They (song)

"They"
Single by Jem
from the album Finally Woken
B-side"Maybe I'm Amazed"
Released17 February 2004 (2004-02-17)
StudioMum's spare bedroom
Length3:15
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Jem Griffiths
  • Gerard Young
Producer(s)
Jem singles chronology
"They"
(2004) 		"Just a Ride"
(2005)
Alternative cover
UK CD2 and Australian cover
Alternative cover
They: Remixes
Audio sample
"They"

"They" is the first single released by Welsh singer Jem from her debut album, Finally Woken (2004). It includes a sample of the Swingle Singers' 1963 adaptation of Johann Sebastian Bach's Prelude in F minor (BWV 881) from Book II of Well-Tempered Clavier from their album Jazz Sebastian Bach.[1] Jem recorded the song's vocals in her mother's spare bedroom.[2]

"They" was released in the United States in February 2004 and was issued worldwide the following year. The song became Jem's most successful single, reaching number six on the UK Singles Chart, number one in Hungary, and further top 10 places in Wallonia, Ireland, and Greece.

Music videos

Jem released two music videos for "They". The UK version, directed by Laurent Briet,[3] features Jem stripping herself in a spaceship in the style of Jane Fonda in the opening scene of Barbarella (although she remains covered by strategically placed light based holograms of planetary orbital paths); this is actually a boy dreaming about her as he constructs a model of the same spaceship back on Earth. The US version features Jem walking at a park while being accompanied by a number of children. She then encounters several signs and decides to disobey them. Some intercut scenes show her at a roundabout being spun by children.

Track listings

UK CD1[4]

  1. "They"
  2. "Maybe I'm Amazed" (Paul McCartney)

UK CD2 and Australian CD single[5]

  1. "They" (original version)
  2. "They" (Cut Chemist remix)
  3. "They" (MDK & Ayesha Mix) (Eye in the Sky mix)
  4. "They" (video)

Credits and personnel

Credits are lifted from the Finally Woken album booklet.[2]

Locations

Personnel

  • Jem – writing (as Jem Griffiths), production, arrangement
  • Gerard Young – writing
  • Yoad Nevo – instruments, production, arrangement, mixing, mastering
  • Ge-ology – production
  • Andy Saunders – mixing assistance
  • Dan Porter – mixing assistance

Charts

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States 17 February 2004 Triple A radio ATO [25]
United Kingdom 14 March 2005 CD
[26]
Australia 23 May 2005 [27]
United States 20 June 2005 Hot adult contemporary radio ATO [28]

References

  1. ^ Allegro, Ostin. "Ostin Allegro's Pop Meets the Classics". Archived from the original on 28 December 2007. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  2. ^ a b Finally Woken (UK CD album booklet). Jem. ATO Records, Sony BMG. 2005. ATO0016, 82876-655568-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. ^ "jem they". Joe Zizzo. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  4. ^ They (UK CD1 liner notes). Jem. ATO Records, Sony BMG. 2005. 82876685162.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. ^ They (UK CD2 & Australian CD single liner notes). Jem. ATO Records, Sony BMG. 2005. 82876685182.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ^ "Jem – They". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  7. ^ "Jem – They" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  8. ^ "Jem – They" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  9. ^ "Jem – They" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  10. ^ Jem — They. TopHit. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  11. ^ "Jem – They" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  12. ^ "Top 50 Singles Eβδομάδα 18–24/9" (in Greek). IFPI. Archived from the original on 24 September 2005. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  13. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
  14. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Jem". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  15. ^ "Jem – They". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  16. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 28, 2005" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  17. ^ "Jem – They" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  18. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  19. ^ "Jem – They". Singles Top 100.
  20. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  21. ^ "Jem Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  22. ^ "Top Radio Hits 2005". TopHit. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  23. ^ "Rádiós Top 100 – hallgatottsági adatok alapján – 2005" (in Hungarian). Mahasz. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  24. ^ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2005". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  25. ^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1542. 13 February 2004. p. 25. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  26. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 12 March 2005. p. 29.
  27. ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 23rd May 2005" (PDF). ARIA. 23 May 2005. p. 28. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 June 2005. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  28. ^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1611. 17 June 2005. p. 21. Retrieved 24 June 2021.