THE YEAR IS 2011. Charlie Sheen’s been kicked off of Two And A Half Men. People are obsessed with Adele. William and Kate got married. Beyoncé “had a baby” (via surrogate and you can’t tell me otherwise).
But most importantly of all, a British-Irish boyband, against all odds, were rallying up the US charts, with the unapologetically titled ‘Glad You Came’.
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Yep, The Wanted did the unthinkable, reaching number 4 on the Billboard 200 chart with a song that may or may not be about ejaculation.
Elsewhere, Glad You Came went to number 1 in the UK, Ireland and Japan. It also got to number 2 in Canada. Not bad at all.
Let’s take a look at how the song has managed to stand the test of time, shall we?
First of all, there’s the cover art.
This was the original UK cover art. As in, the boys consciously sat down and shot this. Someone in a board room somewhere was like, “yes, this conveys the message of the song – falling in love with someone you met by chance/being really pleased with your performance in the bedroom.”
Actually, maybe that explains Jay’s goggles.
Notably then, the artwork was changed for the US market.
“We need the lads to be taken more seriously, because this is a very serious, refined song. Get them in cardigans, quickly!”
A dramatic piano intro cannot be overlooked if you’re looking to write a #banger.
Please refer to Vanessa Carlton’s ‘A Thousand Miles’ or Miley Cyrus’ ‘The Climb’ for further evidence, your honour.
Video not playing? Click here.
C to G to Em? Stunning. Just stunning.
Ok, so back to the video. Let’s set the scene – the lads are on their 6th year holiday despite all being in their mid-20s, and they are giving it LOADS …
… And now they’re going to stand in front of a rock-face.
Honestly, does anyone else have chills?
Here’s a bonus shot of Tom looking wistfully out to the ocean.
“Is a male ladybird still called a ladybird?”
Ok, then there’s The Drop™️, and that’s when things really start kicking off.
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I mean, rhyming ‘me’ with ‘me’, three times?! Truly, The Wanted were lyrical revolutionists; ahead of their time. They deserve to be acknowledged as such.
Let’s cut back to the video for a sec – why is Nathan the only one wearing a top to go to the beach? Did the lads make him feel self-conscious about it? We hope not, as it would really taint people’s enjoyment of the song, for sure.
It’s at this point that Tom and Nathan really have to be praised for propping up the entirety of this song with what can only be described as some masterful rhyme-work.
Turn the lights out now, let me take you by the handHand you another drink, drink it if you can
Can you spend a little time? Time is slipping away
Away from us so stay, stay with me I can make,
Make you glad you came.”
Me when I realised every sentence begins with the last word of the last sentence:
Why is this song not included as part of the Leaving Cert English curriculum?!
Side note – there’s absolutely no way they’re getting their deposit back on their gaff.
Who leaves that much popcorn behind at a gaff as well? Stop that.
Did people really love it that much at the time?
By all accounts, yes. Robert Copsey of Digital Spy gave the song four out of five stars writing:
‘I decided you look well on me/ So let’s go somewhere no-one else can see/You and me,’ they continue over a cantering beat and featherlight hook before launching into a carnival-inspired chorus fizzier than a frozen Daiquiri.”
Good use of simile there.
Rolling Stone named “Glad You Came” the forty-fourth best song of 2012, citing the group’s “push at the genre’s PG-13 rating with a club-bumper that dares to raise the specter of under age inebriation.”
Fourty fourth?! When they did that?! How rude.
Let this be a lesson to any upcoming singer-songwriters who are attempting to write an Ibiza banger about cumming – don’t.
