Rule the World
Encyclopedia
"Rule the World" is the fifth single from Take That
's fourth studio album Beautiful World. It was released in the UK
on 21 October 2007 and as a CD single the following day.
, the director of Stardust, contacted Take That in the hope of getting them to write a song for the film. After seeing the film the band members agreed to write and perform a song. The band wrote the chorus of the song whilst they were in Spain
. They played the song for Matthew Vaughn who included it in the end credits of the film. Gary Barlow
performs main lead vocals with a partial lead from Howard Donald
. The song is not included on the soundtrack for Stardust, nor on the original release of the album Beautiful World. It was released internationally exclusively as a single in October 2007, and was premiered live by the band at the inaugural National Movie Awards
on 28 September 2007 to rave reviews and critical acclaim. It ended 2007 as the year's 5th biggest-selling single in the UK, despite being released just two months from the end of the year The song was also the 44th best selling single in the UK of 2008, the following year, and the 16th best selling single in Ireland in 2007. The full length version appears exclusively on the Tour Souvenir Edition of the album Beautiful World. The song was the finale to the The Circus Tour
in 2009. This song was also performed on 19 November 2009 for Children in Need
on "Children In Need Rocks The Royal Albert Hall", where Gary Barlow dedicated it to his father, who had died 5 weeks earlier. Opera singer Camilla Kerslake
, a protege of Gary Barlow, has recorded the song on her eponymous debut album as "Il Mondo è Nostro" ("The World Is Ours").
at #46 and peaked at #2, being held off the #1 spot by Leona Lewis
' "Bleeding Love
". The song became the 5th biggest selling single of 2007 and remained in the Top 100 until the 12 April 2009, 1 year, 5 months and 21 days after the single's release. On 21 September 2008, the song managed to climb back up to #34 on the UK Singles Chart
following a performance by contestants on BBC ONE
's Last Choir Standing
and on 30 November 2008 it managed to climb up the chart once again to #27 following its appearance on The X Factor
, sung by Rachel Hylton. The song spent twelve weeks inside the UK top ten, the longest of any Take That song. It re-entered the chart again in November 2009 following another X Factor performance, this time by Stacey Solomon, and again in November 2010, and has now spent 73 weeks on the official UK Top 75 chart, making it the 5th longest runner of all time, and 97 weeks on the Top 100. It was the 30th biggest-selling single of the 2000s in the UK.
praised the song stating it is "a big, proper, important-sounding ballad – the piano chords tremor with passion, the strings sweep impressively and every strum of the guitar seems to quiver with emotion – it offers copious proof that Gary Barlow's flair for melody is still very much intact.
. It shows the band and the orchestra at the studios performing the song. Another version of the video features excerpts shown from the movie Stardust. It premiered on ITV
on 22 September 2007.
German CD Single
Take That
Take That are a British five-piece vocal pop group comprising Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Robbie Williams. Barlow acts as the lead singer and primary songwriter...
's fourth studio album Beautiful World. It was released in the UK
United 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 21 October 2007 and as a CD single the following day.
Song information
"Rule the World" is the first song written by Take That specifically for a film. Matthew VaughnMatthew Vaughn
Matthew Vaughn is an English film producer and director known for producing such films as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch and directing the films Layer Cake , Stardust and Kick-Ass...
, the director of Stardust, contacted Take That in the hope of getting them to write a song for the film. After seeing the film the band members agreed to write and perform a song. The band wrote the chorus of the song whilst they were in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. They played the song for Matthew Vaughn who included it in the end credits of the film. Gary Barlow
Gary Barlow
Gary Barlow is an English singer-songwriter, pianist and record producer. He is frontman and lead vocalist of pop group Take That and is currently the head judge on the eighth series of The X Factor. Barlow is one of Britain's most successful songwriters...
performs main lead vocals with a partial lead from Howard Donald
Howard Donald
Howard Paul Donald , is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist, dancer, DJ and house producer. He is a member of English pop band Take That. As well as working with Jason Orange as band choreographers, he sang lead vocals on one of the band's many number one singles first time round, "Never...
. The song is not included on the soundtrack for Stardust, nor on the original release of the album Beautiful World. It was released internationally exclusively as a single in October 2007, and was premiered live by the band at the inaugural National Movie Awards
National Movie Awards
The National Movie Awards is a British movie awards ceremony broadcast by ITV in which the winners of the awards are chosen via popular vote. The awards were initiated in 2007 following the success of the National Television Awards, the highest-rating awards ceremony for television...
on 28 September 2007 to rave reviews and critical acclaim. It ended 2007 as the year's 5th biggest-selling single in the UK, despite being released just two months from the end of the year The song was also the 44th best selling single in the UK of 2008, the following year, and the 16th best selling single in Ireland in 2007. The full length version appears exclusively on the Tour Souvenir Edition of the album Beautiful World. The song was the finale to the The Circus Tour
Take That Present: The Circus Live
Take That Presents: The Circus Live is a concert tour by reunited British boyband, Take That. The tour promoted their fifth studio album, The Circus. The tour began on 5 June 2009 in Sunderland and finished on 5 July 2009 at London's Wembley Stadium. The Circus Live is Take That's biggest tour to...
in 2009. This song was also performed on 19 November 2009 for Children in Need
Children in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
on "Children In Need Rocks The Royal Albert Hall", where Gary Barlow dedicated it to his father, who had died 5 weeks earlier. Opera singer Camilla Kerslake
Camilla Kerslake
Camilla Kerslake is an English classical crossover singer from London who has become the first signing to Gary Barlow’s new record label...
, a protege of Gary Barlow, has recorded the song on her eponymous debut album as "Il Mondo è Nostro" ("The World Is Ours").
Chart performance
In October 2007, the song entered 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 ...
at #46 and peaked at #2, being held off the #1 spot by Leona Lewis
Leona Lewis
Leona Louise Lewis is a British singer and songwriter. Lewis first came to prominence in 2006 when she won the third series of the British television series The X Factor....
' "Bleeding Love
Bleeding Love
"Bleeding Love" is a pop/R&B ballad co-written by Jesse McCartney and Ryan Tedder and produced by Tedder for British singer Leona Lewis's debut album, Spirit. The song is the album's lead single , released in the United Kingdom and Ireland in October 2007...
". The song became the 5th biggest selling single of 2007 and remained in the Top 100 until the 12 April 2009, 1 year, 5 months and 21 days after the single's release. On 21 September 2008, the song managed to climb back up to #34 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 ...
following a performance by contestants on BBC ONE
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
's Last Choir Standing
Last Choir Standing
Last Choir Standing was a 2008 talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC in the United Kingdom. Broadcast on BBC One in July and August 2008, the series saw amateur choirs competing each week to be the 'last choir standing'....
and on 30 November 2008 it managed to climb up the chart once again to #27 following its appearance on The X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
, sung by Rachel Hylton. The song spent twelve weeks inside the UK top ten, the longest of any Take That song. It re-entered the chart again in November 2009 following another X Factor performance, this time by Stacey Solomon, and again in November 2010, and has now spent 73 weeks on the official UK Top 75 chart, making it the 5th longest runner of all time, and 97 weeks on the Top 100. It was the 30th biggest-selling single of the 2000s in the UK.
Critical reception
Digital SpyDigital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
praised the song stating it is "a big, proper, important-sounding ballad – the piano chords tremor with passion, the strings sweep impressively and every strum of the guitar seems to quiver with emotion – it offers copious proof that Gary Barlow's flair for melody is still very much intact.
Music video
The music video was directed by Barney Clay and filmed at Abbey Road StudiosAbbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
. It shows the band and the orchestra at the studios performing the song. Another version of the video features excerpts shown from the movie Stardust. It premiered on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
on 22 September 2007.
Tracklisting
UK CD Single- "Rule The World" (Radio Edit) – 3:58
- "Stay Together" – 3:57
German CD Single
- "Rule The World" (Radio Edit) – 3:58
- "Stay Together" – 3:57
- "Rule The World" (Video) – 4:00
Charts
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratip Flanders) | 13 |
| Latvia (EHR European Hit Radio European Hit Radio is one of the very first commercial radio stations in Baltic States. This radio focuses on reflecting the current situation in European music charts... ) |
7 |
| End of year chart (2007) | Position |
| 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... |
16 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 47 |
| UK Singles Chart (2007 2007 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2007.-January:*January 1 - George Shearing is knighted for services to music in the Queen's New Year Honours List. Evelyn Glennie becomes a Dame... Year-End) |
5 |
End-of-year charts
| Chart (2008) | Position |
|---|---|
| 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 ... |
44 |
End-of-year charts
| Chart (2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| 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 ... |
123 |
End-of-decade charts
| Chart (2000–2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| 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 ... |
30 |
Certifications
Official Versions
- Album Version (4:58)
- Radio Edit (3:58)
- Band Version (4:55)
- Live Version (5:16)
- Live at Wembley (5:42)
- Abbey Road Version (3:54)