Lights (Ellie Goulding song)
Encyclopedia
"Lights" is a song by English recording artist Ellie Goulding
from her debut album, Lights
. It was released digitally in the United Kingdom on 13 March 2011 as the album's sixth single
overall, and second from the Bright Lights re-release. It will be released as the lead single from the album in the United States. "Lights" originally appeared as a bonus track on the iTunes
edition of Lights; the song was then re-edited for inclusion on Bright Lights in late 2010, serving as the single version.
page, with a release date scheduled for 1 November 2010. It was to be released as the lead track from the album's repackaging as Bright Lights. However, this plan was scrapped in favour of releasing "Your Song" in order to capitalise on the John Lewis
Christmas marketing campaign that it featured in. This was followed by the reissue of the album Lights as Bright Lights.
It was once again announced in January 2011 that the single version of "Lights" would be released. A digital EP
was released in the UK on 13 March 2011, featuring Goulding's acoustic version of Rihanna
's "Only Girl (In the World)
" as performed on BBC Radio 1
's Live Lounge
on 10 December 2010.
commented that the song is "threaded with dark thoughts, but set to an airy pop production bordering on polite. Her voice is the real star. She has the magical ability, not unlike her heroine, Björk
, to sing with a sort of controlled tremulousness: her voice aches with vulnerability but never breaks." The Guardian
reviewer Johnny Dee described the song as "a welcome return to her patented folky-pop-with-some-tasteful-drum-and-bass-wobble sound".
for the week of 12 December 2010, based on digital sales from Bright Lights. Three months later, on 6 March 2011, the single entered the top 100 for the first time at number ninety-one. The following week, it rose to number sixty-four, eventually peaking at number forty-nine in its third week on the chart. It is also Goulding's first single to chart in United States and Canada, reaching numbers eighty-five and eighty-nine respectively.
for "Lights" was filmed by Sophie Muller
in late September 2010 before the lead single from the Bright Lights re-release was changed to "Your Song". It was officially released on 20 January 2011 on Goulding's YouTube
/VEVO
channel. The video shows Goulding dancing, playing the drums and the tambourine whilst different lighting effects including lasers surround her as she sings. It also shows her in numerous scenes swinging different hand-held lights and torches around giving the impression of a light painting
, whilst the camera produces a bullet time
effect like those used in The Matrix
. The lighting rig in the video was created by a small group of students from Middlesex University
.
on 21 February 2011. She performed a Saturday Session on Dermot O'Leary
's Saturday afternoon BBC Radio 2
show, where she sang "Lights". She also performed "Lights" on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge on 12 March 2011, along with a cover of José González
's version of The Knife
's "Heartbeats". She later performed the song on Saturday Night Live
on 7 May 2011, along with "Your Song".
Ellie Goulding
Elena Jane "Ellie" Goulding is an English singer-songwriter. In 2010 she became only the second artist to both top the BBC's annual Sound of... poll, and win the Critics' Choice Award at the BRIT Awards in the same year, following Adele's win of both in 2008...
from her debut album, Lights
Lights (Ellie Goulding album)
Lights is the debut studio album by English recording artist Ellie Goulding. It was released in the United Kingdom on 1 March 2010 by Polydor Records. Produced by Starsmith, Frankmusik, Fraser T. Smith and Richard Stannard, the album received mostly positive reviews from music critics...
. It was released digitally in the United Kingdom on 13 March 2011 as the album's sixth single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
overall, and second from the Bright Lights re-release. It will be released as the lead single from the album in the United States. "Lights" originally appeared as a bonus track on the iTunes
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
edition of Lights; the song was then re-edited for inclusion on Bright Lights in late 2010, serving as the single version.
Background
"Lights" was originally announced as a single on 8 September 2010 on Goulding's official TwitterTwitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
page, with a release date scheduled for 1 November 2010. It was to be released as the lead track from the album's repackaging as Bright Lights. However, this plan was scrapped in favour of releasing "Your Song" in order to capitalise on the John Lewis
John Lewis (department store)
-Recent developments:In June 2004, John Lewis announced plans to open its first store in Northern Ireland at the Sprucefield Park development, the province's largest out of town shopping centre, located outside Lisburn and from Belfast. The application was approved in June 2005 and the opening of...
Christmas marketing campaign that it featured in. This was followed by the reissue of the album Lights as Bright Lights.
It was once again announced in January 2011 that the single version of "Lights" would be released. A digital EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
was released in the UK on 13 March 2011, featuring Goulding's acoustic version of Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
's "Only Girl (In the World)
Only Girl (In the World)
"Only Girl " is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna from her fifth studio album, Loud . The song was released as the album's lead single on September 10, 2010 through Def Jam. It was written by Crystal Johnson, Norwegian production duo Stargate and Sandy Vee, and produced by Stargate and Vee...
" as performed 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...
's Live Lounge
Live Lounge
The 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...
on 10 December 2010.
Critical reception
Horatia Harrod from The Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
commented that the song is "threaded with dark thoughts, but set to an airy pop production bordering on polite. Her voice is the real star. She has the magical ability, not unlike her heroine, Björk
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
, to sing with a sort of controlled tremulousness: her voice aches with vulnerability but never breaks." The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
reviewer Johnny Dee described the song as "a welcome return to her patented folky-pop-with-some-tasteful-drum-and-bass-wobble sound".
Chart performance
"Lights" originally debuted at number 111 on the UK Singles ChartUK 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 ...
for the week of 12 December 2010, based on digital sales from Bright Lights. Three months later, on 6 March 2011, the single entered the top 100 for the first time at number ninety-one. The following week, it rose to number sixty-four, eventually peaking at number forty-nine in its third week on the chart. It is also Goulding's first single to chart in United States and Canada, reaching numbers eighty-five and eighty-nine respectively.
Music video
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 "Lights" was filmed by Sophie Muller
Sophie Muller
Sophie Muller is a British music video director, noted for her long-time collaborations with artists like Sophie Ellis-Bextor, No Doubt, Sade, Shakira, Shakespears Sister, Garbage, Blur, Annie Lennox and Eurythmics.-Background:...
in late September 2010 before the lead single from the Bright Lights re-release was changed to "Your Song". It was officially released on 20 January 2011 on Goulding's YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
/VEVO
Vevo
Vevo is a music video website. It is a joint venture among Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Abu Dhabi Media with EMI licensing its content to the group without taking an ownership stake. The service was launched officially on December 8, 2009...
channel. The video shows Goulding dancing, playing the drums and the tambourine whilst different lighting effects including lasers surround her as she sings. It also shows her in numerous scenes swinging different hand-held lights and torches around giving the impression of a light painting
Light Painting
Light painting, also known as light drawing or light graffiti is a photographic technique in which exposures are made usually at night or in a darkened room by moving a hand-held light source or by moving the camera. In many cases the light source itself does not have to appear in the image...
, whilst the camera produces a bullet time
Bullet time
Bullet time is a special and visual effect that refers to a digitally enhanced simulation of variable-speed photography used in films, broadcast advertisements, and video games...
effect like those used in The Matrix
The Matrix
The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction-action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Hugo Weaving...
. The lighting rig in the video was created by a small group of students from Middlesex University
Middlesex University
Middlesex University is a university in north London, England. It is located in the historic county boundaries of Middlesex from which it takes its name. It is one of the post-1992 universities and is a member of Million+ working group...
.
Live performances
Goulding performed the song live on Alan Carr: Chatty ManAlan Carr: Chatty Man
Alan Carr: Chatty Man is a British comedy chat show presented by comedian Alan Carr. The award-winning show is on Channel 4. The show features interviews with celebrity guests, sketches, topical chat and music....
on 21 February 2011. She performed a Saturday Session on Dermot O'Leary
Dermot O'Leary
Dermot O'Leary is an English television and radio presenter. He established himself as a presenter of Big Brother's Little Brother on Channel 4 before moving on to The X Factor on ITV. O'Leary has also presented on the BBC and has his own radio show on BBC Radio 2...
's Saturday afternoon BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
show, where she sang "Lights". She also performed "Lights" on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge on 12 March 2011, along with a cover of José González
José González
José González is a Swedish-Argentine indie folk singer-songwriter and guitarist from Gothenburg, Sweden.González is also a member of Swedish band Junip, along with Elias Araya and Tobias Winterkorn.- Biography :...
's version of The Knife
The Knife
The Knife are a Swedish electronic music duo from Gothenburg, formed in 1999. The group consists of siblings Karin Dreijer Andersson and Olof Dreijer, who together also run their own record company, Rabid Records. They first received international attention after their song "Heartbeats", covered by...
's "Heartbeats". She later performed the song on Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
on 7 May 2011, along with "Your Song".
Track listing
- UK digital EP
- "Lights" (Single Version) – 3:30
- "Only Girl in the World" (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...
Acoustic Version) – 4:07 - "Lights" (BassnectarBassnectarBassnectar is a freeform electronic music and dubstep artist, DJ, and producer based in Santa Cruz, California. He is known for his live performances and light shows, and actively supports the non-profit group Conscious Alliance....
Remix) – 4:36 - "Lights" (Shook Remix) – 3:49
- "Lights" (MK Charlee Dub) – 5:04
- "Lights" (Max Gordon Remix) – 4:49
- US digital EP – The Remixes Pt. 1
- "Lights" (Bassnectar Remix) – 4:36
- "Lights" (MK Charlee Dub) – 5:05
- "Lights" (Max Gordon Remix) – 4:49
- "Lights" (Shook Remix) – 3:49
- US digital EP – The Remixes Pt. 2
- "Lights" (Drop Lamond Remix) – 4:17
- "Lights" (Fernando GaribayFernando GaribayFernando Garibay is a Mexican music producer, DJ, and songwriter. He was the official musical director for musician Lady Gaga during the making of her third album Born This Way.Garibay has been making records since the age of sixteen...
Remix) – 4:03 - "Lights" (Captain Cuts Remix) – 4:11
- "Lights" (Ming Remix) – 4:57
- "Lights" (RAC Mix) – 5:44
Personnel
- Ellie Goulding – 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...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Ash Howes – 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...
, 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...
, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Steve Malcomson – programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
- Richard "Biff" Stannard – producer, mixing, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, keyboards
Charts
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... |
89 |
| 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 ... |
49 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
85 |
| US Hot Dance Club Songs | 32 |
| US Heatseekers Songs Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
8 |
| US Adult Pop Songs | 24 |
Release history
| Country | Date | Label | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 13 March 2011 | Polydor Polydor Records Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone... |
Digital EP 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... |
| United States | 23 May 2011 | Cherrytree Cherrytree Records Cherrytree Records is an American record label and is an imprint of Interscope Records.-History:Cherrytree Records was founded in 2005 by Martin Kierszenbaum, being German for cherry tree... , Interscope Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:... |
Digital EP – The Remixes Pt. 1 |
| 19 July 2011 | Digital EP – The Remixes Pt. 2 |