High (James Blunt song)

"High"
Single by James Blunt
from the album Back to Bedlam
Released	18 October 2004
Format	CD single, digital download
Recorded	Los Angeles, California
Genre	Folk rock, pop rock
Length	4:03
Label	Atlantic, Custard Records
Writer(s)	James Blunt Ricky Ross
Producer	Tom Rothrock Jimmy Hogarth
James Blunt singles chronology
"High" (2004) "You're Beautiful" (2005) Alternative cover Re-release single cover

"High" is a pop rock song written by British singer James Blunt and Ricky Ross for Blunt's debut album Back to Bedlam. The song was produced by Tom Rothrock and Jimmy Hogarth and received a mixed reception from music critics. It was released as the first single in the autumn of 2004 and failed to make an impact on the United Kingdom singles chart, peaking well outside the top seventy-five. Following the success of "You're Beautiful", "High" was re-released in the autumn of 2005, and became a top twenty hit worldwide, charting at number three in Italy and at number sixteen in Britain.

Release

The single was released initially on two physical formats. CD1 includes an exclusive non-album recording entitled "Sugar Coated", which was written by Blunt and Sacha Skarbek. CD2 also includes two exclusive non-album recordings, entitled "This Twilight Garden" and "Play", as well as two remixes of "High". The re-issue of the single was released on three physical formats. CD1 includes a live recording of "In a Little While", a popular song by U2. The recording was made on August 5, 2005 at the BBC Radio 1 Unleashed Music Festival in Cornwall. CD2 includes an exclusive US radio session of "You're Beautiful", plus the video and making-of footage for "High". The 7" Vinyl includes an exclusive track entitled "Butterfly".

Track listing

• 2004

1. "High" - 4:03
2. "Sugar Coated" - 3:56

• 2006

CD1

1. "High" - 4:03
2. "In A Little While" (Radio 1 Jo Whiley Session) - 3:46

CD2

1. "High" - 4:03
2. "You're Beautiful" (U.S. Radio Session) - 3:18
3. "High" (The Making Of The Video) - 3:00
4. "High" (Video) - 4:02

7" Vinyl

1. "High" (Album Version) - 4:03
2. "Butterfly" - 4:44

German CD1

1. "High" (Album Version) - 4:03
2. "High" (Acoustic) - 4:15

German CD2

1. "High" (Album Version) - 4:03
2. "High" (Acoustic) - 4:15
3. "Where Is My Mind?" - 4:43
4. "High" (Video) - 4:02

Music videos

Blunt has made two music videos for "High". The first video, which is associated with the first release as a single, shows him buried in a desert and then chasing an illusional girl while drunk. In the video for the re-release of "High", Blunt is sitting on a plastic chair in a warehouse-like room, playing the guitar and singing the song; these scenes are intercut with scenes where Blunt is running in a forest.

Chart performance

On October 18, 2004, "High" was released in the United Kingdom. The song failed to make an impact on the singles chart, peaking at a low hundred and forty-eight. It was re-released in the UK on October 3, 2005 The song became Blunt's third top twenty single when it peaked at number sixteen on the singles chart, and spent a total of twelve weeks in the top seventy-five. The re-release appeared on the singles chart a week before the physical release was released, backed by the strength of its digital download sales, charting at number seventy-four. The following week it climbed fifty-eight places on the chart, rising to number sixteen. Outside of the UK, the song was also successful. It reached number three in Italy and became Blunt's first top ten single. "High" also went top ten twenty in Austria, Ireland and Switzerland. In the United States, the song debuted at number one-hundred on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Blunt's third single to chart within the top hundred. In Canada, "High" reached number sixty-six on the BDS Airplay chart.

Charts

Chart (2005)	Peak position
Austria Top 75 Singles	13
Czech IFPI Chart	48
Ireland Top 50 Singles	18
Italy Top 50 Singles	3
Switzerland Top 100 Singles	15
UK Top 75 Singles	16
World Chart Show	28
Chart (2006)	Peak position
Australia ARIA Top 50 Singles	42
Germany Top 100 Singles	22
Japan Tokio Hot 100	13
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	100
U.S. Billboard Pop 100	92
U.S. Billboard Adult Top 40	12
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary	37