World of Our Own (song)

"World of Our Own" is a song by Irish boy band Westlife. It was released on 18 February 2002 as the second single from their third studio album of the same name (2001). The song peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart,[1] becoming their 10th number-one single. "World of Our Own" was the 40th-best-selling single of 2002 in the UK and received a platinum sales certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for over 600,000 sales and streams. It is the band's fourth-most-streamed song and 12th-best-selling single in both paid-for and combined sales in the United Kingdom as of January 2019.[2]

"World of Our Own"
Single by Westlife
from the album World of Our Own
Released18 February 2002 (2002-02-18)
StudioRokstone (London, UK)
Genre
Length3:30
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Steve Mac
Westlife singles chronology
"Queen of My Heart"
(2001)
"World of Our Own"
(2002)
"Bop Bop Baby"
(2002)
"World of Our Own CD2"
Music video
"World of Our Own" on YouTube
Music video
"World of Our Own (US Version)" on YouTube

Critical reception edit

Chuck Taylor from Billboard called it "a definitive pop song", praising its "joyfully catchy chorus, itchy train-track-clacking beat, velvet harmonies" and Shane Filan's "glossy, emotive vocals", concluding that "Westlife deserves its shot in America, and this is the perfect song with which to take aim."[3]

Music video edit

The video of this song was directed by Cameron Casey[4] and it was Rat Pack styled. The band members are dressed up as gangsters and they enter in an American Hummer. Until the first chorus, the band members sing beneath a bridge. Then, they go to the balcony of a futuristic building then on a deserted bridge. As they sing, the darkness lifts and the sun shines making everybody (the people) happy. The song ends with the scene shifting from the top of the roof of yet another futuristic building to back under the bridge from where the song initiated.[5]

There is a video for the US version as well, which is more mature than the band's earlier videos. This video, directed by Antti Jokinen, features the band singing in an abandoned building with broken walls and surrounded by shrubbery. The video occasionally cuts to various couples kissing and necking each other while the band continue to sing in the building equipped with mics and seating on sofas. The video also shows the boys having fun at a party lit by candles, drinking beer and flirting with girls. The video ends in the same fashion it begins: by zooming out of the building.[6]

Another video features the group members recording the song in a studio.[7]

Track listings edit

Credits and personnel edit

Recording[14]

  • Recorded at Rokstone Studios, London

Personnel[14]

  • Steve Mac – songwriter, producer, arranger, mixing, piano, keyboards
  • Wayne Hector – songwriter, additional backing vocals
  • Chris Laws – engineer, drums
  • Matt Howe – engineer
  • Daniel Pursey – assistant engineer
  • Quentin Guine – assistant engineer
  • Philipe Rose – assistant engineer

Charts edit

Certifications and sales edit

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[42] Gold 45,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[43] Platinum 600,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history edit

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref(s).
Sweden 18 February 2002 CD [44]
United Kingdom
  • RCA
  • BMG
  • S
[45][46]
Japan 20 March 2002
  • RCA
  • BMG
[47]
Australia 1 April 2002 RCA [48]
United States 5 August 2002 Contemporary hit radio [49]
23 September 2002 Rhythmic contemporary radio [50]

References edit

  1. ^ "Official Singles Chart: World of Our Own". Official Charts. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  2. ^ Copsey, Rob (12 January 2019). "Westlife's Top 20 biggest songs on the Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  3. ^ Billboard (10 August 2002). "Billboard Picks – Singles: Spotlights". Billboard. Vol. 114. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 21. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  4. ^ MickeyCutie (18 October 2009), The Making Of World Of Our Own - Westlife (HD), archived from the original on 22 December 2021, retrieved 11 May 2018
  5. ^ westlifeVEVO (3 October 2009), Westlife - "World of Our Own", retrieved 30 August 2017
  6. ^ westlifeVEVO (15 January 2011), Westlife - "World of Our Own" (US Version), retrieved 30 August 2017
  7. ^ westlifeVEVO (2 March 2016), Westlife - World of Our Own (Where Dreams Come True - Featurette Part 2), archived from the original on 22 December 2021, retrieved 11 May 2018
  8. ^ World of Our Own (UK & Irish CD single liner notes). Westlife. RCA Records, BMG, S Records. 2002. 74321 918802.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ World of Our Own (European CD single liner notes). Westlife. RCA Records, BMG. 2002. 74321 91540 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ World of Our Own (European limited CD single liner notes). Westlife. RCA Records, BMG, S Records. 2002. 74321 919242.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ^ World of Our Own (European DVD single). Westlife. BMG, S Records. 2002. 74321 920459.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ World of Our Own (Australian CD single liner notes). Westlife. RCA Records, BMG. 2002. 74321 915 612.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ World of Our Own (Australian limited CD single liner notes). Westlife. BMG Australia. 2002. 74321933362.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ a b World of Our Own (liner notes). Westlife. BMG. 2002. 74321826262.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ "Westlife – World of Our Own". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  16. ^ "Westlife – World of Our Own" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  17. ^ "Westlife – World of Our Own" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  18. ^ "Westlife – World of Our Own" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  19. ^ "Hitparada radia - 13/2002" (in Czech). IFPI CR. Archived from the original on 5 April 2002. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  20. ^ "Westlife – World of Our Own". Tracklisten. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  21. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 20, no. 11. 9 March 2002. p. 15. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  22. ^ "Westlife – World of Our Own" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  23. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – World of Our Own". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  24. ^ "Westlife – World of Our Own". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  25. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 12, 2002" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  26. ^ "Westlife – World of Our Own" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  27. ^ "Westlife – World of Our Own". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  28. ^ "Westlife – World of Our Own". VG-lista. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  29. ^ "Arhiva romanian top 100 – Editia 14, saptamina 8.04–14.04, 2002" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on 15 February 2005. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  30. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  31. ^ "Westlife – World of Our Own". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  32. ^ "Westlife – World of Our Own". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  33. ^ "Westlife: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  34. ^ "Jahreshitparade Singles 2002". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  35. ^ "Year in Review – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 2002" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 21, no. 2–3. 11 January 2003. p. 14. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  36. ^ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 2002" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  37. ^ "Top 100 Songs of 2002". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 2002. Archived from the original on 2 June 2004. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  38. ^ "End of Year Charts 2002". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  39. ^ "Årslista Singlar, 2002" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  40. ^ "The Official UK Singles Chart 2002" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  41. ^ "Most Broadcast Of 2002 — Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Music Week. 18 January 2003. p. 31. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  42. ^ "Danish single certifications – Westlife – World of Our Own". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  43. ^ "British single certifications – Westlife – World of Our Own". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  44. ^ "Westlife: World of Our Own". click2music.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 22 February 2005. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  45. ^ C, Jeff (8 January 2002). "Westlife to Battle Kylie Minogue in UK Charts". Popdirt. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  46. ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting 18 February 2002: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 16 February 2002. p. 33. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  47. ^ "ワールド・オブ・アワ・オウン~No.1ヒッツ・プラス | ウエストライフ" [World of Our Own ~ No.1 Hits Plus | Westlife] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  48. ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 1st April 2002" (PDF). ARIA. 1 April 2002. p. 26. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 April 2002. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  49. ^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1464. 2 August 2002. p. 31. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  50. ^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1471. 20 September 2002. p. 33. Retrieved 8 June 2021.