UK number one pop song lyrics: Beautiful (Christina Aguilera) & others

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< Up	Britain / Music / Lyrics / 2003 Q1
"Number 1" pop singles in the UK (quarter 1, 2003)


Sections:	Introduction
	Make Luv (Room 5 & Oliver Cheatham)
	Spirit in the Sky (Gareth Gates & The Kumars)
	Beautiful (Christina Aguilera)
	All The Things She Said (Tatu)
	Stop Living the Lie (David Sneddon)
	Links

Related pages:	Britain/Music/Lyrics (number 1 singles on other dates)
	British/Music/Pop (British pop music)

INTRODUCTION

Lyrics and background notes to songs which first reached number 1 in the UK singles chart between January and March 2003.

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MAKE LUV

Number 1 on: 30 March 2003, 6 April 2003

Type of song:

Make Luv
Artist: Room 5 featuring Oliver Cheatham
Label: Positiva
Release date: March 2003

This song features the singing of Oliver Cheatham, based on his 1983 record "Get Down Saturday Night". This is a popular dance tune in clubs. It is currently being used for a UK television advertisement for Lynx Pulse (a men's deodorant), in which a man gets up and starts dancing. Oliver Cheatham is a soul singer from Detroit in the US. The song was mixed by Room 5, a name used by a Belgian dj called Junior Jack.

Make Luv
Room 5 featuring Oliver Cheatham

I like to party
Everybody does

Make love and listen to the music

You can wait for the weekend of love
To see what you're getting to

Make love and listen to the music
You've got to let yourself go

Make love until the morning time

SPIRIT IN THE SKY

Number 1 on: 16 March 2003, 23 March 2003

Type of song:

Spirit in the Sky (CD single; version 1)
Artist: Gareth Gates & The Kumars
Label: RCA
Release date: 10th March 2003
Version 2

This is the official Comic Relief song. The artists have agreed to donate the royalties to charity. Red Nose Day was on Friday 14th March 2003.
For pictures from the Red Nose Day fun run in London, see: Ideas/Album (2 pages).

The song "Spirit in the Sky" was a number 1 single for Norman Greenbaum in 1970, and also in 1986 for a version by Doctor And The Medics. The words are about a person expressing his Christian belief that, because he has behaved well when alive ("never been a sinner"), when he dies his spirit will go to heaven ("when I die and they lay me to rest, I'm gonna go to the place that's the best").

Gareth Gates became famous after the was narrowly beaten by Will Young in a popular television competition in 2002 called Pop Idol (this is the reason for the reference to Will Young in the song). People were impressed by the way he managed to do so well despite the speech problem which he has. He has a famous spiky hair style, which makes him a perfect representative for Red Nose Day 2003, when the theme is "big hair" (there are jokes about Gareth's "pointy" hair at the start of the video).

"The Kumars at No 42" is a popular comedy programme which recently won an International Emmy (the characters were created as part of the programme "Goodness Gracious Me"). They act as an Indian family living in London; much of the comedy comes from the conflicts between the cultures of the parents and their children (who would have grown up in Britain). There are references to Indian culture in the song: reincarnation (the belief by many Hindus that a dead person's spirit returns to life in another body, Krishna (a Hindu god), Wembley (where there is a large Indian community) and sitar (a musical instrument, which you hear in the song's instrumental section).

In the video, the first scene makes fun of the scene at the start of the film Grease (when John Travolta gets himself ready to go to a disco). Gareth wakes up to find that his beloved hair is in a mess (known as a "bad hair day"). But the bedroom then becomes a hairdresser's salon in heaven, where the Kumar family are ready to look after him. Gareth is led into a scene from a Bollywood (Indian) musical, where he becomes the hero, surrounded by dancing girls. But then Gareth wakes to find that it was just a dream and that his hair is still as normal!

Spirit in the Sky
Gareth Gates & The Kumars

(video introduction:
"Hey why don't we get Gareth Gates on the show? He's pretty successful"
"His head is too pointy"
"It's not his head that is pointy it's his hair that's pointy"
"His pointy hair is one of the reaons for his great financial popularity"
"Will you forget about the hair?"
"If you had pointy hair perhaps you could be as successful as Mr Gates"
"Yes - that would take attention away from your enormous bum. Girls love Gareth, Sanjeev"
"Without his hair he is nothing"
"Oh yes - one bad hair day could ruin him"
"No!"
"It's true"
"Well, I don't have that problem"
"No: every day is a bad bum day for you)"

(CD introduction:
"Oh right. Dad, you ready?"
"Hold on, hold on, … OK, ready"
"Mummy, you ready?"
"Ready"
"Let's kick it")

When I die and they lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place that's the best
When I lay me down to die
Going up to the spirit in the sky

Going up to the spirit in the sky
That's where I'm gonna go when I die
When I die and they lay me to rest
I'm gonna go to the place that's the best

("What Wembley?"
"Not Wembley, you idiot: he means heaven"
"I thought we got reincarnated"
"I want to come back as Gareth's hair gel - hehehe")

Prepare yourself you know it's a must
Got to have a friend in Jesus ("or Krishna")
So you know that when you die
He's gonna recommend you
To the spirit in the sky ("See it's who you know")

Going up to the spirit in the sky
That's where I'm gonna go when I die
When I die and they lay me to rest
I'm gonna go to the place that's the best

("Could you be more specific?"
"Is it driving distance?"
"I'm going to need a comfort break"
"There better not be stairs, wherever it is"
"Ah shut up this is my big sitar solo"
- sitar instrumental -
"Sanjeev keep it down - the neighbours")

Never been a sinner, never sinned
I've got a friend in Jesus ("he's so sweet")
So you know that when I die
He's gonna set me up with
The spirit in the sky

Gonna set me up with the spirit in the sky
That's where I'm gonna go when I die
When I die and they lay me to rest
I'm gonna go to the place that's the best

Oh set me up with the spirit in the sky
That's where I'm gonna go when I die
When I die and they lay me to rest
I'm gonna go to the place that's the best

Going on up to the spirit in the sky
That's where I'm gonna go when I die
When I die and they lay me to rest
I'm gonna go to the place that's the best

("You already said that but where?")
Go to the place that's the best ("An address would be helpful")
Go to the place that's the best ("I don't think he knows")
Go to the place that's the best ("He keeps saying the same thing")

("Well, what do you think?"
"Is Will Young still available?")

BEAUTIFUL

Number 1 on: 2 March 2003, 9 March 2003

Type of song:

Beautiful (CD single)
Artist: Christina Aguilera
Label: RCA
Date: February 2003

Stripped (CD album)
Artist: Christina Aguilera
Label: RCA
Date: October 2002

This is the third number 1 song in the UK by the American artist Christina Aguilera. Her previous song "Dirrty" also reached number 1, in November 2002.

The singer is feeling insecure, which is why the song starts with the whispered words "Don't look at me". People sometimes say things which make her feel depressed ("words can bring me down"). They criticise her appearance, or her behaviour. The chorus encourages her to feel secure with herself and her body ("you are beautiful, no matter what they say"). The song and video encourage all of us (men or women, whatever our sexuality) to feel confident about our bodies and our actions, and even to think that our mistakes are "beautiful".

Christina's official website: http://www.christinaaguilera.com.

Beautiful
Christina Aguilera

Don't look at me

Every day is so wonderful, then suddenly, it's hard to breathe
Now and then I get insecure, from all the pain
I'm so ashamed

I am beautiful, no matter what they say
Words can bring me down
I am beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can bring me down
So don't you bring me down today

To all your friends you're delirious
So consumed in all your doom
Trying hard to fill the emptiness, the piece is gone,
Left the puzzle undone, is that the way it is?

You are beautiful, no matter what they say
Words can bring you down; no, no
You are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can bring you down; oh, no
So don't you bring me down today

No matter what we do,
No matter what we say,
We're the song inside the tune, full of beautiful mistakes
And everywhere we go (and everywhere we go)
the sun will always shine
(the sun will always, always, shine)
And tomorrow we might awake on the other side

'Cause we are beautiful no matter what they say
Yes words won't bring us down; no, no
We are beautiful in every single way
Yes words can bring us down; oh, no
So don't you bring me down today
Don't you bring me down today

ALL THE THINGS SHE SAID

Number 1 on: 2 February 2003, 9 February 2003, 16 February 2003, 23 February 2003

Type of song:

All The Things She Said (CD single)
Artist: Tatu
Label: Polydor
Date: January 2003

200 Km/h in the Wrong Lane (CD album)
Artist: Tatu
Label: Polydor
Date: January 2003

The singers "Tatu" (also written t.A.T.u.) are a pair of Russian teenage girls called Julia Volkova and Lena Katina. The video to this song (in which they kiss and touch each other) has caused a lot of controversy (some people have said that the song and video should be banned).

The song is about a teenage girl who is in love with another girl ("I want her so much", "I'm feeling for her what she's feeling for me"). She is finding it difficult to accept her feelings ("I'm all mixed up, feeling cornered and rushed"), and wonders if she is definitely a lesbian ("have I crossed the line?") Her parents are shocked and do not accept the situation ("Mother looking at me", "Daddy looking at me"). She wants to escape from the pressure she feels ("Want to fly to a place that's just you and me, noone else so we can be free").

[ Note: There is information for lesbians coming to the UK at: Personal/Relationships/Lesbian ]

All The Things She Said
Tatu

All the things she said
All the things she said
Running through my head
Running through my head
Running through my head
All the things she said
All the things she said
Running through my head
Running through my head
All the things she said
This is not enough

I'm in serious shit, I feel totally lost
If I'm asking for help it's only because
Being with you has opened my eyes
Could I ever believe such a perfect surprise?
I keep asking myself, wondering how
I keep closing my eyes but I can't block you out
Want to fly to a place where it's just you and me
Nobody else so we can be free

All the things she said
All the things she said
Running through my head
Running through my head
Running through my head
All the things she said
All the things she said
Running through my head
Running through my head
All the things she said
This is not enough (more, more)
This is not enough
All the things she said
All the things she said

And I'm all mixed up, feeling cornered and rushed
They say it's my fault but I want her so much
Wanna fly her away where the sun and rain
Come in over my face, wash away all the shame
When they stop and stare - don't worry me
'Cause I'm feeling for her what she's feeling for me
I can try to pretend, I can try to forget
But it's driving me mad, going out of my head

All the things she said
All the things she said
Running through my head
Running through my head
Running through my head
All the things she said
All the things she said
Running through my head
Running through my head
All the things she said
This is not enough (more, more)
This is not enough

All the things she said
All the things she said
All the things she said
All the things she said
All the things she said
All the things she said
All the things she said

Mother looking at me
Tell me what do you see?
Yes, I've lost my mind
Daddy looking at me
Will I ever be free?
Have I crossed the line?

All the things she said
All the things she said
Running through my head
Running through my head
Running through my head
All the things she said
All the things she said
Running through my head
Running through my head
All the things she said
This is not enough (more, more)
This is not enough
All the things she said

STOP LIVING THE LIE

Number 1 on: 19 January 2003, 26 January 2003

Type of song:

Stop Living the Lie (CD single)
Artist: David Sneddon
Label: Mercury
Date: January 2003

Fame Academy (CD album)
Artist: Various (including David Sneddon)
Label: Mercury
Date: December 2002

David Sneddon won the Fame Academy competition (this was a singing competition which was shown on BBC1 at the end of 2002). Originally he was not chosen for the contest, but he was able to enter after another entrant lost her voice. This is his first song (he wrote the song by himself). He comes from Glasgow in Scotland.

When David was 17 he went to a café with his schoolfriends to paly a game of pool. They saw an old man who was sitting by himself for the whole hour drinking a single cup of coffee (a "bottomless" cup of coffee). He looked extremely depressed ("drowning his tears"), but neither David nor any of his friends went up to the man to ask if he was OK (to "save him"). The chorus is encouraging people to stop pretending not to notice when people are lonely or in trouble ("living the lie") but to offer support to them instead. In the second verse another woman who is lonely ("she stands alone in a place where no one knows her name") enters the café - people stare at her, but again they don't ask if she is OK. In the third verse, the old man looks at the woman but instead of looking away (like David and his friends had done) she smiles at him and goes to sit with him. In this way she is like an "angel": she is just an ordinary person, but she saves him from his despair simply by talking to him when he needed support.

Stop Living the Lie
David Sneddon

He sits alone at a table in a small café
Drowning his tears in a bottomless cup of coffee
And he's tumbling into his thoughts
His memories are all tied in knots
Who is going to save him?
No one wants to know him

She stands alone in a place where no one knows her name
She catches them staring
They turn round and finish the frame
And she's nursing her head and her pride
She died long ago deep down inside
Who is going to save her?
Noone wants to know her

I can't believe that you pull on a sleeve when you cry
You stick in the knife then give the kiss of life
Live the lie
We all have a saviour
So do yourself a favour
Stop living the lie...ohhh....stop living the lie.

He sits alone and looks up to the eyes of an angel
She catches him staring and smiles the smile of an angel
And she asks him if this chair is free
He says, "Yes, will you sit here with me?"
No one would have saved them
We should all learn from them.

I can't believe that you pull on a sleeve when you cry
You stick in the knife then give the kiss of life
Live the lie
We all have a saviour
Do yourself a favour
Stop living the lie...lie.......the lie........stop living the lie.

LINKS

Number 1 singles on other dates: Britain/Music/Lyrics
British pop music: Britain/Music/Pop
Listen to British radio stations: English/Listening
London pop/classical concerts: Life/Entertainment/London

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