Calling (Geri Halliwell song)

"Calling" was written by Geri Halliwell along with Peter-John Vettese, while production was helmed by Stephen Lipson.{{cite AV media notes|title=Scream If You Wanna Go Faster|title-link=Scream If You Wanna Go Faster|others=Geri Halliwell|year=2001|type=UK CD album booklet|publisher=EMI Records|id=533 3692}} Halliwell called it her favorite song on the album. After she recorded a demo version of the song, she rushed over to singer and personal friend George Michael in London and played it to him. She commented that Michael would only offer praise if he really thought it was deserved. As he was "brutally honest" and it could be hard to take, she was so confident about this song that she was willing to risk it. When the song ended, he said, "You know what, Geri, that's very good". According to Halliwell, "from George Michael that means something. I really believed I had a winner."{{harvnb|Halliwell|2003|p=204}}

Released on 26 November 2001,{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/2001/Music-Week-2001-11-24.pdf|title=New Releases – For Week Starting November 26, 2001: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=31|date=24 November 2001|access-date=18 August 2021}} "Calling" debuted and peaked at number seven on the UK Singles Chart on 2 December 2001, lasting 10 weeks on the chart. Altogether, the song sold 70,515 copies and became the 192nd best selling single of 2001 in the United Kingdom. Elsewhere, "Calling" entered the majority of the charts it appeared on, peaking at six on the Hungarian Rádiós Top 40 and at number 11 in the Wallonian region of Belgium. In her autobiography Just for the Record, Halliwell revealed that the chart position upset her as "Calling" was her favourite song from the album, and she was certain that it was a sure-fire number one. Due to her disappointment with the chart position of the single, no further singles were released from Scream If You Wanna Go Faster and Halliwell moved to Los Angeles, California for several months and took a break from the music industry.{{harvnb|Halliwell|2003|p=222}}

Image:Central business district of Barcelona (2).JPG in October 2001.]]

The black and white music video for "Calling" was directed by Pierluca DeCario and filmed in Sant Vicenç de Montalt near Barcelona, Spain in October 2001. It shows Halliwell, dressed with a black sweater and barefoot, singing the song while lying in a meadow and standing and walking in front of concrete walls.{{cite web|title=Calling|url=https://imvdb.com/video/geri-halliwell/calling|website=imvdb.com|date=November 2001 |access-date=25 August 2020}} The video was released on 1 November 2001.

{{Track listing

| headline = UK CD1{{cite AV media notes|title=Calling|others=Geri Halliwell|year=2001|type=UK CD1 liner notes|publisher=EMI Records|id=CDEMS 606, 7243 5 50099 0 6}}

| title1 = Calling

| length1 = 4:25

| title2 = Getting Better

| length2 = 3:07

| title3 = Destiny

| length3 = 4:29

| title4 = Calling

| note4 = video

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = UK CD2{{cite AV media notes|title=Calling|others=Geri Halliwell|year=2001|type=UK CD2 liner notes|publisher=EMI Records|id=CDEM606, 7243 5 50099 2 0}}

| title1 = Calling

| length1 = 4:25

| title2 = Calling

| note2 = WIP 'Coeur de lion' edit

| length2 = 3:45

| title3 = Calling

| note3 = Metro 7-inch

| length3 = 3:43

| title4 = Calling

| note4 = Mauve's Factor 25 Mix

| length4 = 3:55

| title5 = Calling

| note5 = Mareeko remix edit

| length5 = 3:58

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = UK cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=Calling|others=Geri Halliwell|year=2001|type=UK cassette single sleeve|publisher=EMI Records|id=TCEM 606, 7243 5 50099 4 4}}

| title1 = Calling

| length1 = 4:25

| title2 = Getting Better

| length2 = 3:07

| title3 = Destiny

| length3 = 4:29

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = European CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Calling|others=Geri Halliwell|year=2001|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=EMI Records|id=7243 5 50185 2 6}}

| title1 = Calling

| length1 = 4:25

| title2 = Getting Better

| length2 = 3:07

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = French CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Calling (Au nom de l'amour)|others=Geri Halliwell|year=2001|type=French CD single liner notes|publisher=EMI Records|id=5502122}}

| title1 = Calling (Au nom de l'amour)

| length1 = 4:21

| title2 = Calling

| length2 = 4:24

}}

Personnel are taken from the Scream If You Wanna Go Faster album booklet.

{{div col}}

• Geri Halliwell – writing
• Peter-John Vettese – writing, keyboards, original production, programming
• Nick Ingman – string arrangement
• Gavyn Wright – concertmaster
• Steve Price – string engineering
• Stephen Lipson – production, programming
• Heff Moraes – mixing, engineering

{{div col end}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Refbegin}}

• {{Cite book

| last = Halliwell

| first = Geri

| title = Just for the Record

| year = 2003

| isbn= 978-0091888046

| publisher=Ebury Publishing

}}

{{Refend}}

{{Geri Halliwell}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Calling (Song)}}

Category:2001 singles

Category:2001 songs

Category:Geri Halliwell songs

Category:EMI Records singles

Category:Song recordings produced by Stephen Lipson

Category:Songs written by Geri Halliwell

Category:Songs written by Peter-John Vettese