"Wake Me Up"
Single by Girls Aloud
from the album What Will the Neighbours Say?
B-side
  • "History"
  • "Loving Is Easy"
Released21 February 2005
Recorded2004
Genre
Length3:27
LabelPolydor
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Girls Aloud singles chronology
"I'll Stand by You"
(2004)		 "Wake Me Up"
(2005)		 "Long Hot Summer"
(2005)
Music video
"Wake Me Up" on YouTube

"Wake Me Up" is a song recorded by British girl group Girls Aloud from their second studio album, What Will the Neighbours Say? (2004). It was released by Polydor Records on 21 February 2005, as the fourth and final single from the album. The song had been initially considered as the lead single, however, it was deemed to sound too harsh and the record company did not want to take the risk. The track was written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, Tim Powell, Shawn Lee, Lisa Cowling, Paul Woods and Yusra Maru'e. "Wake Me Up" is a pop rock song composed of a "garage rock guitar riff".[1] It received mixed reviews from music critics. While some described it as predictable, others wrote that it appeared to be an attempt to recapture the sound of some of their previous release. Alex Kapranos, the lead singer of indie rock band Franz Ferdinand, said "Wake Me Up" inspired the band to work with producer Brian Higgins.

"Wake Me Up" debuted and peaked at number 4 on the UK Singles Chart, and became the band's first single to miss the top three. The song also peaked inside the top ten in Ireland, but missed the top ten in Europe. The accompanying music video was directed by Harvey & Carolyn, and portrays the band as rocker chicks as they ride motorcycles along a desert road. "Wake Me Up" has been performed on all of the group's concert tours, and also in a few live television appearances, including twice at the Top of the Pops, where Harley Davidson lent motorbikes for the members to use for the first performance, and at Today with Des and Mel. In 2005, "Wake Me Up" won the award for the Popjustice £20 Music Prize, an annual prize awarded by a panel of judges organised by music website Popjustice to the singer(s) of the best British pop single of the past year.

Background and release

"We've been interested in Brian for years. His production of Girls Aloud's Wake Me Up first caught my attention. I remember thinking: 'What the hell is that? It's amazing'. There was something about their sound which was immediate but dangerous - rare in a girl group. It was really edgy."

—Alex Kapranos, the lead singer of indie rock band Franz Ferdinand, says the song inspired the band to work with "Wake Me Up" producer Brian Higgins.[2]

Following a brief hiatus, Polydor Records enlisted Brian Higgins and Xenomania to produce Girls Aloud's second album in its entirety, following the success of their debut album.[3] Higgins explained that Polydor were not going to continue with the group's contract unless he produced songs for the album.[4] He continued, saying that his initial reaction was that he thought he would only be required to produce a couple of songs, however Polydor insisted that he produce the album in its entirety and that they thought only he understood what they wanted.[4] The album was recorded from April to September 2004, with the lead single being released in June 2004.[5]

For the lead single from What Will the Neighbours Say?, Polydor presented the band four singles choices, including "The Show", "Wake Me Up", "Graffiti My Soul", and "Androgynous Girls". Although "Wake Me Up" was the preferred choice, and also Sarah Harding's favorite from the album,[5] it was deemed to sound too harsh and the record company did not want to take the risk.[5] They also added "Androgynous Girls" as a b-side to the album's second single three months later.[5] "The pressure to come up with singles was, as always, immense. But [...] we were able to have a lot of fun working on ideas that were maybe a little too odd to be on the radio," Higgins said.[3] They decided to release "The Show", which was debuted on 28 June 2004, less than six months after the release of "Jump".[5]

"Wake Me Up" was eventually released as the fourth and final single from the album on 21 February 2005.[5] The first verse was recorded on the last day of sessions for What Will the Neighbours Say?.[5] Kimberley Walsh's "dressed up and put on my make up" line was considered a "pivotal" point in the recording process.[5] "Wake Me Up" was released on two CD single formats, as well as an additional 7" picture disc. The first disc included a remix of Girls Aloud's previous single, a cover version of The Pretenders' "I'll Stand by You".[6] The second CD format included the Tony Lamezma's Love Affair remix of "Wake Me Up", as well as an exclusive b-side:[7] the previously unreleased ballad, entitled "History", which was co-written by the band.[8] The 7" picture disc includes the Gravitas Club Mix of "Wake Me Up" and another new b-side:[9] another ballad, "Loving Is Easy", which was also co-written by Girls Aloud.[10] It only appeared on vinyl until its inclusion on the special edition rarities disc of Girls Aloud's first greatest hits album, The Sound of Girls Aloud, along with a demo version of "Wake Me Up", which features an alternate first verse.[11]

Composition and critical reception

Described as having a garage rock inspired guitar riff,[1][12] "Wake Me Up" is a fast-paced pop rock song that "marries a garage rock guitar sound to strange, almost Aphex Twin-like sound effects."[12] It was reported that Girls Aloud were going to re-record the song because "ducers are wary of playing the song on children's TV in its unaltered form."[13] Alexis Petridis of The Guardian said that the song sounds like what would happen if "you married an alarmingly fast techno thud to an implausibly dumb three-chord garage rock riff."[1] A BBC Music critic, however, deemed the track, along with "Deadlines & Diets" and "I Say a Prayer for You", a "fairly predictable mix of well-produced tunes covering the various pop styles and themes."[14] Reviewing Girls Aloud's first greatest hits album, Paul Scott of Stylus Magazine said that "Wake Me Up", "Long Hot Summer" (2005) and "Something Kinda Ooooh" (2006), "all feel, to varying degrees, like attempts to recapture [the] seductive bludgeoning" of "The Show".[15] In 2005, "Wake Me Up" won the award for the Popjustice £20 Music Prize, an annual prize awarded by a panel of judges organised by music website Popjustice to the singer(s) of the best British pop single of the past year.[16]

Music video

The music video for "Wake Me Up" was directed by Harvey & Carolyn.[17] It opens with Harding pulling down her bike helmet, followed by the helmeted faces of all five band members being shown with a title screen. The girls' helmets fly off their heads as they get on their motorcycles. At the front, the girls' names are on them. In subsequent scenes, the band members are shown racing on motorcycles along a desert road. Following the topic of the song, the members are seen applying fake tattoos, painting their nails, and blow-drying their hair, all still while riding on their motorcycles. At one point, the girls dismount from their bikes to dance, but eventually they return to the motorcycles and ride off into the distance.

Live performances

Girls Aloud performed "Wake Me Up" on Top of the Pops on 28 January 2005.[18] Harley Davidson lent motorbikes for the members to use for the performance.[5] The band performed the track on the programme again on 4 March 2005.[19] It was also performed on Today with Des and Mel,[20] and at V Festival 2008.[21] Girls Aloud have included "Wake Me Up" in all of their tours. For their debut tour, 2005's What Will the Neighbours Say...? Tour, the group performed the song in schoolgirl uniforms.[22] For 2006's Chemistry Tour, it was performed as part of a medley alongside Chemistry album track "Wild Horses".[23] It was also performed during 2007's The Greatest Hits Tour.[24] On 2008's Tangled Up Tour, "Wake Me Up" was performed in a medley with "Walk This Way",[25] and on 2009's Out of Control Tour, the song was included in a greatest hits medley which closed the concerts.[26] In 2013, the song was performed during the Ten: The Hits Tour.[27]

Formats and track listings

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Wake Me Up".

Personnel

Chart performance

On the week ending on 27 February 2005, "Wake Me Up" debuted at number four on the UK Singles Chart with first-week sales of 16,351 copies, becoming Girls Aloud's eighth top five single but their first single to miss the top three.[28] It fell to number ten the following week.[29] "Wake Me Up" is Girls Aloud 18th best-selling single in the United Kingdom.[30] In Ireland, the single debuted and peaked at number six,[31] falling to number 11 the following week.[32] "Wake Me Up" failed to debut at the top ten in Europe, peaking at number 13 on the European Hot 100 Singles.[28]

Charts

References

  1. 1 2 3 Petridis, Alexis (26 November 2004). "Girls Aloud, What Will The Neighbours Say?". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 May 2006.
  2. ↑ Robinson, Peter (17 September 2007). "Are Xenomania putting together the greatest girlgroup of all time?". Popjustice. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
  3. 1 2 Savage, Mark (24 May 2005). "The Hitmakers: Xenomania". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 30 September 2009.
  4. 1 2 Soteriou, Andreas (13 April 2010). "Brian Higgins: The Pop Don't Stop". Ponystep. Archived from the original on 11 February 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Robinson, Peter (2009). "Love Machine". The Singles Boxset (Booklet). Girls Aloud. London, England: Fascination Records. pp. 20–21.
  6. 1 2 "Girls Aloud - Wake Me Up (CD, Single)". Discogs. Zink Media Inc. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
  7. 1 2 "Girls Aloud - Wake Me Up (CD, Maxi, Enh)". Discogs. Zink Media Inc. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
  8. ↑ "History (Legal Title)". Broadcast Music Incorporated. Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
  9. 1 2 "Girls Aloud - Wake Me Up (7", Pic, Ltd)". Discogs. Zink Media Inc. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
  10. ↑ "Loving Is Easy (Legal Title)". Broadcast Music Incorporated. Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
  11. ↑ "The Sound Of Girls Aloud - The Greatest Hits (Special Edition)". Discogs. Zink Media Inc. Retrieved 12 February 2009.
  12. 1 2 3 Murphy, John (November 2004). "Girls Aloud - What Will The Neighbours Say? (Polydor)". MusicOMH. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
  13. ↑ Daniel Saney (10 January 2005). "Girls Aloud to alter offensive line". Digital Spy. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved 28 February 2009.
  14. ↑ Hooper, David (29 November 2004). "Girls Aloud, What Will The Neighbours Say?". BBC Music. BBC. Retrieved 28 February 2009.
  15. ↑ Scott, Paul (8 January 2007). "Girls Aloud The Sound of Girls Aloud Fascination/Polydor 2006". Stylus Magazine. Retrieved 27 March 2010.
  16. ↑ Robinson, Peter. "The Popjustice Twenty Quid Music Prize". Popjustice. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  17. ↑ Wake Me Up (CD liner). Girls Aloud. Polydor Records. 2005.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ↑ "Girl's loud arrival". Daily Mirror. Trinity Mirror. 28 January 2005. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  19. ↑ "Cheryl's not Aloud in bed". Daily Mirror. Trinity Mirror. 4 March 2005. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  20. ↑ "Episode 5". Today with Des and Mel. Episode 5. London. 24 February 2005. 50 minutes in. Granada Productions. ITV1.
  21. ↑ "Girls Aloud cover Robyn at V Festival". NME. IPC Media. 16 August 2008. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  22. ↑ Karrington, Kelly (11 July 2007). "A review of Girls Aloud's What Will the Neighbours Say? Tour". Yahoo! Voices. Yahoo!. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
  23. ↑ Deacon, Michael (24 May 2006). "Loveable Girls just want to have fun". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 24 April 2010.
  24. ↑ "Right flappers: Girls Aloud step out as showgirls". Evening Standard. Daily Mail and General Trust. 28 May 2007. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 24 April 2010.
  25. ↑ Levine, Nick (20 May 2008). "Girls Aloud: The good, the bad and the bawdy". Digital Spy. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
  26. ↑ Rosney, Daniel. "An indepth feature review on the opening of the Girls Aloud tour of 2008". DanielRosney.com. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
  27. ↑ Corner, Lewis (22 February 2013). "Girls Aloud begin 'Ten' UK tour in Newcastle - pictures". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
  28. 1 2 "Hits of the World". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 12 March 2005. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  29. ↑ "Archive Chart - 12th March 2005". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 February 2009.
  30. ↑ Kreisler, Lauren (18 October 2012). "Girls Aloud crowned the biggest selling girl group of the 21st Century". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  31. ↑ "Top 50 singles, week ending 24 February 2005". Irish Singles Chart. Irish Recorded Music Association. 24 February 2005. Archived from the original on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  32. ↑ "Top 50 singles, week ending 3 March 2005". Irish Singles Chart. Irish Recorded Music Association. 3 March 2005. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  33. ↑ "Hits of the World: Eurocharts". Billboard. Vol. 117, no. 11. 12 March 2005. p. 47.
  34. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Wake Me Up". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  35. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
  36. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
  37. ↑ "The Official UK Singles Chart 2005" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
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