| "Sober" |
 |
| Single by Pink |
| from the album Funhouse |
| B-side |
"When We're Through"[1] |
| Released |
November 3, 2008
(see release history) |
| Format |
Digital download, CD single |
| Recorded |
2008 |
| Genre |
Pop rock, alternative rock |
| Length |
4:14 |
| Label |
LaFace |
| Writer(s) |
Pink, Nate Hills, Kara DioGuardi, Marcella Araica |
| Producer |
Danja, Tony Kanal, Jimmy Harry, Ed Welch |
| Certification |
2x Platinum (ARIA), Platinum (RIAA)
Gold (RIANZ, IFPI) |
| Pink singles chronology |
|
|
"Sober" is a song by American pop rock singer Pink, and the second single taken from her fifth studio album, Funhouse. It was written by Nate "Danja" Hills, Kara DioGuardi, 333 Productions, Marcella Araica and Pink herself. The track was produced by Danja, Tony Kanal, 333 Productions and Jimmy Harry.nThe song gained airplay before release in Australia on Today Network's stations and the Hot 30 Countdown and was the number one most added song on Australian radio.[2] In the United States, "Sober" debuted at number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100, and peaked at 15, becoming her second Top 20 single from her album, after the huge success of So What. P!nk has been nominated for the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
Song meaning
Pink wrote this song at a party hosted at her home, where everyone was drunk or drinking except for her, and she wanted them all to leave. She went to the beach and had a line in her head saying "How do I feel so good sober?". Eventually it had nothing to do with alcohol but with identities. "How do I feel so good with just me, without anyone to lean on?", Pink says in an interview.[3] She also stated that the song was one of the darkest she wrote for the album. "Sober is a dark, kind of sad song. And it’s about the vices that we choose and I had this idea in my head, ‘Like how do I feel this good sober?...I don’t know it’s just a really, really personal beautiful song, one of my favorites…"[4]
Chart performance
"Sober" made its first debut on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart, entering at number 16 and peaking at number 6 . On the Australian Airplay chart it has been the most heard radio song peaking at number 1, staying there for 3 weeks.[5] In New Zealand, "Sober" debuted at number thirty-five on November 10, 2008 and peaked at number seven.
On the Billboard issue dated December 13, "Sober" officially debuted at number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has climbed to number 15 thus far, giving Pink her second top twenty from Funhouse. On the Adult Top 40, it climbed to #1, making it her third consecutive chart topper there ("Who Knew" and "So What" being the two prior). This is the first time an artist has scored three consecutive number ones on the Adult Top 40 in the chart's history, as well as the first time a female artist has achieved three number ones on the chart.[6] "Sober" has sold over 1,000,000 downloads in the United States, becoming the second million-selling song from the Funhouse album.[7]
In Europe it debuted at number 15 on the European Hot 100 on the issue of December 27 and the next week, peaking thus far at number 12. Also, in Canada it first made a 'Hot Shot Debut' at number 66 on the Canadian Hot 100 on the issue of November 15 based on downloads, but on the week of December 4 it made a re-entry on the chart peaking higher at number 31 and then rising to number 15. On the issue of February 14, 2009 "Sober" managed to enter the top 10 of the Canadian Hot 100 peaking at number 10, becoming Pink's second Top 10 hit from the Funhouse album in Canada. Thus far, the song managed to peak at number 8.
In the Netherlands, "Sober" debuted at number 26 in the Top 40 (combined single sales and airplay chart) only due to airplay. Currently Sober stays at number 3, making it her highest charting single there since "Get the Party Started" back in 2001. On the chart week of December 25, 2008, "Sober" entered the Dutch Hot 100 Single Charts at number 82, her lowest debut ever on the chart, however due to the holidays the charts were published 3 days before normal date. However in the next week "Sober" moved 30 places to number 52, resulting in her fastest climbing single. Currently it stays at number 3.
On December 28, 2008, "Sober" entered the UK Singles Chart at #80. On January 4, 2009, "Sober" moved up to #65. On January 11, "Sober" climbed into the Top 40 at #37. On January 18, "Sober" rose again to #26. These positions were based on downloads alone. "Sober" was released physically in the UK on January 19, 2009. Upon the physical release "Sober" rose to #9 in the UK, becoming Pink's second consecutive Top 10 hit from the "Funhouse" album in the UK, and her 14th Top 10 hit overall on the UK Singles Chart.This has also become her 3rd top 20 hit from Funhouse,so far.
Music video
Pink and her doppelgänger in the bathroom at a party, in the music video for "Sober".
The music video was filmed in the last days of September in Stockholm, Sweden.[8] A live video from London has been used in Australia and New Zealand to promote for the song until the official music video was released on November 25. It was directed by Jonas Akerlund.
The video starts with views from the city and then a little TV is turned on in Pink's bedroom and Pink appears in white. The song starts, and Pink is shown in the bedroom lying on the bed alone, and a girl is shown walking out of the door of the room. As the first verse starts, Pink is shown sitting on a sofa in a party where her doppelgänger is drunk and flirting with different girls and guys. Pink's doppelgänger is shown in the bathroom, throwing up. Pink enters the bathroom and sits beside her doppelgänger who seemed disturbed and then walks out. Pink is now lying on the bed, her doppelgänger calls her up, but Pink doesn't answer her cell. As the chorus begins, Pink is shown singing on her bed in her bedroom and on the sofa in the party. And then pictures of a white room where Pink is dressed with white outfit and wearing a white pageboy wig are shown. Verse 2 is sang in the same location. As the chorus starts again, Pink is shown walking in the room where the party was held where everybody is blacked out and drunk, including her doppelgänger. As the song reaches its climax, the bridge kicks off and Pink is shown spanking and making out with her doppelgänger in bed. The scene was cut or replaced by almost all TV channels. Various scenes from the video are then shown and the video ends with one of the Pinks walking out of the door of the bedroom leaving the other Pink alone.
Track listings and formats
- 2 Tracks CD Single 88697-42507-2[9]
- "Sober" — 4:11
- "When You're Through"[1] — 4:22
- Maxi CD Single 88697-43481-2[9]
- "Sober" — 4:14
- "When We're Through"[1] — 4:22
- "Sober" (Bimbo Jones Radio Edit) — 3:04
- "Sober" (Junior's Spinning Around Tribal Dub) — 9:00
|
- US Promo CD 88697-41167-2[10]
- "Sober" (Main) — 4:13
- UK Promo CD-R[11]
- "Sober" (Bimbo Jones Radio Edit) — 3:04
- "Sober" (Bimbo Jones Club Mix) — 5:43
- "Sober" (Original Mix) — 4:12
|
Charts
Certifications
| Country |
Certification |
Sales |
| United States |
Platinum |
1,528,000+ |
| Australia |
2x Platinum[25] |
140,000 |
| Germany |
Gold[26] |
150,000 |
| Austria |
Gold[26] |
15,000 |
| New Zealand |
Gold[27] |
7,500 |
| Worldwide |
|
4.480.000+[28] |
Release history
| Region |
Date |
Format |
Label |
| U.S.[29] |
November 4, 2008 |
Digital download |
Sony Music |
| Australia |
November 15, 2008 |
Digital download, CD single |
| Germany[29] |
December 5, 2008 |
Digital download, CD single |
| UK |
January 19, 2009 |
Digital download, CD single |
References
- ^ a b c "Sober: Pink: Music". amazon.co.uk. http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Q2283l6sL._SS350_.jpg. Retrieved 2008-12-29.
- ^ "The Music Network, Australian Music Business News & Information: New site coming soon". Themusicnetwork.com.au. http://www.themusicnetwork.com.au/20.0.html. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
- ^ P!nk - MTV Choose or Loose Youtube and MTV. Retrieved October 19, 2008.
- ^ Pink is Sober Sony BMG Netherlands. Throughout the song lyrics, the concept of height is used to signify the destructive nature of an addiction. The imagery of falling to an addition vs. attempts to raise one's spirits is highly contrasted. When Sober is performed live, P!nk uses aerial stunts, which assist her in conveying the song's message about addictions. Retrieved January 25, 2009.
- ^ "Australian Music Report Weekly Hot 100". Aumreport.com. http://www.aumreport.com/amr100.html. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
- ^ "Music Chart Analysis, Artist Spotlights, Music Insider, Chart Beat & News". Billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/chart_beat/bonus.jsp?JSESSIONID=sJpdJfqQxM1l5N8csGktH5wJ8nzgmCGGg3gTzCWKLJyMt2Q9LyMh!-1538156182. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
- ^ "Week Ending May 10, 2009: Halle Berry, Now You've Made It - Chart Watch". New.music.yahoo.com. http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/33645/week-ending-may-10-2009-halle-berry-now-youve-made-it/. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
- ^ Pink i Sverige NÖje". Retrieved November 9, 2008.
- ^ a b member: HookedonSpice *OFFICIAL* Sober CD single includes b-side! Tracklist + time for songs Pink's Official forum. Retrieved November 9, 2008.
- ^ "The official P!nk forums - So what CD Single". Pink.shread.net. 2008-08-27. http://pink.shread.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=170209. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
- ^ "Addition Product Information". Eil.com. http://eil.com/shop/moreinfo.asp?catalogid=460419. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
- ^ a b c d e f g "P!nk - Sober (song)". Hung Medien. http://www.australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=P!nk&titel=Sober&cat=s. Retrieved 12 September 2009.
- ^ "Information Not Found". Billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/charts/chart_display.jsp?f=Canadian+Hot+100&pageNumber=Top+1-10&g=Singles. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
- ^ ds. "Čns Ifpi". Ifpicr.cz. http://www.ifpicr.cz/hitparada/index.php?hitp=R. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ a b Pinks Chart History Billboard. Retrieved Novemebr 12, 2008.
- ^ Musicline.de chart history
- ^ "More Charts - Greek Airplay (Radio1 Rodos Greece ::: Top 40 Music Station ::: Promo Releases)". Radio1.gr. http://www.radio1.gr/charts/greek_air.htm. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
- ^ "GFK Chart-Track". Chart-track.co.uk. http://www.chart-track.co.uk/index.jsp?c=p%2Fmusicvideo%2Fmusic%2Farchive%2Findex_test.jsp&ct=240001&arch=t&lyr=2009&year=2009&week=6. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
- ^ "RIANZ". RIANZ. http://www.rianz.org.nz/rianz/chart.asp. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
- ^ "Nielsen Music Control". www.nielsenmusiccontrol.com. 1998-12-14. http://www.nielsenmusiccontrol.com/index_pol/. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
- ^ Steffen Hung. "P!nk - Sober". swisscharts.com. http://swisscharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=P%21nk&titel=Sober&cat=s. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
- ^ Billboard Turkey Top 20 Chart Retrieved on January 26, 2009
- ^ Chartstats.com
- ^ "Top 50 Singles Chart - Australian Record Industry Assocation". Ariacharts.com.au. 2009-12-21. http://ariacharts.com.au/pages/charts_display_singles.asp?chart=1U50. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
- ^ a b "Bundesverband Musikindustrie: Gold-/Platin-Datenbank". Musikindustrie.de. http://www.musikindustrie.de/gold_platin_datenbank/?action=1&strSuche=Sober. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
- ^ "RIANZ". RIANZ. http://rianz.org.nz/rianz/chart.asp. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
- ^ http://www.pinkspage.wg.am/diskografie.html
- ^ a b [2]
|
P!nk |
|
| Studio albums |
|
|
| Live Albums |
|
|
| Other albums |
|
|
| DVDs |
|
|
| Tours |
|
|
| Related articles |
|
|
