Us Against the World (Westlife song)

Infobox Single
Name = Us Against The World


Artist = Westlife
Album = Back Home
Released = 3 March 2008
Format = CD Single / Digital Download
Recorded = 2007
Genre = Pop ballad
Length = 4:01
Label = Sony BMG
Writer = Arnthor Birgisson, Rami Yacoub, Savan Kotecha
Reviews = *Digital Spy rating-5|2 [http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/a88773/westlife-us-against-the-world.html]
Last single = "Home"
(2007)
(24)
This single = "Us Against The World"
(2008)
(25)
Next single = "Something Right"
(2008)
(26)
Misc = Extra track listing
Album = Back Home
Type = studio
prev_track = "Home"
prev_no = 1
this_track = "Us Against The World"
track_no = 2
next_track = "Something Right"
next_no = 3 Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = "Us Against The World CD2"
Type = single

"Us Against The World", an original Westlife song, was the second single released in both Ireland and the UK from the band's ninth studio album, Back Home. This was officially confirmed by band member Nicky Byrne at an X Factor interview and through the band's official website. [ [http://www.westlife.com/news/2007/12/07/westlifes_next_single Westlife's Next Single] "Westlife.com"]

The song was composed by Arnthor Birgisson, Rami Yacoub and Savan Kotecha. They've also contributed to the upbeat tracks on the Back Home album, namely "Something Right", "The Easy Way", and "Pictures In My Head".

"Us Against The World" was also dedicated to Westlife's fans worldwide to mark their continuous support. The band gave their first live performance of Us Against The World on the TV special, The Westlife Show Live, which was broadcasted on December 15.

In the Philippines, both song and music video premiered on July 3, 2008, the band's anniversary date.

Track listing

CD1

# Us Against The World
# Get Away

CD2

# Us Against The World
# I'm Already There (Ashanti Boyz Remix)
# Us Against The World (The Wideboys Remix) (Radio Edit)

Music Video

The band announced through their official website that the video began shoot on 4 December 2007 [ [http://www.westlife.com/news/2007/12/03/new_video_shoot 'Us Against The World' Video Shoot News] "Westlife.com"] . The music video marks a major milestone in the band's decade of music.

The video premiered on February 14 while the single was released on 3 March 2008. [ [http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0012IWIXG 'Us Against The World' Single Order] "Amazon.co.uk"] .

The initial video, which featured both the lads and their loved ones, was shot at the Twickenham Rugby Stadium in London over a two day span. Louis Walsh, the band's manager, had a cameo role in it. However, the band had a reshoot of the music video due to Simon Cowell's disapproval of the initial video outcome.Fact|date=April 2008 This might have caused the release date to be pushed back to March 3 from the initial February 25.

The video shows the band walking through a staged red carpet segment, inside the backseat of a moving car, spending time with their loved ones along with photos and videos of their past decade.

Release and Chart Performance

Prior to its physical release, the song managed to peak at #40 on the UK Official Singles Chart and at #27 on the Official Irish Singles Chart based on downloads alone.

On 3 March 2008, the single was released in its physical format, climbing 32 spots to peak at #8 on the UK Official Singles Chart and at #6 on the Official Irish Singles Chart. A live version of the single was also made available for download. This marks the first time in Westlife's history that a single has not been able to reach the top 5 in the United Kingdom, making "Us Against The World" the band's lowest charting single to date.

Many fans have blamed the record label, Sony BMG, for putting the song up for download 2 weeks prior to the physical release of the single as well as choosing to release it during the Back Home Tour, thus resulting in inadequate single promotion. A similar situation occurred back in 2002 when Bop Bop Baby was released while the band was on tour.

On 4 May 2008, the song managed to re-enter the UK Singles Chart at #74. This is believed to be due to a performance by a Britain's Got Talent contestant on the TV show.

The single peaked at #1 on several radio charts in Ireland, UK, Vietnam, South Africa, and The Philippines, #2 in Thailand, #7 in Indonesia, #20 in Sweden, #22 in Russia. The song also entered the UK and Irish iTunes Top Songs and Top Music video Charts. The music video peaked on the MTV Asia Chart Attack Top 20 show at #16.

References

External links

* [http://www.westlife.com Official Westlife Website]