Remember Where You Are

"Remember Where You Are" is a song by English singer and songwriter Jessie Ware. It was released on 5 February 2021 as the seventh & final single from her fourth studio album, What's Your Pleasure?[5][6] The song was written by Ware and its producer James Ford alongside Danny Parker and Shungudzo Kuyimba.

"Remember Where You Are"
Single by Jessie Ware
from the album What's Your Pleasure?
ReleasedFebruary 5, 2021 (2021-02-05)
Genre
Length
  • 5:34 (album version)
  • 3:29 (single version)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)James Ford
Jessie Ware singles chronology
"What's Your Pleasure?"
(2020)
"Remember Where You Are"
(2021)
"Please"
(2021)

The song was chosen by former US president Barack Obama as one of his favourite songs of 2020.

Background and release

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"Remember Where You Are" serves as the last track on Ware's fourth studio album, What's Your Pleasure?, which was released in June 2020.

The track came about after then President of the United States Donald Trump came to the United Kingdom on a state visit in June 2019.[7] Following protests across London rallying against the visit,[8] Ware created the intimate song, which takes inspiration from musicals such as Hair and the music of American singer-songwriter Minnie Ripperton (and more specifically her 1971 collaboration with Rotary Connection, "I Am the Black Gold of the Sun").[9]

In an interview with the Official Charts Company, she talked about how she wanted to release the song as a single, "There's that sense of togetherness with it. The fact the chorus is not just me singing it, it's not meant to be. It is everyone together. For it now to be coming out during a pandemic… we can see that light at the end of the tunnel, it feels quite poignant to be bringing it out now. I believed in it so much that it is so nice that it has paid off. It's given me such confidence to trust my taste and that I knew what I was talking about. I'm learning more and more about myself and what makes me the artist that I am that people respond well to."[10]

In January 2021, former US President Barack Obama chose the song as one of his favourite songs of 2020 in an annual playlist.[11] Ware stated on social media that this was one of the reasons behind the song being issued as a single.[10]

Music video

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The music video for the single, directed by Dominic Savage, was premiered exclusively to customers of British telecommunications provider O2 through their Priority rewards scheme on 25 February 2021, with a full release a day later on 26 February.[12] Filmed during the third COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom on 14 February, it features actress Gemma Arterton walking around the empty streets of London. The video ends with Arterton watching the sunrise on Primrose Hill.[13]

Arterton was chosen as the actress for the video after comparisons that her and Ware looked alike, with Ware say it is "very weird [and] very generous" whilst calling it "the highest compliment". Arterton stated that filming the video was "a really memorable experience".[9]

Live performances

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She performed the song live on The Graham Norton Show, on 5 February 2021.[14] Talking about her performance she said, "I feel great. That Graham Norton performance… I've never had a TV performance that has done that. The response – this has never happened to me in my career. The fact I'm going to chart again with my album eight months down the line solely off the back of a performance of one song! I believed that Remember Where You Are could connect to people, particularly at this time. I'm very lucky that Graham allowed me to perform it. It's magic."[10] She later performed the song live on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on 16 June 2021.[15]

Personnel

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Credits adapted from Tidal.[16]

  • James Ford – producer, composer, lyricist, associated performer, bass guitar, drums, guitar, keyboards, mixer, percussion, programming, recording engineer, studio personnel, synthesizer
  • Danny Parker – composer, lyricist, associated performer, background vocalist
  • Jessica Ware – composer, lyricist, associated performer, vocals
  • Shungudzo Kuyimba – composer, lyricist, associated performer, background vocalist
  • Andy Wood – associated performer, flugelhorn, trumpet
  • Bim Amoako-Gyampah – associated performer, background vocalist
  • Callum Au – associated performer, trombone
  • Charlie Brown – associated performer, violin
  • Chris Worsey – associated performer, cello
  • Dave Stewart – associated performer, bass trombone
  • Hannah Dawson – associated performer, violin
  • Helen Kamminga – associated performer, viola
  • Ian Burdge – associated performer, cello
  • Jeremy Isaac – associated performer, violin
  • Jules Buckley – associated performer, conductor, horn arranger, piano, studio arranger
  • Kate Robinson – associated performer, violin
  • Katherine Jenkinson – associated performer, cello
  • Laura Melhuish – associated performer, violin
  • Lizzie Ball – associated performer, violin
  • Louis Dowdeswell – associated performer, flugelhorn, trumpet
  • Marianne Haynes – associated performer, violin
  • Nicky Sweeney – associated performer, violin
  • Nigel Black – associated performer, french horn
  • Oli Langford – associated performer, violin
  • Reiad Chibah – associated performer, viola
  • Richard Pryce – associated performer, double bass
  • Richard Watkins – associated performer, french horn
  • Senab Adekunle – associated performer, background vocalist
  • Tom Pigott-Smith – associated performer, violin
  • Tom Walsh – associated performer, flugelhorn, trumpet
  • Vicci Wardman – associated performer, viola
  • Billy Foster – assistant recording engineer, studio personnel
  • George Oulton – assistant recording engineer, studio personnel
  • Joe LaPorta – mastering engineer, studio personnel
  • Lewis Jones – studio personnel

Charts

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Chart performance for "Remember Where You Are"
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Euro Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[17] 19
UK Singles Downloads (OCC)[18] 8

References

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  1. ^ Wright, Jonathan (1 July 2020). "Jessie Ware – What's Your Pleasure? (PMR)". Godisinthetvzine.com. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  2. ^ Van Nguyen, Dean. "Jessie Ware = 'What's Your Pleasure'". Crack. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  3. ^ a b Snapes, Laura (4 June 2020). "Jessie Ware: What's Your Pleasure? review – dancefloor diva back where she belongs". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  4. ^ Kellman, Andy. "What's Your Pleasure? – Jessie Ware". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  5. ^ "Remember Where You Are (Edit) – Single by Jessie Ware". Apple Music. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  6. ^ "Remember Where You Are - Single by Jessie Ware". Spotify. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  7. ^ "Donald Trump set to visit the UK for the second time in May". CityAM. 2018-12-31. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
  8. ^ "While Thousands March, President Trump Dismisses London Protests as 'Fake News'". Time. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
  9. ^ a b "Why 'lookalikes' Jessie Ware and Gemma Arterton teamed up". BBC News. 2021-02-26. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
  10. ^ a b c "Jessie Ware talks new single, What's Your Pleasure? deluxe edition: Interview". Official Charts Company. 11 February 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  11. ^ Iasimone, Ashley (2020-12-19). "Barack Obama Reveals His Favorite Songs of 2020: Megan Thee Stallion, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny & More". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
  12. ^ "📣 Exciting news 📣 Can't get enough of Jessie Ware's brand new single 'Remember Where You Are'? 🎶 Well we have a treat for you tomorrow 😊 Get exclusive... | By O2 | Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2023-04-17.
  13. ^ Martoccio, Angie (2021-02-26). "Jessie Ware Captures the Lonely Streets of London in 'Remember Where You Are' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
  14. ^ "Jessie Ware - Remember Where You Are [Single Edit] (Live at The Graham Norton Show, BBC One)". YouTube. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  15. ^ Zemler, Emily. "Jessie Ware Performs 'Remember Where You Are' on 'Fallon'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  16. ^ "Credits / Remember Where You Are (Single Edit) / Jessie Ware – TIDAL". Tidal. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  17. ^ "Jessie Ware Chart History (Euro Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  18. ^ "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 February 2021.