Whenever, Wherever
Encyclopedia
"Whenever, Wherever" is a Latin pop
song written by Colombia
n singer-songwriter
Shakira
, Gloria Estefan
, and Tim Mitchell
for Shakira's first English
language album
, Laundry Service
. The track was produced
by Shakira, and recorded at Criteria Studios
in Miami as well as Compass Point Studios
in Nassau, Bahamas
, and was engineered by Terry Manning
. "Suerte", meaning "luck", is a version of "Whenever, Wherever" recorded in Spanish
. It is about how fortunate she is to have found a person like the man with whom she is in a relationship.
It is the second most successful song of Shakira's career, behind only "Hips Don't Lie
". The song was released as the lead single
from the album in the autumn of 2001, and was an international success, peaking at number one in Colombia
, the rest of Latin America
, almost every Europe
an country, as well as Australia
and New Zealand
. In the Netherlands
, the song remained at number one for nine weeks. It reached number two in the United Kingdom
, number four in Canada
, and number six in the United States
. "Whenever, Wherever" hit number one in 29 countries, becoming the biggest hit of 2002.
"Whenever, Wherever" is Shakira's most successful song in Europe
, where it topped many of the medium sized charts, including Austria
, Denmark
, Finland
, Norway
and Sweden
. Although it topped the majority of European charts, "Hips Don't Lie", which is considered to be the most successful song of her career, sold substantially less well than "Whenever, Wherever" in bigger markets such as France
and Germany
.
, and includes the charango
and panpipes in its instrumentation. Panpipes on the track were provided by esteemed panpipest Andy F Dowling, from North Ayrshire in Scotland. The song was remixed many times, the most famous of these remixes in the United States being the Tracy Young "Spin Cycle" mix.
said, positively, that: "the top track from the album by miles is the tidal wave of drums-thumping-wild-horses-running single 'Whenever, Wherever'. Despite such bemusement-inducing lyrics as "lucky that my breasts are small and humble so you don't confuse them with mountains", it still manages to make you sit up and fancy the synthetic-fiber trousers off her". Bill Lamb from About.com
listed at #3 on her Top 5 Pop Songs, saying: "'Whenever Wherever' was released as the first single from Shakira's first English language album Laundry Service. It became her breakthrough single in English language markets around the world reaching #2 in the UK and the top 10 in the US. The song hit #1 in 29 different countries. A Spanish language version titled 'Suerte' (meaning 'lucky') was recorded as well." Alex Henderson from Allmusic opined that: "'Whenever, Wherever,' this album's infectious lead single, is to Shakira what 'Livin' la Vida Loca
' was to Ricky Martin
: the major hit that brought her to English-speaking audiences in a big way".
was directed
by Francis Lawrence
in front of a green screen, and features Shakira surrounded by the earth
's natural wonders. It begins with her submerged in the ocean, before leaping out onto the surrounding rocks and observing a landscape
of mountains. She then proceeds to walk into the desert
, where she is soon seen dancing amid a stampede of horse
s. The stampede suddenly ceases, and Shakira kneels into a shallow pool of mud
, and begins crawling through it. As the video nears its conclusion, she is on top of a snowy mountain before jumping off, descending into water and submerging herself, as the video comes full circle.
The video became an instant hit on several music programs. It became Shakira's first video to retire on MTV
's Total Request Live
, and reached number one for a single week on the MuchMusic
program Countdown. It won the 2002 Latin Grammy Award for "Best Short Form Music Video
".
There are 2 remix videos using the Tracy Young Spin Cycle Mix and the Tracy Young Tribal Mix
"Whenever, Wherever" is Shakira's first single to reach the top ten on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
, peaking at number six. Despite not achieving a higher peak position in the United States, the song achieved major cross-over success on other Billboard charts
after it peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart, number one on the Billboard Latin Pop Airplay chart, at number three on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play
chart and at number four on the Billboard Top 40 Tracks
chart.
In Europe, "Whenever, Wherever" became a major success, quickly establishing Shakira's presence in the European mainstream.
In the United Kingdom
, "Whenever, Wherever" became Shakira's first top three hit, peaking at number two for two consecutive weeks, and eventually spent ten weeks in the top ten of the chart, as well as nineteen weeks in the top 75. The reason the single did not reach the number-one spot was due to the release of "Evergreen
", the debut single of Will Young
, the first winner of British television talent series Pop Idol
. The song currently stands as the seventh bestselling song by a female artist in the 21st century in the United Kingdom. It is also the thirty-eighth bestselling single of the 2000s decade in the UK.
In Switzerland
, the song debuted at number nine on the singles chart, and the following week, it reached the number-one position, where it remained for a total of seventeen consecutive weeks, becoming the twenty-second most successful song of the decade in that country.
"Whenever, Wherever" became a number-one hit in several countries, peaking at number-one in Algeria
, Australia
, Austria
, Belgium
, Brazil
, Denmark
, Europe, France, Germany
, Hungary
, Ireland
, Italy
, Mexico
, the Netherlands
, New Zealand, Peru
, Poland
, Portugal
, Spain
, Sweden
and Venezuela
.
The Spanish version of the song, "Suerte", also written by Shakira and Mitchell, was released as a single in Spain
, Mexico
as well as in a handful of countries in South America
. It became a huge hit, peaking at number-one on Billboards Hot Latin Tracks chart for seven non-consecutive weeks and remained within the top ten of the chart for over four months. It also topped the charts in almost all of the Spanish-speaking countries where it was released.
The single was Shakira's most successful single, until "Hips Don't Lie
" was released in 2006, having sold at least 5 million copies worldwide according to Yahoo! Music
and placing it at number seventeenth among the biggest-selling singles of the last decade.
singer-songwriter
Mundy
recorded an acoustic cover of the song for the compilation Even Better than the Real Thing Vol. 1.
Official remixes
Official live performances
Latin pop
Latin pop generally refers to pop music that has what may be perceived a Latin American influence...
song written by Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Shakira
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll , known professionally as Shakira , is a Colombian singer who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s...
, Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
, and Tim Mitchell
Tim Mitchell
Tim Mitchell is a Grammy winning music record producer, songwriter, and guitarist from Detroit. He has helped create and produce multi platinum hits to a broad range of artists, musical styles...
for Shakira's first English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
language album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Laundry Service
Laundry Service
Some critics criticized the effectiveness of Shakira's lyrics, claiming that her English skills were too weak for her to write in that language, but nearly all agreed on her unique poetic imagery...
. The track was produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by Shakira, and recorded at Criteria Studios
Criteria Studios
Criteria Studios is a music-recording studio in Miami, Florida, started in 1958 by Mack Emerman.In 1999, The Hit Factory purchased Criteria Studios, revamping and reopening the studios under the new name The Hit Factory Criteria Miami.-Notable artists:...
in Miami as well as Compass Point Studios
Compass Point Studios
Compass Point Studios were founded in 1977 by Chris Blackwell, the owner of Island Records.In the late 1970s and mid-1980s, many musical artists from across the world came to the Bahamas to record music at its facilities. Many producers, including Chris Blackwell himself, used the studio to produce...
in Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
, and was engineered by Terry Manning
Terry Manning
Terry Manning is a music producer, songwriter, photographer and recording engineer known for work in rock, rhythm and blues, and pop music genres....
. "Suerte", meaning "luck", is a version of "Whenever, Wherever" recorded in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
. It is about how fortunate she is to have found a person like the man with whom she is in a relationship.
It is the second most successful song of Shakira's career, behind only "Hips Don't Lie
Hips Don't Lie
"Hips Don't Lie" is a Latin pop song based in a salsa and cumbia performed by Colombian singer Shakira and Haitian rapper Wyclef Jean, released in 2006 as the second single from Shakira's second English album Oral Fixation Vol. 2...
". The song was released as the lead single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from the album in the autumn of 2001, and was an international success, peaking at number one in Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, the rest of Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, almost every Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an country, as well as Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. In the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, the song remained at number one for nine weeks. It reached number two in the United Kingdom
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...
, number four in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and number six in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. "Whenever, Wherever" hit number one in 29 countries, becoming the biggest hit of 2002.
"Whenever, Wherever" is Shakira's most successful song in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, where it topped many of the medium sized charts, including Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Although it topped the majority of European charts, "Hips Don't Lie", which is considered to be the most successful song of her career, sold substantially less well than "Whenever, Wherever" in bigger markets such as France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Structure
"Whenever, Wherever" is a Latin pop song composed in the key of C# minor. The song is heavy influenced by Andean musicAndean music
Andean music comes from the general area inhabited by Quechuas, Aymaras and other peoples that lived roughly in the area of the Inca Empire prior to European contact. It includes folklore music of parts of Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela...
, and includes the charango
Charango
The charango is a small Andean stringed instrument of the lute family, 66 cm long, traditionally made with the shell of the back of an armadillo. Primarily played in traditional Andean music, and is sometimes used by other Latin American musicians. Many contemporary charangos are now made with...
and panpipes in its instrumentation. Panpipes on the track were provided by esteemed panpipest Andy F Dowling, from North Ayrshire in Scotland. The song was remixed many times, the most famous of these remixes in the United States being the Tracy Young "Spin Cycle" mix.
Critical reception
Lisa Oliver from Yahoo! MusicYahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music, owned by Yahoo!, is the provider of a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming...
said, positively, that: "the top track from the album by miles is the tidal wave of drums-thumping-wild-horses-running single 'Whenever, Wherever'. Despite such bemusement-inducing lyrics as "lucky that my breasts are small and humble so you don't confuse them with mountains", it still manages to make you sit up and fancy the synthetic-fiber trousers off her". Bill Lamb from About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
listed at #3 on her Top 5 Pop Songs, saying: "'Whenever Wherever' was released as the first single from Shakira's first English language album Laundry Service. It became her breakthrough single in English language markets around the world reaching #2 in the UK and the top 10 in the US. The song hit #1 in 29 different countries. A Spanish language version titled 'Suerte' (meaning 'lucky') was recorded as well." Alex Henderson from Allmusic opined that: "'Whenever, Wherever,' this album's infectious lead single, is to Shakira what 'Livin' la Vida Loca
Livin' la Vida Loca
"Livin' la Vida Loca" is a song by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin. It was released on March 23, 1999 from Martin's self-titled debut English album. The song was composed by Desmond Child and Draco Rosa and topped the charts during 1999...
' was to Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin
Enrique "Ricky" Martín Morales , better known as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican and Spanish pop singer and actor who achieved prominence, first as a member of the Latin boy band Menudo, then as a solo artist since 1991.During his career he has sold more than 60 million album copies worldwide...
: the major hit that brought her to English-speaking audiences in a big way".
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was directed
Music video director
A music video director is driven by a given music track. These are called music videos and are then used as promotional tools for popular music singles...
by Francis Lawrence
Francis Lawrence
Francis Lawrence is an American music video and film director.-Life and career:Lawrence was born in Vienna, Austria. His father is a physicist who taught at California State University, Northridge and his mother is V.P. Technology at a PR agency. He moved to Los Angeles at the age of three...
in front of a green screen, and features Shakira surrounded by the earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
's natural wonders. It begins with her submerged in the ocean, before leaping out onto the surrounding rocks and observing a landscape
Landscape
Landscape comprises the visible features of an area of land, including the physical elements of landforms such as mountains, hills, water bodies such as rivers, lakes, ponds and the sea, living elements of land cover including indigenous vegetation, human elements including different forms of...
of mountains. She then proceeds to walk into the desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
, where she is soon seen dancing amid a stampede of horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
s. The stampede suddenly ceases, and Shakira kneels into a shallow pool of mud
Mud
Mud is a mixture of water and some combination of soil, silt, and clay. Ancient mud deposits harden over geological time to form sedimentary rock such as shale or mudstone . When geological deposits of mud are formed in estuaries the resultant layers are termed bay muds...
, and begins crawling through it. As the video nears its conclusion, she is on top of a snowy mountain before jumping off, descending into water and submerging herself, as the video comes full circle.
The video became an instant hit on several music programs. It became Shakira's first video to retire on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Total Request Live
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
, and reached number one for a single week on the MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
program Countdown. It won the 2002 Latin Grammy Award for "Best Short Form Music Video
Latin Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video
The Latin Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video is given every year since the 1st Latin Grammy Awards ceremony. The award is given to the performer, director and producer of the video.-2010s:-2000s:...
".
There are 2 remix videos using the Tracy Young Spin Cycle Mix and the Tracy Young Tribal Mix
Chart performances
"Whenever, Wherever" was released as the lead single from Shakira's first English language album "Laundry Service", in August 2001. The single became the biggest hit of 2002 worldwide."Whenever, Wherever" is Shakira's first single to reach the top ten on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, peaking at number six. Despite not achieving a higher peak position in the United States, the song achieved major cross-over success on other Billboard charts
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
after it peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart, number one on the Billboard Latin Pop Airplay chart, at number three on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play
Hot Dance Club Play
The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
chart and at number four on the Billboard Top 40 Tracks
Top 40 Tracks
Top 40 Tracks is a defunct airplay chart from Billboard Magazine. It was created in 1998, when Billboard Magazine changed the airplay profile of The Hot 100 Airplay to include more R&B, Country, and Rock stations to its profile . To preserve the notion of the former chart, Top 40 Tracks was...
chart.
In Europe, "Whenever, Wherever" became a major success, quickly establishing Shakira's presence in the European mainstream.
In the United Kingdom
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 ...
, "Whenever, Wherever" became Shakira's first top three hit, peaking at number two for two consecutive weeks, and eventually spent ten weeks in the top ten of the chart, as well as nineteen weeks in the top 75. The reason the single did not reach the number-one spot was due to the release of "Evergreen
Evergreen (Westlife song)
"Evergreen" is a pop song, co-written by Jörgen Elofsson, Per Magnusson and David Kreuger, and originally recorded by Westlife. The song appears on their album World of Our Own, and was released as a single, only in the Philippines, where it reached number 3 due to the insistent demand of their fans...
", the debut single of Will Young
Will Young
William Robert "Will" Young is a British singer-songwriter and actor who came to prominenceafter winning the 2002 inaugural series of the British music contest Pop Idol, making him the first winner of the now-worldwide Idols-format franchise...
, the first winner of British television talent series Pop Idol
Pop Idol
Pop Idol is a British television series which debuted on ITV on 6 October 2001. The show was a talent contest to decide the best new young pop singer in the United Kingdom, based on viewer voting and participation. Two series were broadcast - one in 2001-02 and a second in 2003...
. The song currently stands as the seventh bestselling song by a female artist in the 21st century in the United Kingdom. It is also the thirty-eighth bestselling single of the 2000s decade in the UK.
In Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, the song debuted at number nine on the singles chart, and the following week, it reached the number-one position, where it remained for a total of seventeen consecutive weeks, becoming the twenty-second most successful song of the decade in that country.
"Whenever, Wherever" became a number-one hit in several countries, peaking at number-one in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, Australia
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Belgium
Ultratop
Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Europe, France, Germany
Media Control Charts
The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, Ireland
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, the Netherlands
Dutch Top 40
The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting...
, New Zealand, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
.
The Spanish version of the song, "Suerte", also written by Shakira and Mitchell, was released as a single in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
as well as in a handful of countries in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. It became a huge hit, peaking at number-one on Billboards Hot Latin Tracks chart for seven non-consecutive weeks and remained within the top ten of the chart for over four months. It also topped the charts in almost all of the Spanish-speaking countries where it was released.
The single was Shakira's most successful single, until "Hips Don't Lie
Hips Don't Lie
"Hips Don't Lie" is a Latin pop song based in a salsa and cumbia performed by Colombian singer Shakira and Haitian rapper Wyclef Jean, released in 2006 as the second single from Shakira's second English album Oral Fixation Vol. 2...
" was released in 2006, having sold at least 5 million copies worldwide according to Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music, owned by Yahoo!, is the provider of a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming...
and placing it at number seventeenth among the biggest-selling singles of the last decade.
Cover versions
IrishIrish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Mundy
Mundy
Mundy is an Irish singer-songwriter. 'Mundy' is a nickname given to Enright, as it not only refers to his name Edmund, but it is how he pronounces the word "Monday".-Biography:...
recorded an acoustic cover of the song for the compilation Even Better than the Real Thing Vol. 1.
Other versions and live performances
- Shakira recorded a studio recording of the live version of "Whenever, Wherever", which was used for television performances, for both the English and Spanish versions of the song. It was called the "TV Edit". She sang the original CD version only once, on the 2001 Radio Music Awards, where she performed the song live for the first time.
- A remix of the song was included on the re-release of Laundry ServiceLaundry ServiceSome critics criticized the effectiveness of Shakira's lyrics, claiming that her English skills were too weak for her to write in that language, but nearly all agreed on her unique poetic imagery...
, Laundry Service: Washed & Dried. It was entitled the "Sahara Mix", and was completely transformed from the original version, instead being given a heavy Middle Eastern feel. For her world tour, the Tour of the MongooseTour of the Mongoose-Tour Dates:-Broadcast and recordings:The tour was shot in Rotterdam, The Netherlands on April 22, 2003.The tour was chronicled on Live & off the Record. The disc included the concert along with a documentary showing the performer preparing for the show, her song writing process and her ideas about...
, Shakira took the drums that begin the "Sahara Mix" and incorporated them into an intro for "Whenever, Wherever/Suerte"'s original version, which extended the amount of time Shakira had to interact with the audience. She also included the same intro for "Whenever, Wherever/Suerte" for her second world tour, the Oral Fixation TourOral Fixation TourOral Fixation Tour is the concert tour by Colombian singer-songwriter, Shakira, in support of her fourth and fifth studio albums, Fijación Oral Vol. 1 and Oral Fixation Vol. 2...
. However, for this tour, she danced to the drums with a rope, as opposed to dancing with a candelabra on her head as she did during the Tour of the MongooseTour of the Mongoose-Tour Dates:-Broadcast and recordings:The tour was shot in Rotterdam, The Netherlands on April 22, 2003.The tour was chronicled on Live & off the Record. The disc included the concert along with a documentary showing the performer preparing for the show, her song writing process and her ideas about...
. - To promote the DVD Live & Off the Record, Shakira used the song as a second single, editing the original live version to a radio edit version and video edit version, which was included in the "Poem to a HorsePoem to a Horse"Poem to a Horse" is a rock song written and performed by Colombian-born singer Shakira, released as the main single from her 2004 tour album Live & Off the Record.-Versions:...
" promo. - During The Sun Comes Out World TourThe Sun Comes Out World TourThe Sun Comes Out World Tour is the fifth concert tour by Colombian singer-songwriter, Shakira. The tour is in support of her sixth and seventh studio albums, She Wolf and Sale El Sol. The tour will reach the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa...
Shakira mixed the song with a cover from the American band EMFEMF (band)EMF were an indie dance band from the United Kingdom. The band, from the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, came to prominence at the beginning of the 1990s. During its initial eight year run , EMF had released three studio albums and had gone on hiatus and reformed twice...
"Unbelievable".
Official remixes
- Acapella 121 Bpm --- 3:38
- Andy And The Lamboy Circuit Dub --- 5:40
- Andy And The Lamboy Circuit Mix --- 9:34
- Dark Side Of The Moon Mix --- 8:16
- Dark Side Of The Moon Mix --- 7:45
- Dataluxe Club Mix --- 8:51
- DJ John Rizzo & Blue Room Remix --- 9:09
- Hammad Belly Dance Mix --- 3:48
- Jonathan Peters 'Unreleased' Club Mix --- 6:16
- Nic Mercy's Epic Anthem Vocal --- 9:39
- Sahara Mix --- 3:57
- Tee's Blue Dub --- 8:40
- Tee's Blue Dub New Version --- 7:40
- Tee's Radio Edit --- 3:28
- Todd Terry American Club Mix --- 5:20
- Tracy Young's Spin Cycle Mix --- 7:05
- Tracy Young's Spin Cycle Video Edit Mix --- 4:01
- Tracy Young's Tribal Mix --- 9:34
- Tracy Young's Tribal Mix Radio Edit --- 3:14
Official live performances
- TV Edit --- 3:40
- Live --- 5:28
- Live Radio Edit --- 3:31
- Live Video Single Edit --- 4:15
Singles
-
- Japan (EICP 53)
- Whenever Wherever 3:17
- Objection 3:43
-
- Europe (671913 3)
- Whenever Wherever 3:16
- Suerte 3:14
-
- Suerte Europe (671913 9)
- Suerte (Whenever, Wherever) 3:14
- Whenever, Wherever 3:16
-
- Australia (672196 2)
- Whenever Wherever 3:16
- Suerte (Whenever Whenever) 3:14
- Whenever Wherever (TV Edit) 3:39
- Inevitable 3:13
-
- Europe (671913 8)
- Whenever Wherever - Album Version 3:16
- Whenever Wherever TV Edit 3:39
- Suerte - Album Version 3:14
- Suerte TV Edit 3:38
Maxi singles
-
- Europe CD Maxi single (EPC 671913 2)
- Whenever Wherever 3:16
- Suerte 3:14
- Estoy Aqui 3:55
- Tú 3:36
-
- Europe 4-track WW (672426 2)
- Whenever Wherever 3:16
- Suerte (Whenever Wherever) 3:14
- Whenever Wherever - Tracy Young's Spin Cycle Mix 7:03
- Whenever Wherever - Video
-
- WW/Suerte Europe (671913 7)
- Whenever, Wherever (TV Edit) 3:39
- Suerte (Whenever, Wherever) 3:14
- Estoy Aqui 3:52
- Tú 3:36
- Whenever Wherever (Tracy Young's Spin Cycle Mix) 7:03
- Whenever Wherever (Dark Side Of The Moon Mix) 7:45
Promos
-
- UK promo (HPCD 2617 /XPCD 2617)
- USA promo (ESK 16691)
- Whenever Wherever 3:16
-
- Australia promo (SAMP 2414)
- Brazil promo (900051/2-502605)
- Europe promo (SAMPCS 10588)
- Whenever Wherever 3:16
- Suerte 3:14
-
- Europe promo (SAMPCS 12236)
- Whenever, Wherever - Sahara Mix 3:56
- Whenever, Wherever - Hammad Belly Dance Mix 3:45
-
- Suerte Argentina promo (DEP 707)
- Suerte Mexico promo (PRCD 98424) **
- Suerte (Whenever, Wherever) 3:14
- Whenever, Wherever 3:16
-
- UK 1-track Epic promo (CDR ACETATE)
- Whenever Wherever
-
- USA 2-track Epic promo (CDR ACETATE)
- Whenever Wherever - Tracy Young Tribal Mix 9:40
- Whenever Wherever - Tracy Young Tribal Mix Radio Edit 3:15
-
- Australia (CDR ACETATE)
- Tracy Young’s Spin Cycle Mix 7:02
- Acapella 121 BPM 3:36
- Tee’s Blue Dub – New Version 7:37
- The Dark Side Of The Moon Mix 8:14
Vinyl singles
-
- Europe 12" vinyl (671913 6)
- Whenever, Wherever 3:16
- Whenever, Wherever - Tracy Young's Spin Cycle Mix 7:03
- Whenever, Wherever - A Cappella 121 Bpm 3:37
- Whenever, Wherever - Tee's Blue Dub New Version 7:37
- Whenever, Wherever - The Dark Side Of The Moon Mix 7:45
-
- USA 7" (ZSS79642B)(34-79642)
- Whenever Wherever
- Suerte (Whenever Whenever)
Vinyl promos
-
- Mexico jukebox 7" vinyl (670037)
- Suerte (Whenever, Wherever) 3:14
- Te Aviso Te Anuncio (Tango) 3:47
-
- WW Europe 12" (SAMPMS 12235-0122356000)
- Whenever, Wherever - Sahara Mix 3:56
- Whenever, Wherever - Hammad Belly Dance Mix 3:45
-
- USA 4-track 12" (EAS-16691-S1)
- Whenever Wherever - Tracy Young's Spin Cycle Mix
- Whenever Wherever - A Cappella 121 BPM
- Whenever Wherever - Tee's Blue Dub
- Whenever Wherever - The Dark Side Of The Moon Mix
Cassette
-
- Cassette (672426 4)
- Whenever, Wherever (Album version) 3:16
- Suerte (Album version) 3:14
- Whenever, Wherever (The dark side of the moon mix) 7:45
- Tracks play same both sides
Videos and box sets
-
- Japan promo (BOX-SET)
- Whenever Wherever 3:16
- Suerte (Whenever Wherever) 3:14
- -fold-out biography booklet with great pictures
- -10 minute Japanese made NTSC Electronic Press Kit video
-
- USA promo (BOX-SET)
- -1-track CD
- -fold-out biography booklet with great pictures
- -10 minute NTSC Electronic Press Kit video
-
- UK VHS video promo
- Whenever Wherever 3:14
-
- Spain VHS video promo
- Suerte
- Personal greetings from Shakira to the (50 first) buyers of the CD "SERVICIO DE LAVANDERIA"
Peak positions
| Chart (2001/02) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Greece (IFPI Greece IFPI Greece International Federation of the Phonographic Industry Greece or IFPI Greece is the Greek branch of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and is the official charts provider and recording sales certification body for Greece. Currently two charts are compiled, one for sales of... ) |
1 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2002) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 2 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart | 3 |
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 3 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 2 |
| French Singles Chart | 3 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 4 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 5 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 2 |
| UK Singles Chart | 7 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 28 |
Decade-end charts
| (2000–2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| German Singles Chart | 11 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 3 x Platinum | 2002 | 210,000 |
| Austria | Platinum | April 4, 2002 | 30,000 |
| Belgium | 2 x Platinum | April 27, 2002 | 100,000 |
| Finland | Gold | 2002 | 15,000 |
| France | Diamond | July 11, 2002 | 750,000 |
| Germany | Platinum | 2002 | 500,000 |
| Greece | Platinum | 2002 | 30,000 |
| Netherlands | Platinum | 2002 | 60,000 |
| New Zealand | Platinum | March 31, 2002 | 15,000 |
| Norway | 3 x Platinum | 2002 | 30,000 |
| Sweden | 2 x Platinum | March 11, 2002 | 40,000 |
| Switzerland | 2 x Platinum | 2002 | 80,000 |
| UK | Gold | April 5, 2002 | 400,000 |