Pure and Simple
| "Pure and Simple" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Hear'Say | ||||
| from the album Popstars | ||||
| Released | 12 March 2001 | |||
| Format | CD single | |||
| Recorded | 2001 | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 3:47 | |||
| Label | Polydor | |||
| Writer(s) | Tim Hawes, Pete Kirtley, Alison Clarkson | |||
| Producer(s) | Tim Hawes, Pete Kirtley | |||
| Hear'Say singles chronology | ||||
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"Pure and Simple" is a song originally recorded by British-Dutch girl group pop group Girl Thing for their self-titled debut studio album (2000). The song was co-written by Pete Kirtley, Tim Hawes and Betty Boo (under her real name of Alison Clarkson).[1] It was also co-written by the members of Girl Thing, who are uncredited.
In 2001, Girl Thing were dropped by their record label Polydor Records to make way for Hear'Say, the winners of the UK version of Popstars. Girl Thing member Michelle Barber provided backing vocals for Hear'Say's version, though remains uncredited. The B-side of Hear'Say's version was Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge over Troubled Water". It was released on 12 March 2001 as the lead single from their debut studio album Popstars (2001).
Critical reception
Many critics noted that the song had an uncanny resemblance to Oasis's "All Around the World" and All Saints' "Never Ever".[2][3][4] BBC Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles even recorded a parody version of "Pure and Simple" that included the song lyrics from these two songs.[5] Despite this, when it was suggested that Oasis take legal action, Noel Gallagher simply laughed at the hypocrisy of such an act from a man who was famous for "borrowing" from other artists.[6]
Commercial reception
On 18 March 2001, "Pure and Simple" debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart. It sold almost 550,000 copies in its first week, making it (at the time) the fastest-selling debut single of all time in the UK,[7] a record beaten a year later by Will Young, the winner of the first series of Pop Idol, with his debut single "Evergreen" / "Anything Is Possible".[8] The song spent a total of three weeks at the top of the UK chart.[9]
With 1.07 million copies sold, "Pure and Simple" was the second best-selling single of 2001, behind "It Wasn't Me" by Shaggy which sold 80,000 copies more.[10] By the time Hear'Say split up in 2002, over 1.2 million copies of the song had been sold,[11] meaning it achieved a double platinum certification, one of the few singles to achieve the feat that decade. According to the Official Charts Company, "Pure and Simple" is the 96th best-selling song of all time in the UK.[12]
Tracklisting
- "Pure and Simple"
- "Bridge over Troubled Water"
- "Can't Stop Thinking About It"
Charts and certifications
Charts
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Certifications
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Other versions
In 2006, the song was covered by America's Got Talent winner Bianca Ryan on her self-titled debut album.
References
- ↑ "All the No. 1's – Pure and Simple". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 14 August 2007. Retrieved 23 September 2007.
- ↑ "Have you hear'd this before?". Daily Mail (DMG Media). Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- ↑ "SOME MIGHT HEAR'SAY". NME. 15 March 2001. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- ↑ Andr3w (3 February 2010). "NUMBER ONES OF THE 2000s: 2001 Hear'Say - Pure and Simple". blogspot.com. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- ↑ http://chrismoyles.net/soundvault/soundvault.php?fileid=969
- ↑ Leigh, Spencer (8 July 2010). "When it comes to songwriting, there's a fine line between inspiration and plagiarism". The Independent. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- ↑ "Hear'Say hit number one". BBC News. 18 March 2001. Retrieved 23 September 2007.
- ↑ Lane, Dan (7 September 2012). "The biggest selling debut singles of the 21st Century revealed!". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- ↑
- ↑ "Shaggy's single is UK's best-seller". BBC News. 27 December 2001. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- ↑ "Hear'Say split up". BBC News. 1 October 2002. Retrieved 23 September 2007.
- ↑ Lane, Daniel (17 July 2013). "Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines becomes fastest selling single of 2013!". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
- ↑ "British single certifications – Hear'Say – Pure and Simple". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Pure and Simple in the field Search. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Click Go
| Preceded by "Uptown Girl" by Westlife |
UK number one single 18 March 2001 - 8 April 2001 |
Succeeded by "What Took You So Long?" by Emma Bunton |
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