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Better in Time

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"Better in Time"
Song
A-side"Footprints in the Sand"
B-side"You Bring Me Down"

"Better in Time" is a pop and R&B song written by Andrea Martin and J. R. Rotem, produced by Rotem and performed by British singer Leona Lewis. It is featured on Lewis's debut album Spirit (2007). "Better in Time" was released on 10 March 2008 as Lewis's third single in the United Kingdom, as a double A-side with "Footprints in the Sand". It was also Lewis's second international single following her hit "Bleeding Love" (2007). Lyrically, "Better in Time" tells the history of a girl who cannot forget her ex-partner, and who knows that "it will all get better in time".

Lewis promoted the song in several live television programmes, such as Good Morning America, Live with Regis and Kelly, and on the 2008 American Music Awards, and it was included on the set list of her debut concert tour The Labyrinth (2010). The music video was filmed by Sophie Muller in February 2008; it shows Lewis performing in front of several photographic set-ups, and shows what goes on behind the scenes of them. Receiving generally positive reviews by music critics, it was nominated at the Brit Awards in the category "Best British Single". "Better in Time" reached number two in the national music charts of Germany and the United Kingdom, as well as the top ten in several countries, including Australia, Canada, Ireland, Italy and New Zealand. The single was certified gold in Australia, Denmark and Germany, and silver in the UK.

Composition and release

"Better in Time"
A sample of "Better in Time", a pop and R&B song composed in G major, which was described as a song with piano sounds harmonized with Lewis' voice.[1]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Better in Time" is a pop and R&B song set in common time composed in a moderate tempo of 80 beats per minute,[2][3] in the key of G major with a vocal range from the tone of C4 to the note of B5.[2][3] Lyrically the song talks about someone who cannot forget her ex-partner, and at the end the protagonist knows that "it will all get better in time".[4] Andrea Martin and J. R. Rotem wrote the song, and Rotem composed and produced it.[4] On 29 January 2008, Lewis announced on her website that "Better in Time", along with "Footprints in the Sand", would be released as a double A-side single on 10 March 2010, as her third single in the United Kingdom,[5] with 2008 Sport Relief, a biennial charity organised by Comic Relief and BBC Sport, selecting "Footprints in the Sand" as their official single.[6][7][8] It was also her second international single. A new remix of the song was created for the single release.[8] The double A-side was released with another song, "You Bring Me Down", as a B-side.

Critical reception

"Better in Time" received generally positive reviews from music critics. In its review of the album, Chung Ah-young of The Korea Times described the single as "one of the best tracks [on the album] with impressive piano sounds harmonized with [Lewis] powerful vocals".[1] Alex Fletcher from Digital Spy gave a mixed review to the double A-side. He called the single a "placid affair" with "its plinky-plonky piano and R&B groove resting uncomfortably next to Lewis's creamy vocal style".[9] The BBC's reviewer Fraser McAlpine gave to "Better in Time" three–out–of–five stars commenting "The tune's quite nice, fairly hummable without ever actually going anywhere and despite the floaty, Mariah-esque qualities of Leona's vocals, it never goes completely mental in the throat-breakdancing department".[10] Chuck Taylor of Billboard gave a positive review, stating that it is of "equal caliber to its predecessor ["Bleeding Love"], with a one-listen hook, elegant chug-along melody, a lyric about healing and Lewis' unquestionably emotive vocal versatility".[11] Sarah Rodman of The Boston Globe called it a "'love takes time' rumination", and along with another song of the album ("I Will Be"), both were named "predictable[s]".[12] Sean Fennessey for Vibe noted that the song "is the best thing [on the album], is mannered and takes nearly three minutes to get off the ground".[13] It ranked at number four on the "10 Best Singles of 2008" list by American magazine Entertainment Weekly.[14] "Better in Time" was nominated at the 2009 BRIT Awards in the category of Best British Single,[15] and later the song was included on the awards' compilation album.[16]

Chart performance

The double A-side "Better in Time" and "Footprints in the Sand" debuted at number seventy-four on the UK Singles Chart on 1 March 2008; rising thirty-six places, it debuted in the top forty next week, at number thirty-eight.[17] On its fourth week, the song reached its peak position at number two, selling 40,476 copies and being blocked by Duffy's "Mercy".[18] With this the single became the third single by Lewis to reach the top five.[19] "Better in Time" and "Footprints in the Sand" was certified as silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).[20][21] In the Australian charts, "Better in Time" debuted at number thirty-two on 27 April 2008, reaching the top ten two weeks later, becoming her second single in achieve it.[22] On 25 May 2008 the single reached its peak position, at number six, and it remained within the top fifty eighteen weeks.[22] The song was later certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).[23] It debuted at number thirty-four on the RIANZ Chart on 17 March 2008, eventually soaring to number nine in five weeks, and by its seventh week had climbed to number six, thereby became her second consecutive top ten hit in New Zealand.[24] "Better in Time" and "Footprints in the Sand" debuted in Germany on 16 June 2008 at number five. After it fell out the top ten next week, it managed to reach the top five on the issue ending 27 July 2010, and rose to its peak position, at number two, in the next days.[25] While "Better in Time" entered the country chart on 22 February 2009 at number seventy-nine, where it stayed for three weeks.[26] It achieved a gold certification by the Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI).[27] In Denmark "Better in Time" entered the chart at number twenty-nine on 9 May 2008, and managed to rise twenty-three places in the next two weeks. On 6 June 2008 the single reached its peak position, number three. Next week, it fell out two places, but it retook its peak the following issue, and the song continued in it for three weeks.[28] Later the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) certified the single as gold.[29]

"Better in Time" and "Footprints in the Sand" debuted and peaked at number eight on the European Hot 100 Singles on the issue ending 29 March 2008, becoming the highest debut of the week.[30] Moreover, "Better in Time" was also a success in the chart, it reached the number seven on the week ending 2 August 2008.[31] In Switzerland, the single entered at number thirteen, becoming the highest release of the week.[32] On 27 July 2008, its ninth week, it reached its peak position at number five, becoming Lewis's second top five in the country. It managed to stay within the top ten for eleven weeks and it was last seen in the chart on 22 March 2009, forty-two weeks after its debut.[33] In the week ending 26 April 2008 "Better in Time" debuted at number sixty-two on the Billboard Hot 100,[34] in the same week that her previous single, "Bleeding Love", topped the chart.[35] Next week it dropped the chart and later re-entered the Hot 100 at number seventy-five, becoming the best comeback of the week.[36] The song reached its peak position at number eleven on its fourteenth week, where it stayed for another week.[31][37] In other charts of the United States, "Better in Time" peaked at number four on the Adult Top 40,[31] ninety-nine on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs,[31] three at the Mainstream Top 40,[31] and at number four on the Adult Contemporary chart, where it spent fifty-two weeks on the chart.[31][38] The single became the Austrian seventeenth best-selling single of 2008,[39] as well as the twenty-second in Germany and Switzerland,[40][41] the thirty-sixth in New Zealand,[42] the thirty-seventh in the UK,[21] the fifty-fifth of Australia,[43] the fifty-ninth in Europe,[44] the sixty-fourth in the Netherlands,[45] and the seventy-second in Flanders, a region in Belgium.[46]

Promotion and music video

A brunnete woman is stand up. She is wearing a dark blue dress. Behind her, a large red curtain is observable.
The music video shows Lewis performing in front of several photographic sessions.

Lewis first performed the song live on the television programme Dancing on Ice on 9 March 2008.[47] Lewis also performed both sides of the single on BBC One's Sport Relief on 14 March 2008,[48] as well as, on Good Morning America on 4 April 2008,[49] and Jimmy Kimmel Live! along with "Bleeding Love".[50] On 3 September 2008 Lewis performed the song on Live with Regis and Kelly,[51] and on 1 October 2008 on the season finale of America's Got Talent.[52] The song was featured in the 90210 episode entitled "Lucky Strike", originally aired on 9 September 2008.[53] On 24 November 2008, Lewis performed the song at the 2008 American Music Awards.[54] In May 2010, the song was added to the setlist of her tour The Labyrinth, performed as the fourth song of the show.[55]

The music video was filmed at Hampton Court House School in London by the British director Sophie Muller in February 2008,[56] and was released at the end of the same month.[57] The video is inspired by fashion design, with Lewis performing in front of "unrelated photographic set-ups", and showing what goes on behind the scenes.[58] In some parts of the video it features Lewis with a horse.[59]

Track listings and formats

Credits and personnel

Charts and certifications

Release history

Region Date Label Format
United Kingdom 9 March 2008[5] Syco Music Digital download
10 March 2008[5][7][79] CD single
Canada 11 March 2008[64][80] Sony BMG, Syco Music CD single, digital download
United States
Australia 19 April 2008[81]
Switzerland 16 May 2008[63] Maxi single
23 May 2008[61] CD single, digital download
Germany 30 May 2008[62] Ariola CD single, maxi single
Europe 3 June 2008[82] Sony BMG Europe CD single, digital download
Japan 6 June 2008[83] CD single, Maxi single
Australia 5 July 2008[60] Sony BMG, Syco Music Maxi single
United States 15 July 2008[84] J, RCA Airplay

References

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  2. ^ a b Sheet music for "Better in Time". Sony BMG Music Entertainment Publishing (2008).
  3. ^ a b Lewis 2008 harvnb error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFLewis2008 (help)
  4. ^ a b c d Lewis, Leona (2008). Spirit (Liner Notes) (Media notes). Los Angeles, California: Sony BMG, J Records, Syco. {{cite AV media notes}}: |format= requires |url= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameters: |publisherid=, |coauthors=, and |notestitle= (help); Unknown parameter |albumlink= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |artist= ignored (|others= suggested) (help)
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  7. ^ a b c "Better in Time: Official Sport Relief Single 2008 (Single)". Amazon United Kingdom. Amazon Inc. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
  8. ^ a b "'Better in Time' / 'Footprints in the Sand' out today!". Leona Lewis Official Website. Sony Music Entertainment. 10 March 2008. Retrieved 8 September 2010.
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  12. ^ Rodman, Sarah (8 April 2008). "Lewis's huge voice lifts 'Spirit'". The Boston Globe. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 28 August 2010.
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Notes

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Better_in_Time&oldid=388009704"