"2 Times"
Single by Ann Lee
from the album Dreams
ReleasedDecember 1998 (1998-12)[1]
Length3:46
LabelX-Energy[2]
Songwriter(s)
  • Alfredo Larry Pignagnoli
  • Daniela Galli
  • Paul Sears
  • Annerley Gordon
Producer(s)
  • Marco Sorcini
  • Alfredo Larry Pignagnoli
Ann Lee singles chronology
"2 Times"
(1998) 		"Voices"
(1999)
Music video
"2 Times" on YouTube

"2 Times" is the debut single of English singer Ann Lee.[3] It was released in Italy in December 1998 by X-Energy as the lead single from her debut album, Dreams (1999), and was issued worldwide the following year. The single peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart, reached number one in Flanders, and entered the top 10 in several countries, including Australia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and New Zealand.

Background and composition

Ann Lee's previous work on a large number of Eurodance projects would help her receive a contract with Alfredo Larry Pignagnoli, with whom she had already worked with on the Whigfield project as a songwriter, amongst others. He worked on a track with Marco Sorcini called "Two Times".[4] The song is played in a F major key in common time at a BPM of 132, and throughout follows chord progression F-C7.[5]

Critical reception

A reviewer from Daily Record wrote, "This sounds like a line-dancing song reworked for the techno market, but it's worked for Ann Lee who has already topped the charts across Europe."[6] The Guardian described it as "giddy".[7]

Commercial performance

The song achieved success in many European countries where it was a top-10 hit, particularly in Denmark, Scotland, and the Flanders region of Belgium, where it reached number one.[8][9][10] It peaked number two in Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom;[11][9][12] it has sold over 500,000 copies in the UK as of 2014.[13] It was also a top-10 hit in Australia after initially receiving frequent airplay on Melbourne radio station KIX FM.[9][14]

Music video

The song's accompanying music video was released in 1999 by Energy Productions.[15] It sees Ann Lee performing the song during a day in her life, beginning with her waking up in the morning in her hut. She cooks, plays with her doll, takes a stroll on the beach and has a bath in her bathtub. The video ends with Lee sleeping in her bed. The singer has noted that the structure and cinematography of the video was very similar to that of Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer"; "The two videos were similar! I remember perfectly the 'sledge video' (love Peter Gabriel!) and my movements are in fact very similar - but I think the similarity ends there".[16] Parts of the music video were filmed in Whitstable, Kent.

Track listings

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[57] Platinum 70,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[58] Gold 25,000*
Belgium (BEA)[59] Platinum 50,000*
France (SNEP)[60] Gold 250,000*
Germany (BVMI)[61] Gold 250,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[62] Gold 5,000*
Sweden (GLF)[63] Gold 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[64] Gold 500,000[13]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Italy December 1998 12-inch vinyl X-Energy [1]
March 1999 CD
Netherlands 24 April 1999 High Fashion [33]
Germany 28 April 1999
ZYX Music [33]
United Kingdom 4 October 1999
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 Systematic [65]

References

  1. ^ a b "News". X-Energy Records. Archived from the original on 10 January 2001. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  2. ^ "Hits of the World: Italy". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 11. 13 March 1999. p. 56. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  3. ^ "Italy: For Italo Dance Pop Business Isn't Great, It's Huge". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 26. 24 June 2000. p. 86. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
  4. ^ Ann Lee. Eurodance Encyclopedia. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  5. ^ Ann Lee – 2 Times Sheet Music (Print Instantly). Musicnotes.com. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  6. ^ "Chartslot". Daily Record. 29 October 1999. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  7. ^ "Music: Pop CD Releases". The Guardian. 26 November 1999.
  8. ^ a b "Top National Sellers: Denmark" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 29. 17 July 1999. p. 11. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  9. ^ a b c d "Ann Lee – 2 Times". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  10. ^ a b "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  11. ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – 2 Times". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  12. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  13. ^ a b Myers, Justin (12 October 2014). "Christina Aguilera's Official Top 20 Biggest Selling Singles Revealed". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 17 October 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  14. ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 39. 25 September 1999. p. 74. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  15. ^ Ann Lee - Two Times Music Video on YouTube. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  16. ^ Meran, Tavi (September 2009). Ann Lee Interview. Eurodance Encyclopedia. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  17. ^ 2 Times (Italian 12-inch single vinyl disc). Ann Lee. X-Energy Records. 1998. X-12260.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ^ 2 Times (Italian CD single liner notes). Ann Lee. X-Energy Records. 1999. X CDS 5-12260.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ^ 2 Times (Australian CD single liner notes). Ann Lee. Transistor Music. 1999. SCBK600.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ^ 2 Times (German maxi-CD single liner notes). Ann Lee. ZYX Music. 1999. ZYX 9018-8.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. ^ 2 Times (German CD single liner notes). Ann Lee. ZYX Music. 1999. ZYX 9018-5.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. ^ 2 Times (Dutch CD single liner notes). Ann Lee. High Fashion Music. 1999. MS 344-5.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  23. ^ 2 Times (UK CD single liner notes). Ann Lee. Systematic. 1999. SYSCD31, 3984 29741 2.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  24. ^ 2 Times (UK 12-inch single vinyl disc). Ann Lee. Systematic. 1999. SYSX 31, 3984 29743 0.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  25. ^ 2 Times (UK cassette single sleeve). Ann Lee. Systematic. 1999. SYSMC 31.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  26. ^ "Ann Lee – 2 Times" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  27. ^ "Ann Lee – 2 Times" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  28. ^ "Ann Lee – 2 Times" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  29. ^ "Ann Lee Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  30. ^ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 7234." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  31. ^ "Hits of the World: Eurochart Hot 100 (IFPI/Nielsen Marketing Research) 30/10/99". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 44. 30 October 1999. p. 43. ISSN 0006-2510.
  32. ^ "Ann Lee – 2 Times" (in French). Les classement single.
  33. ^ a b c "Ann Lee – 2 Times" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  34. ^ "Top National Sellers: Hungary" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 50. 11 December 1999. p. 9. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  35. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (NR. 338 Vikuna 26.8. – 2.9. 1999)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 27 August 1999. p. 8. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  36. ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 14. 3 April 1999. p. 58. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  37. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 31, 1999" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
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  46. ^ "Jahreshitparade Singles 1999" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  47. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1999" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
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  50. ^ "Tops de L'année | Top Singles 1999" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
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  52. ^ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1999". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
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  55. ^ "Yearly Best Selling Singles" (PDF). British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2010. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  56. ^ "Most Broadcast of 1999: Pop Top 20 Tracks of 1999" (PDF). Music Week. 22 January 2000. p. 32. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  57. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1999 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  58. ^ "Austrian single certifications – Ann Lee – 2 Times" (in German). IFPI Austria.
  59. ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 1999". Ultratop. Hung Medien.
  60. ^ "French single certifications – Ann Lee – 2 Times" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  61. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Ann Lee; '2 Times')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  62. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Ann Lee – 2 Times". Recorded Music NZ.
  63. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1999" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011.
  64. ^ "British single certifications – Ann Lee – 2 Times". British Phonographic Industry.
  65. ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting 4 October, 1999: Singles". Music Week. 2 October 1999. p. 27.
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