Standing Still (Jewel song)

Jewel revealed the meaning behind "Standing Still" backstage at the 2001 My VH1 Music Awards: "It's about the irony of how much a person travels in my job, and how it can really cause your emotional life to stand still. Fame really tolerates a prolonged adolescence, and your fame and career can outgrow your ability to handle it. You can really spoiled, and I wanted to get away from [that] and make sure I wasn't standing still".[3] She went on to explain that the song was inspired by her three-year hiatus from the music business following the release of Spirit, during which she found it difficult to stay impassioned about her fame.[3] Chuck Taylor of Billboard magazine summarized that the song "addresses simple desires ... with an underlying message about taking forward steps in life",[4] as well as "stepping out and embracing life".[5]

According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes, "Standing Still" is written in the key of D major and has a moderately fast tempo of 124 beats per minute, in common time.[6] The album version of the song is four minutes and 30 seconds long.[7]

Chuck Taylor of Billboard magazine called "Standing Still" a "jaunty but sophisticated outing, rich in its evolving textures and guitar-fueled folk-pop base".[2]

"Standing Still" was released in October 2001. It first charted on the US Billboard Hot 100 on November 17, 2001, debuting at number 71.[8] After 13 weeks, on the issue of February 16, 2002, it reached its peak of number 25, and it spent a total of 20 weeks in the top 100.[9] It charted the highest on the Billboard Adult Top 40, rising to number three on February 2, 2002,[10] and it peaked inside the top 20 on the Billboard Adult Alternative Songs and Adult Contemporary listings.[11][12] In addition, it reached number 22 on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40.[13] At the end of 2002, Billboard ranked the track at number 87 on their year-end chart.[14]

The song also found success internationally. In Australia, it debuted at number 39 on the ARIA Singles Chart on November 4, 2001.[15] Two weeks later, it peaked at number 32 and spent eight more nonconsecutive weeks in the top 50.[15] On November 18, 2001, "Standing Still" entered the New Zealand Singles Chart at number 40, reaching its peak of number seven on January 20 and February 10, 2002.[16] It stayed on the listing for 22 weeks and went on to become New Zealand's 40th-most-successful hit of 2002.[17] In Europe, the song peaked at number 32 on the Dutch Top 40,[18] number 11 on Flanders' Ultratip Bubbling Under chart,[19] and number 83 on the UK Singles Chart.[20]

US 7-inch single[21]

A-side: "Standing Still" – 4:29

B-side: "Grey Matter" (live) – 4:35

European and Australian CD single[1][22]

1. "Standing Still" – 4:30
2. "A Long Slow Slide" (live) – 3:50
3. "Stephenville, TX" (live) – 4:07

Credits are taken from the European CD single liner notes.[1]

• John Willis – acoustic guitar
• Dann Huff, Jerry McPherson – electric guitar
• Jimmie Sloas – bass
• Chris McHugh – drums
• Eric Darken – percussion
• Tim Akers – keyboards
• Jeff Balding – recording and mixing
• Doug Sax, Robert Hadley – mastering
• Lenedra Carroll, Ron Shapiro – executive producers
• Chad Farmer, Lambesis Agency – art direction and design
• Ellen von Unwerth – photography