Under the Water
Encyclopedia
"Under the Water" is a pop
song written by Merril Bainbridge
, Owen Bolwell and Stan Paulzen, produced by Siew for Bainbridge's first album The Garden
(1995). It was released as the album's second single in July 1995 in Australia
and February 1997 in the United States
. The song is about a lover who drowned.
s produced to promote the song, the first one for Australia and a second version for the United States. The original Australian version was a simple black and white video with Bainbridge walking around a forest and performing the song with a band. However, when Bainbridge broke in the U.S. with her previous single "Mouth
", a sleeker video, directed by Martin Kahan, was produced for the American market. It was released in December 1996 and showed a man and a girl in a room filled with water with the man drowning at the end of the video.
awarded the single a platinum certification for shipping 70,000 copies. It became the twenty-fourth highest selling single in Australia for 1995 selling an estimate of 80,000 copies around Australia. The song was nominated for an ARIA Award
as the "Highest Selling Single" for 1996, but lost to "Let's Groove" by CDB
.
The song was released in the United States
on 18 February 1997 but failed to match the Top ten success of "Mouth", peaking at ninety-one and spending only six weeks in the Billboard Hot 100
. It was Bainbridge's last song to date to chart in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
U.S. CD single
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
song written by Merril Bainbridge
Merril Bainbridge
Merril Bainbridge is an Australian pop music singer and songwriter. Her debut was in 1994 with the single, "Mouth", which peaked at number-one for six consecutive weeks in Australia and became a top five hit in the United States.- Early career :Bainbridge started performing when she was at the...
, Owen Bolwell and Stan Paulzen, produced by Siew for Bainbridge's first album The Garden
The Garden (Merril Bainbridge album)
The Garden is the first album by Australian singer Merril Bainbridge, released in Australia on 31 July 1995 by Gotham Records. The album has a main genre of alternative pop songs — some written by Bainbridge herself, Owen Bolwell, Stan Paulzen and Siew...
(1995). It was released as the album's second single in July 1995 in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and February 1997 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The song is about a lover who drowned.
Music video
There were two 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...
s produced to promote the song, the first one for Australia and a second version for the United States. The original Australian version was a simple black and white video with Bainbridge walking around a forest and performing the song with a band. However, when Bainbridge broke in the U.S. with her previous single "Mouth
Mouth (song)
"Mouth" is a pop song written by Merril Bainbridge, and produced by Siew for Bainbridge's debut album The Garden . It was released as the album's first single in the end of November 1994 in Australia, then was re-issued on 13 March 1995. It became her biggest hit to date peaking at number-one on...
", a sleeker video, directed by Martin Kahan, was produced for the American market. It was released in December 1996 and showed a man and a girl in a room filled with water with the man drowning at the end of the video.
Commercial performance
"Under the Water" had moderate commercial success in Australia. In late July 1995 it debuted at number forty-six on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart. On its fifth week on the chart, it peaked at number four – making the song Bainbridge's second top ten single. The song spent a total of sixteen weeks in the top fifty and the Australian Recording Industry AssociationAustralian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
awarded the single a platinum certification for shipping 70,000 copies. It became the twenty-fourth highest selling single in Australia for 1995 selling an estimate of 80,000 copies around Australia. The song was nominated for an ARIA Award
ARIA Music Awards
The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Australian Recording Industry Association...
as the "Highest Selling Single" for 1996, but lost to "Let's Groove" by CDB
CDB (band)
CDB is an Australian R&B and dance group that started out in the 1990s, best known for their cover of Earth, Wind & Fire's "Let's Groove". Its original members were brothers Gary Pinto and Brad Pinto, as well as Andrew De Silva and Danny Williams...
.
The song was released in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on 18 February 1997 but failed to match the Top ten success of "Mouth", peaking at ninety-one and spending only six weeks in the 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...
. It was Bainbridge's last song to date to chart in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
Track listing
Australian CD single- "Under the Water" – 4:16
- "Garden in My Room" (demo) – 3:01
- "MouthMouth (song)"Mouth" is a pop song written by Merril Bainbridge, and produced by Siew for Bainbridge's debut album The Garden . It was released as the album's first single in the end of November 1994 in Australia, then was re-issued on 13 March 1995. It became her biggest hit to date peaking at number-one on...
" (demo) – 3:29
U.S. CD single
- "Under the Water"
- "Mouth" (alternate take)
Charts
| Chart (1995) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA 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... |
4 |
| Chart (1997) | Peak position |
| U.S. 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... |
91 |
Year-End Charts
| Chart (1995) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart | 24 |
Release history
| Country | Date | Label | Format | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
24 July 1995 | Gotham Records | CD CD single A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s... |
GOTH95052 |
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
18 February 1997 | Universal Records Universal Records Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:... |
CD, CS Cassette single A cassette single is a music single in the form of a Compact Cassette.- History :... |
56112 |