Posted August 26, 2024Aug 26 I've recently been exploring Take That's discography and I've now heard all of their studio albums, and along the way I've become familiar with a bunch of their singles that I didn't actually know until recently, whilst also spending some more time with some of their biggest and best songs that I've known for a while. I decided to put a rank together of all of their singles and count it down on here, one at a time, with a little comment on each one, just like I did when I explored Melanie C's solo catalogue during the 2020 lockdown. The countdown will consist of 45 singles, which comprises every official Take That single, apart from any alternate versions like the Robin Schulz rework of Greatest Day, the Odyssey version of Pray, and the cancelled single release of the Element remix of Relight My Fire. I've also included non-UK singles Reach Out and The Garden. There appears to be some confusion as to whether Happy Now is an official single or a promotional single, but I've included it anyway, as well as Brand New Sun and All Wrapped Up from the recent era - these weren't playlisted by Radio 2 so perhaps weren't official singles, but for the avoidance of doubt, I figured I may as well include them. Anyone who may think they know my Take That taste, no spoilers please!! But please do feel free to make guesses along the way and I'd love to hear all of your opinions - I truly don't know the general fan consensus on most of these songs, so I'd be intrigued to hear what you guys think of these songs. My ranking is based solely on my opinion of the song - it's subjective through and through, I'm not pretending this is any sort of objective "best Take That single" list! A few little bits of information about my Take That interest that could guide you in what to expect: - I first became aware of Take That with the release of Patience, though I wouldn't say I paid their music a great deal of attention until a few years ago, and only really knew the biggest hits until the last year or so. - Generally, I much prefer post-reunion Take That to their original stint together, but that's not to say I don't really enjoy some of their older singles too. - Mark is my favourite member of the group, and the only member whose solo music I have any real interest in (beyond a couple of Robbie songs x) - shoutout to Four Minute Warning which is an absolute belter. - My favourite album, as a full project, was Progress, followed by Beautiful World. Nobody Else was probably my least favourite, but every album brought something to the table and I was particularly impressed by how diverse their albums are, particularly Beautiful World onwards. The full list of singles I have ranked, in release order: Do What U Like Promises Once You've Tasted Love It Only Takes a Minute I Found Heaven A Million Love Songs Could It Be Magic Why Can't I Wake Up With You Pray Relight My Fire (feat. Lulu) Babe Everything Changes Love Ain't Here Anymore Sure Back for Good Never Forget How Deep Is Your Love Patience Shine I'd Wait for Life Reach Out Rule the World Greatest Day Up All Night The Garden Said It All Hold Up a Light The Flood Kidz Happy Now Love Love When We Were Young These Days Let in the Sun Higher Than Higher Hey Boy Cry (Sigma feat. Take That) Giants New Day Out of Our Heads Windows Brand New Sun This Life You and Me All Wrapped Up
August 27, 2024Aug 27 Author 45 Out of Our Heads One of three brand new songs on 2018's revamped hits collection Odyssey, Out of Our Heads is quite a unique song in Take That's discography. Its jazz influenced sound is unlike any other song they've released, which makes it an intriguing choice of single to send to radio stations and perform on TV just before the release of a career-spanning collection. I heard Out of Our Heads at the time and I'll be honest, I *hated* it. A fresh listen the other day reminded me it wasn't quite as bad as that, but I'll be honest and say it's the only song on this list I don't really like. Edffdw0sCm4
August 27, 2024Aug 27 It's certainly different for them, but quite annoying! :cry: Not one of my favourites!
August 27, 2024Aug 27 I agree as this is my least favourite as well. However, I do like the fact they expanded their genres and scope. As you say unique but its just not for me and forgotten. Everlasting would have been a better choice from the new songs off Odyssey. Edited August 29, 2024Aug 29 by nirvanamusic
August 27, 2024Aug 27 Author The fact it's attached to a compilation and not leading a studio album of the same sound is reassuring at least, though I do find it odd that a song like this was chosen to promote a career retrospective release, even if Odyssey isn't your traditional hits collection. It'd make sense as a new track on the album but not really as a single when it's nothing remotely like the rest of the product. A curious song, though obviously didn't hurt Odyssey in the end.
August 27, 2024Aug 27 Author 44 Love Ain’t Here Anymore The fifth and final single to be taken from Everything Changes was this ballad, written by Gary who also performs lead vocals on the track. Love Ain't Here Anymore peaked at 3 in the chart, ending a run of four #1 hits that started with the album's lead single Pray, and peaked at #2 in Spain with a specially recorded Spanish version titled "No si aqui no hay amor". It's a perfectly nice track and we're already into the realm of songs I like, it's just an inessential song for me personally and bordering on a little dreary. Bodes well for the rest of the countdown if that's the worst thing about the song finishing second to last...! J4P9no0AYBM
August 27, 2024Aug 27 I have a soft spot for this one! Nothing exceptional, but it's nice easy listening.
August 27, 2024Aug 27 Love Ain't Here Anymore would be in my Top 7. It is easy listening, gorgeous strings and orchestration, brilliant vocal arrangements. It has always had more plays from me over the years than Everything Changes, Babe, Why Can't I Wake Up With You and Relight My Fire from that album. Though Pray remains my favourite from 'Everything Changes' and a high favourite overall. The group seem to have disowned this and I don't understand why. Yes it halted their number 1's streak, briefly, but it was the sixth single off an album that had already sold extensively. I think they would be surprised the reaction this would get on tour with a full orchestra. Any other time it might have gone to #1, however, it was beaten by the largest selling single of 1994 in the UK (Love Is All Around, Wet Wet Wet) and the largest selling single of 1994 in the US (I Swear, All-4-One) Therefore I feel the band should put that into context. The song really showcases them as a vocal group. The US version of this they put out is awful, a slow dull dirge. I much prefer this pop version. Edited September 3, 2024Sep 3 by nirvanamusic
August 27, 2024Aug 27 Author I think perhaps it suffers from sounding a bit dated to me, and the fact I didn't know it until recently so it's not had much of a chance to grow on me, particularly when I've made other discoveries that were a lot more instant. Can definitely see its appeal though - great to hear your thoughts as a big fan of it, nirvanamusic!
August 27, 2024Aug 27 An interesting story about Love Ain't Here Anymore is that Lou Pearlman, the manager of Backstreet Boys and NSYNC, heard Take That's song rewrote the lyrics and presented it to NSYNC saying he wrote it and was an early recording for them. They performed the song in Germany but the audience laughed throughout and the local record executives told them after it was a Take That song that had been released. Lance told both Gary and Robbie this story on his podcast with them. Hope the link above to I'll Be Back For More, NSYNC, works. Pearlman would also rip off British r'n'b boyband MN8's I've Got A Little Something For You and gave it to Backstreet Boys as their debut single We've Got It Goin' On the following year. Backstreet Boys other manager Johnny Wright told a member of MN8 this later after the BSB song was released. Edited August 27, 2024Aug 27 by nirvanamusic
August 27, 2024Aug 27 Out of our heads im not a massive fan of but love aint here anymore is much to low for me as its a song ive always enjoyed.
August 28, 2024Aug 28 Author 43 I’d Wait for Life I was debating between this and Love Ain't Here Anymore for what would finish second last, and in the end, this marginally escaped. The third single from Beautiful World was this touching ballad fronted by Gary, though in the chart, it fared notably worse than the other singles from that era, peaking at #17 (their first single to miss the top 10 since I Found Heaven), and spending only a single week in the top 40. Truthfully, it's a pleasant song, but I think it's album track material and quite forgettable as a single, especially when you consider it's surrounded by Patience, Shine and Rule the World in their discography. I think even its European counterpart release, Reach Out, would've been a smarter single choice for the UK than this, as nice as it is. Rn7uaz0fayA
August 28, 2024Aug 28 I totally agree that Reach Out would have been a better single in the UK. Coupled with a great music video it could have been a hit. I would have placed I'd Wait For Life above maybe a handful of other singles yet to come. As a single from the Beautiful World period I would have loved Wooden Boat for Jason with a proper music video. That way they would have been the only boyband to have had all members lead on a hit song (potentially speaking in this case) What a great way to show the bands talent, no driftwood in Take That. The song was a critics and fan favourite when the album was released. It would also have reaffirmed the new shared Take That principles to the wider public and given Jason his moment. I agree that I'd Wait For Life is taken under by the juggernauts that are Patience, Shine, and Rule The World in a way that Reach Out's drive and enthusiasm or Jason's first lead Wooden Boat wouldn't. Edited August 28, 2024Aug 28 by nirvanamusic
August 28, 2024Aug 28 Author It's certainly very interesting that Jason doesn't actually have a proper moment across the singles - if I'm not mistaken, The Garden is the only single to have an actual solo verse by him? :o And that of course wasn't even a UK single.
August 28, 2024Aug 28 You are correct, first time around he had one line in Never Forget: "We've come so far and we've reached so high"
August 28, 2024Aug 28 "It's gone away... to a town called Yesterday..." Terrible lyric in Love Ain't Here Anymore. I don't know the singles after These Days, but here for seeing where some of the earlier tracks come in. Can't quite pick out which would be my fave TT single
