Whatever It Takes (Lifehouse song)
Encyclopedia
"Whatever It Takes" is a song by American alternative
band Lifehouse
. It is the second single released from their fourth studio album, Who We Are
(2007). The song was written by Lifehouse lead singer Jason Wade and American record producer Jude Cole. When discussing the song, Wade felt that the message of the song dealt with how difficult it could be to be in a relationship. It was first released with the band's fourth studio album Who We Are on June 18, 2007 and was then solicited to mainstream
radio on November 13, 2007. It is a moderately slow pop
-rock
ballad that has influences of adult alternative
.
"Whatever It Takes" received positive reviews from critics who commended the song's chorus. It was a commercial success in the United States and charted in the top forty on several charts in the country. The song's music video premiered on Yahoo! Music
on November 15, 2007 and solely features Lifehouse lead singer Jason Wade and has the use of pyrotechnics
throughout the video.
and American record producer Jude Cole
and was produced by Lifehouse and Jude Cole at Ironworks Studio in Los Angeles
. In an interview with The San Bernardino Sun, Wade talked about making songs on the album and said, "This time around it was not about having any preconceived notions. It was about letting the tape machine roll and getting the music down spontaneously." When asked about the message of the song, Wade said, "I think the main message of this song, at least for me personally when I was writing the lyrics, is just how difficult it can be to be in a relationship. Sometimes, you do things to disappoint the other person. Letting someone down and trying to repair a relationship that you feel is kind of slipping through your hands a bit." "Whatever It Takes" was originally released with the band's fourth studio album, Who We Are
, on June 18, 2007 and was officially solicited as a single
to mainstream radio on November 13, 2007.
-rock
song that contains adult alternative
. It was described as a "power ballad" by John DiBiase of Jesus Freak Hideout
, who also noted that there was "growth in songwriting and artistry to keep Lifehouse a band well worth following". Alex Lai of Contactmusic.com
described the song as "brooding [song]" that features "a huge chorus" and noted how the ballads on the album, including "Whatever It Takes", were "amongst the best the band has produced". Russ Breimeier of Christianity Today
felt that the song was "commendable for showing the need to remain committed and open to sustain a relationship". Paul Schultz of The Trades described the song as having "some dandy harmony vocals" and noted how the lyrics of "She said like it or not it's the way it's gotta be / You gotta love yourself if you can ever love me" talked about how people try to work out relationships. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Music Publishing, the song is set in common time
with a "moderately slow" tempo of 76 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of C major
with Wade's vocal range spanning from the low-note of D4 to the high-note of G5. The song has a basic chord progression
of C/F–C/G–C/F–C/G.
for the week of February 2, 2008. It moved up the chart for several weeks, until peaking at number thirty-three. The song debuted at number sixty-three on the Billboard Digital Songs
chart and eventually peaked at number twenty-eight after being on the chart for nineteen non-consecutive weeks. On the Billboard Pop Songs chart, the song debuted at number forty for the week of January 26, 2008. After moving up the chart for twenty consecutive weeks, the song eventually peaked at number seventeen. The song debuted at number seventy-four on the Billboard Radio Songs chart for the week of March 8, 2008 and moved around the chart for several weeks until peaking at number thirty-six. On the Adult Contemporary chart, the song debuted at number thirty for the week of April 26, 2008. After being on the chart for thirty-three consecutive weeks, the song peaked at number ten for three weeks in a row. "Whatever It Takes" also debuted on the Billboard Adult Pop Songs at number twenty-two and eventually peaked at number three.
on November 15, 2007. Later that day, it was also released to iTunes
for digital download. According to the behind-the-scenes video, the song features the use of pyrotechnics all throughout the video. When asked about the idea behind the video, Wade said, "The whole concept of this video and just stuff exploding and breaking with my performance to the camera; it's almost like my performance is trying to salvage a relationship together. The imagery of stuff breaking and falling apart; its almost like the whole world shattering around you, but you're trying to keep it alive."
The video focuses solely on lead singer, Jason Wade, as the rest of the band members do not appear in the video. The video begins by showing Wade sitting alone on a bed, with pictures of him and his girlfriend on the wall. He proceeds to walk around the house, while various things in the room he's in begin to explode around him, such as the bed and pictures in the bedroom, and various food and drink items in the kitchen. Near the end things begin going in reverse, and everything that had exploded is put back together. The video ends with Wade sitting back on the bed with his girlfriend now lying next to him.
. In January 2008, the band performed the song as part of a set list
on the PBS
show Soundstage. To help promote Who We Are, Lifehouse also performed "Whatever It Takes" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
on February 15, 2008, on Mas Vale Tarde
on February 21, 2008, and on Live with Regis and Kelly
on April 1, 2008.
Source: Allmusic
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Lifehouse
Lifehouse (band)
Lifehouse is an American rock band from Los Angeles. The band came to mainstream prominence in 2001 with the hit single "Hanging by a Moment" from their debut studio album, No Name Face. The single won a Billboard Music Award for Hot 100 Single of the Year, beating out Janet Jackson and Alicia...
. It is the second single released from their fourth studio album, Who We Are
Who We Are (Lifehouse album)
Who We Are is the fourth studio album by American alternative band Lifehouse. It was first released via compact disc in the United States on June 18, 2007 by Geffen Records. It was released via digital download the next day on June 19, 2007. The band entered the studio without...
(2007). The song was written by Lifehouse lead singer Jason Wade and American record producer Jude Cole. When discussing the song, Wade felt that the message of the song dealt with how difficult it could be to be in a relationship. It was first released with the band's fourth studio album Who We Are on June 18, 2007 and was then solicited to mainstream
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
radio on November 13, 2007. It is a moderately slow pop
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...
-rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
ballad that has influences of adult alternative
Adult album alternative
Adult album alternative is a radio format. A spinoff from the album-oriented rock format, its roots trace to the 1960s and 1970s from the earlier freeform and progressive formats....
.
"Whatever It Takes" received positive reviews from critics who commended the song's chorus. It was a commercial success in the United States and charted in the top forty on several charts in the country. The song's music video premiered on Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music, owned by Yahoo!, is the provider of a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming...
on November 15, 2007 and solely features Lifehouse lead singer Jason Wade and has the use of pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics is the science of using materials capable of undergoing self-contained and self-sustained exothermic chemical reactions for the production of heat, light, gas, smoke and/or sound...
throughout the video.
Background and release
The song was written by Lifehouse lead singer Jason WadeJason Wade
Jason Michael Wade is the lead vocalist, main songwriter, and guitarist of the American alternative rock band Lifehouse.-Biography:...
and American record producer Jude Cole
Jude Cole
Jude Cole is a manager, record producer and singer/songwriter/guitarist.-Career:Cole's solo records, "Jude Cole", "A View from 3rd Street" and "Start the Car" were released on Warner Bros./Reprise Records, and contained the singles "Baby, It's Tonight", "Time for Letting Go" and "Start the Car"...
and was produced by Lifehouse and Jude Cole at Ironworks Studio in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. In an interview with The San Bernardino Sun, Wade talked about making songs on the album and said, "This time around it was not about having any preconceived notions. It was about letting the tape machine roll and getting the music down spontaneously." When asked about the message of the song, Wade said, "I think the main message of this song, at least for me personally when I was writing the lyrics, is just how difficult it can be to be in a relationship. Sometimes, you do things to disappoint the other person. Letting someone down and trying to repair a relationship that you feel is kind of slipping through your hands a bit." "Whatever It Takes" was originally released with the band's fourth studio album, Who We Are
Who We Are (Lifehouse album)
Who We Are is the fourth studio album by American alternative band Lifehouse. It was first released via compact disc in the United States on June 18, 2007 by Geffen Records. It was released via digital download the next day on June 19, 2007. The band entered the studio without...
, on June 18, 2007 and was officially solicited as a 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...
to mainstream radio on November 13, 2007.
Composition and critical reception
"Whatever It Takes" was described as a popPop 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...
-rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
song that contains adult alternative
Adult album alternative
Adult album alternative is a radio format. A spinoff from the album-oriented rock format, its roots trace to the 1960s and 1970s from the earlier freeform and progressive formats....
. It was described as a "power ballad" by John DiBiase of Jesus Freak Hideout
Jesus Freak Hideout
Jesus Freak Hideout is a Christian music website. The website specializes in reviewing, previewing, and selling Christian albums. The website is known for its album reviews, independent music, artist interviews, concert dates and ministry through devotionals and prayer...
, who also noted that there was "growth in songwriting and artistry to keep Lifehouse a band well worth following". Alex Lai of Contactmusic.com
Contactmusic.com
Contactmusic.com is a Leeds UK based entertainment magazine/webzine. The site was launched in April 2000 by a small team and has now expanded to 12 fulltime staff and many freelance contributors from across the globe...
described the song as "brooding [song]" that features "a huge chorus" and noted how the ballads on the album, including "Whatever It Takes", were "amongst the best the band has produced". Russ Breimeier of Christianity Today
Christianity Today
Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. It is the flagship publication of its parent company Christianity Today International, claiming circulation figures of 140,000 and readership of 290,000...
felt that the song was "commendable for showing the need to remain committed and open to sustain a relationship". Paul Schultz of The Trades described the song as having "some dandy harmony vocals" and noted how the lyrics of "She said like it or not it's the way it's gotta be / You gotta love yourself if you can ever love me" talked about how people try to work out relationships. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Music Publishing, the song is set in common time
Common Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
with a "moderately slow" tempo of 76 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of C major
C major
C major is a musical major scale based on C, with pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Its key signature has no flats/sharps.Its relative minor is A minor, and its parallel minor is C minor....
with Wade's vocal range spanning from the low-note of D4 to the high-note of G5. The song has a basic chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
of C/F–C/G–C/F–C/G.
Chart performance
"Whatever It Takes" debuted at number ninety-seven on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard 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...
for the week of February 2, 2008. It moved up the chart for several weeks, until peaking at number thirty-three. The song debuted at number sixty-three on the Billboard Digital Songs
Hot Digital Songs
The Hot Digital Songs chart ranks the best-selling digital singles in the United States, according to Billboard.Beginning in February 2005, digital sales have been incorporated into many of Billboards music single charts. It was decided to do so mainly because of the dramatic rise in popularity of...
chart and eventually peaked at number twenty-eight after being on the chart for nineteen non-consecutive weeks. On the Billboard Pop Songs chart, the song debuted at number forty for the week of January 26, 2008. After moving up the chart for twenty consecutive weeks, the song eventually peaked at number seventeen. The song debuted at number seventy-four on the Billboard Radio Songs chart for the week of March 8, 2008 and moved around the chart for several weeks until peaking at number thirty-six. On the Adult Contemporary chart, the song debuted at number thirty for the week of April 26, 2008. After being on the chart for thirty-three consecutive weeks, the song peaked at number ten for three weeks in a row. "Whatever It Takes" also debuted on the Billboard Adult Pop Songs at number twenty-two and eventually peaked at number three.
Music video
The music video, directed by Frank Borin, premiered on Yahoo! MusicYahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music, owned by Yahoo!, is the provider of a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming...
on November 15, 2007. Later that day, it was also released to iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
for digital download. According to the behind-the-scenes video, the song features the use of pyrotechnics all throughout the video. When asked about the idea behind the video, Wade said, "The whole concept of this video and just stuff exploding and breaking with my performance to the camera; it's almost like my performance is trying to salvage a relationship together. The imagery of stuff breaking and falling apart; its almost like the whole world shattering around you, but you're trying to keep it alive."
The video focuses solely on lead singer, Jason Wade, as the rest of the band members do not appear in the video. The video begins by showing Wade sitting alone on a bed, with pictures of him and his girlfriend on the wall. He proceeds to walk around the house, while various things in the room he's in begin to explode around him, such as the bed and pictures in the bedroom, and various food and drink items in the kitchen. Near the end things begin going in reverse, and everything that had exploded is put back together. The video ends with Wade sitting back on the bed with his girlfriend now lying next to him.
Live performances
On October 15, 2007, Lifehouse performed an acoustic version of "Whatever It Takes" on VH1VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
. In January 2008, the band performed the song as part of a set list
Set list
A set list, or setlist, is a document that lists the songs that a band or musical artist intends to play, or has played, during a specific concert performance...
on the PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
show Soundstage. To help promote Who We Are, Lifehouse also performed "Whatever It Takes" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that initially aired from May 25, 1992 to May 29, 2009, and resumed production on March 1, 2010. The fourth incarnation of the Tonight Show franchise made its debut on May 25, 1992, three days following Johnny...
on February 15, 2008, on Mas Vale Tarde
Mas Vale Tarde
Mas Vale Tarde is a Spanish-language variety/talk show which is hosted by Alex Cambert. The show's debut was November 29, 2007 on Telemundo. The show will follows a similar format to other English-language late-night shows...
on February 21, 2008, and on Live with Regis and Kelly
Live with Regis and Kelly
Live! with Kelly is a syndicated American television morning talk show, hosted by Kelly Ripa. The show has aired since 1983 in New York City and 1988 nationwide. Tony Pigg has been the show's announcer since its inception...
on April 1, 2008.
Credits and personnel
- Songwriting – Jason Wade, Jude Cole
- ProductionRecord 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...
– Lifehouse, Jude Cole - 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...
– Thom PanunzioThom PanunzioThom Panunzio grew up in River Edge, New Jersey not too far from Manhattan. He began his career as an audio engineer originally working at Record Plant Studios in New York. There he met, Jimmy Iovine, and started his career working with John Lennon...
, Jack Joseph PuigJack Joseph PuigJack Joseph Puig is a Grammy Award-winning music engineer and producer with a long track record of successful productions, including the mid-1990s production of Tonic. Puig also worked with Hole, Jellyfish, The Black Crowes, John Mayer, Weezer, Fiona Apple, Green Day, The Counting Crows, No Doubt,...
, Florian Ammon, Keith Armstrong, Dean Nelson, Jeff Rothschild - 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...
– Florian Ammon, Scott Faircloff, Ross Hogarth, Will Sandalls
Source: Allmusic
Charts
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
External links
- "Whatever It Takes" Music Video on Yahoo! MusicYahoo! MusicYahoo! Music, owned by Yahoo!, is the provider of a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming...