Wikipedia

I Got You (Leona Lewis song)

This article is about the 2009 single by Leona Lewis. For the 2015 song by the same artist, see I Am (Leona Lewis album).

"I Got You" is a song recorded by English singer Leona Lewis for her second studio album Echo (2009). It was written by Arnthor Birgisson, Max Martin and Savan Kotecha, with production helmed by Birgisson. The song is a pop and R&B ballad, whose instrumentation consists of guitars and synthesizers. It was released as the second and final single from Echo on 1 November 2009, by Syco Music and J Records.

"I Got You"
A blonde-haired woman with dark skin looks forward. Her right arm is angled and her hand clenched, which rests on her chin. She wears a silver bracelet on her right wrist. The background is grey, and above her are the words "Leona Lewis" in white capital letters, and below that "I Got You" in dark grey.
Single by Leona Lewis
from the album Echo
B-side"Heartbeat"
Released1 November 2009 (2009-11-01)
Recorded
  • Westlake (Los Angeles)
  • The Vault (Stockholm)
Genre
Length3:46
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Arnthor Birgisson
Leona Lewis singles chronology
"Happy"
(2009) 		"I Got You"
(2009) 		"Collide"
(2011)
Music video
"Leona Lewis - I Got You (Official Video)" on YouTube

"I Got You" garnered mixed reviews from music critics; some praised Lewis' vocal performance and likened it to the structure of her cover of Snow Patrol's "Run", while others criticized it for not being memorable. A moderate commercial success, it peaked at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart, peaking within the top 40 in Austria, New Zealand, Slovakia and South Korea.

An accompanying music video for "I Got You" was filmed at Venice Beach in Los Angeles and directed by Dave Meyers. The video revolves around couples who try to resolve their differences and arguments. In the video, scenes of Lewis performing in front of a heart engulfed in flames and sitting on an apartment floor barefoot are intercut.

In the United States, Lewis performed the song live on the Late Show with David Letterman, whilst in the United Kingdom, she performed on multiple television shows, including So You Think You Can Dance, The Alan Titchmarsh Show and The National Lottery Draws. It was included on the set list of her debut tour The Labyrinth (2010).

Recording, production and release

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"I Got You" was written by Arnthor Birgisson, Max Martin and Savan Kotecha for Lewis' second studio album, Echo (2009).[1] Production of the song was helmed by Birgisson.[1] It was recorded by Birgisson at Westlake Recording Studios, Los Angeles, California and The Vault, Stockholm, Sweden.[1] Birgisson and Lewis both handled the vocal production.[1] It was mixed by Phil Tan at Soapbox Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, and Damien Lewis served as the assistant engineer.[1] Background vocals were sung by Vicky Sandström and guitar was provided by Esbjörn Öhrwall.[1] "Heartbeat" was co-written by Lewis, Birgisson and Ina Wroldsen, with production of the song once again helmed by Birgisson.[2] It was recorded by Chris Kasych at Chalice Studios, Los Angeles, California, and The Vault in Stockholm, Sweden.[2] It was mixed by Manny Marroquin, Christian Plata and Erik Madrid at Larrabee Studios, Universal City, California.[2] Strings were provided by Janson & Janson and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, which were recorded by Marcus Bergqvist.[2] Guitar was provided by Esbjörn Öhrwall.[2]

In the United States, "I Got You" was released to contemporary hit radio on 8 December 2009.[3] In Europe, "I Got You" was released as an A-side and B-side, with "I Got You" as the A-side single, and "Heartbeat", a song which does not appear on any edition of Echo, as the B-side.[4] It was released in Belgium,[4] France,[5] Italy,[6] Germany,[7] The Netherlands,[8] Spain,[9] and the United Kingdom,[10] for digital download on 19 February 2010.

Composition

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"I Got You"
A 29-second sample of "I Got You"'s chorus, which features guitars and synthesisers[11][12]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"I Got You" is a pop and R&B ballad,[13] which lasts for a duration of 3 minutes, 49 seconds.[14] The song was composed in the key of G major using common time with a tempo at 104 beats per minute.[15] Lewis' vocal range spans over two octaves, from the low note of G3 to the high note of A5, on the song.[15] It incorporates elements of adult contemporary music and contemporary R&B genres.[15] Instrumentation consists of guitars and synthesizers.[11][12] Fraser McAlpine for the BBC compared "I Got You"'s structure to her cover of Snow Patrol's "Run".[11] McAlpine noted that it follows the same four chord progression as "Run", and also is instrumentally complete with guitars.[11] He also noted that Lewis performs the verses of "I Got You" quietly, and belts the chorus, like on "Run".[11]

Critical reception

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"I Got You" garnered mixed reviews from music critics. Peter Robinson for The Guardian wrote that "I Got You" "is an impressive distant relative of Bleeding Love".[16] Leah Greenblatt for Entertainment Weekly praised "I Got You", along with "Happy", as they allowed Echo to redeem itself from the "soppy balladry and standard-issue dancery" present on the rest of the album.[12] Greenblatt's only criticism was that "it can be difficult to connect with the woman who wields it."[12] Mayer Nissim for Digital Spy awarded the song three stars out of a possible five; Nissim was complimentary of Lewis' vocal performance, which he described as "effortless" in the verses and that she belts out the chorus with "gusto."[13] However, Nissim was critical of the song's production, writing that although Lewis sings with conviction, it is not as memorable as other ballads.[13] He continued to write that her voice will allow the song to chart fairly well, and that she should collaborate with other producers to make more memorable songs.[13] Fraser McAline for the BBC awarded the song three stars out of a possible five; McAlpine noted that although Lewis is able to provide "some kind of musical movement, by wandering off the path set down by the song," he was critical of the song's structure, and labeled it "lazy."[11]

Chart performance

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"I Got You" was a moderate commercial success, and managed to peak inside the top 50 singles charts in most regions. In the United Kingdom, the song debuted at number 127 on the UK Singles Chart on 6 February 2010, two weeks before its release as single.[17] It debuted inside the official top 40 at number 40 on 27 February 2010,[18] and leaped to its peak position of number 14 the following week.[19] It managed to attain more success on the UK R&B Chart; it debuted inside to top 40 R&B singles at number 40 on 6 February 2010,[20] and reached its peak of number three on 6 March 2010.[21] In Ireland, "I Got You" debuted at number 47 on 25 February 2010,[22] and reached a peak of number 43 the following week.[23] Elsewhere, "I Got You" peaked at number 30 in Austria,[24] number 20 in the Flanders region of Belgium,[25] number 13 on the singles chart and number 30 on the airplay chart in the Wallonia region of Belgium,[26] number 43 in Germany,[27] number 29 in New Zealand,[28] and number 57 in Switzerland.[29] In South Korea, "I Got You" peaked at number 15 on the international chart,[30] placing at number 138 on the 2010 year-end Download chart, with 92,744 units sold.[31]

Music video

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The song's accompanying music video was directed by Dave Meyers, and shot at Venice Beach, California on 21 December 2009.[32] The content of the video revolves around "several couples as they deal with the ups and downs of relationships."[32] Prior to the release of the video, Lewis tweeted "It's a strong, cool performance, lots of actors with a movie feel to it. I'm so proud of it and hope you love it – enjoy!"[33] The video was released on 12 February 2010. In the video, scenes of Lewis performing in front of a heart engulfed in flames, as well as sitting on an apartment floor barefoot, are intercut throughout the video amongst the narrative of the video.[33] The video shows several couples ending their relationships, showing many of them are who angry and cannot cope with the heartbreak, but progresses to show how they manage to rebuild their relationships with one another, ending with images suggesting healing, happiness and new relationships.

Live performances

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Lewis performing "I Got You" on The Labyrinth tour in 2010

Lewis performed "I Got You" for the first time at a one-off private concert at the Hackney Empire in London, United Kingdom, on 2 November 2009, which served as a taster show to Lewis' The Labyrinth (2010).[34] On 2 December 2009, the singer performed the song on The National Lottery Draws.[35] The following day on 3 December 2009, Lewis on the BBC Radio 2 show Live Sessions with Ken Bruce, as part of a set list which included "Bleeding Love", "Better in Time", "Happy" and her own cover of Oasis's "Stop Crying Your Heart Out".[36] On 15 December 2009, to coincide with the song's radio release in the United States, Lewis performed the song on the Late Show with David Letterman.[37] On 21 January 2010, Lewis appeared on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge where she performed "I Got You" as well as covering Oasis' "Stop Crying Your Heart Out" for a second time, and also gave an interview as to why she decided to cover that song.[38] On 6 February 2010, Lewis performed "I Got You" on the semi-final of So You Think You Can Dance on 6 February 2010.[39] Lewis also performed the song to coincide with the official release in the UK on GMTV on 22 February 2010,[40] Promotion of the song ended with a performance and interview The Alan Titchmarsh Show on 26 February 2010.[41] In late May 2010, the song was included in the setlist for Lewis' first concert tour, The Labyrinth.[42]

Track listing

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Digital Download[4]
  1. "I Got You" – 3:46
  2. "Heartbeat" – 3:51

Credits and personnel

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"Heartbeat" credits adapted from "I Got You" CD single,[2] and "I Got You" credits adapted from the liner notes of Echo, Syco Music, J Records, Sony Music.[1]

Charts

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Weekly charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[55] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Release dates and formats for "I Got You"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom 1 November 2009 Digital download Syco
[56]
United States 8 December 2009 Contemporary hit radio J
[3]
United Kingdom 9 April 2010 CD Syco
[43]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Echo (liner notes). Leona Lewis. Syco Music, J Records, Sony Music. 2009.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ^ a b c d e f I Got You (Compact Disc single). Leona Lewis. Los Angeles, California; Stockholm, Sweden: J Records, Syco. 2010. 8 86976 53042 6.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. ^ a b "Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings: 12/8 Mainstream". FMQB. Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Inc. and Mediaspan Online Services. 8 December 2009. Archived from the original on 1 November 2009. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  4. ^ a b c "I Got You – Single – Leona Lewis". iTunes Store (Belgium) (in French). Apple. 19 February 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  5. ^ "I Got You – Single – Leona Lewis". iTunes Store (France) (in French). Apple. 19 February 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  6. ^ "I Got You – Single – Leona Lewis". iTunes Store (Italy) (in Italian). Apple. 19 February 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  7. ^ "I Got You – Single – Leona Lewis". iTunes Store (Germany) (in German). Apple. 19 February 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  8. ^ "I Got You – Single – Leona Lewis". iTunes Store (The Netherlands) (in Dutch). Apple. 19 February 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  9. ^ "I Got You – Single – Leona Lewis". iTunes Store (Spain) (in Spanish). Apple. 19 February 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  10. ^ "I Got You – Single – Leona Lewis". iTunes Store (Great Britain) (in Spanish). Apple. 19 February 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  11. ^ a b c d e f McAlpine, Fraser (19 February 2010). "BBC – Chart Blog: Leona Lewis 'I Got You'". BBC. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
  12. ^ a b c d Greenblatt, Leah (11 November 2009). "Leona Lewis: 'I Got You'". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Archived from the original on 25 May 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  13. ^ a b c d Nissim, Mayer (22 February 2010). "Leona Lewis: 'I Got You'". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
  14. ^ "iTunes – Music – Echo (Deluxe Edition) – Leona Lewis". iTunes Store (Great Britain). Apple. 13 November 2009. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
  15. ^ a b c "Digital Sheet Music, Leona Lewis 'I Got You'". Musicnotes.com. Peer International Music Publishing. 2009. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  16. ^ Robinson, Peter (1 November 2009). "Leona Lewis: Echo". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
  17. ^ "UK Singles Chart: CLUK Update (06.02.2010 – Week 4)". Zobbel.de. Official Charts Company. 6 February 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  18. ^ "Music Archive – 2010 Top 40 Official UK Singles Archive – 27th February 2010". Official Charts Company. 27 February 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  19. ^ a b "Music Archive – 2010 Top 40 Official UK Singles Archive – 6th March 2010". Official Charts Company. 3 March 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  20. ^ "Music Archive – 2010 Top 40 R&B Official Singles Archive – 6th February 2010". Official Charts Company. 6 February 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  21. ^ a b "Music Archive – 2010 Top 40 R&B Official Singles Archive – 6th March 2010". Official Charts Company. 6 March 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  22. ^ "GFK Chart-Track". Chart-Track. Irish Recorded Music Association. 4 March 2010. Archived from the original on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  23. ^ a b "GFK Chart-Track". Chart-Track. Irish Recorded Music Association. 11 March 2010. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  24. ^ "Leona Lewis – I Got You (song)". austriancharts.at (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  25. ^ "Leona Lewis – I Got You (song)". ultratop.be/nl. Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  26. ^ a b "Leona Lewis – I Got You (song)". ultratop.be/fr (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  27. ^ "Leona Lewis – I Got You (song)". charts.de (in German). Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  28. ^ "Leona Lewis – I Got You (song)". charts.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  29. ^ "Leona Lewis – I Got You (song)". hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  30. ^ a b "Gaon Digital Chart: 2010.02.21~2010.02.27" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  31. ^ a b "Download Chart (International) – 2010 (see #138)" (in Korean). Gaon Chart. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  32. ^ a b "Video: Leona Lewis 'I Got You'". Rap-Up. Devin Lazerine. 2 December 2009. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  33. ^ a b "Lewis Sings About Heartbreak In Front of Burning Heart". Metro. Associated Newspapers. 16 February 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  34. ^ Egere-Cooper, Matilda (4 November 2009). "Leona Lewis, Hackney Empire, London". The Independent. Independent Print Ltd. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  35. ^ "Leona Lewis – I Got You (National Lottery 2009) video" (video). NME. IPC. 2 December 2009. Retrieved 5 June 2011.[permanent dead link‍]
  36. ^ "Radio 2 – Events – Leona Lewis". BBC Online. BBC. Retrieved 21 January 2010.
  37. ^ "Video: Leona Lewis visits 'Letterman'". Rap-Up. Devin Lazerine. 15 December 2009. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  38. ^ "Leona Lewis in the Live Lounge". BBC Online. BBC. 21 January 2009. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  39. ^ Fletcher, Alex (29 January 2010). "Leona Lewis confirmed for 'SYTYCD'". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Retrieved 6 February 2010.
  40. ^ Daw, Robbie (22 February 2010). "Leona Lewis Wakes Up 'GMTV' With 'I Got You'". Idolator. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  41. ^ "Leona Lewis Appears On 'Alan Titchmarsh'". Leona Lewis Official Website. Sony Music Entertainment. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  42. ^ "The Labyrinth Live Tour DVD". Leona Lewis Official Website. Sony Music Entertainment. 9 November 2010. Archived from the original on 18 November 2010. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  43. ^ a b "Leona Lewis – I Got You" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  44. ^ "Leona Lewis – I Got You" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  45. ^ "Leona Lewis – I Got You" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  46. ^ "Leona Lewis – I Got You" (in Danish). Tracklisten.
  47. ^ "Leona Lewis – I Got You" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  48. ^ "Leona Lewis Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
  49. ^ "Tipparade-lijst van week 8, 2010" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  50. ^ "Leona Lewis – I Got You". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  51. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  52. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201009 into search.
  53. ^ "Leona Lewis – I Got You". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  54. ^ "Archive Chart". Official Charts Company. 22 September 2012.
  55. ^ "British single certifications – Leona Lewis – I Got You". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  56. ^ "I Got You – Single". Apple Music. 1 November 2009. Retrieved 27 December 2022.

Notes

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