The Flood

Album: Progress (2010)
Charted: 2
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the lead single from British pop band Take That's sixth studio album, Progress. The song features Gary Barlow and Robbie Williams on lead vocals and was the first to feature Williams since his return to the band in July 2010 after an absence of fourteen and a half years. It was written by all five Take That members.
  • The song's music video was filmed on Dorney Lake in Berkshire, the venue for the rowing events at the 2012 Summer Olympics and also on the Thames at Runnymede, Surrey. The clip features the five members of the band racing against another crew in specially made sculling boats, customised to accommodate a fifth rower. The quintet are all clad in old-fashioned white rowing kits.
  • This was the first Take That single since August 1995's "Never Forget" to feature the five original band members all singing together on a record.
  • Progress was the first album to shift half a million copies in its first week of sale in the UK this century. Coldplay previously held the post 2000 record with a sale of 464,000 for X and Y in June 2005.
  • Progress was the best selling album of 2010 in the UK despite only coming out in November. It sold 1.4 million copies in its five weeks of release. Runner-up was Michael Bublé's Crazy Love whilst Lady Gaga's The Fame was third on the list.
  • Take That acknowledged this epic song on the band's track-by-track analysis to be possibly the best from Progress: "It's an epic sounding song," said Robbie. "It needed epic words and a big melody." Robbie added that he firmly believes the song to be about the quintet. "It's like all the outside forces trying to break through the dam and we are the dam."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Stan Ridgway

Stan RidgwaySongwriter Interviews

Go beyond the Wall of Voodoo with this cinematic songwriter.

John Kay of Steppenwolf

John Kay of SteppenwolfSongwriter Interviews

Steppenwolf frontman John Kay talks about "Magic Carpet Ride," "Born To Be Wild," and what he values more than awards and accolades.

Macabre Mother Goose: The Dark Side of Children's Songs

Macabre Mother Goose: The Dark Side of Children's SongsSong Writing

"London Bridge," "Ring Around the Rosie" and "It's Raining, It's Pouring" are just a few examples of shockingly morbid children's songs.

Narada Michael Walden - "Freeway of Love"

Narada Michael Walden - "Freeway of Love"They're Playing My Song

As a songwriter and producer, Narada had hits with Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Starship. But what song does he feel had the greatest impact on his career?

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TV

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TVSong Writing

Shows like Dawson's Creek, Grey's Anatomy and Buffy the Vampire Slayer changed the way songs were heard on TV, and produced some hits in the process.

Desmond Child

Desmond ChildSongwriter Interviews

One of the most successful songwriters in the business, Desmond co-wrote "Livin' La Vida Loca," "Dude (Looks Like A Lady)" and "Livin' On A Prayer."