Official Chart Pop Gem #17: Donna Lewis, I Love You Always Forever

It may have been a one-hit wonder, but what a hit it was!

There are lots of different types of hits on the Official Singles Chart, but if you were to really think about it, you could narrow it down to two. First, you’ve got the flashy instant smash that is absolutely everywhere and bursts into the charts. The other kind, however, just kind of sneaks up on you when you least expect it, meandering its way up the charts and landing in the Top 10 before you’ve even noticed. I Love You Always Forever, chosen by our Twitter fan NickOverheard, is one of those. Nick says: “It's pop perfection and sounds best in a car late at night. So nostalgic.” And you know what? He’s right!

Welsh singer Donna Lewis was a total unknown when years of sending off demos to record labels paid off and led to the release of this track, her very first single, this dreamy track from September 1996.

I Love You Always Forever’s trippy dance feel teamed up with Donna’s ethereal vocals to produce a sleeper hit that patiently rose through the Official Singles Chart Top 40 before peaking at Number 5 after six weeks. When you score a hit with a memorable track like this, follow-ups can struggle to top it, and this may have been the case for Donna.

She had only one more Top 40 hit, Without Love, which peaked at Number 39 in February 1997. But let’s not dwell on that: here’s Donna Lewis in all her hit-making glory. Listen out for the “unbelievable blue eyes” line – it’s our favourite bit.

Donna Lewis - I Love You Always Forever (video) on MUZU.TV.

What is a Pop Gem?

We know a good song when we hear one, and, boy, do we love to hear one. But, have you ever wondered what happens to some songs when they disappear out of the charts, off radio playlists, pulled from music TV channels, never to be seen again?

They could be absolute corkers, seemingly everywhere for a whole summer, yet they vanish. Or perhaps they were an 'unsung hero' – the overlooked single that didn’t even make it into the Top 10 but made you tingle with love for pop music all the same.

And now they’re gone, into a puff of smoke they went – last year, five years ago, 12 years ago, 20 years ago, whatever year they were from… they were fantastic, then disappeared into obscurity, destined to be forgotten. Until NOW.

We’re bringing some of these long-lost lovelies back into the spotlight, and crowning them as an Official Chart Pop Gem. We’ve picked some beauties, but we’re turning it over to you, too. If you’ve got a forgotten classic, a lesser-loved anthem, hit us up on popgem@officialcharts.com. If we pick yours, you get a prize! Ooooh!