Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir

Last updated

The Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir is made up of a wide range of NHS workers, including doctors, nurses, therapists and many other staff from across the NHS workforce. In 2015, they achieved the UK Christmas number 1, with their single "A Bridge Over You", a mash up of Bridge over Troubled Water and Fix You. They released an album the following year, and recorded a version of Justin Bieber's Holy in December 2020. They also were seen performing Joy to the World after the Queen's Speech on Christmas Day 2020.

Contents

Christmas number one campaign

A social media campaign to get the choir to the "Christmas number one", a period traditionally resulting in higher sales than the rest of the year, [1] was launched in October 2015 by choir member Katie Rogerson, junior doctor Harriet Nerva, and Joe Blunden, a communications manager for the National Health Service (NHS). [2] At the time, Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt was debating extending the contracted hours of junior doctors, a move that proved controversial and which prompted the British Medical Association to consider strike action. [3] [4]

Nerva created a Facebook event for the campaign after the video "moved [her] to tears", telling Mirror Online that "getting it to Number One would bring to the public's eye the fantastic service it provides in very challenging times". [3] Rogerson told The Guardian that "it’s a challenging time for the NHS and morale is quite low ... We wanted people to recognise all the brilliant things that happen on an everyday basis rather than feel miserable and unappreciated." [2]

On 13 January 2016, the UK Government announced that the value-added tax on sales of the single—16.5p from every 99p sale—would be donated to charity. [5]

Release and reception

"A Bridge over You" was originally released independently by Blunden on behalf of the NHS Trust through EmuBands on 9 December 2013 [6] [7] [8] in support of various charities including Carers UK, Mind and other smaller healthcare related charities. [9] The 2015 campaign's organisers asked supporters not to purchase the song until the week of the Christmas charts so as to focus sales. [10] [11]

On the week of the Christmas charts, Justin Bieber, whose song "Love Yourself" was the favourite for the accolade, [12] [13] tweeted his support for the choir's song: "For 1 week it’s ok not be #1.[ sic ] Let’s do the right thing & help them win. It’s Christmas." [14] Following his tweet, many bookmakers harshly lowered odds on the choir to achieve the Christmas number one, while Coral suspended betting altogether. [15] [16] On Christmas Eve, itv.com commented that the choir "now look unbeatable". [15]

It reached number one on the UK Singles Chart at Christmas 2015, selling more than 127,000 copies, [17] 88,000 sales fewer than Ben Haenow's 2014 Christmas number one "Something I Need". [18] It beat off competition from Bieber as well as The X Factor winner Louisa Johnson, Adele, and Stormzy. [16] [19] It was the closest run-in to the Christmas number one since 2009, when Jon Morter's anti-X Factor social media campaign resulted in Rage Against the Machine's 1992 single "Killing in the Name" taking the accolade ahead of the competition's winner Joe McElderry. [20] Blunden was in regular contact with Morter during the campaign for his previous experience with Christmas chart campaigns.

Blunden, who was manager of the #NHS4XmasNo1 campaign, told The Telegraph on Christmas Day that "it’s an historic day for the NHS...a day that the country has shown just how much they love their NHS". [21] Zoe Davies, a medical registrar who sings part of the opening solo, told The Northern Echo that "it gives the NHS a morale boost at a time of uncertainty about junior doctors' contracts and nurses' bursaries being taken away". [22] Chidi Ejimofo, a Consultant in Emergency Medicine who sang the male solo part, [23] told the South London Press "...it is about so much more than the front line doctors and nurses. This song celebrates the work of all the unsung heroes in the NHS, whose amazing work is often taken for granted.". [24] [25]

In its second week on the UK Singles Chart, the song broke the record for the biggest fall for a UK number one single, when it fell to number 29 on 1 January 2016. [26] Previously, the record had been held by McFly's "Baby's Coming Back/Transylvania", which fell from number 1 to number 20 on 20 May 2007. [26] The song dropped out of the charts completely the following week, making the song's two-week chart run the shortest ever for a UK number one single at the time; both records have since been beaten by LadBaby, with LadBaby's 3rd single spending just one single week in the top 75.

Related Research Articles

We All Stand Together

"We All Stand Together" is a song by Paul McCartney and the Frog Chorus.

Babys Coming Back/Transylvania 2007 single by McFly

"Baby's Coming Back"/"Transylvania" is the fourth and final single from English pop rock band McFly's third studio album, Motion in the Ocean. The single debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart but fell to number 20 the following week, setting the record for the biggest drop off number one until 2016, when "A Bridge over You" by the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir fell to number 29 from the top spot.

Justin Bieber Canadian singer

Justin Drew Bieber is a Canadian singer. He was discovered by American record executive Scooter Braun and signed with RBMG Records in 2008, gaining recognition with the release of his debut EP My World (2009). It reached number six on the US Billboard 200, while its singles "One Time" and "One Less Lonely Girl" peaked in the top twenty on the Billboard Hot 100.

Justin Bieber discography artist discography

Canadian singer Justin Bieber has released 6 studio albums, 3 compilation albums, 3 remix albums, 2 extended plays, 44 singles, 16 as a featured artist, and 7 promotional singles.

Pray (Justin Bieber song) 2010 single by Justin Bieber

"Pray" is a song performed by Canadian singer Justin Bieber. The song was written by Bieber along with Omar Martinez, and Adam Messinger and Nasri of The Messengers, with the latter duo producing the track. The song is taken as a single in several European countries from his first compilation album, My Worlds: The Collection. In the United States and Canada, the song is included on My Worlds Acoustic. According to Bieber, he was inspired by Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" (1988) when writing the song. The song is a contemporary Christian song, while deriving from pop and R&B influences, and using a world music backdrop. It primarily features acoustic instruments, however does make small usages of electronic sounds.

Kunt and the Gang is a British dark musical comedian from Basildon, Essex, and started performing in 2003. The single from his spin-off project, The Kunts, entitled "Boris Johnson is a Fucking Cunt" was censored by Radio 1 and reached number five in the UK Singles Chart on Christmas Day 2020.

Mistletoe (Justin Bieber song) 2011 single by Justin Bieber

"Mistletoe" is a Christmas song by Canadian singer Justin Bieber. The song was written by Bieber and his producers, Nasri and Adam Messinger. The song was released on October 17, 2011 as the lead single from his second studio album and first Christmas album, Under the Mistletoe (2011). "Mistletoe" is a pop and R&B song, that has reggae influences. "Mistletoe" received generally positive reviews from most music critics. The song reached the top ten in Canada, Denmark and Norway, and slightly missed the top 10 in the US, peaking at 11, while also reaching the top forty in nine other countries. The song's accompanying music video was directed by Roman White. It features the singer singing on a snowy, lit-up street.

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust is an NHS trust which was formed on 1 October 2013 and is responsible for running two acute hospitals, Queen Elizabeth Hospital and University Hospital Lewisham, in addition to community health services in Lewisham.

The Choir: Sing While You Work is a British television show broadcast on BBC2, a spinoff of the 2006 series The Choir. In Sing While You Work choirmaster Gareth Malone creates and trains amateur workplace-based choirs, ultimately to compete against one another. The series first aired in 2012 and began a second series in November 2013.

What Do You Mean? 2015 single by Justin Bieber

"What Do You Mean?" is a song recorded by Canadian singer Justin Bieber for his fourth studio album Purpose (2015). The song was released on August 28, 2015, as the album's lead single by Def Jam. The song was produced by MdL and co-produced by Bieber. It was featured in several year-end lists of best songs of 2015. Commercially, the song topped the charts in several countries, including Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and Norway. In Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom, "What Do You Mean?" was Bieber's first number-one single. The song's music video features Bieber in bed with a young woman and getting kidnapped by masked men, as well as an appearance from actor John Leguizamo. Since its release Bieber has mentioned that the song was about his relationship with Selena Gomez.

Sorry (Justin Bieber song) 2015 single by Justin Bieber

"Sorry" is a song recorded by Canadian singer Justin Bieber for his fourth studio album, Purpose (2015). Written by Bieber, Julia Michaels, Justin Tranter, Skrillex, and BloodPop; the song was produced by the latter two. It was released on October 22, 2015, as the second single from the album. A dancehall pop, tropical house and moombahton song, "Sorry" contains in its instrumentation "brassy horn bleats", warm island rhythms and a dembow riddim beat. Lyrically, "Sorry" is a plea for a chance to apologize to a lover, with Bieber asking forgiveness and a second chance to redeem himself. Bieber has since said that the lover was Selena Gomez.

Love Yourself 2015 single by Justin Bieber

"Love Yourself" is a song recorded by Canadian singer Justin Bieber for his fourth studio album Purpose (2015). The song was released as a promotional single on November 10, 2015, and as the album's third official single on December 7, 2015. It was written by Ed Sheeran, Benjamin Levin and Bieber, and produced by Levin. An acoustic pop song, "Love Yourself" features an electric guitar and a brief flurry of trumpets as its main instrumentation. During the song, Bieber uses a husky tone in the lower registers. Lyrically, the song is a kiss-off to a narcissistic ex-lover who did the protagonist wrong.

A Bridge over You 2013 single by the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir

"A Bridge over You" is a charity single recorded and released independently by the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir, the choir of the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust located in south-east London. It is a mashup of "Bridge over Troubled Water" by Simon & Garfunkel and Coldplay's 2005 single "Fix You", with additional arrangement by the choir's conductor, Peter Mitchell. It reached number one on the UK Singles Chart at Christmas 2015.

Holy (Justin Bieber song) 2020 single by Justin Bieber featuring Chance the Rapper

"Holy" is a song by Canadian singer Justin Bieber, featuring vocals from American rapper Chance the Rapper. It was released alongside the official music video on September 18, 2020, as the lead single off Bieber's sixth studio album, Justice. The single marks the pair's fifth collaboration following "Confident" (2013), "Juke Jam" (2016) and featured appearances on "I'm the One" (2017) and "No Brainer" (2018). "Holy" is a pop song with elements of gospel. Billboard named it the 41st best song of 2020. The acoustic version was released on November 6, 2020.

References

  1. ↑ "Sound of silence vies to be Christmas number one". Telegraph.co.uk. 2010-10-16. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  2. 1 2 Johnson, Sarah (2015-12-23). "NHS choir: 'I want to show how proud I am of the health service by getting our song to No 1'". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  3. 1 2 Bloom, Dan (2015-10-27). "Christmas No1 campaign for NHS choir wins nearly 100,000 fans in a week". Mirror Online . Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  4. ↑ Donnelly, Laura (2015-11-30). "Hopes that junior doctors' strikes could be off as BMA considers truce". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  5. ↑ "Government donates VAT from NHS Choir's Christmas number one". GOV.UK . 13 January 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  6. ↑ "benenden hospital's singing surgeon". www.benendenhospital.org.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  7. ↑ "Congratulations to NHS Choir – Christmas #1! – EmuBands". EmuBands. Archived from the original on 31 December 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  8. ↑ Trotter, Sarah (26 November 2013). "Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust choir back with Christmas charity single after TV fame". News Shopper. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  9. ↑ "The Trust Choir – Lewisham and Greenwich". www.lewishamandgreenwich.nhs.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  10. ↑ "NHS choir on a mission to take Christmas No1". The Telegraph. 2015-11-05. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  11. ↑ "NHS choir aims for Christmas Number 1". 2015-11-30. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  12. ↑ "Who are the contenders for this year's Christmas number one?". liverpoolecho. 2015-12-17. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  13. ↑ Hall, Christopher James. "Who will be the Christmas Number One – and when will it be announced?". Lincolnshire Echo . Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  14. ↑ Khomami, Nadia (2015-12-25). "Justin Bieber beaten by NHS choir to UK Christmas No 1". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  15. 1 2 "'A Bridge Over You' now favourite for Christmas number 1". ITV News. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  16. 1 2 Strang, Fay (25 December 2015). "NHS Choir has beaten Justin Bieber to Christmas Number One". Daily Mirror . Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  17. ↑ Morgan, Georgia; McHale, Kirsty. "The NHS choir beat Justin Bieber to number one". The Independent. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  18. ↑ "NHS Choir aims for Xmas number one". Chartered Society of Physiotherapy . Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  19. ↑ Adejobi, Alicia (2015-12-21). "Christmas number one: Meet the contenders Justin Bieber, NHS Choir, Stormzy and Louisa Johnson". International Business Times UK. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  20. ↑ "Bieber Beaten By NHS Choir To Christmas No 1". Sky News. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  21. ↑ Foster, Patrick (2015-12-25). "NHS Choir beat Justin Bieber to Christmas number one spot". The Telegraph. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  22. ↑ Minting, Stuart. "Doctor stunned by Christmas No 1 solo triumph". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  23. ↑ Kmietowicz, Zosia (5 January 2016). "NHS choir's number one hit puts health service in media spotlight over Christmas". The British Medical Journal. 352: h7022. doi:10.1136/bmj.h7022. PMID   26732692. S2CID   28783108 . Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  24. ↑ Gould, Kate (31 December 2015). "NHS choir beats Bieber to No 1 Christmas spot". Tindle Newspaper Group. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  25. ↑ "News:Help the NHS Charity choir get to Number 1 this Christmas". NHS England. 21 December 2015. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  26. 1 2 "Justin Bieber back at chart top spot for 2016". BBC News. 1 January 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.