No Man's Land (Beverley Knight song)
Encyclopedia
"No Man's Land" is the first single released by British
singer-songwriter Beverley Knight
from her fifth studio album, Music City Soul
. The song was released on 16 April 2007 digitally and 30 April 2007 physically and peaked at number forty-three on the UK singles chart
. A further digital single was released on August 21, 2007 in support of her live performances at the iTunes festival in July, 2007, containing three live tracks. The digital EP release was the first of a two part digital single, the second being released to promote the third single from Music City Soul
, "The Queen of Starting Over
".
and produced by Jimmy Hogarth & Eg White
in late 2006. The lyrics of the song reflect Knight's emotional state after the break-up of a long term relationship: "This song came about referring to my relationship, and feeling that even though I was out of the relationship, I wasn't able to put it behind me and move on to the next phase. Something which I know lots of people experience, and to me it felt like no mans land."
The production is made up completely of live instruments, illustrating the organic approach Knight took in recording the song and its album, Music City Soul
. On reflection of "No Man's Land", Knight noted: "That song was quite painful to write, but cathartic because once I'd written it, I thought 'I've said what I wanted to say'."
CD: 2
Download only versions:
iTunes festival EP release:
during February 2007 and was directed by JT, who had previously worked with Knight on the videos for "Come as You Are
", "Keep This Fire Burning
" and "Piece of My Heart
". Set in the Hout Bay
area of Cape Town
, the video features Knight walking through a large open field before moving to other locations such as a park, hotel bedroom and beach.
The location for the video was of special significance to Beverley as it was an area she had visited previously in connection with her charity work in bring awareness to HIV
in South Africa. It was also the location of the video to her single "Shoulda Woulda Coulda
", released in 2002.
The video was premiered on AOL
's website in late March 2007, before being released to television.
on BBC Radio 2
in March 2007 and was subsequently made "record of the week" for the week beginning March 17, 2007 . The following week, "No Man's Land" was added straight on to the A-list of BBC Radio 2's
playlist. However the song failed to make the same impact on other radio stations, peaking at number thirty-three on the UK airplay chart.
On the UK Singles Chart
, "No Man's Land" peaked at number forty-three making it Knight's lowest chart position in nine years. The song's poor performance was also reflected by the fact it failed to appear in either the top forty of the download chart or the TV airplay chart.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
singer-songwriter Beverley Knight
Beverley Knight
Beverley Knight MBE is a British soul and R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer who released her debut album in 1995. Heavily influenced by soul greats such as Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin, Knight has released six studio albums to date...
from her fifth studio album, Music City Soul
Music City Soul
Vinyl Edition Released May 7, 2007Side ASide BNotes:* "*" indicates that the song features guitar played by Ronnie Wood.- Personnel :* All tracks engineered and produced by Mark Nevers - mastered by Bunt Stafford Clark...
. The song was released on 16 April 2007 digitally and 30 April 2007 physically and peaked at number forty-three on the UK singles chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. A further digital single was released on August 21, 2007 in support of her live performances at the iTunes festival in July, 2007, containing three live tracks. The digital EP release was the first of a two part digital single, the second being released to promote the third single from Music City Soul
Music City Soul
Vinyl Edition Released May 7, 2007Side ASide BNotes:* "*" indicates that the song features guitar played by Ronnie Wood.- Personnel :* All tracks engineered and produced by Mark Nevers - mastered by Bunt Stafford Clark...
, "The Queen of Starting Over
The Queen of Starting Over
"The Queen of Starting Over" is the third single released from British singer-songwriter Beverley Knight's fifth studio album, Music City Soul. "The Queen of Starting Over" was a download only release, Knight's first single in her career that was not be released on a CD single format...
".
Background and production
"No Man's Land" was written by Beverley Knight with Jimmy Hogarth and Eg WhiteEg White
Francis Anthony "Eg" White is a British musician, songwriter and producer. White is primarily known for his work with successful commercial pop acts such as Adele, Duffy, Will Young and James Morrison...
and produced by Jimmy Hogarth & Eg White
Eg White
Francis Anthony "Eg" White is a British musician, songwriter and producer. White is primarily known for his work with successful commercial pop acts such as Adele, Duffy, Will Young and James Morrison...
in late 2006. The lyrics of the song reflect Knight's emotional state after the break-up of a long term relationship: "This song came about referring to my relationship, and feeling that even though I was out of the relationship, I wasn't able to put it behind me and move on to the next phase. Something which I know lots of people experience, and to me it felt like no mans land."
The production is made up completely of live instruments, illustrating the organic approach Knight took in recording the song and its album, Music City Soul
Music City Soul
Vinyl Edition Released May 7, 2007Side ASide BNotes:* "*" indicates that the song features guitar played by Ronnie Wood.- Personnel :* All tracks engineered and produced by Mark Nevers - mastered by Bunt Stafford Clark...
. On reflection of "No Man's Land", Knight noted: "That song was quite painful to write, but cathartic because once I'd written it, I thought 'I've said what I wanted to say'."
Track listing
CD: 1- "No Man's Land"
- "Shoulda Woulda CouldaShoulda Woulda Coulda"Shoulda Woulda Coulda" is a song by Beverley Knight, released as the second single from her album Who I Am. The song, written about the breakup of her long term relationship because she decided to put her career first, became Knight's first top 10 single in the United Kingdom. It remains her most...
"
CD: 2
- "No Man's Land"
- "Time Is on My Side" (Nashville acoustic version)
- "Piece of My HeartPiece of My Heart"Piece of My Heart" is a song written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns and originally recorded by Erma Franklin in 1967. The song came to greater mainstream attention when Big Brother and the Holding Company covered the song in 1968 and had a hit with it...
" (Heart 106.2 live acoustic version) - "No Man's Land" (video)
- "No Man's Land" (making of)
Download only versions:
- "No Man's Land" (Nashville version) (iTunes exclusive)
iTunes festival EP release:
- "No Man's Land" (live at the iTunes festival)
- "Saviour" (live at the iTunes festival)
- "Shoulda Woulda Coulda" (Philly mix) (live at the iTunes festival)
Music video
The music video for "No Man's Land" was shot in South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
during February 2007 and was directed by JT, who had previously worked with Knight on the videos for "Come as You Are
Come as You Are (Beverley Knight song)
"Come as You Are" is the lead single from Beverley Knight's fourth studio album, Affirmation . It is her highest-charting single to date and became her second UK top ten hit, peaking at number nine. It remained in the UK top seventy-five for ten weeks.-Music video:The promo video for "Come as You...
", "Keep This Fire Burning
Keep This Fire Burning
"Keep This Fire Burning" is a song by Swedish pop singer Robyn, released as the first single from her third album Don't Stop the Music. It was released in Sweden on November 26, 2002, where it became her highest charting single since 1995's "Do You Really Want Me "...
" and "Piece of My Heart
Piece of My Heart
"Piece of My Heart" is a song written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns and originally recorded by Erma Franklin in 1967. The song came to greater mainstream attention when Big Brother and the Holding Company covered the song in 1968 and had a hit with it...
". Set in the Hout Bay
Hout Bay
Hout Bay is the name of a coastal suburb of Cape Town, South Africa with a mix of neighbourhoods from the very rich to the very poor. It lies in a valley on the Atlantic Seaboard of the Cape Peninsula and is twenty kilometres south of the Central Business District of Cape Town...
area of Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, the video features Knight walking through a large open field before moving to other locations such as a park, hotel bedroom and beach.
The location for the video was of special significance to Beverley as it was an area she had visited previously in connection with her charity work in bring awareness to HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
in South Africa. It was also the location of the video to her single "Shoulda Woulda Coulda
Shoulda Woulda Coulda
"Shoulda Woulda Coulda" is a song by Beverley Knight, released as the second single from her album Who I Am. The song, written about the breakup of her long term relationship because she decided to put her career first, became Knight's first top 10 single in the United Kingdom. It remains her most...
", released in 2002.
The video was premiered on AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
's website in late March 2007, before being released to television.
Chart performance
"No Man's Land" was premiered by Ken BruceKen Bruce
Kenneth Robertson Bruce is a British broadcaster known for his programme on BBC Radio 2, which is broadcast on weekdays from 9:30am until 12 noon.-Early life and career:...
on BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
in March 2007 and was subsequently made "record of the week" for the week beginning March 17, 2007 . The following week, "No Man's Land" was added straight on to the A-list of BBC Radio 2's
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
playlist. However the song failed to make the same impact on other radio stations, peaking at number thirty-three on the UK airplay chart.
On the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, "No Man's Land" peaked at number forty-three making it Knight's lowest chart position in nine years. The song's poor performance was also reflected by the fact it failed to appear in either the top forty of the download chart or the TV airplay chart.
Charts
| Chart (2007) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
43 |
| UK R&B Singles Chart | 7 |
| UK Airplay Chart | 33 |