Fighter (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Fighter


Artist = Christina Aguilera
Album = Stripped
B-side =
Released = March 18, 2003
Format = CD single
Recorded = The Enterprise Studios
(Burbank, California)
Conway Studios
(Hollywood, Los Angeles, California)
Genre = Pop rock
Length = 4:05
Label = RCA
Writer = Christina Aguilera, Scott Storch
Producer = Scott Storch
Certification = Gold (ARIA)
Last single = "Beautiful"
(2002)
This single = "Fighter"
(2003)
Next single = "Can't Hold Us Down"
(2003)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Type = single


Lower caption = U.S. / Canada Cover

"Fighter" is the third single written by Christina Aguilera and Scott Storch for Aguilera's second album "Stripped". Released in 2003, the single peaked at number twenty on the Billboard Hot 100, where it became Aguilera's ninth U.S. top-twenty single. "Fighter" also reached number three in the United Kingdom and Canada, and number five in Australia.

Composition and inspiration

"Fighter" was written by Aguilera and Scott Storch and produced by Storch. It features Dave Navarro on guitar.In her first single to bear elements of rock music, a seemingly dissatisfied Aguilera seems to bemoan and scream of a man who apparently did her wrong. However, in a surprising twist, she does not want to complain or insult him; in fact, she wants to thank him. Aguilera wrote the song about her father, who abandoned her family. There were some rumors that the song was also written about [Eminem] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eminem] . [Moss, Corey. [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1470505/20030312/aguilera_christina.jhtml "Christina's Dark, Moth-Filled New Video Is About Empowerment"] . MTV News. March 13, 2003. Retrieved April 27, 2007.]

"Fighter" is also one of Aguilera's most popular songs, as it became the official anthem for the 2003 NBA Playoffs and was heard daily during the NBA Finals commercials by millions of viewers. An official video was even shot for the NBA Finals featuring Aguilera doing choreography with her dancers on a basketball court. Also, in 2007, "American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks sang this song at the finale.

Chart performance

"Fighter" proved to be a moderate success in the United States, peaking within the top twenty of both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Hot 100 Airplay."Fighter" entered the Billboard Hot 100 at #40, it moved to #23 the following week and moved up three more spaces the next week to number 20, where it peaked for a month, before dropping from the chart.

Internationally, the song proved even more successful, peaking within the top five in both the UK and Canada, while going top twenty in most European nations; it reached number five in Australia, number fourteen in New Zealand, and just missing the top spot at number two in Israel. The single has sold over 3,540,000 copies worldwide.Fact|date=October 2008

In 2006 Fighter was certified Gold by the RIAA for selling over 500,000 digital downloads.Fact|date=October 2008

Music video

The music video, directed by Floria Sigismondi, is known for being one of Aguilera's most unusual. In it, she is wearing a black velvet kimono, with a pale complexion, and long black hair, resembling that of someone who follows gothic fashion. Three pins are lodged in her back, making her hunch. Initially, she is trapped in a glass box, and her kimono is billowing like a balloon. Three gothic ballerinas eat fruit and then collapse. Aguilera then breaks free from the box by pounding on it until it breaks.

Aguilera tosses aside her kimono after furiously removing the pins on her back and throwing them away. A tattered, white, moth-covered dress is revealed, symbolising her metaphoric evolution from a larva to a pupa. In addition, her hair becomes white, and moths fly on to her.

Near the end, Aguilera wears an Elvira-type spider dress, again proclaiming that she is a fighter. At the very end of the video, she kicks the TV camera.

This video shows the metamorphosis of Aguilera's slow, yet steady progression of her inner-strength, from being heartbroken, to becoming unbreakable.

"Fighter" was also a huge success on TRL. Debuting at number 6 on April 9, 2003, and hitting number one sixteen times while retiring at number 6, spending fifty days on the countdown in the summer of 2003.

Formats and track listings

CD Maxi-CD
#"Fighter" [Album Version] — 4:05
#"Fighter" [Freelance Hellraiser "Thug Pop" Extended Edit] — 5:11
#"Beautiful" [Valentin Club Remix] — 5:51
#"Fighter" [Video]

UK Maxi-CD
#Fighter [Original Version] 4:09
#Fighter [Freelance Hellraiser Thug Pop Mix] 5:13
#Beautiful [Valentin Mix] 5:55

UK & Ireland DVD, Single
#Fighter [Video] 4:15
#Fighter 4:13
#Beautiful [Valentin Club Mix] 6:00

UK Vinyl, 12", Promo
#Fighter [Freelance Hellraiser Full Club Remix]
#Fighter [Freelance Hellraiser Radio Mix]
#Fighter [Freelance Hellraiser Full Dub]

Remixes

* Instrumental (Unreleased In-House Promo)
* Bad Mamajama Club Mix / Hani Club Remix 6:10
* Bad Mamajama Radio Mix / Hani Radio Remix 3:31
* Freelance Hellraiser Thug Pop Mix — 5:13
* Freelance Hellraiser Full Club Remix
* Freelance Hellraiser Radio Edit
* Freelance Hellraiser Full Dub
* Friburn & Urik Dub — 10:13

Charts

{| class="wikitable sortable"!align="center"|Chart (2003) [Chart peak positions:
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:gcfoxqyjldje~T51 Christina Aguilera's Charts & Awards - Billboard Singles]
* [http://www.musicsquare.net/charts/song/136 Christina Aguilera - Fighter] "Musicsquare.net"
* [http://www.apcchart.com/ Apcchart.com]
* [http://www.mariah-charts.com/chartdata/PChristinaAguilera.htm/ Christina Aguilera] "Mariah-charts.com"] !align="center"|Peak
position
-
align="left"|Italian Singles Chart
align="center"|15
-
align="left"|New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart
align="center"|14
-
align="left"|Norwegian Singles Chart
align="center"|12
-
align="left"|Spanish Singles Chart
align="center"|15
-
align="left"|Swedish Singles Chart
align="center"|12
-
align="left"|Swiss Singles Chart
align="center"|11
-
align="left"|UK Singles Chart
align="center"|3
-
align="left"|Euro 200 Single Chart
align="center"|3
-
align="left"|U.S. "Billboard" Hot 100
align="center"|20
-
align="left"|U.S. "Billboard" Top 40 Mainstream
align="center"|5
-
align="left"|U.S. "Billboard" Top 40 Tracks
align="center"|9
-
align="left"|United World Chart
align="center"|3
-

References