Swear It Again

"Swear It Again" is a song by Irish boy band Westlife. It was released on 19 April 1999 in the United Kingdom and on 25 February 2000 in the United States as the first and only single from their self-titled debut album Westlife (1999). This is the best-selling debut single of all-time from an Irish citizen. It peaked at number one in the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in May 1999.[3] It moved to 182,000 units in the first two weeks of its release, and spent 13 weeks on the charts.[4] This made it the first of fourteen UK number-one singles. To date, "Swear It Again" is Westlife's only single to have charted in the US, peaking at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and ranking number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100 year-end charts, in 2000. The song was performed live on Miss Teen USA 2000.

"Swear It Again"
Standard European artwork
Single by Westlife
from the album Westlife
B-side"Forever"
Released
  • 19 April 1999 (UK)[1][2]
  • 25 February 2000 (US)
StudioRokstone (London)
GenrePop
Length4:07
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Steve Mac
Westlife singles chronology
"Swear It Again"
(1999)		 "If I Let You Go"
(1999)
"Swear It Again CD2"
Music video
"Swear It Again" on YouTube
Music video
"Swear It Again (Car Wash Version)" on YouTube

The single has sold over 600,000 copies to date in the UK and the US and also achieved gold status there.[5][6] It is the band's ninth most streamed song, fifth best selling single in combined sales category and seventh best selling single in paid-for sales category in the United Kingdom as of January 2019.[7][8] While it is their fifth most streamed song of all time from their home country, the Republic of Ireland as of 2 April 2019.

Background

"Swear It Again" is notable for being, along with "Flying Without Wings", one of the first two songs that Steve Mac wrote for both Westlife and Simon Cowell. The success of the two tracks led to Mac becoming Cowell's first choice producer and songwriter.[9] It was revealed that Cowell let his late father Eric Cowell listened to all of the songs recorded by the band at that time and decide what will be the debut single and "Swear It Again" was his choice. Significantly, his father died during the premiere week of the release of the single.

The song's B-side, "Forever", was a significant choice because it was the song - as originally recorded by Damage - that first alerted Cowell to the talent of Steve Mac and then led to the producer working with Westlife.[9] It was composed in the traditional verse–chorus form in A major, with Filan and Feehily's vocal ranging from the chords of B3 to F#5.[10]

It was supposed to be released in 26 March 1999 but was pushed back to 12 April 1999.

An exclusive live track version of the single was included in the Arista Records 25th anniversary compilation album in 2000.[11]

Music video

The British music video features the band members in a mini theatre and singing on a stage fitted with lighting panel flooring while they face a screen with black-and-white videos of their studio recording process. This version was directed by Wayne Isham and aired in May 1999. The video was shot at Pinewood Studios in March 1999.[12] The video on YouTube has 49 million views as of June 2019.[13]

The American music video features the band members at a car wash and subsequently washing a white car as they're singing the song. This version was directed by Nigel Dick and aired in June 2000.[12] The American version of the video has 1.8 million views on YouTube as of June 2019.[14]

Honours and awards
YearCeremonyCategoryResult
2001 BMI AwardsPop AwardWon

Track listings

United Kingdom

CD1

  1. "Swear It Again" (radio edit) – 4:04
  2. "Forever" – 5:05
  3. "Interview" (video)

CD2

  1. "Swear It Again" (radio edit) – 4:04
  2. "Swear It Again" (Rokstone Mix) – 4:07
  3. "Interview" (audio) – 3:36

Japan
  1. "Swear It Again" (radio edit) – 4:04
  2. "Until the End of Time" – 3:12
  3. "Forever" – 5:05
  4. "Everybody Knows" (demo version) – 4:09
  5. "Let's Make Tonight Special" – 4:57
  6. "Don't Calm the Storm" – 3:47
  7. "Interview" (audio) – 3:36

United States
  1. "Swear It Again" (radio edit) – 4:04
  2. "Album Snippet Medley" – 4:55

Personnel

Charts and certifications

References
  1. "Official Chart dated 25 April 1999 proving the song was released on 19 April 1999".
  2. (Nicky Byrne says release date is April 19th on YouTube)
  3. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 633. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  4. "WESTLIFE | Artist". Official Charts. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  5. Archived 12 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  6. "Westlife | Official Top 20 | MTV UK". Mtv.co.uk. 28 October 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  7. "Westlife | Official Top 20". MTV. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  8. Copsey, Rob (12 January 2019). "Westlife's Top 20 biggest songs on the Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  9. "Interview With Steve Mac". HitQuarters. 12 April 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
  10. "25 Years of #1 Hits - Arista Records 25th Anniversary Celebration".
  11. "Swear It Again BY WESTLIFE - DIGITAL SHEET MUSIC".
  12. "Westlife artist videography". mvdbase.com. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  13. westlifeVEVO (3 October 2009), Westlife - "Swear It Again" (Official Music Video), retrieved 11 June 2019
  14. westlifeVEVO (3 October 2009), Westlife - "Swear It Again" (Official US Video), retrieved 11 June 2019
  15. "Australian-charts.com – Westlife – Swear It Again". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  16. "Ultratop.be – Westlife – Swear It Again" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  17. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7187." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  18. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 7226." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  19. Billboard – Google Books. 22 May 1999. Retrieved 1 February 2014 – via Google Books.
  20. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Swear It Again". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  21. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 22, 1999" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  22. "Dutchcharts.nl – Westlife – Swear It Again" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  23. "Charts.nz – Westlife – Swear It Again". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  24. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  25. "Spanishcharts.com – Westlife – Swear It Again" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  26. "Swedishcharts.com – Westlife – Swear It Again". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  27. "Swisscharts.com – Westlife – Swear It Again". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  28. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  29. "Westlife Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  30. "Westlife Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  31. "Westlife Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  32. "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1999". ARIA. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  33. "Jaaroverzichten 1999" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  34. "End of Year Charts 1999". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  35. "Romanian Top 100: Top of the Year 1999" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on 22 January 2005.
  36. "Best Sellers of 1999: Singles Top 100". Music Week. London, England: United Business Media. 22 January 2000. p. 27.
  37. "Billboard Top 100 – 2000". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  38. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1999 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020.
  39. "New Zealand single certifications – Westlife – Swear It Again". Recorded Music NZ.
  40. "British single certifications – Westlife – Swear It Again". British Phonographic Industry.
  41. "American single certifications – Westlife – Swear It Again". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  42. "Best-Selling Records of 2000". Billboard. BPI Communications Inc. 113 (6): 64. 10 February 2001. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
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