The Promise (Girls Aloud song)

Infobox Single
Name = The Promise

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Artist = Girls Aloud
from Album = Out of Control
B-side = She
Girl Overboard (Live at The O2)
Released = 19 October 2008 (download)
20 October 2008 (CD)
Format = CD
Digital download
7" Picture Disc
Recorded = London, England
Genre = Pop
Length = 3:41
Label = Fascination
Writer =
Producer = Xenomania
Last single = "Can't Speak French"
(2008)
This single = "The Promise"
(2008)
Next single =

"The Promise" is the nineteenth single by the British girl group Girls Aloud, and the first single to be taken from the band's fifth studio album "Out of Control". cite news | url=http://www.girlsaloud.co.uk/ | title=The Promise | work=Girls Aloud | date=2008-09-11 | accessdate=2008-09-11 ] It will be released as a download on 19 October 2008 and on CD on 20 October 2008. cite news | url=http://www.girlsaloud.co.uk/ | title=The Promise - Newsflash! | work=Girls Aloud | date=2008-10-03 | accessdate=2008-10-07 ]

Release and reception

"The Promise" premièred on Switch on BBC Radio 1 on 14 September 2008, [ cite web | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/switch/annieandnick/show.shtml | title=This Week's Show | publisher=BBC | accessdate=2008-09-07 ] and has been described by the band's website as a "stormer of a track". Originally scheduled for release on 27 October 2008, the release was inexplicably brought forward a week. Girls Aloud performed "The Promise" on Jo Whiley's Live Lounge, as well as a cover of Timbaland and OneRepublic's "Apologize". [ cite web | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/livelounge/artist/080925_girlsaloud_tour08.shtml | title=Girls Aloud - Live Lounge Tour 2008 | work=BBC Radio 1 | publisher=BBC | date=2008-09-25 | accessdate=2008-09-26 ] Nadine Coyle was not present, as she was ill with shingles. [ cite web | url=http://www.rte.ie/arts/2008/0926/coylen.html | title=Nadine Coyle suffering from shingles | work=Rte.ie | publisher=Radio Telefís Éireann | date=2008-09-26 | accessdate=2008-09-26 ]

The song is notable for its 1960s influence. cite web | url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/a130269/girls-aloud-are-back.html | title=Girls Aloud are back! | author=Nick Levine | work=Digital Spy | publisher=Hachette Filipacchi Médias | date=2008-09-15 | accessdate=2008-09-16 ] "The Promise" has been called "a 60s-influenced pop gem given a contemporary Girls Aloud twist." [ cite web | url=http://www.inthenews.co.uk/infocus/entertainment/football-clubs/music/girls-aloud-promise-$1242777.htm | title=Girls Aloud: The Promise | work=InTheNews.co.uk | date=2008-09-29 | accessdate-2008-09-30 ] It has also received comparisons to Girls Aloud's previous single, "Can't Speak French". Digital Spy referred to the single as "a cute, wistful pop song" with "some nice Spectorish touches in the production and a lovely, classic-sounding melody." "The Guardian", however, felt the song was "disappointing" because "Girls Aloud's producers have always been capable of making exciting and innovative pop music". [ cite web | url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2008/oct/06/girls.aloud.promise | title=Girls Aloud need a history lesson | author=Rebecca Nicholson | work=The Guardian | publisher=Guardian Media Group | date=2008-10-06 | accessdate=2008-10-06 ]

Music video

Filming for "The Promise" music video was on 15 September 2008. [ cite episode | title= [http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00dcd25 Switch: 14/09/2008] | series=BBC Switch | airdate=2008-09-14 ] The video premièred on AOL's website on 25 September 2008. [ cite news | url=http://www.girlsaloud.co.uk/ | title=See the video for The Promise! | work=Girls Aloud | date=2008-09-25 | accessdate=2008-09-25 ] [ cite video | url=http://video.aol.co.uk/music-videos/the-promise--girls-aloud/browseby/2254341 | title=The Promise | people=Girls Aloud | publisher=AOL Video - AOL UK | accessdate=2008-09-27 ] The music video was filmed by Trudy Bellinger for Merge @ Crossroads Films, and produced by Golden Square. cite web | url=http://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=11474 | title=Golden Square turns Girls Aloud into big screen divas for The Promise | work=Digital Arts Online | publisher=IDG | date=2008-09-30 | accessdate=2008-09-30 ] They had just over three days to produce an open air drive-in movie theatre using Flame and studio footage of five cars. Girls Aloud also reportedly auditioned the male actors in the music video. [ cite web | url=http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/lifestyle-fashion/stylenews/girlsaloud-5593.html | title=Girls Aloud in 50s style video | work=Female First | publisher=Play-2-Win Ltd | date=2008-09-29 | accessdate=2008-09-30 ]

In the music video, Girls Aloud are at a '50s-and-'60s-inspired drive-in movie theatre. Cheryl Cole has a loose beehive hairstyle, while Nicola Roberts has a bouffant style and Sarah Harding channels the famous '60s model Twiggy. [ cite web | url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1063570/Just-supreme-Girls-Aloud-swing-Sixties-new-video.html | title=Just supreme: Girls Aloud swing back to the Sixties for their new video | work=Daily Mail | publisher=Associated Newspapers Ltd | date=2008-09-29 | accessdate=2008-09-29 ] The drive-in is actually playing a black-and-white film of Girls Aloud performing "The Promise" in shimmering sequined dresses. [ cite web | url=http://www.metro.co.uk/fame/article.html?Girls_Aloud_swing_back_to_the_sixties&in_article_id=328371&in_page_id=7 | title=Grls Aloud swing back to the sixties | author=Andrei Harmsworth | work=Metro | publisher=Associated Newspapers Ltd | date=2008-09-26 | accessdate=2008-09-26 ] They are performing with a band and imitating girl groups such as The Supremes. [ cite web | url=http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/music/article1738161.ece | title=Girls Aloud step back in time | author=Nadie Mendoza | work=The Sun | publisher=News International | date=2008-09-26 | accessdate=2008-09-26 ] Meanwhile, at the drive-in, other male customers flirt with Girls Aloud. Sarah Harding gets out of the car and walks in front of the screen to sing her "Here I am, walking Primrose..." verse, while the other girls laugh and Kimberley Walsh sounds her horn at Harding. Girls Aloud occasionally sing along with their lines as well. The music video features flickering and flashes to emulate films of the time.

Track listings and formats

An exclusive remix of "The Promise" by Jason Nevins will be available on iTunes, while the CD single will feature a brand new b-side entitled "She". [ cite web | url=http://www.mtv.co.uk/channel/mtvuk/news/445454-girls-aloud-announce-new-single | title=Girls Aloud announce new single | author=Tom Thorogood | work=MTV News | publisher=MTV | date=2008-09-12 | accessdate=2008-09-12 ] [ cite web | url=http://www.girlsaloud.co.uk/site.php | title=The Promise - Full Info! | work=Girls Aloud | date=2008-10-07 | accessdate=2008-10-07 ] A limited edition picture disc will be available exclusively through Girls Aloud's official website, featuring a live performance of "Girl Overboard" as the b-side. cite web | url=http://girlsaloud.trinitystreetdirect.com/store/page4.asp?suptype=1&t=1&sub_type=1&prod_id=257&col=30 | title=7" Picture Disc | work=Girls Aloud | date=2008-10-02 | accessdate=2008-10-02 ]

Live performances

The band performed the track live at the following events:

* BBC Radio 1: Jo Whiley's Live Lounge

References