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I'm Not Alone (Calvin Harris song)
Encyclopedia
"I'm Not Alone" is a song by Scottish recording artist Calvin Harris
, released as the lead single
from his second studio album, Ready for the Weekend. The track was first played by Pete Tong
on BBC Radio 1
as his "essential new tune" on 23 January 2009 and has been described as a slice of euphoric dance. On 12 April 2009, the song debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart
, earning Harris his first solo number-one single in the United Kingdom and third overall following his 2008 collaboration with Dizzee Rascal
and Chrome, "Dance wiv Me
".
Harris said of this song: "The whole track's a light and shade thing, two styles put together. I find it quite hard to write a happy-happy lyric now, for some reason. I don't know why that is, to be honest with you. Maybe it's staying in a room for a huge amount of time on your own, and that's reflected in the lyrics!"
on 12 April 2009 (for the week ending 18 April 2009), knocking off Lady Gaga
's second British chart-topper, "Poker Face
". It remained at the top position for a second consecutive week, until it was knocked off by Tinchy Stryder
's "Number 1" featuring N-Dubz
in its third week on the run. On 3 January 2010, "I'm Not Alone" reentered the top 100, climbing from number 193 to number ninety-nine. In Ireland, the single debuted at number fourteen on the Irish Singles Chart
on 9 April 2009, peaking at number four by its third week.
for "I'm Not Alone" was filmed in Oslo
, Norway on 6 February 2009. It was directed by Christian Holm-Glad.
The clip begins with a small boy (potentially meant to represent a young Harris) found in thick snow wandering the woods dragging a sledge with a toy bear on top. He then sets up camp and lights a fire to keep warm whilst cuddling his toy bear. The bear is then found on the sledge again and is then dropped. The scene closes and cuts to a dungeon styled setting that showcases Harris portrayed as a Frankenstein
-type character who is seen to perform experiments on numerous female captives, combining their essences to reanimate his "lost" teddy bear.
A spokeswoman for Columbia Records said: "Calvin doesn't actually use the knife in the video but we need to cut the scene for any TV programme that wants to show the video. Rules are stricter and a lot of artist videos get edited for TV nowadays."
UK 12" single
UK iTunes single
UK iTunes EP
U.S. iTunes EP
Calvin Harris
Calvin Harris is a Scottish singer-songwriter, record producer and DJ. His gold-selling debut album, I Created Disco, was released in 2007 and contained the top ten singles "Acceptable in the 80s" and "The Girls"...
, released as the lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
from his second studio album, Ready for the Weekend. The track was first played by Pete Tong
Pete Tong
Peter "Pete" Tong is an English DJ who works for BBC Radio 1. He is known worldwide by fans of electronic music for hosting programmes such as Essential Mix and Essential Selection on the radio service, which can be heard through Internet radio streams, for his record label FFRR Records, and for...
on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
as his "essential new tune" on 23 January 2009 and has been described as a slice of euphoric dance. On 12 April 2009, the song debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, earning Harris his first solo number-one single in the United Kingdom and third overall following his 2008 collaboration with Dizzee Rascal
Dizzee Rascal
Dylan Kwabena Mills , better known by his stage name Dizzee Rascal, is a Ghanaian British rapper, songwriter and record producer. His music is a blend of garage, hip hop, grime, ragga, pop and electronic music, with eclectic samples and more exotic styles...
and Chrome, "Dance wiv Me
Dance Wiv Me
Dance wiv Me is a single by Ghanaian British rapper Dizzee Rascal, from his fourth studio album Tongue n' Cheek. It was released on 22 June 2008 and features guest vocals from Scottish DJ Calvin Harris and English R&B singer Chrome...
".
Harris said of this song: "The whole track's a light and shade thing, two styles put together. I find it quite hard to write a happy-happy lyric now, for some reason. I don't know why that is, to be honest with you. Maybe it's staying in a room for a huge amount of time on your own, and that's reflected in the lyrics!"
Chart performance
"I'm Not Alone" debuted at number one in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on 12 April 2009 (for the week ending 18 April 2009), knocking off Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
's second British chart-topper, "Poker Face
Poker Face (Lady Gaga song)
"Poker Face" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga from her debut album, The Fame. Produced by RedOne, it was released as the album's second single in late 2008 for some markets and in early 2009 for the rest of the world...
". It remained at the top position for a second consecutive week, until it was knocked off by Tinchy Stryder
Tinchy Stryder
Kwasi Danquah III , better known by his pseudonyms Tinchy Stryder and Star In The Hood, is a Ghanaian British recording artist, music executive, A&R executive, and businessman...
's "Number 1" featuring N-Dubz
N-Dubz
N-Dubz are a British hip hop group from Camden Town, London. The group consists of members Dappy, Tulisa Contostavlos and Fazer.N-Dubz were previously signed to Polydor Records before joining All Around the World Records...
in its third week on the run. On 3 January 2010, "I'm Not Alone" reentered the top 100, climbing from number 193 to number ninety-nine. In Ireland, the single debuted at number fourteen on the Irish Singles Chart
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
on 9 April 2009, peaking at number four by its third week.
Music video
Details and commentary
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "I'm Not Alone" was filmed in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway on 6 February 2009. It was directed by Christian Holm-Glad.
The clip begins with a small boy (potentially meant to represent a young Harris) found in thick snow wandering the woods dragging a sledge with a toy bear on top. He then sets up camp and lights a fire to keep warm whilst cuddling his toy bear. The bear is then found on the sledge again and is then dropped. The scene closes and cuts to a dungeon styled setting that showcases Harris portrayed as a Frankenstein
Frankenstein
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
-type character who is seen to perform experiments on numerous female captives, combining their essences to reanimate his "lost" teddy bear.
Controversy
There is one scene found in the video of which Harris is holding an antique knife. Harris was told by his record chiefs that it was unacceptable as television laws claimed that weapons cannot be shown as they encourage knife crime. Harris protested that he was a "big softie" and "the last person to promote violence" yet it has still resulted in the video to undergo re-editing so that it can be shown on music channels.Response
Harris said: "My video's getting banned because I'm holding an antique knife in one of the scenes, therefore encouraging knife crime", adding, "The only ever time I was in a fight I fell down instantly and I believe they had only verbally challenged me to one at that stage. I fight like a girl."A spokeswoman for Columbia Records said: "Calvin doesn't actually use the knife in the video but we need to cut the scene for any TV programme that wants to show the video. Rules are stricter and a lot of artist videos get edited for TV nowadays."
Cover versions and samples
- PendulumPendulum (band)Pendulum is an Australian drum and bass and electronic rock band founded in 2002 in Perth by Rob Swire, Gareth McGrillen, and Paul Harding.Swire and McGrillen were members of the rock band known as Xygen. After hearing Konflict's "Messiah" at a club, they were inspired to enter into the drum and...
covered the song for their performance at Glastonbury Festival 2009Glastonbury Festival 2009The 2009 Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts was held from 24–29 June 2009.- Registration :In a similar way to previous festivals, tickets for the 2009 event required pre-registration through the festival website...
and subsequent festival appearances that year. - MadonnaMadonna (entertainer)Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
sampled the song's riff for the live performance of "FrozenFrozen (song)"Frozen" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her eight studio album Ray of Light. It was released as the lead single from the album on 23 February 1998 by Maverick Records...
" during the European leg of her Sticky & Sweet TourSticky & Sweet TourThe Sticky & Sweet Tour was the eighth worldwide concert tour by American singer Madonna to promote her eleventh studio album, Hard Candy. It began in August 2008 and was Madonna's first tour from her new recording and business deal with Live Nation. The tour was announced in February 2008, with...
in 2009. - Tinchy StryderTinchy StryderKwasi Danquah III , better known by his pseudonyms Tinchy Stryder and Star In The Hood, is a Ghanaian British recording artist, music executive, A&R executive, and businessman...
sampled "I'm Not Alone" for a live performance of his song "Express Urself" at the V FestivalV FestivalThe V Festival is an annual music festival held in England during the penultimate weekend in August. The event is held at two parks simultaneously which share the same bill; artists perform at one location on Saturday and then swap on Sunday. The sites are located at Hylands Park in Chelmsford and...
2009. - Mumford & SonsMumford & SonsMumford & Sons are a British folk rock band. The band consists of Marcus Mumford , Ben Lovett , Country Winston Marshall , and Ted Dwane...
covered the song for their Live LoungeLive LoungeThe Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio station BBC Radio 1. Originally hosted by Jo Whiley on her mid-morning radio show and now hosted by Fearne Cotton, it exhibits well-known artists usually performing one song of their own and one by another artist, in an acoustic format...
performance on BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
on 3 October 2009. - ChipmunkChipmunk (rapper)Jahmaal Noel Fyffe known by his stage name Chipmunk, is a British hip hop rapper and songwriter from Tottenham, London....
also covered the song for his Live Lounge performance on 5 October 2009.
Track listings
UK CD single- "I'm Not Alone" (Radio Edit) – 3:32
- "I'm Not Alone" (Extended Mix) – 4:28
UK 12" single
- A1. "I'm Not Alone" (HervéHervé (DJ)Joshua Harvey, otherwise known as Hervé, is a DJ/producer from the UK. Hervé is known for rave-orientated productions and DJ sets.Along with Sinden and Kid Sister, his track "Beeper" reached number 1 on the dance chart in April 2008....
's See You at the Festival Remix) - A2. "I'm Not Alone" (Radio Edit)
- B1. "I'm Not Alone" (Deadmau5Deadmau5Joel Thomas Zimmerman , better known by his stage name deadmau5 , is a Canadian progressive, electro, and house producer based in Toronto...
Remix) - B2. "I'm Not Alone" (Extended Mix)
UK iTunes single
- "I'm Not Alone" (TiëstoTiëstoTijs Michiel Verwest, , known as Tiësto , is a Dutch musician, DJ and record producer of electronic dance music. Although he has used many aliases in the past, he is best known for his work as DJ Tiësto...
Remix) – 6:41 - "I'm Not Alone" (Radio Edit) – 3:32
UK iTunes EP
- "I'm Not Alone" (Radio Edit) – 3:31
- "I'm Not Alone" (Extended Mix) – 4:26
- "I'm Not Alone" (Deadmau5Deadmau5Joel Thomas Zimmerman , better known by his stage name deadmau5 , is a Canadian progressive, electro, and house producer based in Toronto...
Mix) – 8:15 - "I'm Not Alone" (HervéHervé (DJ)Joshua Harvey, otherwise known as Hervé, is a DJ/producer from the UK. Hervé is known for rave-orientated productions and DJ sets.Along with Sinden and Kid Sister, his track "Beeper" reached number 1 on the dance chart in April 2008....
's See You at the Festival Remix) – 5:33 - "I'm Not Alone" (Burns Rewerk) – 6:36
U.S. iTunes EP
- "I'm Not Alone" (Radio Edit) – 3:31
- "I'm Not Alone" (Extended Mix) – 4:28
- "I'm Not Alone" (Tiësto Remix) – 6:41
- "I'm Not Alone" (Deadmau5 Mix) – 8:15
- "I'm Not Alone" (Hervé's See You at the Festival Remix) – 5:34
- "I'm Not Alone" (Hervé's See You at the Dub Parade) – 3:41
- "I'm Not Alone" (Burns Rewerk) – 6:36
- "I'm Not Alone" (Instrumental) – 3:31
Personnel
- Calvin Harris – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, instrumentationInstrumentation (music)In music, instrumentation refers to the particular combination of musical instruments employed in a composition, and to the properties of those instruments individually...
, arrangerArrangementThe American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
, engineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may... - Brian GardnerBrian GardnerBrian Gardner, also known as Brian "Big Bass" Gardner is a mastering engineer. He has worked on countless recordings since the mid-1960s, including classic rock, funk, disco, alternative rock, R&B, hip hop, pop punk, and dance pop. He is perhaps best known for his work on hip hop albums and in...
– masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
Official versions and remixes
- Actual Phantom Remix
- Aux Matters Remix
- Burns Rewerk
- Deadmau5Deadmau5Joel Thomas Zimmerman , better known by his stage name deadmau5 , is a Canadian progressive, electro, and house producer based in Toronto...
Remix - Doorly Remix
- Extended Mix
- Instrumental
- HervéHervé (DJ)Joshua Harvey, otherwise known as Hervé, is a DJ/producer from the UK. Hervé is known for rave-orientated productions and DJ sets.Along with Sinden and Kid Sister, his track "Beeper" reached number 1 on the dance chart in April 2008....
's See You at the Festivals Remix - Hervé's See You at the Dub Parade Remix
- MYNC Payback Mix
- PendulumPendulum (band)Pendulum is an Australian drum and bass and electronic rock band founded in 2002 in Perth by Rob Swire, Gareth McGrillen, and Paul Harding.Swire and McGrillen were members of the rock band known as Xygen. After hearing Konflict's "Messiah" at a club, they were inspired to enter into the drum and...
Remix - Radio Edit
- S.A.S Remix (Mega & Mayhem) (from the Mega & Mayhem's Excellent Adventure mixtape)
- ☆Taku TakahashiTaku Takahashiis a Japanese DJ and record producer, who debuted in 1998 as a member of the group M-Flo. The group rose to prominence in the early 2000s, with hit singles such as "How You Like Me Now?" and "Come Again." Takahashi was also a member of Avex's 20th anniversary dance music project Ravex, and has...
Remix - TiëstoTiëstoTijs Michiel Verwest, , known as Tiësto , is a Dutch musician, DJ and record producer of electronic dance music. Although he has used many aliases in the past, he is best known for his work as DJ Tiësto...
Remix
Peak positions
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
48 |
| Belgian Singles Chart Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... (Flanders) |
13 |
| Belgian Singles Chart Ultratop 40 Ultratop 40 singles, often just Ultratop 40, is the weekly chart of best-selling singles in Wallonia and Brussels Capital Region, the french-speaking parts of Belgium. Its equivalent covering the Flanders region is Ultratop 50. Both charts are produced and published by the Ultratop organization... (Wallonia) |
8 |
| Danish Singles Chart Tracklisten Tracklisten is a Danish top 40 record chart that is presented every Thursday midnight at .The weekly Danish Singles Chart also known as Track Top-40 combines the 40 best selling tracks from legal music downloads and the sales of music singles on either CD or vinyl... |
6 |
| Dutch Single Top 100 | 62 |
| European Hot 100 Singles | 5 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
4 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
40 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
1 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders) | 58 |
| Belgian Singles Chart (Wallonia) | 47 |
| UK Singles Chart | 23 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| Denmark | Gold |
Chart procession and succession
Release history
| Country | Date | Label | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 6 April 2009 | Fly Eye Records, Columbia Records Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company... |
Digital download Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
| 13 April 2009 | CD single | ||
| 22 April 2009 | 12" single 12-inch single The 12-inch single is a type of gramophone record that has wider groove spacing compared to other types of records. This allows for louder levels to be cut on the disc by the cutting engineer, which in turn gives a wider dynamic range, and thus better sound quality... |