| "Forever Is Over" | ||||||||
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| Single by The Saturdays | ||||||||
| from the album Wordshaker | ||||||||
| B-side | "I Can't Wait" | |||||||
| Released | October 4, 2009 (see release history) |
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| Format | CD single, digital download | |||||||
| Recorded | 2009 Universal Music Studios (Los Angeles, United States)[1] |
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| Genre | Pop rock, electro rock | |||||||
| Length | 3:24 (Radio Edit) 3:40 (Album Version) |
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| Label | Fascination, Polydor | |||||||
| Writer(s) | Louis Biancaniello, Sam Watters, James Bourne | |||||||
| Producer | Louis Biancaniello, Sam Watters | |||||||
| The Saturdays singles chronology | ||||||||
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"Forever Is Over" is a single by British-Irish girl group The Saturdays. The track was released by digital download on October 3, 2009, and CD single the following day. The song was written by, Louis Biancaniello, Sam Watters, James Bourne and produced by The Runaways. It was released as the lead single from the group's second studio album Wordshaker.
After the single was released the single appeared at number-one on the digital download charts, and a week after the release the single charted number two on the UK Singles Charts and number nine on the Irish Singles Charts. It became the bands highest charting single to date, behind their charity single release, "Just Can't Get Enough".
Overall, the single gained positive reviews from critics, Digital Spy stated the song was "shifting away from glossy electropop and taking a few stiletto steps into pop rock territory", TeenToday stated the song had a "A killer soar of a chorus", and WessexScence stating that it was "It is vocally impressive"
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"Forever Is Over" was revealed as the title for the group's second album's lead single on July 25. A sixty-second preview of track was premiered on August 22 with the full song premiering on radio the following day.[2]
"Forever Is Over" was originally written for former American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson by former Busted star James Bourne and production group, The Runaways, who is well known for their writing for the likes of Jordin Sparks' single "Battlefield" and other songs for Natasha Bedingfield, Beyoncé, Alexandra Burke and Leona Lewis. Group member Mollie King explained to the Daily Star how the group came to record it instead:
| “ | We heard the song playing while at our record company and went into the office where James was talking to the head of the label. We said: 'We have to have that song!' Then we found out that Kelly Clarkson was fighting for it but he gave it to us. James is lovely.[3] | ” |
The song was also wanted by American pop rock artist P!nk.[4]
The single was accompanied by a B-side entitled "I Can't Wait" which was co-written by The Saturdays together with Hannah Robinson and producers Ben Macklin, Julian Peake and Richard Stannard.[5] David Balls of entertainment website Digital Spy said of the b-side "Another decent B-side from the girls [...] A laid-back electro poppy offering that recalls the more subdued moments from their debut album."[6]
The song received positive reviews from music critics: Nick Levine from Digital Spy said "'Forever Is Over' finds them shifting away from glossy electropop and taking a few stiletto steps into pop rock territory," and further describing the song as having a "Big, beltalong chorus that hits its target, and that Una Healy shines on the guitary middle 8."[7] The BBC Chart Blog elaborated on the single as being in the "Highest realms of the UK pop league up there with the Pixie Lotts and Girls Alouds of the world," further describing it as sounding "Slick" and "Big" with a "Mahoosive, dancealong, brilliant chorus."[8] Musosguide reviewed "Forever Is Over" as a "Deliciously catchy tune that marks a welcome return to the electric guitar to a pop market that is saturated beyond recognition with electro-sounds."[9] OK! Magazine labelled the song as "An infectious synth pop tune".[10] Muumuse.com had the following to say: "Radio-friendly doesn't even begin to describe it - the chorus is simply massive."[11] TheChemistryIsDead.com described "Forever Is Over" as "Rockier than their other stuff but it's very sleek and polished."[12] WessexScene.co.uk reviewed the single as "A sophisticated more pop rock breakaway from the girls' previous pure pop style and has a more transatlantic feel to it" further saying that "It is vocally impressive.
Entertainment-focus.com reviewed the lead single as "A slow-building pop stormer and that all five girls sharing vocals adds a harder edge to their normally polished pop sound."[13] Whilst Yahoo! Music's view of track included it having "Sultry verses and a full throttle chorus which suggests a new, more sophisticated direction to put them on par with their rivals."[14]
Una Healy takes the first verse and the middle 8 in the song. The first bridge is shared by Rochelle Wiseman and Mollie King, while the chorus is sung by Vanessa White. The second verse is sung by Wiseman as the second bridge is sung by Frankie Sandford and White. White also closes the song.
The single was also performed at various British music festivals and on various television shows as promotion during its release period. On September 12, "Forever Is Over" was played live for the first time at the Annual Freedom Festival held in Hull.[15] Later that month, on September 28 the group was interviewed on The Paul O'Grady Show where they performed "Forever Is Over" for the first time on live television.[15] On October 3, a day before the release of "Forever Is Over," the girls performed at G-A-Y in London.[16] A day after the single's physical CD release, the band performed the song on ITV1's This Morning. On the same day the girls were interviewed on The 5:19 Show where an exclusive acoustic performance of "Forever Is Over" was recorded.[17] The group then appeared on October 12 for a performance of the song on The Alan Titchmarsh Show.[17] October 17, the group performed at the Hollyoaks Music Festival which saw the group perform "Forever Is Over" as well the title track from their second album.[18] The group then performed the single along with the album track "Deeper" and their previous single "Issues" as part of 'The Biz Sessions' for British newspaper The Sun on October 19.[19] On November 6, the group performed at the premiere of Disney film "A Christmas Carol" alongside R&B singer songwriter Taio Cruz and on November 14 the girls performed at "The Christmas Lights" at Cheshire Oaks.[18] On November 29 the girls performed "Forever Is Over" on T4's Stars of 2009 alongside British hip hop trio N-Dubz at Earl's Court in London.[15]
"Forever Is Over" was accompanied by a music video for its single release. The music video was shot in London, United Kingdom, the video was shot on July 29, 2009.[20] The music video was directed by Trudy Bellinger, who has previously worked with label mates and rival girl group, Girls Aloud. The video consists of the band going through a heart break, and they are trying to get over it. The video features different scenes, from being in a house to, being in a club and cinemas.
The video starts with King swinging around on a chair, then goes through all of the bands members with a close up shot. As Healy starts singing, she is at a window, and it is images outside of the window, with raindrops on the window, goes inside of the house, where she is seen sitting playing with the blinds at the window. The band are pictures at the Cinema trying to cheer Healy up after she's had her heart broke, eventually the band start having a laugh by throwing popcorn at her. Sandford and Wiseman are seen putting the phone down on their boyfriends after singing the lyrics, "there's nothing left to say". As the chorus kicks in, White is seen walking out of the house, slamming the door, singing the lyrics, "forever is over", which means she's left her boyfriend, she has had enough. The band start smashing and throwing things as they are angry with their ex-boyfriends. Wiseman is later seen having lunch with her boyfriend, which she is not very happy about and starts pulling faces, and later throws her glass of wine over him, and throws her engagement ring away. Sandford is also seen trying to phone her boyfriend, but he does not pick up the phone, and she puts her head against the wall, and King comes comfort her by putting her arm around her. There are scenes where Healy and Wiseman begin to cook cakes in the kitchen, and where all the band are dancing in the car. Healy is seen typing 'Lover' into her laptop, but then deletes the L so it spells 'Over'. As the video comes to an end, the band are seen in a night club dancing, then leaving the club.
WearePopSlags state that the video is "fun", stating that, you won't get bored of watching it as there is so much going on within it. They went onto label the video as "hot", and saying they are "striking while the iron is hot", meaning they are going to get a lot out while they can, because they are big at the moment.[21] MUUMUSE stated, "The time between the 2:30 and 2:45 mark is all you really need to get the good stuff."[22]
(Release 5 October 2009)
(Release 4 October 2009)
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(Release 4 October 2009)
(Release 4 October 2009)
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a This remix of the song appears on versions of the album bought from HMV.co.uk as a bonus track.
• A 30-second sample of the song features in a McDonalds Happy Meal toy as part of the 'Music Academy: Class Of 2011' promotion which runs from 4th May 2011-14th June 2011
"Forever Is Over" debuted and peaked on the Irish Singles Chart, issued October 8, at number nine. It was the second highest new entry of the week. The single spent a total of five weeks within the chart[25] and gave the group their second Irish top ten hit after Comic Relief single "Just Can't Get Enough" peaked at number six in March 2009. On October 11, "Forever Is Over" debuted and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart.[26] The single became the group's fifth top ten hit and second single to reach a peak of number two in the United Kingdom. In Scotland the single entered at number 2 and the following dropped to number six.
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| European Hot 100 Singles[27] | 8 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[28] | 9 |
| Scotland (The Official Charts Company)[29] | 2 |
| UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[30] | 2 |
| Chart (2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart[31] | 125 |
| Country | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom & Ireland | October 4, 2009[32] | Digital download | Fascination, Polydor Records |
| October 5, 2009[33] | CD |
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