If We Ever Meet Again Explained

If We Ever Meet Again
Cover:If We Ever Meet Again.png
Border:yes
Type:single
Artist:Timbaland featuring Katy Perry
Album:Shock Value II
Released:December 1, 2009
Genre:Pop, dance
Length:3:58
Chronology:Timbaland
Prev Title:Get Involved
Prev Year:2010
Next Title:Marchin On
Next Year:2010

"If We Ever Meet Again" is a song by American producer Timbaland. It was released on December 1, 2009, as the fourth single from his third studio album Shock Value II (2009). The song features singer Katy Perry and served as the album's second worldwide single. Timbaland's brother Sebastian also has uncredited vocals at the end of the song. "If We Ever Meet Again" reached number one in the Czech Republic and New Zealand while peaking within the top 10 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The song was later included on the deluxe edition of Perry's third studio album Teenage Dream.

Background

Timbaland told MTV that will.i.am's work on "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas inspired him to make "If We Ever Meet Again": "When I did this song, I was in love with this record called..... you're gonna be surprised. The record didn't have anything to do with ['If We Ever Meet Again'], but when I heard [the Black Eyed Peas'] "I Gotta Feeling", I said, 'I want a record just like that on my album.' I said, 'I gotta do me a "I Gotta Feeling" record.' Me and one of my producers, Jim Beanz, we came up with this concept. I said, '["I Gotta Feeling"] is happy, but I like it.' It gives a good feeling".[1] On the record, Timbaland sings, instead of raps: "It's not like it's incredible singing, but it made sense for me and it fits my voice," he explained. "To get somebody else to sing it, it might sound too overdone. I like it better with mistakes — I make mistakes. With me singing it, it gives it a different kind of swagger to it".[1] Katy Perry sang the second verse, while Timbaland sang the first verse. In the chorus, both of them sang together. The last rap verse is performed by Timbaland's brother Sebastian, but he is uncredited.

Music video

The music video was filmed in December 2009. It was directed by Paul "Coy" Allen, who directed "Morning After Dark" and "Say Something".[1] [2] Timbaland told MTV that he wanted the video to be serious and maybe have Perry playing his guardian angel: "I wanna make something deep, I don't know if I wanna make it like a relationship. I wanna make it like she saved my life with whatever depression I was going through, whether it be drug depression, weight-loss depression — something..... Will she be around if I go through this again?".[1] The song debuted with its video premiere on January 18, 2010, on UK music channels,[3] charting at number one on many of the music channel video charts. The video, rather than focusing on a serious relationship, as mentioned above, focuses on the love story between a jewel thief (Julian Graham) and an art thief (Nadine Heimann), interspersed with Perry and Timbaland singing. In the original video Katy Perry appears in black girdle and black leather as in underwear, while Timbaland in the whole part of the clip was in a brown Jacket and with a flat cap on his head. The jewel thief and art thief take note of each other when both are present at an art exhibit opening. The jewel thief steals a necklace, but caches it (rather than trying to remove it from the premises). The jewel thief is later taken in by police for questioning about an art theft, but is released when the art thief secretly returns what she has stolen. As the jewel thief leaves the police station, the art thief is waiting for him outside, and the two join forces (dressed in black clothes and masks) to steal the original necklace and painting from the beginning of the video.

Chart performance

In the Republic of Ireland, "If We Ever Meet Again" entered at number 15 on January 28, 2010, and week later rose to a current peak of number three.

Similarly, in the United Kingdom, the single entered at number 17 on January 31, 2010, and one week later jumped to its peak of number three. The single reached number one in New Zealand on February 15, 2010, ending Stan Walker's 10-week number one reign with "Black Box". The song was at number one for 4 weeks, before it was replaced at number one by J. Williams with "You Got Me".

The song originally peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 98, but then re-entered at number 96 on the issue date April 10, 2010. It has peaked at number 37 in the United States, making it the third highest-charting single on the album.

Track listing

  1. "If We Ever Meet Again" (international radio edit) – 3:58
  2. "If We Ever Meet Again" (Digital Dog radio remix) – 3:35
  1. "If We Ever Meet Again" (international radio edit) – 3:58
  2. "If We Ever Meet Again" (Digital Dog radio remix) – 3:26
  3. "If We Ever Meet Again" (Chew Fu Deja fix) – 5:07
  4. "If We Ever Meet Again" (Starsmith remix) – 5:21
  1. "If We Ever Meet Again" (radio edit) – 3:58
  2. "If We Ever Meet Again" (album version) – 4:53
  3. "If We Ever Meet Again" (instrumental) – 4:21

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2009–2011)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Russia Airplay (TopHit)[4] 2

Year-end charts

Chart (2010)! scope="col"
Position
Australia (ARIA)[5] 58
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[6] 49
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[7] 80
Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia)[8] 53
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[9] 29
CIS (TopHit)[10] 21
European Hot 100 Singles[11] 31
France (SNEP)[12] 33
Germany (Media Control AG)[13] 70
Ireland (IRMA)[14] 18
Italy (FIMI)[15] 37
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[16] 69
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] 52
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[18] 9
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[19] 98
Russia Airplay (TopHit)[20] 31
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[21] 48
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[22] 52
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[23] 37

Release history

Release dates and formats for "If We Ever Meet Again"
RegionDateFormatVersionLabel
VariousDecember 1, 2009Digital downloadOriginal[24]
FranceFebruary 15, 2010[25]
United StatesFebruary 16, 2010Contemporary hit radio[26]
GermanyFebruary 26, 2010CD2-track[27]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Reid . Shaheem . Timbaland Tells Story Behind Katy Perry Duet, 'If We Ever Meet Again' . https://web.archive.org/web/20091215060912/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1628053/20091210/timbaland.jhtml . dead . December 15, 2009 . . December 10, 2009 . 2010-08-02.
  2. On Set of Timbaland & Katy Perry's 'If We Ever Meet Again' Video . . December 27, 2009 . August 2, 2010.
  3. Video: Timbaland f/ Katy Perry – 'If We Ever Meet Again' . Rap-Up . January 18, 2010 . August 2, 2010.
  4. Web site: Top Radio Hits Russia Weekly Chart: Mar 4, 2010. TopHit. April 21, 2024.
  5. Web site: ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles 2010. Australian Recording Industry Association. 2010-01-09.
  6. Web site: Jahreshitparade 2010 - austriancharts.at . de . 2011-01-04 . austriancharts.at . Hung Medien.
  7. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2010 - Singles . ultratop.be . ULTRATOP & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch . nl . 2010-12-26.
  8. Web site: Rapports annuels 2010 - Singles . ultratop.be . ULTRATOP & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch . fr . 2010-12-26.
  9. Charts Year End: Canadian Hot 100. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 2010-05-02.
  10. Web site: CIS Year-End Radio Hits (2010). . 2019-11-27.
  11. European Hot 100 Singles - Year-End. Billboard.
  12. Web site: Top de l'année Top Singles 2010. SNEP. fr. August 31, 2020.
  13. Web site: VIVA Single Jahrescharts 2010 - 2010 | Charts . VIVA.tv . 2011-01-16 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110111042446/http://www.viva.tv/charts/viva-single-jahrescharts-2010-2010-212/?start=60 . January 11, 2011 . mdy-all .
  14. Web site: Irish Charts - Best of 2010. IRMA. 2011-06-11.
  15. http://www.fimi.it/dett_ddmercato.php?id=73 FIMI – Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana – Ricerche e dati di mercato
  16. Web site: Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2010. Dutch Top 40. December 8, 2019.
  17. Web site: dutchcharts.nl - Dutch charts portal . nl . dutchcharts.nl . Hung Medien / hitparade.ch . 2011-01-03.
  18. Web site: Top Selling Singles of 2010 - The Official New Zealand Music Chart. Recorded Music NZ. 2010-01-09.
  19. Web site: Top cele mai difuzate piese in Romania in 2010 . Beatfactor.ro . 2011-01-16 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110106042017/http://www.beatfactor.ro/STIRI/Top_cele_mai_difuzate_piese_in_Romania_in_2010-aid-93269-l-1 . January 6, 2011 . mdy-all .
  20. Web site: Top Radio Hits Russia Annual Chart: 2010. TopHit. April 21, 2024.
  21. http://www.promusicae.es/documents/viewfile/17-top-50-canciones-anual-2010 "Top 50 Canciones Anual 2010"
  22. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2010 – hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. December 8, 2019.
  23. Web site: 2010 Year-end UK Singles. BBC (BBC Online). 2010-12-26. December 26, 2010.
  24. Web site: If We Ever Meet Again (feat. Katy Perry). https://web.archive.org/web/20091208055217/http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/if-we-ever-meet-again-feat-katy-perry/id340826329. dead. December 8, 2009. December 1, 2019. March 22, 2020. iTunes.
  25. Web site: If We Ever Meet Again: Timbaland: Amazon.fr: Téléchargements MP3 . https://archive.today/20130213074044/http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0038BAJYA . dead . February 13, 2013 . Amazon.fr . January 1, 1970 .
  26. Web site: R&R :: Going For Adds :: CHR/Top 40 . Gfa.radioandrecords.com . February 16, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130604011352/http://gfa.radioandrecords.com/publishGFA/GFANextPage.asp?sDate=02/16/2010&Format=1 . June 4, 2013 . mdy-all . January 21, 2020 .
  27. Web site: If We Ever Meet Again (2-Track): Timbaland, Katy Perry: Amazon.de: Musik . Amazon.de . September 9, 2009 .