Login
Login

My Number One

{{Short description|2005 song by Helena Paparizou}}

{{About||the song by Luv'|My Number One (Luv' song)|other uses}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}

{{Infobox song

| name = My Number One

| cover = Paparizou my number one.jpg

| border = yes

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Helena Paparizou

| album = Protereotita: Euro Edition {{noitalics|and}} My Number One

| B-side =

  • "I Don't Want You Here Anymore" (Anapandites Kliseis)
  • "Ok"

| released = 24 March 2005

| recorded = 2005

| studio = Vox

| genre =

| length = 2:58

| label =

| composer =

  • Manolis Psaltakis{{efn|name="court"|By a 2013 Greek court decision.}}
  • Christos Dantis

| lyricist =

| producer = Christos Dantis

| prev_title = Anapandites Kliseis

| prev_year = 2003

| next_title = The Light in Our Soul

| next_year = 2005

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|r0CmpaSV0tc|"My Number One"}}}}

{{Extra album cover

| header = Alternative cover

| type = single

| cover = Cover of My No 1.jpg

| border =

| alt =

| caption = US cover for My Number One

}}

{{Infobox song contest entry

| embed=yes

| song = {{flagicon|Greece}} "My Number One"

| image =

| caption =

| year = 2005

| country = Greece

| artist = Helena Paparizou

| as =

| with =

| language = English

| composer = {{hlist|Manolis Psaltakis|Christos Dantis}}

| lyricist = {{hlist|Christos Dantis|Natalia Germanou}}

| conductor =

| place = 1st

| points = 230

| place_semi =

| points_semi =

| prev = Shake It

| prev_link = Shake It (Sakis Rouvas song)

| next = Everything

| next_link = Everything (Anna Vissi song)

}}

{{External music video|header=Official performance video|{{YouTube|rcOwvZ26KFQ|"My Number One" (Final)}}}}

}}

"My Number One" is a song recorded by Greek-Swedish singer Helena Paparizou with music composed by Manolis Psaltakis{{efn|name="court"}} and Christos Dantis, lyrics written by Dantis and Natalia Germanou, and produced by Dantis. It {{esccnty|Greece|t=represented Greece}} in the Eurovision Song Contest 2005, held in Kyiv, resulting in the country's only ever victory in the contest.

Background and composition

"My Number One" was composed by Manolis Psaltakis and Christos Dantis, with lyrics by Dantis and Natalia Germanou, and was produced by Dantis. The composition had initially been credited only to Dantis, however, a 2013 lawsuit by musician Manolis Psaltakis resulted in the credit being assigned also to him.{{cite web|url=https://www.eurovisionary.com/eurovision-news/greek-court-judgement-against-credited-composer-my-number-one|title=Greek court judgement against credited composer of 'My Number One'|publisher=EuroVisionary|date=13 September 2013|access-date=27 December 2020|first=Theo|last=Vatmanidis}}

The song is notable for casting elements of traditional Greek music in a contemporary dance music setting: its arrangement includes bouzoukis and a solo featuring a Cretan lyra.{{Cite web|url=http://www.greeksongs-greekmusic.com/my-number-one-helena-paparizou/|title = My number one - Helena Paparizou| date=24 November 2009 }}Ivan Raykoff, Robert Deam Tobin A song for Europe: popular music and politics in the Eurovision song contest Ashgate Publishing Ltd Aldershot UK (2007) p.143 The song's lyrics describe the singer's appreciation for her lover who is lauded as her "number one" and "the only treasure [she]'ll ever have".{{cite web|url=http://www.diggiloo.net/?2005gr|title=2005 Greece - lyrics|website=The Diggiloo Thrush|access-date=14 August 2006}}

Release and promotion

Paparizou released "My Number One" as a single, with the release of a Swedish album which contained the song following, and a Greek re-released of her first album Protereotita featuring the song and the other songs in the running for the national final. It sold over 90,000 copies in Greece and was certified double platinum.

Shortly after the song was selected for Eurovision, its music video was shot in one day at the Thessaloniki Science Center and Technology Museum in Thessaloniki. Paparizou then went on a European promotional tour visiting over twenty countries on her tour, and singing on various television shows, as well as giving many interviews.

In early 2006, it was announced that "My Number One" and "Mambo!" would be remixed and released in the United States by Moda Records. On 22 August, a maxi CD single was released to record stores, featuring ten remixes, and the original song; the mixes were also released as digital downloads on 4 June. The music video of "My Number One" premiered in the United States in 2006. There were two separate videos. One is the original video, that was also shown in Europe. The second is a re-edited version of the same video, to the beat of the Josh Harris Remix from the CD Single.

Eurovision Song Contest

{{main|Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2005}}

The Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT) internally selected Helena Paparizou as its performer for the {{escyr|2005||50th edition}} of the Eurovision Song Contest. ERT then selected four songs –"My Number One", "OK", "Let's Get Wild", and "The Light in Our Soul"– to be performed by her in a televised {{esccnty|Greece|y=2005|t=national final}} aired on 2 March 2005. Shortly before the national final, it was revealed that "The Light in Our Soul" had been already released by Big Alice, thus it was disqualified, leaving out only three songs. "My Number One" gained a combined 66.47% from televoting and jury votes winning the competition and becoming the {{esccnty|Greece|t=Greek entry}} for Eurovision. The chorus of the song had already become a chant for AEK Athens supporters.

On 21 May 2005, the final for the Eurovision Song Contest was held at the Palace of Sports in Kyiv hosted by the National Television Company of Ukraine (NTU), and broadcast live throughout the continent. As Greece had finished third at the {{escyr|2003||previous contest}}, the song had been pre-qualified for the final. Paparizou performed "My Number One" nineteenth on the evening, following {{esccnty|Croatia|y=2005}}'s "Vukovi umiru sami" by Boris Novković and LADO and preceding {{esccnty|Russia|y=2005}}'s "Nobody Hurt No One" by Natalia Podolskaya.{{Cite episode|title=Eurovision Song Contest 2005 - Final|episode-link=Eurovision Song Contest 2005|series=Eurovision Song Contest|series-link=Eurovision Song Contest|network=NTU / EBU|date=21 May 2005}} During her performance, she did a stage show of the song, choreographed by Fokas Evangelinos.{{cite news|url=https://eurovoxx.tv/helena-paparizou-to-perform-revamped-version-of-my-number-one-in-rotterdam/|title=Helena Paparizou to perform revamped version of 'My Number One' in Rotterdam|date=26 March 2021|website=eurovoxx.tv|access-date=19 May 2023|author=Edwards, Pollyanna}} Some of the memorable visuals from the show include her dancing a traditional Greek Pontian dance, the four dancers making the shape on the number 1 of the floor –showed from aerial camera– and her playing an imaginary lyra while her dancers pick her up.

At the close of voting, it had received 230 points, finishing at the head of a twenty-four-strong field, winning the contest.{{cite web|url=https://eurovision.tv/event/kyiv-2005/grand-final|title=Official Eurovision Song Contest 2005 final scoreboard|website=Eurovision Song Contest}} "My Number One" held two Eurovision records: it was the first song scored an average of only 6.05 points per jury, the lowest average for a winning song at the time;{{efn|This record was previously held by {{esccnty|Yugoslavia|y=1989}} in {{escyr|1989}} with the song "Rock Me", and was later broken by {{esccnty|Azerbaijan|y=2011}} in {{escyr|2011}} with "Running Scared" by Ell & Nikki.}} and it had the most sets of 12 points given out to one country until then, tying with {{esccnty|United Kingdom|y=1997}}'s {{escyr|1997}} entry "Love Shine a Light".{{efn|"My Number One" received 12 points ten times, tying it with the {{esccnty|United Kingdom|y=1997}}'s {{escyr|1997}} entry "Love Shine a Light" by Katrina and the Waves for the record –televoting was only in place for five countries at the time–. This record was later broken by "Fairytale", the winning song in {{escyr|2009}}, which scored 12 points from sixteen countries, and is currently held by the {{escyr|2022}} winner, "Stefania", which received twenty-eight sets of 12 points from televoting and five from juries.}}

Legacy

After its win Eurovision, a mass party started on the streets of Athens. People went out onto the streets with Greek flags, and started singing "My Number One", as well as honking car horns. This was similar to when Greece won Euro 2004, the 2005 Eurobasket title and when Greece won the silver medal in the 2006 FIBA World Championship. When Paparizou arrived back to Greece from Kyiv, mass crowds met her at the Athens International Airport, where she held up a Greek flag and the trophy.

"My Number One" was one of fourteen songs chosen by Eurovision fans and a European Broadcasting Union (EBU) reference group, from among the 992 songs that had ever participated in the contest, to participate in the fiftieth anniversary competition Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest held on 22 October 2005 in Copenhagen.{{cite news|author=Bakker, Sietse|date=16 June 2005|url=http://esctoday.com/news/read/4705/the_14_songs_for_copenhagen|title=The 14 songs for Copenhagen|website=ESCtoday}} Paparizou performed the song in the competition, where it was named as one of the five greatest Eurovision entries of all time, earning the 4th place.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/abbas-waterloo-is-voted-best-song-of-50-eurovision-years-321745.html|title=Abba's 'Waterloo' is voted best song of 50 Eurovision years|newspaper=The Independent|date=24 October 2005|access-date=20 May 2023|author=Adam, Karla}}

As the winning broadcaster, the EBU gave ERT the responsibility to host the {{escyr|2006||2006 edition}} of the Eurovision Song Contest. The semi-final held on 18 May 2006, opened with a medley of former Eurovision songs performed by different Greek gods, with all the cast finishing with "My Number One". The final held on 20 May 2006, opened with a ballet dance, after which Paparizou was introduced as the reigning winner and she performed the song. She also performed "Mambo!" at the interval act and presented the trophy to the winners.{{Cite episode|title=Eurovision Song Contest 2006|episode-link=Eurovision Song Contest 2006|series=Eurovision Song Contest|series-link=Eurovision Song Contest|network=ERT / EBU|date=20 May 2006}}

On 22 May 2021, the interval act "Rock the Roof" in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 final featured a revamped version of "My Number One" performed by Paparizou.{{cite web|url=https://eurovision.tv/video/interval-act-rock-the-roof|title=Interval Act - Rock The Roof|website=Eurovision Song Contest}} On 9 May 2024, she performed the song as part of a sing-along interval act in the second semi-final of the {{escyr|2024||2024 contest}} held in Malmö, Sweden.{{efn|In a medley with "Everyway That I Can" by Sertab Erener and "Take Me to Your Heaven" by Charlotte Perrelli.{{Youtube|zITpWTXZjgk|"Sing-Along Greatest Hits"}} at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 second semifinal}}{{Cite episode|title=Eurovision Song Contest 2024 second semifinal|episode-link=Eurovision Song Contest 2024|series=Eurovision Song Contest|series-link=Eurovision Song Contest|network=SVT / EBU|date=9 May 2024}}

Track listings

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

European 2-track CD single

  1. "My Number One" – 2:58
  2. "I Don't Want You Here Anymore" – 4:09

Scandinavian 2-track CD single

  1. "My Number One" – 2:58
  2. "My Number One" (Instrumental) – 2:58

European CD maxi-single

  1. "My Number One" – 2:58
  2. "I Don't Want You Here Anymore" – 4:09
  3. "O.K." – 2:58
  4. "My Number One" (video)

{{col-2}}

US CD maxi-single

  1. "My Number One" (Josh Harris Radio Mix) – 3:38
  2. "My Number One" (Norty Cotto's My Radio Lover Mix) – 3:29
  3. "My Number One" (Original Mix) – 2:55
  4. "My Number One" (Georgie's #1 Radio Anthem Mix) – 3:18
  5. "My Number One" (Mike Cruz Radio Mix) – 4:03
  6. "My Number One" (Chris "The Greek" Panaghi Radio Mix) – 3:35
  7. "My Number One" (Valentino's Radio Epic Mix) – 3:02
  8. "My Number One" (Josh Harris Vocal Club Mix) – 6:53
  9. "My Number One" (Norty Cotto's My Clubber Lover Mix) – 6:57
  10. "My Number One" (Georgie's #1 Anthem Mix) – 7:00
  11. "My Number One" (Mike Cruz Vox Mix) – 9:44

{{col-end}}

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.{{Cite AV media notes |title="My Number One" |others=Helena Paparizou |year=2005|type=liner notes|publisher=Sony Music Entertainment (Greece)|id=COL 675891 1, Barcode 5 099767 589212|location=Athens, Greece}}

;Locations

  • Recorded at Vox Studios (Athens, Greece)

;Personnel

Commercial performance

After the Eurovision victory, the video for the song was released in several countries throughout Europe. It went to #1 in both Greece and Paparizou's native Sweden for 4 weeks and was certified gold in both countries. The song was played constantly in Greece all through the summer. The success of the single is credited to the popular remix from Chris "The Greek" Panaghi which Sony (Greece) commissioned for the remix.

The song peaked on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart at number 8 and number 25 on the Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales. In September 2006, the Georgie’s #1 Radio Anthem Mix was added to popular American retailer Abercrombie & Fitch's store playlist nationwide.{{cite web|url=http://everythingabercrombie.com/store-music-playlist/abercrombie-fitch-store-music-2006-playlist-by-month/|title=Abercrombie & Fitch Store Music: 2006 Playlist By Month: September|date=4 August 2008|publisher=EverythingAmbercrombie|access-date=14 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710205802/http://everythingabercrombie.com/store-music-playlist/abercrombie-fitch-store-music-2006-playlist-by-month/|archive-date=10 July 2011|url-status=dead}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center;"
scope="col" | Chart (2005)

! scope="col" | Peak
position

{{singlechart|Austria|44|artist=Helena Paparizou|song=My Number One|access-date=2011-08-01|rowheader=true}}
{{singlechart|Flanders|10|artist=Helena Paparizou|song=My Number One|access-date=2011-08-01|rowheader=true}}
{{singlechart|Wallonia|36|artist=Helena Paparizou|song=My Number One|access-date=2011-08-01|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|CIS|19|artist=Helena Paparizou|song=My Number One|songid=3297|rowheader=true|access-date=6 October 2021}}
scope="row"|Eurochart Hot 100 Singles

|17

{{singlechart|Germany|37|artist=Helena Paparizou|song=My Number One|songid=98568|access-date=2011-08-01|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"|Greece (IFPI Greece){{cite web|url=http://www.ifpi.gr/chart03.htm |title=Top 50 Singles Chart |date=30 July 2005 |publisher=IFPI Greece |access-date=1 August 2011 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050826052319/http://www.ifpi.gr/chart03.htm |archive-date=26 August 2005 }}

| 1

{{singlechart|Hungarysingle|9|year=2005|week=33|access-date=2021-05-19|rowheader=true}}
{{singlechart|Dutch100|24|artist=Helena Paparizou|song=My Number One|year=2011|week=25|access-date=2011-08-01|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"|Romania (UPFR)

| 4

scope="row"| Russia Airplay (TopHit){{cite web|url=https://tophit.com/chart/top/radio/hits/ru/weekly/20050909-20050915|title=Top Radio Hits Russia Weekly Chart: Sep 15, 2005|publisher=TopHit|access-date=24 April 2024}}

| 25

{{singlechart|Sweden|1|artist=Helena Paparizou|song=My Number One|access-date=2011-08-01|rowheader=true}}
{{singlechart|Switzerland|15|artist=Helena Paparizou|song=My Number One|access-date=2011-08-01|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"|Turkey (Turkish Singles Chart){{cite web | url = http://www.hayatadair.info/number-one-top-20/ | work = Number One Top 20 | access-date = 22 May 2005 | title = Digital Singles Charts - Turkey | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110603121626/http://www.hayatadair.info/number-one-top-20/ | archive-date = 3 June 2011 | url-status = dead }}

| style="text-align:center;"|33

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center;"
Chart (2006)

!Peak
position

{{singlechart|Billboarddanceclubplay|8|artist=Helena Paparizou|song=My Number One|artistid=770336|access-date=2011-08-01|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"|US Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales

|25

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center"
scope="col" | Chart (2005)

! scope="col" | Position

scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders){{cite web|url=http://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2005&cat=s|title=Jaaroverzichten 2005|publisher=Ultratop|access-date=16 May 2020}}

|53

scope="row"| CIS (Tophit){{cite web|url=https://tophit.ru/ru/best-music-2005 |title=Лучшие песни и музыка за 2005 год |publisher=Tophit |access-date=6 October 2021 |url-status=live |archive-date=6 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006143938/https://tophit.ru/ru/best-music-2005 |language=ru}}

|75

scope="row"|Russia Airplay (TopHit){{cite web|url=https://tophit.com/chart/top/radio/hits/ru/annual/2005|title=Top Radio Hits Russia Annual Chart: 2005|publisher=TopHit|access-date=24 April 2024|archive-date=21 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240421190640/https://tophit.com/chart/top/radio/hits/ru/annual/2005|url-status=live}}

|66

scope="row"|Sweden (Hitlistan){{cite web|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/43?dspy=2005&dspp=1|title=Årslista Singlar, 2005|publisher=Sverigetopplistan|language=sv|access-date=16 May 2020}}

|9

{{col-end}}

= Certifications =

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Sweden|certyear=2005|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2005}}

{{Certification Table Bottom| nosales=true}}

Release history

class="wikitable"

! Country

! Date

! Label

! Format

Greece

| 24 March 2005

| Sony BMG

|

Sweden

|rowspan="2"|4 May 2005{{ cite web| title = "My Number One" all over Europe!| url = http://www.mad.tv/news/?id=18781| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110929170050/http://www.mad.tv/news/?id=18781| archive-date = 29 September 2011}}{{in lang|el}} MAD TV. Retrieved on 25 July 2005.

|rowspan="4"|Bonnier Amigo

|rowspan="6"|CD single, digital download

Finland
Denmark

|rowspan="4"| 30 May 2005

Norway
Germany

|rowspan="6"| Sony BMG

Austria
Netherlands

|rowspan="2"| 6 June 2005

|rowspan="3"| CD single

Belgium
Portugal

| 7 June 2005

Italy

| 1 July 2005

| CD Single, digital download

rowspan="2"| United States

| 4 June 2006{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=164117687&s=143441|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104191144/https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=164117687&s=143441|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 November 2012|title=My Number One (Dance Mixes)|last=Staff|date=4 June 2006|publisher=iTunes|access-date=7 September 2009}}

| rowspan="2"| Moda

| Digital download

22 August 2006{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GI3R56|title=My Number One [SINGLE] |last=Staff|website=Amazon |date=22 August 2006|access-date=7 September 2009}}

| CD single

Legacy

= Cover versions =

  • In 2006, the heavy metal band Dream Evil recorded a tongue-in-cheek cover of the song for their album United.
  • In 2024, {{ill|Thanasis Alevras|el|Θανάσης Αλευράς}} and {{ill|Jérôme Kaluta|el|Τζερόμ Καλούτα}} performed a duet cover with accompaniment by the ERT Symphony Orchestra.{{cite web |title=«Eurovision σε είδον» – Οι εκπλήξεις αρχίζουν από σήμερα! {{!}} Βίντεο |trans-title="Eurovision se eidon" – The surprises start today! {{!}} Video |url=https://eurovision.ert.gr/eurovision-se-eidon-oi-ekplixeis-archizoyn-apo-simera-vinteo/ |website=Eurovision.ert.gr |publisher=ERT |access-date=7 March 2024 |language=el |date=6 March 2024}}

= In other media =

  • In 2008, a part of this song was sampled for "Thara Thara Onthara" of Kannada-language film Bindaas.
  • In 2009, "My Number One" made its way to the PlayStation 3 karaoke game Singstar as downloadable content. It was previously released in the Swedish version of the game, but it is the first time it has become accessible to players from all over Europe.

Notes

{{notelist}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{Discogs master|224565|My Number One|type=single}}
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20070929222429/http://billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.vnuArtistId=770336&model.vnuAlbumId=800817 Chart History in Billboard]

{{s-start}}

{{succession box|

before = "Wild Dances" by Ruslana|

title = Eurovision Song Contest winners|

after = "Hard Rock Hallelujah" by Lordi|

years = {{escyr|2005}}|

}}

{{s-end}}

{{Elena Paparizou}}

{{Eurovision Song Contest 2005}}

{{Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest}}

{{List of Eurovision Song Contest winners}}

{{Congratulations (Eurovision)}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Eurovision songs of Greece

Category:Eurovision songs of 2005

Category:Congratulations Eurovision songs

Category:Helena Paparizou songs

Category:2005 singles

Category:2006 singles

Category:MAD Video Music Award for Best Female Artist

Category:Music videos directed by Kostas Kapetanidis

Category:Songs written by Christos Dantis

Category:Eurovision Song Contest-winning songs

Category:Number-one singles in Greece

Category:Number-one singles in Sweden

Category:English-language Greek songs

Category:Songs with lyrics by Natalia Germanou

Category:2005 songs

Category:Sony BMG singles

Category:Columbia Records singles