Drowning (Backstreet Boys song)

"Drowning" is a song by American boy band Backstreet Boys, released on October 16, 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	October 16, 2001 (2001-10-16)[1]
Recorded	July 1[2]  – September 2000[3]
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

It 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.

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.[4]

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".[5] 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.

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.

It features the band members dressed in black outfits, which can be seen in the photograph on the CD single cover. 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.

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. The song was also briefly used in the 2010 animated film, Alpha and Omega.

Track listings

International "Drowning" (Radio Version) - 4:28 "Back to Your Heart" - 4:21 "Shape of My Heart" (Video) - 3:50 UK CD1 "Drowning" (Short Edit) - 4:13 "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" (Sharp London Vocal Mix) - 7:58 "I Want It That Way" (Morales Club Version) - 7:25

UK CD2 "Drowning" (Short Edit) - 4:13 "Drowning" (Dezrok Radio Mix) - 4:04 "Drowning" (Rizzo & Harris Radio Mix) - 4:02 "Drowning" (Video) - 4:32 UK promo single "Drowning" (Rizzo and Harris Club Mix) - 7:53

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2001–2002) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[6] 49 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[7] 9 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[8] 20 Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[9] 4 Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[10] 11 Denmark (Tracklisten)[11] 4 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[12] 12 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[13] 10 Germany (Official German Charts)[14] 11 Ireland (IRMA)[15] 10 Italy (FIMI)[16] 10 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[17] 18 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[18] 13 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[19] 27 Norway (VG-lista)[20] 5 Portugal (AFP)[21] 3 Romania (Romanian Top 100)[22] 10 Scotland (Official Charts Company)[23] 8 Spain (PROMUSICAE)[24] 5 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[25] 3 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 13 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[27] 4 UK Indie (Official Charts Company)[28] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[29] 28 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[30] 6 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[31] 40 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[32] 12

Year-end charts Chart (2001) Position Netherlands (Single Top 100)[33] 77 Romania (Romanian Top 100)[22] 87 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[34] 27 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[35] 94

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[36]	Gold	35,000
Norway (IFPI Norway)[37]	Gold
sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

References

1. "AllMusic: Drowning". AllMusic. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
2. Manning, Kara (June 30, 2000). "Howie D. Chats About Candid BSB Photo Book". MTV News. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
3. MTV News Staff (September 19, 2000). "Backstreet Boys To Get "Black And Blue" On New LP". MTV News. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
4. "Groove" (PDF). 2003.
5. Dick, Nigel. "Details of Backstreet Boys Videos".
6. "Australian-charts.com – Backstreet Boys – Drowning". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
7. "Austriancharts.at – Backstreet Boys – Drowning" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
8. "Ultratop.be – Backstreet Boys – Drowning" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
9. "Ultratop.be – Backstreet Boys – Drowning" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
10. "Backstreet Boys Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
11. "Danishcharts.com – Backstreet Boys – Drowning". Tracklisten. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
12. "Billboard - Google Books". November 10, 2001. Retrieved February 26, 2014 – via Google Books.
13. "Backstreet Boys: Drowning" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
14. "Offiziellecharts.de – Backstreet Boys – Drowning". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
15. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Drowning". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
16. "Italiancharts.com – Backstreet Boys – Drowning". Top Digital Download. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
17. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 45, 2001" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved September 26, 2019.
18. "Dutchcharts.nl – Backstreet Boys – Drowning" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
19. "Charts.nz – Backstreet Boys – Drowning". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
20. "Norwegiancharts.com – Backstreet Boys – Drowning". VG-lista. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
21. Billboard – Google Books. December 8, 2001. Retrieved February 14, 2012 – via Google Books.
22. "Top of the Year 2001". Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on December 9, 2002. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
23. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
24. "Spanishcharts.com – Backstreet Boys – Drowning" Canciones Top 50.
25. "Swedishcharts.com – Backstreet Boys – Drowning". Singles Top 100. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
26. "Swisscharts.com – Backstreet Boys – Drowning". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
27. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
28. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
29. "Backstreet Boys Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
30. "Backstreet Boys Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
31. "Backstreet Boys Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
32. "Backstreet Boys Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
33. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2001" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
34. "Årslista Singlar, 2001" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
35. "Swiss Year-End Charts 2001" (in German). Retrieved May 3, 2020.
36. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2018 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
37. "IFPI Norsk platebransje Trofeer 1993–2011" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved November 21, 2019.

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics