What Will the Neighbours Say?

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What Will the Neighbours Say?
Studio album by
Girls Aloud
Released29 November 2004 (2004-11-29)
RecordedApril–September 2004
StudioLondon, England
Genre
Length51:15
LabelPolydor
Producer
Girls Aloud chronology
Sound of the Underground
(2003) 		What Will the Neighbours Say?
(2004) 		Chemistry
(2005)
Singles from What Will the Neighbours Say?
  1. "The Show"
    Released: 28 June 2004
  2. "Love Machine"
    Released: 13 September 2004
  3. "I'll Stand by You"
    Released: 15 November 2004
  4. "Wake Me Up"
    Released: 21 February 2005

What Will the Neighbours Say? is the second studio album by English-Irish all-female

subgenres
of pop music.

What Will the Neighbours Say? was released to mostly positive reviews from contemporary music critics. It yielded five top-ten singles and had high sales, going double platinum in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The album was followed by Girls Aloud's first tour, the What Will the Neighbours Say...? Tour.

To celebrate the album's 20th anniversary, the album was re-released on 8 March 2024 in three formats, a sky-blue

streaming. The 3CD Deluxe Edition features the original UK album along with a number of remixes, alternative cuts, other rarities, and three previously unreleased tracks produced by Xenomania: a cover of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" originally slated as the lead single from Girls Aloud's 2005 studio album Chemistry and two new songs, "Disco Bunny" and "Baby When You Go."[1]

Conception

Band member

Sound of the Underground and its singles had been successful, in 2004, Polydor Records were considering dropping them from the label after what they perceived as underperformance of the album's sales, considering that the group was formed during Popstars: The Rivals, which drew 20 million viewers, which according to record executives was not "turning into 20 million sales." However, Polydor's then-marketing director, Peter Lorraine, appealed to the label and convinced them to allow the group to record a second album.[2]

Polydor enlisted Brian Higgins and Xenomania to produce Girls Aloud's second album in its entirety, following their production of six tracks from Sound of the Underground, including the album's three singles, and three more tracks: "Girls on Film", "You Freak Me Out" (for the film Freaky Friday) and "Jump" (for the film Love Actually), which all featured on the album's late 2003 reissue.[3] "When the second album came round, the label said, 'Listen, we're not going to do this group any more if you don't do it.'" Higgins explained.[4] "I think my initial reaction was to do a few tracks and he said, 'No, you have to do this because I think you're the only person who understands exactly what it is'. So, that's how we took it on."[4]

Higgins said, "The pressure to come up with singles was, as always, immense. But [...] we were able to have a lot of fun working on ideas that were maybe a little too odd to be on the radio."[3] The album was recorded from April to September 2004, although its lead single "The Show" was released in June 2004. The album title comes from a lyric in the song "Love Machine" which asks, "what will the neighbours say this time?" This lyric is a reference itself to a line from "Sound of the Underground", in which Girls Aloud sing "Neighbour's banging on the bathroom wall / He's saying 'Crank the bass, I gotta get some more".[5]

Music

Style and lyrics

What Will the Neighbours Say? explores different subgenres of pop, especially incorporating electronic dance music into electropop. Synthesizers are more prominent on the album. The usage of guitar was also prominent in several songs. The backing track to "Love Machine", composed by Xenomania musicians Tim Powell and Nick Coler, was inspired by the Smiths,[6] while "Wake Me Up" includes a guitar riff inspired by garage rock.[7][8] What Will the Neighbours Say? also includes a number of ballads.

The lyrics focus on a number of more adult topics, often dealing with

Sound of the Underground, Girls Aloud became involved in the writing process.[11] "We don't let them out of the room till they've given every ounce of melodic instinct that they've got in them, [...] at the end, you find they've contributed really well," Higgins stated in an interview with The Observer.[11] Nadine Coyle admitted, "I needed to be pushed into songwriting, because I wasn't really interested".[3] The album's lyrics were praised by critics,[12][13] noting "the girls are usually singing something interesting. Someone at Xenomania has a knack for writing witty couplets".[7]

Songs

The album begins with its lead single, "

Cheryl Cole noted in Girls Aloud's 2008 autobiography Dreams That Glitter – Our Story that the single "was the point when we realized everything we'd been doing was quite down and moody [...] and that's not what people wanted." The album's fifth track is its final single "Wake Me Up". The Guardian's review said that the song sounds like what would happen if "you married an alarmingly fast techno thud to an implausibly dumb three-chord garage-rock riff."[7]

"Deadlines and Diets", originally released in 2000 by Moonbaby (a pseudonym of Xenomania songwriter

Tricky tracks."[13]

"

Lene Nystrøm Rasted, who co-wrote Girls Aloud's "No Good Advice", also recorded a version of the song for her 2003 album Play With Me. "Here We Go" is also the basis for the theme song to the television cartoon series, Totally Spies!. The track has been described as "a relatively filthy '60s romp".[13] "Thank Me Daddy", co-written by Kimberley Walsh, is a "saucy disco romp".[15] "I Say a Prayer for You", a bonus track co-written and entirely sung by Nicola Roberts, also received comparisons to Spice Girls' ballads.[5][14] The album's final track is "100 Different Ways", which Nadine Coyle
co-wrote and sings solo.

Release

What Will the Neighbours Say? was released in the United Kingdom on 29 November 2004.[20] The international versions of the album exclude the bonus tracks "I Say a Prayer for You" and "100 Different Ways". What Will the Neighbours Say? and other Girls Aloud releases appeared on the US iTunes Store on 26 June 2007.

Singles

The album's first single was technically their cover of "

UK Singles Chart.[27] The album's final single was "Wake Me Up". In 2005, "Wake Me Up" won the award for the Popjustice £20 Music Prize, an annual prize awarded to the best British pop single of the year. Girls Aloud had previously won the award in 2003 for "No Good Advice". The music video for "Wake Me Up" was directed by Harvey & Carolyn and starred Girls Aloud as "biker chicks".[28] It became their first single to miss the top three when it peaked at number four.[29] "Graffiti My Soul
" was going to be the sixth single released from the album, but was cancelled because the group wanted to start work on their third album.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
Entertainment.ie[30]
The Guardian[7]
RTÉ.ie[31]
Stylus MagazineA−[12]
Yahoo! Music[13]

What Will the Neighbours Say? received positive reviews from music critics. Stylus Magazine declared, "There is no pop in the world like Girls Aloud today."[12] The Guardian hailed it as "a great album: funny, clever, immediate, richly inventive."[7] Girls Aloud were praised for simply making it past their debut.[7][13][15] What Will the Neighbours Say? was referred to as "nothing less than the pop album of the year."[8] RTÉ.ie called it a "near perfect pop album", praised its "vivacious and engulfing tunes" and stated that there is "pretty much nothing to dislike" about it.[31] A review by Entertainment.ie's Andrew Lynch said, "Girls Aloud really shouldn't have made it as far as a second album. [...] There's just one problem – the girls have a knack of coming up with utterly infectious pop songs".[30]

What Will the Neighbours Say? did receive mild criticism for being "top-heavy", with the singles comprising the first five songs which

Jump" (originally by the Pointer Sisters) were also criticised.[7][11] MusicOMH said, "it's when the girls stray from their regular songwriting team that they become unstuck. [...] The two covers are the only mis-step though here."[8]

Commercial performance

What Will the Neighbours Say? became Girls Aloud's second top ten album in the United Kingdom. It debuted at number six on the

deluxe edition reissue, released on 8 March 2024, re-entered the UK Albums Chart at number 35.[32] The same week, What Will the Neighbours Say? debuted a number six on the UK Vinyl Albums chart.[35] On 26 March 2024, the album was certified double Platinum by the BPI for shipments in excesss of 600,000 copies.[34]

In Scotland, What Will the Neighbours Say? peaked at number four on the Scottish Albums Charts.[36] In Ireland, the album debuted at number twelve, remaining in the top twenty for eight weeks.[37] By 2005, it had been certified double Platinum by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) for shipments of more than 30,000 units.[38]

Track listing

All tracks were produced by Brian Higgins and Xenomania.[39]

Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."
Jump"
  • Steve Mitchell
  • Marti Sharron
  • Gary Skardina
3:39
5."Wake Me Up"
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Powell
  • Cowling
  • Lee
  • Paul Woods
  • Yusra Maru'e
3:27
6."Deadlines & Diets"
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Matt Gray
3:57
7."Big Brother"
  • Girls Aloud
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Cowling
  • Tim "Rolf" Larcombe
3:58
8."Hear Me Out"
  • Girls Aloud
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Powell
  • Cowling
3:42
9."Graffiti My Soul"
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Powell
  • Cowling
  • Peplab
3:14
10."Real Life"
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Cowling
  • Larcombe
3:41
11."Here We Go"
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Gray
3:45
12."Thank Me Daddy"
  • Girls Aloud
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Powell
  • Cowling
  • Woods
  • Larcombe
3:22
UK bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
13."I Say a Prayer for You" (Nicola Roberts solo)
  • Girls Aloud
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Powell
  • Cowling
3:33
14."100 Different Ways" (Nadine Coyle solo)
3:41
Total length:51:15
2024 deluxe edition – disc 2
Valerie Simpson
3:35
11."Love Machine" (demo version)
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Powell
  • Cowling
  • Coler
  • Boyle
  • Lee
3:05
12."Deadlines & Diets" (version 2)
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Matt Gray
3:59
13."Love Machine" (CD:UK edit)
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Powell
  • Cowling
  • Coler
  • Boyle
  • Lee
3:05
14."The Show" (Popworld edit)
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Powell
  • Cowling
  • Shave
3:05
15."I'll Stand By You" (tv edit)
  • Hynde
  • Kelly
  • Steinberg
3:26
16."Wake Me Up" (Off the Record edit)
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Powell
  • Cowling
  • Lee
  • Paul Woods
  • Yusra Maru'e
3:10
Total length:54:36
2024 deluxe edition – disc 3
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Love Machine" (Tony Lamezma's club mix radio edit)
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Powell
  • Cowling
  • Coler
  • Boyle
  • Lee
3:47
2."Wake Me Up" (Tony Lamezma's "Love Affair" radio edit)
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Powell
  • Cowling
  • Lee
  • Paul Woods
  • Yusra Maru'e
3:56
3."The Show" (Flip & Fill remix)
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Powell
  • Cowling
  • Shave
3:40
4."I'll Stand By You" (Tony Lamezma's club romp radio edit)
  • Hynde
  • Kelly
  • Steinberg
3:58
5."Love Machine" (Gravitas disco mix radio edit)
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Powell
  • Cowling
  • Coler
  • Boyle
  • Lee
3:38
6."Wake Me Up" (Flip & Fill remix)
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Powell
  • Cowling
  • Lee
  • Paul Woods
  • Yusra Maru'e
6:19
7."The Show" (Bang Bang Klub vocal mix)
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Powell
  • Cowling
  • Shave
8:46
8."I'll Stand By You" (Gravitas vocal dub mix edit)
  • Hynde
  • Kelly
  • Steinberg
6:27
9."The Show" (Tony Lamezma's club mix)
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Powell
  • Cowling
  • Shave
5:46
10."Wake Me Up" (Gravitas club mix)
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Powell
  • Cowling
  • Lee
  • Paul Woods
  • Yusra Maru'e
5:29
11."Love Machine" (Tony Lamezma's Full-Length club mix)
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Powell
  • Cowling
  • Coler
  • Boyle
  • Lee
6:20
12."The Show" (Bang Bang Klub alternative mix)
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Powell
  • Cowling
  • Shave
7:42
13."Wake Me Up" (Tony Lamezma's "Love Affair")
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Powell
  • Cowling
  • Lee
  • Paul Woods
  • Yusra Maru'e
7:01
14."The Show" (Gravitas club mix)
  • Cooper
  • Higgins
  • Powell
  • Cowling
  • Shave
6:51
Total length:92:00

Sample credits

  • "Graffiti My Soul" contains a sample of the Peplab song "It's Not the Drug".[39]

Notes

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for What Will the Neighbours Say?
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Ireland (IRMA)[38] 2× Platinum 30,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[34] 2× Platinum 600,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

What Will the Neighbours Say? release history
Region Date Edition(s) Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom 29 November 2004 Standard
  • CD
  • digital download
Polydor
 [32]
Various 8 March 2024
Deluxe
  • CD
  • digital download
  • vinyl
Universal Music Operations
 [1]

References

  1. ^ a b "What Will The Neighbours Say? (Deluxe Edition): Blue Vinyl, Picture Disc, 3CD & Sticker Sheet Bundle". Girls Aloud Shop. Universal Music. Archived from the original on 9 March 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  2. ^ "Cheryl on almost getting DROPPED by record label: 'It wasn't selling'". 31 May 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d Mark Savage (24 May 2005). "The Hitmakers: Xenomania". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
  4. ^ a b Andreas Soteriou (13 April 2010). "Brian Higgins: The Pop Don't Stop". Ponystep. Archived from the original on 11 February 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
  5. ^
    All Media Guide
    . Retrieved 30 July 2009.
  6. ^ Robinson, Peter (2009). "Love Machine". The Singles Boxset (Booklet). Girls Aloud. London, England: Fascination Records. pp. 16–17.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Alexis Petridis (26 November 2004). "Girls Aloud, What Will The Neighbours Say?". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 May 2006.
  8. ^ a b c d John Murphy (November 2004). "Girls Aloud – What Will The Neighbours Say? (Polydor)". MusicOMH. OMH. Archived from the original on 30 January 2010. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
  9. ^ Robinson, Peter (2009). "The Show". The Singles Boxset (Booklet). Girls Aloud. London, England: Fascination Records. p. 15.
  10. News Corporation
    . 7 January 2005. Retrieved 28 February 2008.
  11. ^ a b c d e f Ben Thompson (18 July 2004). "Heart of the country, home of the hits". The Observer. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
  12. ^ a b c d e William B. Swygart (13 December 2004). "Girls Aloud – What Will The Neighbours Say?". Stylus Magazine. Todd Burns. Archived from the original on 2 October 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i Emma Morgan (6 December 2004). "Girls Aloud – What Will The Neighbours Say?". Yahoo! Music. Yahoo!. Archived from the original on 11 December 2004. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
  14. ^ a b c d e David Hooper (29 November 2003). "Girls Aloud, What Will The Neighbours Say?". BBC Music. BBC. Retrieved 28 February 2009.
  15. ^
    Virginmedia.com. Virgin Media. Archived from the original
    on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
  16. ^
    Newsround
    . 5 November 2004. Retrieved 28 February 2008.
  17. ^ Robinson, Peter (2009). "I'll Stand By You". The Singles Boxset (Booklet). Girls Aloud. London, England: Fascination Records. p. 19.
  18. ^ Caroline Sullivan (17 September 2004). "How I became a Girl Aloud". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
  19. ^ a b Kitty Empire (28 November 2004). "Pop CD of the week". The Observer. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
  20. ^ "New Releases: Albums". Music Week. 27 November 2004. p. 22.
  21. ^ "Singer Jackson tops album chart". BBC News. BBC. 23 November 2003. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
  22. Newsround. BBC
    . 4 July 2004. Retrieved 28 February 2009.
  23. Times Newspapers Ltd.
    Retrieved 26 February 2009.
  24. ^ "Girls Aloud – Love Machine – Single reviews". Virgin Media. 13 September 2004. Retrieved 28 February 2008.
  25. Newsround
    . 19 September 2004. Retrieved 28 February 2008.
  26. Newsround
    . 26 September 2004. Retrieved 28 February 2008.
  27. ^ "Girls Aloud". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 February 2009.
  28. ^ Wake Me Up (CD liner). Girls Aloud. Polydor Records. 2005.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  29. ^ "Wake Me Up". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 February 2009.
  30. ^ a b Andrew Lynch (6 December 2004). "Girls Aloud – What Will the Neighbours Say?". entertainment.ie. Archived from the original on 22 November 2007. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
  31. ^
    Raidió Teilifís Éireann
    . Retrieved 30 July 2009.
  32. ^ a b c d "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  33. ^ a b "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2004". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  34. ^ a b c d "British album certifications". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. 
  35. ^ a b "Official Vinyl Albums Chart on 15/3/2024 (15 March 2024 – 21 March 2024)". Official Charts Company. 15 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  36. ^ a b "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  37. ^ a b "Irish-charts.com – Discography Girls Aloud". Hung Medien.
  38. ^ a b "The Irish Charts - 2005 Certification Awards - Multi Platinum". Irish Recorded Music Association.
  39. ^
    Polydor. 2004.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link
    )
  40. ^ https://shop.girlsaloud.com/products/what-will-the-neighbours-say-deluxe-edition-3cd
  41. ^ "Mania (3) – Sampler". Discogs. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  42. ^ "ChartsPlusYE2005" (PDF). UKchartsplus.co.uk. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 January 2022.

Sources

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