These Words

"These Words"
Single by Natasha Bedingfield
from the album Unwritten
B-side "The One That Got Away"
Released 5 October 2004
Format
Genre
Length 3:36
Label Phonogenic
Writer(s)
Producer(s)
  • Steve Kipner
  • Andrew Frampton
  • Wayne Wilkins
Natasha Bedingfield singles chronology
"Single"
(2004)		 "These Words"
(2004)		 "Unwritten"
(2004)
Music video
"These Words" on YouTube

"These Words" (also known as "These Words (I Love You, I Love You)") is a song by Natasha Bedingfield. It was written by Steve Kipner, Andrew Frampton, Wayne Wilkins and Bedingfield for her 2004 debut album, Unwritten. The song is the album's opening track, and was released as its second single. "These Words" details Bedingfield's lack of inspiration and her reaction to pressure from her record label to produce a hit song.[1]

"These Words" was released as the album's second international single and as the lead single in North America. The single sold well, reached the top forty worldwide, and topped the charts in both Ireland and the United Kingdom. It was certified platinum in the United States and Australia, and was nominated for "Best British Single" at the 2005 BRIT Awards. The song was very well received by music critics, and was frequently cited as a highlight of the album.

Background and writing

Bedingfield began recording her debut album in mid-2003, following the signing of a recording contract with Sony BMG earlier that year.[2] She was determined not to be shaped into "some music biz pigeonhole" and wanted to write songs that were "organic, different and real".[1] Bedingfield began collaborating with Steve Kipner, Andrew Frampton and Wayne Wilkins in London and Los Angeles, but their sessions were largely unproductive due to Bedingfield's writer's block and the pressure that she felt to produce a hit song.[1] Frustrated, she began to sing "I love you, I love you, I love you" over and over. She was at "wit's end and just wanted to say what I meant in a simple way, without using all those flowery words." The line that Bedingfield sang out of frustration became the song's hook and its subject matter inspired by her real life difficulty writing a love song.[3]

Critical reception

"These Words" was generally very well received by contemporary pop music critics. PlayLouder's Daniel Robson described the song as a "compelling chunk of popply joy",[4] while Allmusic wrote that the track was "near-perfect" and merged "the rhythms and flavors of hip-hop and R&B with unique melodies and Bedingfield's vocal confidence".[5] The BBC called it a "classic love song" with a "really catchy tune", and commented that it was worthy of reaching number one on the UK singles chart.[6] Josh Timmermann of Stylus Magazine called it "best single so far this year",[7] and David Welsh of musicOMH.com wrote that the song had a "virally-infectious chorus and (relatively) clever wordplay."[8]

Stylus Magazine's Colin Cooper ranked "These Words" at number thirteen on his list of the Top 20 Singles of 2004[9] and About.com ranked the song at number five on its list of the Top 10 Most Memorable Pop Song Lyrics 2005. The website wrote that Bedingfield's naming of the famous poets George Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and John Keats in the song enables the listener to "almost hear the classic poetry over a drum machine" as Bedingfield sings.[10]

Commercial performance

"These Words" entered the UK Singles Chart on 22 August 2004 at number one, remaining on the chart for thirteen weeks.[11] It maintained the number one position for two weeks.[12] In the United Kingdom, Bedingfield and her brother, pop-singer Daniel Bedingfield, became the first sister and brother to achieve separate number one singles.[13] The track also charted at number one in Ireland, remaining on the singles chart for seventeen weeks.[14]

Across Europe, "These Words" was largely successful, reaching number one in Poland, number two in Austria, Germany and Norway, and the top ten in the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland.[14] Elsewhere, the song peaked within the top ten on the majority of the charts it entered. In Australia, "These Words" debuted at number six and reached a peak position of number five three weeks later.[15] On the 2004 ARIA end of the year chart, the song charted at number forty-nine[16] and was certified gold.[17] In New Zealand the single performed stronger, reaching number two on the singles chart.[14]

"These Words" performed moderately well in North America. The single debuted at number one hundred on the Billboard Hot 100 on 2 July 2005 and reached a peak position at number seventeen, remaining on the chart for twenty weeks.[14] The song did well on pop-oriented charts, reaching number nine on the Pop 100 and number ten on the Top 40 Mainstream.[18] "These Words" was helped on the Hot 100 by its strong digital downloads, peaking at number seven on the Hot Digital Songs chart.[19] The single had crossover success in the dance charts, reaching number one on the Hot Dance Airplay chart and number thirty-five on the Hot Dance Club Play chart.[19]

Music videos

Two music videos were produced for the international and North American markets.

International version

The song's international music video was directed by Scott Lyon and Sophie Muller and premiered in August 2004.[20] The video features several sequences. It opens with Bedingfield sitting at a table in her Spanish villa, in Málaga, frustrated by her inability to find inspiration to write a song, and she cuts the flowers off by the window. She is then seen walking through the villa in colorful outfits, and sitting by the swimming pool, surrounded by dancing chairs, dancing radios, dancing books in the library, and multiple versions of herself. The video concludes with Bedingfield scribbling in her notebook on the roof of her villa. Her scribblings lead her boyfriend to the front of her home where she admits that she loves him and she goes to the balcony, asking him if her feelings are "okay".

North American version

The North American music video was directed by Chris Milk and filmed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in March 2005. The music video, however, was discarded by the record label, though this version won four Annual MVPA Awards.[21] The video begins with Bedingfield waking up next to a boombox, dressing, brushing her teeth and leaving her home with the boombox. While performing on a beach in New York City, she kicks her boombox, which comes alive and begins to dance, and she leaves the beach and walks down the street. The video concludes with Bedingfield arriving back home to a house full of dancing boomboxes in the bedroom.

An alternate version of the North American video was directed by Jim Gable using much of the footage from the original.[22] The boomboxes featured in the video are animated to look like drawings and a performance by Bedingfield in a room with flowing white drapery has been added. The video debuted in June 2005 and proved successful on U.S. video-chart programs. It debuted on MTV's Total Request Live on 28 June 2005 at number ten and remained on the program for a total of six days.[23] VH1 ranked the video at number twenty-two on its Top 40 Videos of 2005 countdown.[24]

Formats and track listings

Enhanced CD single[25]
  1. "These Words" – 3:34
  2. "These Words" (Bimbo Jones Remix) – 6:56
  3. "The One That Got Away" – 4:16
  4. "Single" (Radio 1's Live Lounge Recording) – 3:19
  5. "These Words" (Video)
  6. "These Words" (The Making of the Video)
CD single[26]
  1. "These Words" – 3:34
  2. "Single" (Radio 1's Live Lounge Recording) – 3:19

Personnel

The following people contributed to "These Words".[27]
  • David Treahearn, Rob Haggart – mixing assistant
  • Herb Powers – mastering
  • Katherine Lanson – drums

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2004–05) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[28] 5
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[29] 2
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[30] 15
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[31] 7
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[32] 18
France (SNEP)[33] 19
Germany (Official German Charts)[34] 2
Ireland (IRMA)[35] 1
Italy (FIMI)[36] 30
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[37] 4
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[38] 2
Norway (VG-lista)[39] 2
Poland (Polish Singles Chart)[40] 1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[41] 5
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[34] 8
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[42] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[43] 17
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[44] 10
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[45] 35
US Pop 100 (Billboard)[46] 9
US Adult Pop Songs (Billboard)[46] 24

Year-end charts

Chart (2004) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[47] 49
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[48] 26
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[49] 99
Ireland (IRMA)[50] 16
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[51] 95
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[52] 17
Chart (2005) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[53] 81

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[54] Gold 35,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[55] Gold 5,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[56] Silver 200,000^
United States (RIAA)[57] Gold 500,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history

Region Date Format Label
United Kingdom 5 October 2004 Digital download Phonogenic
United States 10 May 2005 Contemporary hit radio Epic

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Biography". Artist Direct. Retrieved 3 May 2007.
  2. ↑ "Artist Biography". VH1. Retrieved 3 May 2007.
  3. ↑ ""These Words" Song Facts". Song Facts. Retrieved 3 May 2007.
  4. ↑ Robson, Daniel. "Unwritten Album Review". PlayLouder. 9 September 2004. Retrieved 3 April 2007.
  5. ↑ Loftus, Johnny. "Unwritten > Review". Allmusic. Retrieved 3 April 2007.
  6. ↑ ""These Words" Single Review". BBC. Retrieved 26 August 2004. 3 April 2007.
  7. ↑ Timmermann, Josh. "Singles Going Steady". Stylus Magazine. 15 July 2005. Retrieved 3 April 2007.
  8. ↑ Welsh, David. "Unwritten Album Review". musicOMH.com. 6 September 2004. Retrieved 3 April 2007.
  9. ↑ Colin Cooper. "The Top 40 of 2004". Stylus Magazine. 16 December 2004. Retrieved 3 April 2007.
  10. ↑ Lamb, Bill. "Top 10 Most Memorable Pop Song Lyrics 2005". About.com. Retrieved 3 April 2007.
  11. ↑ "UK Singles Top 75 (30 August 2004)". Music Square. Retrieved 30 April 2007.
  12. ↑ "UK Singles Top 75 (6 September 2004)". Music Square. Retrieved 30 April 2007.
  13. ↑ "All the No. 1's". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 30 April 2007.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "World Chart Positions". Music Square. Retrieved 30 April 2007.
  15. ↑ "Australia Singles Top 50 (8 November 2004)". Music Square. Retrieved 2 May 2007.
  16. ↑ "End Of Year Charts: Top 100 Singles 2004". ARIA Charts. Retrieved 2 May 2007.
  17. ↑ "ARIA Accreditations: 2004 Singles". ARIA Charts. Retrieved 2 May 2007.
  18. ↑ "U.S. Billboard Chart Positions". Allmusic. Retrieved 30 April 2007.
  19. 1 2 "US Billboard Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved 1 May 2007.
  20. ↑ ""These Words" International Version Information". MVDBase.com. Retrieved 2 May 2007.
  21. ↑ ""These Words" Version #3". MVDBase.com. Retrieved 19 July 2007.
  22. ↑ "Jim Gable Directorial Credits". gandb.tv. Retrieved 19 July 2007.
  23. ↑ "The TRL Debut Archive". Popfusion. Retrieved 2 May 2007.
  24. ↑ "Top 40 Videos of 2005". VH1. Retrieved 2 May 2007.
  25. ↑ "Natasha Bedingfield– These Words (CD, Maxi-Single, Enhanced)". Discogs. Retrieved 2013-03-04.
  26. ↑ "Natasha Bedingfield– These Words (CD, Single)". Discogs. Retrieved 2013-03-04.
  27. ↑ Unwritten (CD liner notes). Sony BMG. September 2004.
  28. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Natasha Bedingfield – These Words". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  29. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Natasha Bedingfield – These Words" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  30. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Natasha Bedingfield – These Words" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  31. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Natasha Bedingfield – These Words" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  32. ↑ "Natasha Bedingfield: These Words" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  33. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Natasha Bedingfield – These Words" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  34. 1 2 "Swisscharts.com – Natasha Bedingfield – These Words". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 2016-08-11.
  35. ↑ "Chart Track: Week 22, 2004". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  36. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Natasha Bedingfield – These Words". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  37. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Natasha Bedingfield search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  38. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Natasha Bedingfield – These Words". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  39. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Natasha Bedingfield – These Words". VG-lista. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  40. ↑ "Nielsen Music Control". Archived from the original on 2007-10-24.
  41. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Natasha Bedingfield – These Words". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  42. ↑ "Natasha Bedingfield: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  43. ↑ "Natasha Bedingfield – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Natasha Bedingfield. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  44. ↑ "Natasha Bedingfield – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for Natasha Bedingfield.
  45. ↑ "Natasha Bedingfield – Chart history" Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs for Natasha Bedingfield. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  46. 1 2 http://www.allmusic.com/artist/natasha-bedingfield-mn0000558954/awards. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  47. ↑ "Pandora Archive Year End Charts 2004" (PDF). ARIA Charts. Pandora Archive. Retrieved 13 February 2003.
  48. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Singles 2004 – Austriancharts.at" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Hung Medien. Retrieved 2012-03-22.
  49. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 2004 (Flanders)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 February 2003.
  50. ↑ "Best of 2004 – Ireland". International Recording Media Association. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  51. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2004 – swisscharts.com" (in German). Swiss Singles Chart. Hung Medien. Retrieved 2012-03-22.
  52. ↑ "ChartsPlus Year-End 2004" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 2013-03-03.
  53. ↑ http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/top-100-songs-of-the-year/?year=2005
  54. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2004 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association.
  55. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Natasha Bedingfield – These Words". Recorded Music NZ.
  56. ↑ "British single certifications – Natasha Bedingfield – These Words". British Phonographic Industry. Enter These Words in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
  57. ↑ "American single certifications – Natasha Bedingfield – These Words". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
Preceded by
"Baby Cakes" by 3 Of A Kind		 UK Singles Chart number one single
22 August 2004 – 4 September 2004 		Succeeded by
"My Place/Flap Your Wings" by Nelly
Preceded by
"Don't Cha" by Pussycat Dolls (Second run)		 Billboard Hot Dance Airplay number-one single
21 September 2005 – 28 September 2005 		Succeeded by
"Pon de Replay" by Rihanna


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