Thank You

"Thank You"
Single by Dido
from the album No Angel
Released	December 12, 2000 (US)
Format	CD Single
Recorded	1998
Genre	Pop
Length	3:38
Label	BMG
Writer(s)	Dido Armstrong, Paul Herman
Producer	Rollo & Dido Armstrong
Dido singles chronology
"Here with Me" (2001) "Thank You" (2001) "Hunter" (2001)

"Thank You" is a song by Dido. The song made its first appearance in 1998, on the soundtrack of Sliding Doors, although it was not released as a single until early 2001. It later featured on Dido's debut album, No Angel, becoming the album's biggest hit. Samples from the track were featured in the song "Stan" by Eminem^[1]; a rare example of a song becoming a hit after the track which sampled it.

Dido wrote the song as a tribute to her boyfriend, entertainment lawyer Bob Page; they got engaged in 2001 but split the following year. "White Flag", which features on her second album Life For Rent, is also about their split,

Chart performance

"Thank You" reached a peak position of #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in April 2001, becoming Dido's first top three single in the United States.

In the UK Singles Chart, "Thank You" also reached a peak position of #3, becoming the singer's third top three single from No Angel in the United Kingdom. It was Dido's biggest single in the United Kingdom, until the release of "White Flag".

Since becoming her biggest hit in both countries, the song has often been recognized as Dido's signature song, as mentioned by J.D. on the Scrubs "My Common Enemy" episode.

Cover versions and other samples

• In 1999, long before the song became a hit, Mexican group Flans recorded a Spanish version entitled "Gracias". It was released as the third single from the album "Hadas".
• In 2005, Italian artist Flexter released a Euro House cover of the song.
• In 2006, Snoop Dogg also sampled the beat of "Thank You" on his song "Round Here" from his 2006 album, Tha Blue Carpet Treatment. The song was produced by Dr. Dre.
• In 2008, West Coast rapper The Game's song "My Life" samples the piano melody of "Thank You". This song was produced by Cool & Dre.
• Also in 2008, Mandopop singer Jolin Tsai covered "Thank You" in her English cover album Love Exercise.

Eminem's "Stan"

Eminem's critically acclaimed single "Stan" samples the first verse of the song for its chorus. Dido herself appears in the music video for "Stan" and has made appearances on Eminem's tours to perform the song. Much of Dido's success in the US can be credited to the popularity of "Stan". When Eminem performed "Stan" live at the 2001 Grammy Awards, Elton John sang the Dido sample as he played piano during the performance.

Deep Dish version

The house duo Deep Dish remixed the song, it won a Grammy Award for "Best Remixed Recording" in 2002.

Music video

Dido recorded a music video for "Thank You". In the video, Dido has not paid her bills, and the government comes to tear down her house. The construction workers put an eviction notice on her door and move her things out. Dido, who seems oblivious to the fact that her house has been barricaded, is seen simply singing the song. In the end, she is escorted out of her home and is forced to walk the streets with a backpack and suitcases.

The end of the video implies that her house is being torn down for redevelopment (her home is sandwiched between two large skyscrapers). The video was directed by Dave Meyers and was released in January 2001.

Charts

Track listing

CD

1. "Thank You" (Album Version)
2. "Thank You" (Deep Dish Not Elton Vocal)
3. "Thank You" (Skinny Mix)

Enhanced CD

1. "Thank You" (Album Version)
2. "Thank You" (Deep Dish Not Elton Vocal Radio Edit)
3. "Thank You" (Skinny Mix)
4. "Thank You" (CD-Rom Video)

Wider popularity

In an interview on BBC Radio 3 in 2005 Katharine Worsley, Duchess of Kent, who, after relinquishing royal duties, worked as a classical music teacher, chose Thank You as one of her favourite pieces.

It was also voted the 57th Most Annoying Pop Songs We Hate To Love in a recent poll on BBC.

References