Will It Make Them Whole Again
Released: 29th January 2001
Writers: Andy McCluskey / Stuart Kershaw / Jem Godfrey / Pecker Padley
Peak position: #1
Chart run: 1-ane-1-i-2-3-iv-four-vii-7-8-fourteen-16-17-19-21-26-31-30-38-46-63-X-73
Every then frequently, a song comes forth that completely changes the trajectory of a pop act'southward career. For Atomic Kitten, Whole Again was that vocal.
The group's first year was headlined by a triumvirate of uptempo (and arguably superior) tracks intended to establish Atomic Kitten as a cheeky, sprightly trio of young women. And while they all reached the peak ten, none were indelible hits with enough substance to generate pregnant interest in the group's debut album Right Now, which peaked at #39 in October 2000.
The official line on Whole Again has e'er been that it was a terminal-ditch attempt by Atomic Kitten to opposite their floundering chart fortunes. Faced with being dropped by Innocent Records after the so-so performance of their fourth single, Follow Me, they allegedly begged the label for i last chance. Still, the song had already been identified as a potential hit and was planned to accompany the UK release of the group's debut anthology. The simply problem is that it wasn't ready. Having originally been recorded for the Japanese edition of Right Now – with spoken verses performed by Kerry Katona – Innocent Records felt the track sounded unfinished and requested the tune be re-written. Natasha Hamilton and Liz McClarnon recorded the new verses, while the backing vocals were layered to create a gospel choir consequence. However, the label still wasn't satisfied that Whole Again was as good as it could be and asked for farther tweaks. Eventually, after going backwards and forwards – with the group doing further takes in the studio – the starting time have was deemed the best and concluded up being the one used. Having gone to so much trouble to become the song correct, it seems unlikely Innocent Records wouldn't have released it anyhow. All the same, the notion of this single being driven past Atomic Kitten's determination non to go downward without a fight created an underdog narrative, which added another dimension to Whole Over again.
The single is, in the politest way possible, everyman common denominator pop music (and hey, we're totally here for that). It's meticulously crafted to be the sort of vocal that everyone can relate to; lines like: "Baby yous're the ane, yous still turn me on" are delivered in such a sexless way that the lyrics and sentiment effortlessly stretched beyond that of the fractured human relationship they were depicting.
Every bit a point of pop reference, at that place were initially parallels to be drawn between Whole Again and All Saints' Never Ever, largely due to the original version of the vocal (Kerry Katona'due south spoken heart-eight was retained for the final version). Simply Diminutive Kitten had never been established as an act with that degree of gravitas, and and so taking it down a different route was wise. Whole Once more is not necessarily an instance of clever writing, only it is an instance of how to successfully and smartly package predictable writing. From the very commencement time yous hear the song, y'all tin safely guess how almost every rhyming couplet is going to cease. Its appeal lay in its simplicity and trying to dress the song up equally a profound confessional was unnecessary.
Instead, the already-familiar lyrics were gifted the sort of crush that is pre-programmed into a Casio keyboard and a performance that lends itself as well to nonchalantly humming along to information technology on the radio every bit information technology does raucously singing forth to it on a night out. It's therefore non a surprise that Whole Again struck such a chord with the marketplace. Its appeal in that respect has endured, as evidenced when the rail was re-worked to celebrate England reaching the final of Euro 2020 and Southgate You lot're The Ane (Football'southward Coming Habitation Over again) promptly returned Atomic Kitten to the acme 20.
My friends brand me grinning
If only for a while
Y'all tin make me whole over again
Even once Whole Again had established itself as a success, at that place were more twists to come. Simply a few days later on the song topped the chart, Kerry Katona announced she was pregnant and promptly leaving the grouping. Merely a few weeks before and it's entirely possible that this would've been the final straw for Virgin – only with a #one unmarried on their easily, contingency plans were instead drawn upwardly and Jenny Frost (formerly of Precious) was brought in as a replacement, immediately taking over promotional duties.
Initially, the plan was for Atomic Kitten v2.0 to record a follow-upward single that would be released shortly later on Whole Again. Simply having taken the unlikeliest of routes into the chart, the song continued to defy '00s chart logic by growing its sales week-on-calendar week to remain at #1 for a month (for the chart geeks, its consecutive sales were: 69,285 / 85,295 / 101,919 / 113,090). Kerry Katona was almost immediately phased out of most every aspect of the track, with Jenny Frost appearing in all live performances and a partially re-shot music video; information technology was every bit though she'd always been at that place. Except when it came to the sound, since it was Kerry Katona's version that continued to be sold in the shops.
Jenny Frost's takeover was completed later that summer when her vocals featured on Diminutive Kitten's re-recorded debut anthology. And the post-obit year a sparkling new music video was shot for the American release of Whole Again after the group allegedly denied Britney Spears the opportunity to record it (hmm…!). It's a neat concept, with the group walking the streets and beingness joined by increasing numbers of followers until they have enough to grade the Atomic Kitten logo. The video acts nearly like a visual re-telling of the group's rapid rising during the release of this unmarried, although ultimately the American release didn't amount to anything more than.
It goes without saying that Whole Again was a significant moment for Atomic Kitten. Somewhere between selling a 1000000 copies and casually swapping a member, the group unintentionally found a new sound that would dictate their immediate future. For better or for worse, the advised pop of Atomic Kitten ane.0 was swiftly traded for the MOR pop of Diminutive Kitten two.0, and would scarcely be seen again.
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Source: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2019/01/28/atomic-kitten-whole-again/
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