breakers (Music & Media)[20] 1 European Radio (Music & Media)[21] 5 France (SNEP)[22] 11 France Airplay (Music & Media)[23] 1 Germany (GfK)[24] 18 Greece (IFPI)[25] 7 Hungary (Mahasz)[26] 7 Hungary Airplay (Music & Media)[27] 3 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[28] 8 Ireland (IRMA)[29] 3 Italy Airplay (Music & Media)[30] 4 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[31] 8 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[32] 9 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[33] 35 Norway (VG-lista)[34] 9 Poland (Music & Media)[35] 17 Scandinavia Airplay (Music & Media)[36] 2 Scotland (OCC)[37] 4 Spain Airplay (Music & Media)[35] 3 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[38] 2 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[39] 7 UK Singles (OCC)[40] 6 UK Airplay (Music Week)[41] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[42] 5 US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[43] 1 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[44] 3 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[45] 8 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[46] 1 Chart (2013) Peak position Slovenia (SloTop50)[47] 25 Chart (2017) Peak position Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[48] 55

Year-end charts Chart (1997) Position Sweden (Topplistan)[49] 8 Chart (1998) Position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[50] 69 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[51] 90 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[52] 40 France (SNEP)[53] 51 Germany (Media Control)[54] 56 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[55] 58 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[56] 72 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[57] 40 UK Singles (OCC)[58] 39 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[59] 36 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[60] 57 US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[61] 33 US Triple-A (Billboard)[62] 7 Chart (1999) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[63] 49 US Billboard Hot 100[64] 22 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[65] 5 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[66] 11 US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[67] 91 US Triple-A (Billboard)[68] 25

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[69]	Gold	35,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[70]	Platinum	90,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[71]	Gold	250,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[72]	Gold	25,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[73]	2× Platinum	60,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[74]	Gold	30,000‡
Sweden (GLF)[75]	Platinum	30,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[76]	2× Platinum	1,200,000‡
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
Sweden	7 October 1997	CD	Superstudio Blå	[77]
United Kingdom	15 June 1998	CD cassette	Polydor	[78]
United States	14 July 1998	Contemporary hit radio	Work	[79]

E.M.D. version

"Save Tonight"
Single by E.M.D.
from the album Rewind
Released	2010
Length	3:35
Label	BMG
Songwriter(s)	Eagle-Eye Cherry
E.M.D. singles chronology
"Välkommen hem" (2009) "Save Tonight" (2010) "What Is Love" (2010)

In 2010, Swedish boy band E.M.D. released a cover version of "Save Tonight" as the first single from their second studio album, Rewind (2010). Released first through digital stores on 28 May, the single had a physical release on 16 June.

Track listing

• CD and digital single

1. "Save Tonight" – 3:35

Charts

Chart (2010)	Peak position
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[80]	3

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