Wish I Could Fly
"Wish I Could Fly" | ||||
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Single by Roxette | ||||
from the album Have a Nice Day | ||||
B-side | "Happy Together" | |||
Released | 1 February 1999 | |||
Format | ||||
Recorded | January; March 1998 | |||
Studio |
El Cortijo Studios, Marbella Polar Studios, Stockholm | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:40 | |||
Label |
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Songwriter(s) | Per Gessle | |||
Producer(s) |
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Roxette singles chronology | ||||
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Alternative Cover | ||||
Artwork for the 2000 US version of the single | ||||
Music video | ||||
"Wish I Could Fly" on YouTube |
"Wish I Could Fly" is a song by Swedish pop music duo Roxette, released on 1 February 1999 as the lead single from their sixth studio album, Have a Nice Day. An orchestral pop ballad containing elements of electronica, the song was written as an experiment by Per Gessle, who was attempting to establish if a prominently-placed drum loop would fit alongside a large orchestra. The track became a sizable hit for the duo, peaking inside the top twenty of Billboard's European Hot 100 Singles, and was the most-played song on European radio of 1999. It would also become their final top 40 hit on the UK Singles Chart.
Composition and style
"Wish I Could Fly"
Album version of "Wish I Could Fly". The song became the duo's final hit on the UK Singles Chart. | |
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"Wish I Could Fly" is an orchestral pop ballad which contains elements of electronica. According to the liner notes of the duo's 2002 compilation The Ballad Hits, the song was written by Per Gessle as an experiment to "see how a drum machine loop would fit with a big orchestra, but it quickly evolved into something more substantial."[1] Vocalist Marie Fredriksson has described it as a "very special song to me. One of my all-time favourite Roxette songs. I never get tired of this."[2] A Spanish-language version of the song, titled "Quisiera volar", was included as a bonus track on deluxe edition versions of Have a Nice Day.[3]
According to Ultimate Guitar, "Wish I Could Fly" has a moderately slow tempo of 80 beats per minute. The song is composed around a complex, orchestra-performed chord progression, however, its basic chord structure consists of four repetitions of an A♯–F–Gm–A♯–C sequence during the introduction. Each verse is composed of four repetitions of a Gm–A♯–C sequence, followed by a chorus consisting of F–Dm–Gm–C–F–D♯–A♯–C. The bridge is made up of three progressions of G–C–G–D, followed by two short progressions of a Dm–F–G sequence, while the outro is based around three elongated bars of Cm–D♯–F.[4]
Commercial performance
The song became a sizable hit for the duo, peaking within the top thirty of numerous record charts throughout Europe and ending 1999 as the most-played song on European radio.[5] The single charted highest in both Italy and the duo's native Sweden, reaching number four in both countries.[6][7] It was certified gold in both territories for shipments in excess of 25,000 and 15,000 units, respectively.[8][9] The single also made the top ten in Finland,[10] the top twenty in Belgium, Norway and Switzerland,[11][12][13] and the top thirty in Germany, the Netherlands, and the Polish Airplay Chart.[14][15][16] It peaked within the top twenty of Billboard's European Hot 100 Singles.[17]
Roxette performed the song at numerous high-profile events in the UK, including the annual televised Party in the Park concert at London's Hyde Park, and on BBC One's Top of the Pops.[18] "Wish I Could Fly" peaked at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart, making it their highest-charting single in the country since "Almost Unreal" reached number seven in 1993, although it would also prove to be their final top forty hit in the UK.[19] Similarly, the song peaked at number 11 on the singles charts of both Austria and Spain, also peaking at number one on the Spanish Airplay Chart.[20][21] It became the duo's first single since "The Big L." in 1992 to enter the French Singles Chart, albeit spending six weeks on the chart and peaking at number 80.[22]
While Have a Nice Day was not released in the United States, an updated and repackaged edition of their 1995 compilation Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus! Roxette's Greatest Hits was released there in September 2000 by Edel Records.[3] This new edition of the compilation included "Wish I Could Fly" and subsequent single "Stars", with the former being serviced to adult contemporary radio formats from July 2000.[5] The song went on to peak at number 27 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart, and at number forty on Adult Top 40.[23][24]
Formats and track listings
All songs written by Per Gessle.
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Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Ballad Hits.[1]
- Recorded at Polar Studios in Stockholm, Sweden in January 1998 and El Cortijo Studios in Marbella, Spain in March 1998.
- Mixed by Marie Fredriksson, Per Gessle, Michael Ilbert and Clarence Öfwerman at Mono Music, Stockholm.
Musicians
- Marie Fredriksson — lead and background vocals, production
- Per Gessle — background vocals, acoustic guitar, string arrangements, production
- Micke "Nord" Andersson — twelve string acoustic and Rickenbacker guitars
- Michael Ilbert — programming, engineering, string arrangements, production
- Jonas Isaacson — additional bass guitar
- Christer Jansson — tom-toms and cymbals
- Christoffer Lundquist — background vocals, extended-range bass
- Clarence Öfwerman — keyboards, programming, production
- Mats "MP" Persson — string arrangements
- Stockholms Nya Kammarorkester (credited as SNYKO) — strings
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/Sales |
---|---|---|
Italy (FIMI)[8] | Gold | 25,000* |
Sweden (GLF)[9] | Gold | 15,000^ |
*sales figures based on certification alone |
References
- 1 2 Lindström, Sven (2002). The Ballad Hits (CD liner notes). Roxette. Capitol Records. 72435 42798-2 9.
- ↑ "Digital booklet". Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus! Roxette's Greatest Hits (liner notes). Roxette. Stockholm, Sweden: Edel Records America. 2000. ED182052.
- 1 2 Thorselius, Robert (May 2003). The Look for Roxette: The Illustrated Worldwide Discography & Price Guide (1st ed.). Sweden: Premium Förlag Publishing. ISBN 978-9197189484.
- ↑ "Wish I Could Fly by Roxette chords". Ultimate-Guitar.com. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
- 1 2 Michael Paoletta (29 July 2000). "Reviews & Previews | Spotlight | Roxette - "Wish I Could Fly"". Billboard. Nielsen Holdings PLC. 112 (31): 23. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
- 1 2 3 "Hit Parade Italia - Top Annuali Single: 1999" (in Italian). Federation of the Italian Music Industry. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- 1 2 "Swedishcharts.com – Roxette – Wish I Could Fly". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- 1 2 "Italian single certifications – Roxette – Wish I Could Fly" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- 1 2 "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1999" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
- 1 2 "Roxette: Wish I Could Fly" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- 1 2 "Ultratop.be – Roxette – Wish I Could Fly" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- 1 2 "Norwegiancharts.com – Roxette – Wish I Could Fly". VG-lista. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- 1 2 "Swisscharts.com – Roxette – Wish I Could Fly". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- 1 2 "Offiziellecharts.de – Roxette – Wish I Could Fly". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- 1 2 "Nederlandse Top 40 – Roxette search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- 1 2 "Lista Przebojów Trójki - Polskie Radio Online: Notowanie nr893 - 12 marca 1999". Polskie Radio (in Polish). 12 March 1999. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- ↑ Dominic Pride (20 March 1999). "After years together, EMI's Roxette finds freedom in owning its rights". Billboard. Nielsen Holdings PLC. 111 (12): 16, 23. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
- ↑ Brendon Veevers (20 November 2013). "Renowned for Sound | Record Rewind: Roxette – Have a Nice Day". Renowned for Sound. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
- 1 2 "Roxette: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- 1 2 3 Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
- 1 2 "Austriancharts.at – Roxette – Wish I Could Fly" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- 1 2 "Lescharts.com – Roxette – Wish I Could Fly" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- 1 2 "Roxette – Chart history" Billboard Adult Contemporary for Roxette. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- 1 2 "Roxette – Chart history" Billboard Adult Pop Songs for Roxette. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
- ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 8359." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- ↑ "Tokio Hot 100 - Hits! in Tokio | Week of March 14, 1995". Billboard. 111 (14): 83. 3 April 1999. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Roxette – Wish I Could Fly" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". The Official Charts Company. 14 March 1999. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- ↑ "Sverigetopplistan > Sök Alla Listar > Årslista > Singlar > 1999". Sverigetopplistan (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 June 2017.
External links
- Wish I Could Fly (3 tracks) at MusicBrainz
- Wish I Could Fly (3 tracks, UK) at MusicBrainz
- Wish I Could Fly (4 tracks, remixes) at MusicBrainz
- Wish I Could Fly (4 tracks, remixes, UK) at MusicBrainz
- Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics