- Missing You (The Saturdays song)
-
"Missing You" 
Single by The Saturdays from the album Headlines! B-side "Ready to Rise" Released 5 August 2010 Format CD single, digital download Recorded 2010 Genre Electropop, synthpop Length 3:42 Label Fascination Writer(s) Lukas Hilbert, Alexander Kronlund Producer James Reynolds
Lukas Hilbert (co-producer)The Saturdays singles chronology "Ego"
(2010)"Missing You"
(2010)"Higher"
(2010)"Missing You" is a song performed by British-Irish girl group The Saturdays, taken from their first mini album, Headlines!. Written by Alexander Kronlund and Lukas Hilbert with production from Hilbert and James Reynolds, the song was released as the collection's lead single on 5 August as a digital download and on 9 August as a CD single. The lyrics centre around being in a relationship where the passion has died, but still being addicted to the love that used to exist. It features an electropop production, incorporating elements of trance and synthpop. The group described the song as "an updated version of their sound" and was fun to record and experiment with. "Missing You is more out-there than that rest of [Headlines!]."[1]
The single received mostly negative reception from critics who criticised the decision to release "Missing You" as a single, for using auto-tuned vocals and the song's production, which lacked energy. An accompanying music video features scenes of the group dancing on a beach in Málaga, Spain. It charted in Ireland at number six but in the UK it faired better, reaching number three, beaten by Eminem and Flo Rida. It is the second time that the group have lost out to the US rapper in chart battle although it is their fourth top-ten hit in Ireland and seventh in the UK. The official remix features British grime artist, rapper and songwriter Professor Green.
Contents
Composition
"Missing You" is an electropop song incorporating elements of trance and synthpop.[2] It was written by Lukas Hilbert and Alexander Kronlund.[3] According to the group "it's about being in a relationship where the passion has gone – so you're missing that spark. It's quite deep, actually, for a pop song."[1] The critics also agreed, calling the lyrics "surprisingly dark".[4] It has also been described as "experimental" and an "updated version" of the their previous sound.[1] The production was described as "pretty" but "limp" as the "melody is traded for a random 'miss, missing you' refrain". Some of the group also make use of Auto-Tune on their vocals,[2] mainly Frankie Sandford, whilst Mollie King uses the natural croak in her voice and Vanessa White's vocals had a nasal tone.[5]
Critical reception
"Missing You" received generally negative comments from the critics who criticised the use of Auto-Tuned vocals and said that the production was lacking, making the choice to release it is a single confusing. Ollie Meakings of TeenToday felt that the song fell short of what was needed to help them "reclaim their home near the top of the charts." He said "It needed to sound big, with obnoxious production, great vocals and an actual melody ... Instead it’s a quite-pretty but ultimately limp and lacklustre effort ... [with] some terrible autotone ... and a trance-y backdrop that never quite reaches the places it promises."[2] Natalie Edwarss of The Daily Star agreed calling the single dull. "HAVE you ever been tempted by a scrumptious cake topped with lots of whipped cream and sparkley sprinkles? Then as you take a bite you realise it’s actually a bit stale and nowhere as delicious as its appearance promised ... take a listen to The Saturday’s new single ... and you’ll realise exactly what we mean. All the ingredients are there – and there’s no denying their vocal ability – but it fails at the last hurdle by making a lasting impression."[6] Tony Falls of Virgin Media was also highly critical of the song awarding it zero out of ten. "Never have a group got by with so little a contribution to music, but so big a contribution to rolling back feminist progress. 'Missing You' sounds like an album track. Not something you’d hear as a comeback track that would uplift your lost consciousness about the girls’ disappearance. The idea of shooting the video in Spain for this type of song is a nice choice, but Frankie is overly tanned. Please kill me. A vacuous set of reviews for a vacuous group of girls."[7]
However Fraser McAlpine gave the song a mixed review, awarding it three out of five stars. He pointed out that fans of the group would be divided on the song. "Something hidden deep in the song's DNA is engagingly bad, or worryingly good, and it's got everyone's quality alarms jangling like a wind-chime in a hurricane ... [There is a moment of] appreciation for the bit where they sing "begging to get back together" ... It's slow, moody, ponderous, a little bit boring at times, but when it gets to that bit, it's ... the good bit." He also called the song a "grower"[5] Nick Levine of Digital Spy gave the song a positive review saying, "'Missing You' is a post-break-up song with a modishly rave-tinged production... and after a few spins the chorus wiggles into your brain like a tapeworm that missed the turning marked 'digestive tract' ... The charts? Sorted. Your hearts? Well, that's a matter of personal preference of course, but, the odd rocky patch excepted, they've had ours since 'Up'."[4]
Chart performance
Upon digital release the single debuted in Ireland at number forty-two.[8] Then upon CD release, "Missing You" became the group's fourth top-ten hit by peaking at number six.[9][10] It is the group's joint-best charting single in Ireland and the second single to chart at number six, after "Just Can't Get Enough" reached the same position back in March 2009.[11] On 14 August 2010, the single debuted in Scotland at number two.[12] Then a day later, "Missing You" debuted at number three on the UK Singles Chart,[13] despite being tipped to take the number one spot according to mid week figures.[14] It was beaten by Flo Rida's "Club Can't Handle Me" and "Love the Way You Lie" by Eminem and Rihanna, which respectively took the number one and number two positions. It also entered the UK Download Chart at number three.[15] It is the second single by the group to be beaten by Flo Rida in a battle for the number one chart position although, it is their seventh top-ten UK hit.[16]
Music video
Background and synopsis
The music video was shot at the end of May 2010, in Málaga, Spain[1] and later premiered June 26 on the group's official website.[17] Of the video shoot, the group said "Every time we'd turned round, our dresses would get stuck to our legs! That was a nightmare. It was either that or slipping over."[1] The video was shot by director Chris Cottam.
One frame of the video for "Missing You" where The Saturdays are seen in Summer maxi dresses, dancing on the beach in Málaga.
The video begins with footage of Frankie Sandford sitting in a tree; Mollie King is show riding a bike along a dustry road; while Vanessa White is leaning against the walls of a crumbling building; the camera flies past Rochelle Wiseman, who stands on the beach by the water's edge and Una Healy drives a convertible car along a dusty road. As the chorus plays for the first time, the cameras follow the girls as they respectively walk around their surroundings, bar Sandford who remains in the tree and White who does not move from her spot. In the verse following, King is sitting by the road side with her bike and Wiseman is seen sitting on the rocks near the water's edge. Then as the chorus breaks for the second time the girls are seen dancing a choreographed routine on a sandy beach. Each is wearing a flowing maxi dress (see image alongside). The interspliced scenes of Sandford walking through trees gained a mention in The Daily Mail. "Sandford is seen wearing a cropped white top and white shorts, Frankie walks casually through a field in the video, seemingly unaware of the attention her astonishing six pack is receiving."[18] The song's bridge mainly focusses on footage of the girls at a beach party dancing to the DJ, while the final run of the chorus sees the camera rotate around the girls as they dance on the beach. There is a brief view of the seaside villas in the background. It ends by showing the footage from the scenes at the start of the video, showing each of the girls in turn.
Reception
A reviewer from 'Osoblog.tv' was less critical of the video, instead calling it an advert for the Summer. "The band walk around on a beach and dance in a rock pool (with artful splashing) dressed in a variety of beachwear. It makes us want to go on holiday."[19] The reviewer from OK! magazine agreed saying "quite frankly the whole thing has us aching for a summer holiday" and then compared it a holiday the group might go on. "All in all it's a pretty standard summer hol for the girls who show off super toned physiques, plenty of midriff and a collection of maxi-dresses we can't help but covet."[20]
Live performances
The Saturdays have performed the single at T4 on the Beach 2010, where member of the band, Mollie King was absent from the performance, after a horsefly bite left her on crutches and thus unable to perform.[21] King was absent from a number of other performances The Saturdays performed to promote the single Festivals us that this was not Mollie, Una sang their parts.. On 1 August 2010, all of the members of The Saturdays performed on Alan Carr: Chatty Man[22] and they were interviewed on GMTV three days later.[23] On 10 August 2010 the group appeared at the Habbo Hotel in London, for a 'Meet and Greet' session in promotion of "Missing You".[24]
Track listings
- "Missing You" – 3:41
- "Ready to Rise" – 3:35
- Digital download: acoustic remix[27]
- "Missing You" (Acoustic Version) – 3:20
Credits
- A-side "Missing You"
- Recorded at Universal Studio London and Fishhead Studio, Göteborg (Sweden).[3]
- Production – Lukas Hilbert, James Reynolds (additional)
- Songwriters – Alexander Kronlund, Lukas Hilbert
- Audio mixing – James Reynolds
- Engineered – Choukri Gustmann, Ben Roulston
- Instrument programming – Lukas Hilbert
- Additional synths – James Reynolds.
- Mastering – Dick Beetham
- B-side – "Ready to Rise"
- Songwriters – Colin Campsie, Robin Lynch, Niklas Olovson, Una Healy, Mollie King, Frankie Sandford, Vanessa White, Rochelle Wiseman[30]
Categories:- The Saturdays songs
- 2010 singles
- Electropop ballads
- Synthpop songs
- Songs written by Alexander Kronlund
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
