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"By Your Side"
Single by Sade
from the album Lovers Rock
Released3 October 2000 (2000-10-03)
Recorded13–17 December 1999
Genre
Length4:34
Label Epic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Sade
Sade singles chronology
" Cherish the Day"
(1993) 		"By Your Side"
(2000) 		" King of Sorrow"
(2001)
Music video
"By Your Side" on YouTube

"By Your Side" is a song by English band Sade from their fifth studio album, Lovers Rock (2000). Written by Sade Adu, and produced by her and Mike Pela, it was released as the album's lead single in the United States on 3 October 2000 and in the United Kingdom on 6 November 2000. The track was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards in 2001. [1] The music video for the single was directed by Sophie Muller. In 2002, [2] the song was listed as the 48th greatest love song of all time by VH1. [3]

Critical reception

The single received favourable reviews from music critics. Justin Chadwick from Albumism stated that it "stands as one of the most endearing anthems of unconditional love to emerge in the 21st century thus far". [4] AllMusic editor Ed Hogan said that "never before has the singer infused more mainstream rock elements (prominent strummed guitars) into her music as evidenced by the first single, "By Your Side"." [5] Tanya Rena Jefferson of AXS considers it to be the group's best, commenting, "'By Your Side' is a heartfelt, beautiful song that allows Sade to express how one will not leave and will always be by one's side through thick and thin. This flavorful, mellow, powerful filled song is warm and allows the listener to understand the importance and sincerity of the lyrics." [6]

The Daily Vault's Mark Millan wrote that the song is "one of their finest ever moments." He also described it as a "beautifully soulful track thanks to Adu’s heartfelt vocal performance that greatly enhances the song." [7] Craig Seymour from Entertainment Weekly commented that since 1984, "Sade has made a career out of crooning smoky romantic odes; her first single in eight years, 'By Your Side,' is no different. Over a sharply produced, folksy groove, the Brit chanteuse crafts a guitar-driven declaration of resolute affection. As comforting as the love it describes." [8] A reviewer from People Magazine noted that the song, "with its stripped-down arrangement laying bare a simple yet poignant lyric, is positively uplifting." [9] Frank Guan of Vulture commented, "How does it feel to know there's someone who will never abandon you? A plain but thoroughly gripping hook anchors her pledge to be there in the worst of times." [10]

Music video

Sade in the video for "By Your Side". Wearing an Indian-inspired outfit, she walks through a forest.

The music video for the song was shot in Los Angeles [11] and was directed by British director Sophie Muller, who revealed that it is a metaphor for Sade Adu's life. In the video, she is depicted as a mystical figure walking through a forest and into the city. As the singer walks through different scenes, she gathers items such as a rose and a burned wood stick, and puts them in a small sack. At the end of the video, she walks into the city and is seen in the median of the road offering/selling the rose like a flower seller. This strange journey represents her life but "made into a beautiful, mysterious dream." [12]

The idea for the video came when Sade and Muller were driving to the studio and saw people standing in the middle of the road selling flowers. At that sight, Muller thought "it was so sad to be constantly rejected by these cars" and thought, "Well, it's not such a bad job to be looking at beautiful flowers all day." [12] This gave rise to the video's concept of someone who has been away, and is now standing offering a flower to someone. At the time, eight years had passed since the group last released an album. The flower Sade offers to passersby at the end of the video symbolizes the band's latest album, Lovers Rock, that she is offering to the world.

Regarding her role as a director, Sophie Muller said that "she [Sade] had not done anything in eight years—there had not even been a photograph taken of her. I think I was being protective the day we did it; I did not want to push her to do something incredibly difficult, but wanted to ease her back in." [12]

The video contains very extreme and vivid colors, which were inspired by Chinese and Indian films as well as Japanese masters. Specifically, the pale green light was influenced by Indian over-saturated imagery. [12] This is because the director wanted each bit to be different and "wanted to make it like reality, but more beautiful". [12] For example, the forest was meant to be like a forest, but a bit more peaceful than a real one would be. [12] Not many special effects were used in the making of the video. Everything was built to look the way it does. The only visual effect is the huge field where she is seen walking. For it, a little field was built and painted all around her. And there was a little green screen, when she walks towards the city. [12]

Track listings

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for "By Your Side"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Denmark ( IFPI Danmark) [41] Gold 45,000‡
United Kingdom ( BPI) [42] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "By Your Side"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States 3 October 2000
Epic [43]
9 October 2000
[44]
10 October 2000 Rhythmic contemporary radio
United Kingdom 6 November 2000 CD [45]

The 1975 version

"By Your Side"
Single by the 1975
Released21 February 2017
Genre
Length4:55
Label Dirty Hit
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Matthew Healy
The 1975 singles chronology
" Loving Someone"
(2017) 		"By Your Side"
(2017) 		" Give Yourself a Try"
(2018)

English band The 1975 released a cover version of "By Your Side" on 21 February 2017 as a charity single raising funds for War Child, a charity that provides aid to children in war-torn countries. [49]

"This song for me... if you listen to Kanye, if you listen to Bono... that song 'By Your Side' has so much of that identity", frontman Matty Healy said. "When I was listening to it, I was listening to it with this real sense of modernity thinking wow, this is still really forward thinking. When we were going to go a gig for War Child... the idea of doing it for charity meant the sentiment of the song took on a whole different meaning, and it felt perfect. It's such a beautiful song." [50]

Charts

Chart performance for "By Your Side"
Chart (2017) Peak
position
Scotland ( OCC) [51] 50
UK Singles Downloads ( OCC) [52] 51
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs ( Billboard) [53] 32

Other versions and in popular culture

References

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  2. ^ ""The Greatest" 100 Greatest Love Songs (TV Episode 2002)". Internet Movie Database. 14 November 2002. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
  3. ^ Tompkins, Dave. "VH1 – 100 Greatest Love Songs (Music Database :: Dave Tompkins)". University of British Columbia. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
  4. ^ Chadwick, Justin (11 November 2020). "Sade's 'Lovers Rock' Turns 20: Anniversary Retrospective". Albumism. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  5. ^ Hogan, Ed. "Sade - Lovers Rock". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  6. ^ Jefferson, Tanya Rena. "Sade's 10 best songs". AXS. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  7. ^ Millan, Mark (30 March 2014). "Sade - Lovers Rock". The Daily Vault. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  8. ^ Seymour, Craig. "Music Single Review: By Your Side". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  9. ^ "Picks and Pans Review: Lovers Rock". People. 27 November 2000. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  10. ^ Guan, Frank (26 October 2017). "All 73 Sade Songs, Ranked From Worst to Best". Vulture. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  11. ^ "SADE VIDEOGRAPHY AND HELP". sadeusa.com. 18 January 2010. Archived from the original on 1 February 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g "Music Video Director Sophie Muller". MVWire.com. 11 February 2002. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  13. ^ " Sade – By Your Side" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  14. ^ " Sade – By Your Side" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
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  16. ^ "HR Top 20 Lista". Croatian Radiotelevision. Archived from the original on 12 December 2000. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  17. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 48. 25 November 2000. p. 15. ISSN  0006-2510 – via World Radio History.
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  19. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Sade". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  20. ^ " Sade – By Your Side". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
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