"Go Deep" - Janet Jackson

Half.com used to list an apparent domestic two-track CD single for Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful," with "Come On Over (Live)" as the second track, if I recall correctly. The UPC and label issue indicated a US release. I had an alert out for it for several years, and finally one came in stock. I didn't buy it, though. Wish I had now.

Although it would go on to miss the pop top 40 (and thus is rightfully not included in Pat's book/database), you can add the 1997 hit duet "Tell Him" by Celine Dion & Barbra Streisand to the list of songs that were slated to be released as commercial singles here in the U.S., actually manufactured, and then withdrawn at the last minute. I lived on Long Island at the time, and would visit my local indie record store in town 1-2 times a week, to pick up the latest issue of Billboard or ice magazines, and the occasional new release on cassette or CD. As a regular customer, I'd become good friends w/ the owner over the previous six years, and we always talked about chart action, new releases, and the occasional visit to his store by Mariah Carey or Billy Joel's mother (never ran into either myself, though)... :-)

Anyway, from 1997-99, the record labels were definitely in turmoil about which songs to release commercially, as this growing list indicates - and if anything, Billboard's decision in the Fall of '98 to allow non-commercial songs onto the "Hot 100" only intensified the dilemma. I still remember walking into his store that day back in '97, when we started discussing commercially unavailable hit songs. He proceeded to tell me a story about how Sony had just that week decided to withdraw the Dion/Streisand single. He then pulled from behind the counter a small stack of brand new, still-sealed copies of "Tell Him" on cassette single that the label had already sent him, but then turned around and told him not to sell. However, he offered to let me have one if I wanted, and I actually held one in my hand just to take a closer look. After a short debate, though, I handed it back to him, as I've never been a huge fan of either singer, even though I knew that particular single would quickly become a rarity - so yes, a few copies of "Tell Him" got out as well...

Brian W. wrote: 80smusicfreak wrote: He then pulled from behind the counter a small stack of brand new, still-sealed copies of "Tell Him" on cassette single that the label had already sent him, but then turned around and told him not to sell. However, he offered to let me have one if I wanted, and I actually held one in my hand just to take a closer look. Very interesting! Do you recall if it was just a one-track cassette, or did it have other tracks on it? (I know the song was released as a vinyl 45 with the same song on both sides.)

It was definitely a two-track cassette, shrink-wrapped in a standard cardboard sleeve - and not a maxi-single, either. (I didn't actually open it, since I chose not to buy it from him.) However, I'm afraid I don't recall what the B-side was - sorry...