Standing Still (Jewel song)

"Standing Still" is a song by American singer-songwriter Jewel. Recorded in 2001 in Nashville, Tennessee, the song is featured on her third studio album, This Way. Jewel wrote the song sometime after the release of her previous album, Spirit, while she was taking a break from her music career. According to Jewel, the song is about stepping back to avoid stagnation from a busy career and wanting a change of scenery from fame.

"Standing Still"
Single by Jewel
from the album This Way
B-side
  • "Grey Matter" (live)
  • "A Long Slow Slide" (live)
  • "Stephenville, TX" (live)
ReleasedOctober 2, 2001
Recorded2001[1]
Studio
GenreFolk-pop[2]
Length
  • 4:30 (album version)
  • 3:58 (radio edit)
LabelAtlantic
Composer(s)Jewel Kilcher
Lyricist(s)
Producer(s)
Jewel singles chronology
"Life Uncommon"
(1999)		 "Standing Still"
(2001)		 "Break Me"
(2002)

"Standing Still" was released in October 2001 to positive reviews and commercial success. In the United States, it peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 2002 and reached the top 10 on the Billboard Adult Alternative Songs and Adult Top 40 charts. Worldwide, the single reached the top 40 in Australia, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. In New Zealand, it peaked at number seven and was the 40th-most-successful single of 2002.

Background

Jewel revealed the meaning behind "Standing Still" backstage at the 2001 My VH1 Music Awards: "It's about the irony of how much a person travels in my job, and how it can really cause your emotional life to stand still. Fame really tolerates a prolonged adolescence, and your fame and career can outgrow your ability to handle it. You can really spoiled, and I wanted to get away from [that] and make sure I wasn't standing still".[3] She went on to explain that the song was inspired by her three-year hiatus from the music business following the release of Spirit, during which she found it difficult to stay impassioned about her fame.[3] Chuck Taylor of Billboard magazine summarized that the song "addresses simple desires ... with an underlying message about taking forward steps in life",[4] as well as "stepping out and embracing life".[5]

Composition

According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes, "Standing Still" is written in the key of D major and has a moderately fast tempo of 124 beats per minute, in common time.[6] The album version of the song is four minutes and 30 seconds long.[7]

Critical reception

Chuck Taylor of Billboard magazine called "Standing Still" a "jaunty but sophisticated outing, rich in its evolving textures and guitar-fueled folk-pop base".[2]

Chart performance

"Standing Still" was released in October 2001. It first charted on the US Billboard Hot 100 on November 17, 2001, debuting at number 71.[8] After 13 weeks, on the issue of February 16, 2002, it reached its peak of number 25, and it spent a total of 20 weeks in the top 100.[9] It charted the highest on the Billboard Adult Top 40, rising to number three on February 2, 2002,[10] and it peaked inside the top 20 on the Billboard Adult Alternative Songs and Adult Contemporary listings.[11][12] In addition, it reached number 22 on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40.[13] At the end of 2002, Billboard ranked the track at number 87 on their year-end chart.[14]

The song also found success internationally. In Australia, it debuted at number 39 on the ARIA Singles Chart on November 4, 2001.[15] Two weeks later, it peaked at number 32 and spent eight more nonconsecutive weeks in the top 50.[15] On November 18, 2001, "Standing Still" entered the New Zealand Singles Chart at number 40, reaching its peak of number seven on January 20 and February 10, 2002.[16] It stayed on the listing for 22 weeks and went on to become New Zealand's 40th-most-successful hit of 2002.[17] In Europe, the song peaked at number 32 on the Dutch Top 40,[18] number 11 on Flanders' Ultratip Bubbling Under chart,[19] and number 83 on the UK Singles Chart.[20]

Track listings

US 7-inch single[21]

A-side: "Standing Still" – 4:29
B-side: "Grey Matter" (live) – 4:35

European and Australian CD single[1][22]

  1. "Standing Still" – 4:30
  2. "A Long Slow Slide" (live) – 3:50
  3. "Stephenville, TX" (live) – 4:07

Personnel

Credits are taken from the European CD single liner notes.[1]

  • John Willis – acoustic guitar
  • Dann Huff, Jerry McPherson – electric guitar
  • Jimmie Sloas – bass
  • Chris McHugh – drums
  • Eric Darken – percussion
  • Tim Akers – keyboards
  • Jeff Balding – recording and mixing
  • Doug Sax, Robert Hadley – mastering
  • Lenedra Carroll, Ron Shapiro – executive producers
  • Chad Farmer, Lambesis Agency – art direction and design
  • Ellen von Unwerth – photography

Charts

References
  1. Standing Still – European CD single (Liner notes). Jewel. Atlantic Records. 2001. 7567-85164-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. Taylor, Chuck (October 6, 2001). "Reviews & Previews – Spotlight" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 113 no. 40. p. 22. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  3. "Backstage at the My VH1 Awards: Matthews, Jewel, Creed, Blige, Sting". Billboard. December 3, 2001. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  4. Taylor, Chuck (November 10, 2001). "Jewel Doing Things Her 'Way'" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 113 no. 45. p. 18. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  5. Taylor, Chuck (November 17, 2001). "Reviews & Previews – Spotlight" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 113 no. 46. p. 24. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  6. "Standing Still by Jewel – Digital Sheet Music (Leadsheet)". Musicnotes. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  7. "Jewel – This Way". AllMusic. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  8. "The Hot 100 – November 17, 2001". Billboard. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  9. "Jewel Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  10. "Jewel Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  11. "Jewel Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
  12. "Jewel Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  13. "Jewel Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  14. "Billboard Top 100 – 2002". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  15. "Australian-charts.com – Jewel – Standing Still". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  16. "Charts.nz – Jewel – Standing Still". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  17. "End of Year Charts 2002". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  18. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 13, 2002" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  19. "Ultratop.be – Jewel – Standing Still" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  20. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  21. Standing Still – US 7-inch single (Vinyl disc). Jewel. Atlantic Records. 2001. 7-85185.CS1 maint: others (link)
  22. Standing Still – Australian CD single (Liner notes). Jewel. Atlantic Records. 2001. 7567851642.CS1 maint: others (link)
  23. "Dutchcharts.nl – Jewel – Standing Still" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  24. "Lista Przebojów Trójki – Polskie Radio Online". Lp3.polskieradio.pl. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  25. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
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