Swear It Again

"Swear It Again" is a song by Irish boy band Westlife. The ballad[1] was released on 19 April 1999 in the United Kingdom as the first single from their debut album, Westlife (1999). The song peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks, giving Westlife their first of 14 UK number-one singles. "Swear It Again" is Westlife's only single to have charted in the US, peaking at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and ranking number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100 year-end chart in 2000.

"Swear It Again"
Standard European artwork
Single by Westlife
from the album Westlife
B-side"Forever"
Released19 April 1999 (1999-04-19)
StudioRokstone (London, England)
Length4:07
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Steve Mac
Westlife singles chronology
"Swear It Again"
(1999)		 "If I Let You Go"
(1999)
UK CD2
Music video
"Swear It Again" on YouTube
Music video
"Swear It Again (Car Wash Version)" on YouTube

The single has sold over 600,000 copies in the UK and has achieved Platinum status there. It is the band's fifth-best-selling single in combined sales and seventh-best-selling single in paid-for sales in the UK as of January 2019.[2]

Background

In Westlife - Our Story the band recalled being "excited" hearing the demo of this song saying "Wow, this is a great song. It's a big chorus, great harmonies. This is exactly what we want to be recording".[3]

"Swear It Again" is notable for being, along with "Flying Without Wings", one of the first two songs that Steve Mac wrote for both Westlife and Simon Cowell. The success of the two tracks led to Mac becoming Cowell's preferred producer and songwriter.[4] It was revealed that Cowell let his father Eric listen to all of the songs recorded by the band for their debut album to decide what would be the album's lead single, with Eric choosing "Swear It Again". Significantly, Eric died of a heart attack during the week the single was released.

The song's B-side, "Forever", was a significant choice because, as originally recorded by Damage, it first alerted Cowell to the talent of Steve Mac and then led to the producer working with Westlife.[4] It was composed in the traditional verse–chorus form in A major, with Filan and Feehily's vocal ranging from the chords of B3 to F♯5.[5]

An exclusive live track version of the single was included in the Arista Records 25th anniversary compilation album in 2000.[6]

Music video

The original version of the video was not released. Simon Cowell had spent £150,000 on it, didn't like it and ordered a re-shoot.[3]

The remade British music video features the band members in a mini theatre and singing on a stage fitted with lighting panel flooring while they face a screen with black-and-white videos of their studio recording process. This version was directed by Wayne Isham and aired in May 1999. The video was shot at Pinewood Studios in March 1999.[7] The video on YouTube has 71 million views as of May 2021.[8]

The American music video features the band members at a car wash and subsequently washing a white car as they're singing the song. This version was directed by Nigel Dick and aired in June 2000.[7] The American version of the video has 17 million views on YouTube as of July 2022.[9]

Honours and awards
YearCeremonyCategoryResult
2001 BMI AwardsPop AwardWon
2018 BillboardBest Boyband Songs of All-time (69th)Won

Track listings

Credits and personnel

Credits are lifted from the UK CD1 and Westlife liner notes.[10][19]

Studio

  • Engineered and programmed at Rokstone Studios (London, England)

Personnel

  • Steve Mac – writing, all keyboards, production, mixing, vocal arrangement
  • Wayne Hector – writing, vocal arrangement
  • Paul Gendler – all guitars
  • Richard Niles – string arrangement
  • Chris Laws – engineering, programming
  • Matt Howe – mix engineering
  • Daniel Pursey – mixing assistant

Charts

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[45] Gold 35,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[46] Gold 5,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[47] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[48] Gold 600,000[49]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref(s).
United Kingdom 19 April 1999
  • CD
  • cassette
[50][51]
United States January 2000 Contemporary hit radio Arista [52]
February 2000
  • CD
  • cassette
13 March 2000 Adult contemporary radio [53]

References
  1. Taylor, Chuck (5 February 2000). "Dublin's Darling Westlife Wins Over Europe, Aims for Success in U.S.". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 6. p. 110.
  2. Copsey, Rob (12 January 2019). "Westlife's Top 20 biggest songs on the Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  3. "Westlife: Our Story". HarperCollins Publishers. p. 96. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  4. "Interview With Steve Mac". HitQuarters. 12 April 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
  5. "25 Years of #1 Hits - Arista Records 25th Anniversary Celebration". Amazon.
  6. "Swear It Again BY WESTLIFE - DIGITAL SHEET MUSIC". Musicnotes.
  7. "Westlife artist videography". mvdbase.com. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  8. westlifeVEVO (3 October 2009), Westlife - "Swear It Again" (Official Music Video), retrieved 11 June 2019
  9. westlifeVEVO (3 October 2009), Westlife - "Swear It Again" (Official US Video), retrieved 11 June 2019
  10. Swear It Again (UK CD1 liner notes). Westlife. RCA Records, BMG. 1999. 74321 66206 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. Swear It Again (UK CD2 liner notes). Westlife. RCA Records, BMG. 1999. 74321 66207 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. Swear It Again (UK cassette single sleeve). Westlife. RCA Records, BMG. 1999. 74321 662064.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. Swear It Again (European CD single liner notes). Westlife. RCA Records, BMG. 1999. 74321 66357 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. Swear It Again (US CD single liner notes). Westlife. Arista Records, BMG. 2000. 07822-13816-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. Swear It Again (US cassette single sleeve). Westlife. Arista Records, BMG. 1999. 07822-13816-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. Swear It Again (Australian CD single liner notes). Westlife. RCA Records, BMG. 1999. 74321 66356 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. Swear It Again (Australian CD EP liner notes). Westlife. RCA Records, BMG. 1999. 74321 68416 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. Swear It Again (Japanese CD EP liner notes). Westlife. RCA Records, BMG. 1999. BVCP-28001.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. Westlife (US CD album liner notes). Westlife. Arista Records, BMG. 2000. 07822-14642-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. "Westlife – Swear It Again". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  21. "Westlife – Swear It Again" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  22. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7187." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  23. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 7226." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  24. "Hits of the World: Eurochart". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 21. 22 May 1999. p. 51. Retrieved 1 February 2014 – via Google Books.
  25. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (7.5.'99–13.5.'99)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 18 June 1999. p. 10. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  26. "Chart Track: Week 23, 1999". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  27. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 22, 1999" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  28. "Westlife – Swear It Again" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  29. "Westlife – Swear It Again". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  30. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  31. "Westlife – Swear It Again" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  32. "Westlife – Swear It Again". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  33. "Westlife – Swear It Again". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  34. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  35. "Westlife Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  36. "Westlife Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  37. "Westlife Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  38. "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1999". ARIA. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  39. "Jaaroverzichten 1999" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  40. "Jaarlijsten 1999" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  41. "End of Year Charts 1999". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  42. "Romanian Top 100: Top of the Year 1999" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on 22 January 2005.
  43. "Best Sellers of 1999: Singles Top 100". Music Week. London, England: United Business Media. 22 January 2000. p. 27.
  44. "Billboard Top 100 – 2000". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  45. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1999 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  46. "New Zealand single certifications – Westlife – Swear It Again". Recorded Music NZ.
  47. "British single certifications – Westlife – Swear It Again". British Phonographic Industry.
  48. "American single certifications – Westlife – Swear It Again". Recording Industry Association of America.
  49. "Best-Selling Records of 2000". Billboard. Vol. 113, no. 6. 10 February 2001. p. 64. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  50. (Nicky Byrne says release date is 19 April on YouTube)
  51. "New Releases – For Week Starting 19 April, 1999: Singles". Music Week. 17 April 1999. p. 27.
  52. Sexton, Paul (25 December 1999). "U.K. Awards Show Packs Retail Punch". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 52. p. 81. Tentative plans call for the single 'Swear It Again' [...] to go to radio in late January, with a commercial release a month later.
  53. "Gavin AC/Hot AC: Impact Dates". Gavin Report. No. 2295. 10 March 2000. p. 25.
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