| "Someday (I Will Understand)" | ||||
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| Single byBritney Spears | ||||
| from the EPBritney & Kevin: Chaotic | ||||
| B-side |
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| Released | August 18, 2005 (2005-08-18) | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 3:37 | |||
| Label | Jive | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Britney Spears | |||
| Producer(s) | ||||
| Britney Spears singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Someday (I Will Understand)" onYouTube | ||||
"Someday (I Will Understand)" is a song by American singerBritney Spears. It was written by Spears and produced byGuy Sigsworth. The song was released on August 18, 2005, byJive Records as the sole single from Spears' first extended play,Britney & Kevin: Chaotic (2005), outside the United States.[1] In July 2004, Spears announced her engagement to American dancerKevin Federline, later revealing she would be taking another career break to start a family. Spears wrote the song two weeks before knowing she was pregnant with her first child, Sean Preston Federline. A pop ballad, its lyrics refer to a feeling of empowerment as a pregnant woman. A remixed version of the song was included on the 2005 remix compilation,B in the Mix: The Remixes.
"Someday (I Will Understand)" has received mixed to positive reviews frommusic critics. The song reached the top ten in Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland and also charted in a number of European countries. An accompanying music video, directed byMichael Haussman, premiered on the finale of Spears' reality showBritney and Kevin: Chaotic (2005). Entirely shot inblack-and-white, the music video features Spears as a pregnant woman and follows her reflecting along with the songs lyrics in a large empty house.
In July 2004, Spears announced her engagement to American dancerKevin Federline, whom she had met three months before. The romance received intense attention from the media, since Federline had recently broken up with actressShar Jackson, who was still pregnant with their second child at the time.[2] The initial stages of their relationship were chronicled in Spears's first reality showBritney and Kevin: Chaotic. They held a wedding ceremony on September 18, 2004, but were not legally married until three weeks later on October 6 due to a delay finalizing the couple's prenuptial agreement.[3] In October 2004, the singer announced she would be taking another career break to start a family.[4] Spears gave birth to her first child, Sean Preston Federline, on September 14, 2005.[5]
"Someday (I Will Understand)" was composed by Spears on thepiano at her house, two weeks before she learned of her pregnancy with Sean Preston. She explained the song came "like a prophecy... when you're pregnant, you're empowered".[6] It was produced byGuy Sigsworth, who previously worked with the singer on "Everytime" (2004). Spears recorded her vocals for the song at Conway Studios inLos Angeles, California, and at Frou Frou Central inLondon. The piano was played by Spears herself, while all other instruments (including the drums) andmixing were done by Sigsworth.Background vocals for the song were provided byKate Havnevik.[7]
"Someday (I Will Understand)" initially received mixed to favorable reviews frommusic critics. While reviewingBritney & Kevin: Chaotic, Mike McGuirk ofRhapsody noted, "Britney now sings about either the husband or the kid."[8] Gil Kaufman ofMTV called the song a "horrible Britney ballad with the black-and-white video that began her descent into madness."[9] Leo Ebersole of theChicago Tribune considered it "a fictional piece",[10] while another reviewer from the same newspaper noted that "as a matter of fact, the song is more or less a lesson in Britney history."[11] Becky Bain ofIdolator praised the track, stating that "Britney goes genuine for this ode to her unborn baby."[12] Kurt Kirton ofAbout.com said that "And Then We Kiss" and other remixes of songs like "Toxic" and "Someday (I Will Understand)" on the remix albumB in the Mix: The Remixes "hold their own".[13]IGN writer Spence D. noted the Hi-Bias Signature Radio Remix "reverberates with all the clichés that often stifle the music that rustles through the late night/early morning club scenes around the world."[14]Rolling Stone contributor Barry Walters gave the song's remix a negative review, saying that "nothing can rescue Spears' freakishly sappy flop single "Someday (I Will Understand)".[15] Bradley Stern also of MTV, however, praised the Leama & Moor Remix, saying it "transforms the tearjerker of a ballad into a full-on trance anthem. Big beats, stuttering vocals – it's heartbreak on the dance floor."[16]
Over the years following its release, attitude toward the song began to change for the positive. Ten years after its release, a reviewer forAXS called the song "serene" and the "most sincere single of her career."[17] A writer forMuuMuse said that while the song was not career-defining, it was "interesting, and certainly personal."[18]
On September 1, 2005, "Someday (I Will Understand)" debuted at number 46 on theSwedish Singles Chart.[19] It peaked at number 10 the following week.[20] In Switzerland, the song debuted at number eight on the week of September 4, 2005.[21] On September 9, 2005, the song debuted in theDanish Singles Chart at number 11.[22] The following week, it peaked at the eight position.[23] "Someday (I Will Understand)" also reached the top 20 in Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia), Finland and Norway and charted in Austria and the Netherlands.[24] "Someday (I Will Understand)" has sold 60,000 paid digital downloads in the United States, according toNielsen SoundScan.[25]
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The music video for "Someday (I Will Understand)" was directed byMichael Haussman. Spears commented that he "[did] a great job capturing the song, the essence and the emotion" and added that the video had "a different feeling" from any of her previous videos.[26] It was shot entirely inblack-and-white.[27] Spears asserted that her life had "come full circle" and implied that in the process she underwent changes in her soul and body, as shown in the video.[28] It premiered on June 14, 2005, during the fifth and last episode of Spears's reality showBritney and Kevin: Chaotic, titled "Veil of Secrecy".[29] The music video features a pregnant Spears lying in bed and walking around a house while singing to her unborn child. She also gazes through the window at theRoman sculptures in the garden.[27]
Hayley Butler ofJam! said "the video is a far cry from the snake handling, sweating and skimpy Britney videos of the past. Dressed in a classy silk dress, she runs through gardens, lies in bed and walks through the grass, all with a burgeoning belly."[30] John Mitchell ofMTV included the video on the list "Beyonce, Britney And Madonna: What To Expect When You're Expecting — Music Video Edition" in 2011.[31] Despite praising the track,Idolator blogger Becky Bain stated that "at this point she still looks like a teenager herself, so it's a little disconcerting seeing her with that huge belly, singing about motherhood."[12]
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Credits are adapted from theBritney & Kevin: Chaotic DVD liner notes.[7]
| Chart (2005) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[35] | 32 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[36] | 17 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[37] | 11 |
| CIS Airplay (TopHit)[38] | 166 |
| Denmark (Tracklisten)[39] | 8 |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[40] | 15 |
| Germany (GfK)[41] | 22 |
| Greece (IFPI)[42] | 8 |
| Hungary (Single Top 40)[43] | 6 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[44] | 3 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[45] | 36 |
| Norway (VG-lista)[46] | 18 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[47] | 10 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[48] | 8 |
| Ukraine Airplay (TopHit)[49] | 67 |
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | August 18, 2005 | Digital download | Sony BMG | [50] |
| Denmark | August 22, 2005 | CD | [51] | |
| Germany | [52][53] | |||
| Luxembourg | Digital download | [54] | ||
| Netherlands | [55] | |||
| United Kingdom | RCA | [56][57] | ||
| France | August 29, 2005 | Maxi CD | Sony BMG | |
| Japan | September 21, 2005 | [59] |
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