These Words
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the album also titled "These Words" by Angela Aki, see These Words (Angela Aki).
| "These Words" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
||
| Single by Natasha Bedingfield | ||
| from the album Unwritten | ||
| Released | 2004 (Europe) 2005 (North America) |
|
| Format | CD single Digital download Airplay |
|
| Genre | Pop | |
| Length | 3:36 | |
| Label | Sony BMG | |
| Writer(s) | Natasha Bedingfield Steve Kipner A. Frampton W. Wilkins |
|
| Producer(s) | Steve Kipner A. Frampton W. Wilkins |
|
| Chart positions | ||
| Natasha Bedingfield UK singles chronology | ||
| "Single" (2004) |
"These Words" (2004) |
"Unwritten" (2004) |
| Natasha Bedingfield U.S. singles chronology | ||
| N/A | "These Words" (2005) |
"Unwritten" (2005) |
"These Words" (also known as "These Words (I Love You, I Love You)" and "These Words (I Love You)") is a song by Natasha Bedingfield, and is the second European single (the first North American) from her debut album Unwritten. It was released in the United Kingdom on August 18, 2004, and reached number one for two weeks, getting nominated in ITV1's annual Record Of The Year contest. It was Bedingfield's debut North American single, and peaked at number seventeen on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number nine on the Pop 100. It reached the top twenty in Canada, where it peaked at number fifteen.
Contents |
[edit] Song information
The single was co-written by Bedingfield, Steve Kipner, A. Frampton, and W. Wilkins. It was co-produced by Steve Kipner, A. Frampton, and W. Wilkins. The version released in North America is a slightly remixed version of the original. In her debut single, Bedingfield sings about a subject rarely heard about in pop music – writer's block.
[edit] Music video (European, Australian and New Zealand version)
- UK Music Video Directors: Scott Lyon, Sophie Muller
The European version is set in what looks to be a Spanish villa. There are no animated boomboxes. Natasha is singing while going through chores and the like. Different scenes - which continually alternate - have her writing words to songs, being up to the roof in books, and even being 5 identical versions of herself. Eventually she is seen up on a roof scribbling on paper, and a guy is seen being guided jerkily by the directions of the scribbles. The scribble guide leads him to Natasha, who spills some water from a cup, which gushes out like a firehose on the lucky guy.
Each scene has a difference of hairstyle and clothing. Interestingly the only real constant is that for the length of the video she is in bare feet.
[edit] Music video (North American version)
- U.S. Music Video Director: Chris Milk
The North American version of the music video is different from the European version. The North American version starts off us with morning in the Bedingfield household in Rio de Janeiro. Natasha, embracing a boom box, is sleeping until the sun awakens her from her slumber.
Other boom boxes can be seen around the apartment for some reason. Wanting more sleep, but knowing that she has to wake up, Natasha freshens up, and grabs the boombox that she had been sleeping with and goes outside to catch a bus. On the bus, she sings to it a bit, and it releases an unusual energy signature, causing a few onlookers to glance at her, but nothing too unusual.
Bedingfield then gets off the bus to the beach to perform for beach patrons. She takes out a microphone and tosses her black cap onto the floor so that listeners can toss money to her. Unfortunately for Miss Bedingfield, no one seems to care, and she is written off as just another street artist. Frustrated, Bedingfield complains to the boom box causing the energy signature, like the one seen earlier, to repeat to a greater degree, bringing it to life with little feet in white pants with red slippers. Immediately, the crowd is now enticed and they can be seen busting a groove to Bedingfield's singing and dropping money into her black cap.
However, maybe Bedingfield pushes her boundaries a bit, as she causes another boombox to come to life, one that belongs to a group of break dancers. This boom box with red pants and white sneakers, immediately abandons its old owner and runs to Bedingfield, who then proceeds to leave the beach with the two boomboxes following her.
The owner of the runaway boombox is not pleased and confronts Bedingfrield. Before she can react though, a third boombox (who has beach pants and also ran away, but whose owner did not get angry or pursue it) comes from behind and attacks the confronter with the other two boomboxes also joining in.
Now, safe to go home, Bedingfield continues the journey back to her apartment. With her "powers", she is also able to bring even more boomboxes to life including, but not limited to a prostitute's boombox (it has leggings and high heels), a boom box with blue pants (the owner attempts to impale Bedingfield, but fails), and a boom box with some boots. To avoid further drama on the trip, Bedingfield and the boom boxes take a bus for the ride home.
All appears safe and sound, as Bedingfield arrives home with her boom box friends. The boom boxes arrive to their new home, only to be shocked to find out that there are more of them. The boom boxes that were seen earlier in the video can also come to life. The video ends with Natasha and her new "family" (of boom boxes) and her old "family" of (boom boxes) getting to know one each other, and dancing. Both the European and American music videos were aired in Canada. There was a 2nd version of this video with all-new added scenes. It is featured on recently released game, Dance Dance Revolution ULTRAMIX 4 along with the song.
[edit] Formats and track listings
These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "These Words".
UK CD single #1 (Released August 29, 2004)
- "These Words (Album Version)"
- "Single (Live)"
UK CD single #2 (Released August 29, 2004)
- "These Words (Album Version)"
- "These Words (Bimbo Jones Remix)
- "The One That Got Away"
- "These Words" [Video]
U.S. digital maxi single (Released August 9, 2005)
- "These Words (U.S. Album Version)"
- "These Words (Plantlife Remix)"
- "These Words (Dwele Remix)"
- "These Words (Lenny B Extended Mix)"
- "These Words (Lenny B Radio Mix)"
- "These Words (Ford Club Mix)"
- "These Words (Ford Radio Mix)"
- "These Words (T Ray Remix)"
- "These Words (Reggaeton Remix)"
[edit] Chart performance
Although Bedingfield had become a major superstar in the UK and Europe, the jury seemed to be out on whether she would attain that status in North America. Based on the response of her first single, it seems like that the task has been accomplished (at least to a moderate degree) as she scored her first top-twenty hit in both Canada and the United States, it peaking relatively close on both charts, at number fifteen and seventeen respectively.
Due to the track being a pop song, "These Words" did not achieve major success on the Hot 100 Airplay, as the Hot 100 Airplay in 2005 generally favors R&B songs, due to the chart being a composite of all airplay charts. (An R&B song generally has support from the main formats of Pop, R&B, and Rhythmic radio, whereas a Pop song like "These Words" would only get support from Pop.) However, the song had some success, peaking at number one on the Dance Radio Airplay chart. It also reached number ten on the Top 40 Mainstream.
[edit] Certification
- Platinum (UK)
- Gold single (U.S.)
[edit] Comprehensive charts
| Chart (2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Indian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Ireland Singles Chart | 1 |
| Russia Singles Chart | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart | 1 |
| Austria Singles Chart | 2 |
| Germany Singles Chart | 2 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 2 |
| Norway Singles Chart | 2 |
| Netherlands Singles Chart | 4 |
| Australia Singles Chart | 5 |
| Sweden Singles Chart | 5 |
| Philippines Singles Chart | 7 |
| Switerland Singles Chart | 8 |
| Finland Singles Chart | 18 |
| French Singles Chart | 19 |
| Mexico Top 100 | 20 |
| Chart (2005) | Peak position |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 17 |
| U.S. Billboard Pop 100 | 9 |
| U.S. Billboard Dance Radio Airplay | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 35 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Digital Tracks | 6 |
| U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream | 10 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 15 |
| Preceded by "Baby Cakes" by 3 Of A Kind |
UK Singles Chart number one single August 28, 2004 - September 10, 2004 |
Succeeded by "My Place/Flap Your Wings" by Nelly |
Albums: Unwritten · Blank Canvas
Singles: "Single" · "These Words" · "Unwritten" · ""Do They Know It's Christmas?" · "I Bruise Easily" · "Babies"
