They (song)

"They" is the first single released from Welsh singer Jem's debut album, Finally Woken (2004). It includes a sample of the Swingle Singers' 1963 adaptation of Johann Sebastian Bach's Prelude in F minor (BWV 881) from their album Jazz Sebastian Bach.^[1] Jem recorded the song's vocals in her mother's spare bedroom.^[2]

"They"
Single by Jem
from the album Finally Woken
B-side	"Maybe I'm Amazed"
Released	17 February 2004 (2004-02-17)
Studio	Mum's spare bedroom
Length	3:15
Label	ATO Sony BMG
Songwriter(s)	Jem Griffiths Gerard Young
Producer(s)	Yoad Nevo Jem Ge-ology
Jem singles chronology
"They" (2004) "Just a Ride" (2005)
Alternative cover
UK CD2 and Australian cover
Alternative cover
They: Remixes
Audio sample
"They" file help

"They" was released in the United States in February 2004 and was issued worldwide the following year. The song became Jem's most successful single, reaching number six on the UK Singles Chart, number one in Hungary, and the top 10 in Greece, Ireland, and the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Music videos

Jem released two music videos for "They". The UK version, directed by Laurent Briet,^[3] features Jem stripping herself in a spaceship in the style of Jane Fonda in the opening scene of Barbarella (although she remains covered by strategically placed light based holograms of planetary orbital paths); this is actually a boy dreaming about her as he constructs a model of the same spaceship back on Earth. The US version features Jem walking at a park while being accompanied by a number of children. She then encounters several signs and decides to disobey them. Some intercut scenes show her at a roundabout being spun by children.

Track listings

UK CD1^[4]

1. "They"
2. "Maybe I'm Amazed" (Paul McCartney)

UK CD2 and Australian CD single^[5]

1. "They" (original version)
2. "They" (Cut Chemist remix)
3. "They" (MDK & Ayesha Mix) (Eye in the Sky mix)
4. "They" (video)

Credits and personnel

Credits are lifted from the Finally Woken album booklet.^[2]

Locations

• Vocals recorded in Jem's mother's spare bedroom
• Mixed and mastered at Sanctuary Townhouse Studios (London, England)

Personnel

• Jem – writing (as Jem Griffiths), production, arrangement
• Gerard Young – writing
• Yoad Nevo – instruments, production, arrangement, mixing, mastering
• Ge-ology – production
• Andy Saunders – mixing assistance
• Dan Porter – mixing assistance

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2005) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[6] 28 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[7] 15 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[8] 11 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[9] 7 CIS Airplay (TopHit)[10] 10 Germany (GfK)[11] 45 Greece (IFPI)[12] 8 Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[13] 1 Ireland (IRMA)[14] 8 Italy (FIMI)[15] 47 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[16] 27 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] 29 Russia Airplay (TopHit)[18] 11 Scotland (OCC)[19] 7 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[20] 47 Ukraine Airplay (TopHit)[21] 8 UK Singles (OCC)[22] 6 US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[23] 18

Year-end charts Chart (2005) Position CIS Airplay (TopHit)[24] 25 Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[25] 17 Russia Airplay (TopHit)[26] 26 Ukraine Airplay (TopHit)[27] 21 UK Singles (OCC)[28] 64

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	17 February 2004	Triple A radio	ATO	[29]
United Kingdom	14 March 2005	CD	ATO Sony BMG	[30]
Australia	23 May 2005			[31]
United States	20 June 2005	Hot adult contemporary radio	ATO	[32]