Drowning (Backstreet Boys song)

"Drowning" is a song by American boy band Backstreet Boys, released on September 25, 2001, as the only single from their compilation album, The Hits – Chapter One.

"Drowning"
Single by Backstreet Boys
from the album The Hits – Chapter One
B-side	"Back to Your Heart"
Released	September 25, 2001 (2001-09-25)
Recorded	July 1^[1]  – September 2000^[2]
Studio	Polar, Cherion (Stockholm, Sweden)
Genre	Pop
Length	4:28
Label	Jive
Songwriter(s)	Andreas Carlsson Linda Thompson Rami
Producer(s)	Kristian Lundin Rami
Backstreet Boys singles chronology
"More than That" (2001) "Drowning" (2001) "Incomplete" (2005)
Music video
"Drowning" on YouTube

Background

The song was written by Andreas Carlsson, Rami and Linda Thompson, and produced by Rami and Kristian Lundin. The song was initially recorded for the Black & Blue album but was excluded due to the limited track listings left.^{[citation needed]} Several elements of the song, such as the piano intro and the chorus, are very similar to "Långsamt farväl" released by the Swedish artist Mauro Scocco in 1997. Andreas Carlsson, co-writer of "Drowning", sang backing vocals on Lisa Nilsson's version of "Långsamt farväl" released in 2003.^[3] In Finland, "Drowning" was compared to the 1995 song "Älä sano huomisesta" by Hausmylly.^[4]

Country remixes of the song were also recorded, produced by Dann Huff.^[5]

Chart performance

The song peaked at number 28 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on November 13, 2001. It reached the top ten in several European countries, reaching number three in Sweden, number four in the UK, and number five in Norway.

Music videos

Official version

The official music video was directed by Nigel Dick, who directed their music videos for "As Long as You Love Me" and "All I Have to Give".^[6] It featured the band gathered around monuments and an old building resembling a church.

The video is notable for its frequent used of the contre-jour technique, which puts the subject directly against the source of light, thus giving a clear, dark outline of the figure. In the video, the group are often seen as silhouettes moving and singing against the background. This was filmed in Los Angeles.^{[citation needed]}

Unreleased version

Before the final video was produced, a different concept was in production. The concept was eventually abandoned and the official video was produced instead. One of the preliminary cuts of this original video was leaked to the public. This video was done, then canceled and replaced by the end of the month.^{[citation needed]}

It features the band members dressed in black outfits, which can be seen in the photograph on the CD single cover.^{[citation needed]} The video was shot mainly using green screen to place the band on an arid salt flat. The sun is initially shining, but dark clouds quickly fill the sky in the first chorus, and it begins to rain in the second verse. A flood of water fills the area and the storm continues to get worse. At the key change, and at the end of the song, the band members are hit with a large wave. Through the rest of the video they simply sing in a shallow depth of water.^{[citation needed]}

Track listings

UK CD1^[7] "Drowning" (short radio edit) – 4:10 "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" (Sharp London vocal mix) – 7:58 "I Want It That Way" (Morales club version) – 7:25 UK CD2^[8] "Drowning" (radio edit) – 4:13 "Drowning" (Dezrok radio mix) – 4:04 "Drowning" (Rizzo & Harris radio mix) – 4:02 "Drowning" (video) – 4:32 UK cassette single^[9] "Drowning" (radio edit) – 4:13 "As Long as You Love Me" (Jason Nevins radio mix) – 3:38 "All I Have to Give" (Soul Solution club mix) – 7:36

European CD single^[10] "Drowning" – 4:25 "Back to Your Heart" – 4:21 Australian CD single^[11] "Drowning" – 4:25 "Back to Your Heart" – 4:21 "Shape of My Heart" (video) – 3:50 Japanese CD single^[12] "Drowning" (album version) "The One" (album version) "Drowning" (TV track) "The One" (instrumental)

Personnel

• Kristian Lundin – producer, recording engineer, mix engineer
• Rami – producer, recording engineer, mix engineer
• John Amatiello – assistant recording engineer, Pro Tools engineer
• Thomas Lindberg – bass
• Esbjörn Öhrwall – guitar
• Jonathan Lindström – pedal steel guitar
• Tom Coyne – mastering

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Drowning" Chart (2001–2002) Peak position Australia (ARIA)^[13] 49 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[14] 9 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[15] 20 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)^[16] 4 Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)^[17] 11 Denmark (Tracklisten)^[18] 4 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)^[19] 12 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)^[20] 10 Germany (Official German Charts)^[21] 11 Ireland (IRMA)^[22] 10 Italy (FIMI)^[23] 10 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[24] 18 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[25] 13 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[26] 27 Nicaragua (Notimex)^[27] 1 Norway (VG-lista)^[28] 5 Portugal (AFP)^[29] 3 Romania (Romanian Top 100)^[30] 10 Scotland (OCC)^[31] 8 Spain (PROMUSICAE)^[32] 5 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[33] 3 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[34] 13 UK Singles (OCC)^[35] 4 UK Indie (OCC)^[36] 1 US Billboard Hot 100^[37] 28 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)^[38] 6 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)^[39] 40 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)^[40] 12

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Drowning" Chart (2001) Position Brazil (Crowley)^[41] 83 Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)^[42] 158 Canada Radio (Nielsen BDS)^[43] 71 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[44] 77 Romania (Romanian Top 100)^[30] 87 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[45] 27 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[46] 94 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)^[47] 90 Chart (2002) Position Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)^[48] 141 Canada Radio (Nielsen BDS)^[49] 42 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)^[50] 18

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "Drowning"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)^[51]	Gold	35,000^‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)^[52]	Gold	30,000^‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)^[53]	Gold	4,000^^
Norway (IFPI Norway)^[54]	Gold
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Drowning"

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	September 25, 2001	Contemporary hit rhythmic contemporary radio	Jive	^[55]
Australia	November 5, 2001	CD		^[56]
United Kingdom	December 31, 2001	CD cassette		^[57]
Japan	October 23, 2002	CD		^[58]

In popular culture

"Drowning" and their other single "The One" were both licensed and used in the 2002–2003 anime television series Hanada Shōnen Shi. "Drowning" was used for the ending theme, while "The One" was the opening theme.^[59]

References

1. Manning, Kara (June 30, 2000). "Howie D. Chats About Candid BSB Photo Book". MTV News. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
2. MTV News Staff (September 19, 2000). "Backstreet Boys To Get "Black And Blue" On New LP". MTV News. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
3. "Personlig tillbakablick" [Personal Retrospective] (PDF). Groove (in Swedish). No. 2. 2003. p. 14. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
4. "Plagioiko Backstreet Boys Hausmyllyä?" [Did the Backstreet Boys Plagiarize Hausmylly?]. Findance.com (in Finnish). September 28, 2007. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
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9. Drowning (UK cassette single sleeve). Backstreet Boys. Jive Records, Trans Continental Records. 2001. 9252864.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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12. Drowning (Japanese CD single liner notes). Backstreet Boys. Jive Records. 2001. ZJCI-30022.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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59. Anime News Network