"Wherever you are"
 

Hope everyone has seen the BBC program the Choir which has some military wives being trained to sing and do a concert at the Royal Albert Hall.
(on iplayer)
Well worth watching and hopefully it will keep the X or Y factor crap off the top of the christmas charts.

Chris Evans on R2 is doing his best :D

It was very good. Apart from the obvious, it gave great exposure to some of the issues that service families face. Well done, Gareth. It's here, by the way: BBC - The Choir - About Gareth Malone

And watch out at 45 minutes in - second best bit of that episode !

Thanks for the link APG63 - seems to be a lot of dust in the Lancashire air today

Very good programme. It makes a change to be able watch something about real people doing something worthwhile instead of a bunch of jumped up so called celebrities. Their performance at the Festival Of Rememberance was very moving. A very talented group of ladies.

I know Gareth got an Emmy award in LA this week, but he really deserves a UK gong.

I was lucky enough to be at the RAH and there was barely a dry eye in the house.

Didnt have dry eyes throughout. Brilliant, must watch programme.

Fantastic rendition at the RAH.

Single is released on the 19th Dec but available for digital download from 5th Dec. William Hill have it as 7/2 for the Christmas number 1 behind whatever X-Factor release. Proceeds to RBL and SSAFA FH

FaceBook have set up a page to try and get this to number one which already stands at over 2400 "likes". This tactic worked a couple of years back and kept the X-Factor off No 1

Outstanding. Thank you for starting worthy thread. And thank you APG63 for the link.

Courtney MilOutstanding. Thank you for starting worthy thread. And thank you APG63 for the link.

Hi Courtney
Just thought I better mention the whole thing has nothing to do with me.
I am an ex RAF rigger of 23 years who left in 2001, I heard about this on R2, Obviously I don't watch programs about choirs but after hearing Chris Evans and listening to the song I had a look on I Player.
Absolutely fantastic IMHO.
I will be buying the "Record", "Single", "LP" or might even do the download so hopefully it will be number 1

:D:D

Hi All

Just in case you missed the press hype on Friday (Chris Evans' breakfast show and the One show, where a small number of the 100 strong choir appeared live) and the newspaper coverage over the weekend, pushing this song for the Xmas No 1 slot, Decca have released the official video for the single here:


and you can pre-order the single, which will be released on 19 Dec 11 in both traditional and download formats, at any of the normal, reputable on-line dealers (Amazon, HMV, etc, but not I-tunes at the time of writing).

Worth mentioning that, in addition to the ladies themselves, a lot of people (including Gareth Malone, the Decca guys'n'gals, and a lot of other people behind the scenes) have given their time and effort for free in order to push this single towards the Christmas No 1 slot and raise some much needed money for the RBL and SSAFA.

Sorry of these seems like a shameless PR post - it probably is - but the lovely Mrs H is one of the fantastic choir ladies and I've seen first hand the effort that has gone into this recording and I really feel that these unsung hero's, who support us military types day in, day out, year after year, have finally generated some well deserved recognition for long-suffering Military Wives the world over. That, and the fact that money will be raised for 2 worthy, high profile military charities, deserves our support, I think.

You might want to have some tissues handy when you watch the video and listen to the words to the song, which were taken from letters passed between choir ladies and their partners while said partners were overseas, working hard in some not very nice places.
Cheers all
Hawksridge

Simple, heartfelt and powerful.......These ladies are an inspiration :D:D:D...ordered my copy

Forgot to add, Decca, in the Torygraph this morning have confirmed there are more pre orders for this than any other competing song....got to be No 1 :D

It is on I-tunes

Through the benefit of a Treaty-Limited satellite dish, we're able to get a spread of UK channels. However, so much of the terrestrial channels are composed of 'reality' TV, I tend not to watch them...I prefer to watch the great selection of war movies on 'Movies for Men' like T'he Yangtse Incident', 'War Horse', 'Battle of the River Plate', etc...celebrating courage and victory, rather than faux celebrity status.

However, a few weeks ago I happened quite by chance to watch that episode of The Choir and was deeply moved by it - especially, as another poster has mentioned, the issues for those 'who also serve who stand and wait' - especially with the awful realisation that one or two of them were likely to become widows over the next 6 months.

Well done both the choir and Gareth Malone - inspiring.

One can only genuinely hope that this song is justly rewarded with the number one spot over Christmas. I guess I'm just sentimental but I would hate to see the X Factor song win over a beautiful song out of a really magnificent programme.

Just to get that dreadful SARH thread off the top with a thread worth following

Bump...
 

Hawksridge, Thanks fer t'link. Missed the Ladies on 1-Show last Friday so just watched the vid now...

Seems to be a lost, or even "lots", of dust in the air in this part of England's Green and Wot'sit Land. Thanks.

Heading to iToons now...

Pardon my ignorance but if I download it from iTunes does that count toward the total sold and its No 1 chances? (I really must get into the 21st Century.)

Yes Bos, it counts.

AA Much obliged. (My son thinks I still write with a quill pen)

I think 'Wherever You Are' is one of the most inspiring things I've ever seen, a lot of good people getting together to celebrate courage and duty and love and all the worthwhile virtues that these days get buried in a sea of cynicism.

I hope that Gareth, Paul Mealor and the ladies knock the spots off of any X-Factor competition. Samantha Stephenson must have a great future as a singer should she so wish.

Simon C could do himself a favour and feature the good ladies as guests on the X-Factor Final, and at the same time pledge proceeds from the X-F release to a charity of his choice. WIN-WIN, Simple.

And if Strictly did the same, WIN-WIN-WIN:)

Wherever you are
 

Just did the pre-order thing, with obvious help from the sproggs, in spam speak, it must be a no brainer?

from the "Military Wives Choir for Christmas Number 1" FaceBook group

Some of them got to sing at Downing Street today too, both inside and outside for the PM and some troops recently back from Libya:

Video: Tidings Of Comfort And Joy - Sky News Video Player

And, as previously noted, they'll be singing on Strictly at the weekend - the results show on Sunday, I think.

Well done to the ladies...from MSN

Hope there is no last minute rush for the other titles


Edited to add - PPRuNe in that quoted should actually read a well know social network where you can use 140 characters to pass on a message (Twit...er... you didn't think Cowell would come here and say that?). It was auto changed....

Bump! :ok:

What those 'Ladies' [for that is what they are] acheived is a lesson to all of us and a shining example to their children. The one program this year worth watching again and certainly in my book, kicked the ass off all the other 'talent' type programs. It is number one in my house irrespective of the charts. I hope this saga does not end here.

Best Wishes

AA, well said. They are amazing and Gareth has pulled a blinder. I have oredered it to do my bit to help them on their way and for the charities.

Brava!!!!!

I received my download from Play.com on Sunday morning, the other side of 'Wherever' is good as well.
Gareth for a gong next year?

The Choir was on NZ Tv. last night, finished off that Graham wotsit (?) show that we get here late Friday nights.

Very good, hope it makes No. 1 - and a lot of cash.

"The Choir" (Military Wives) on Iplayer
 

The beeb aired a 90 min compilation of the 3 part series on BBC 2 on Thursday evening. If you missed it its on iplayer at BBC iPlayer - The Choir: Military Wives: Compilation; have your hankies ready. There will also be a DVD released of the entire series in February, available for pre-order on Amazon at
Enjoy, merry Christmas.

Despite having been married to a "Military wife" for many years, (and glad that it's done so well) am I the only one to say in truth I'm becoming sick to the back teeth of hearing this song? R2 are even playing an instrumental version much of the time. It's seemingly inescapable. :uhoh:

Santa won't be happy
 

ShyTorque said:

Have you been drinking? ...again...:=

Shytorque, while I suspect you're not the only one, I hope you're in the minority. This song is raising tens of thousands of pounds for 2 well deserving military charities and the more exposure it gets, the better. Being married to one of the lovely choir ladies, I'm obviously biased, but I've seen first hand the hard work that these girls have put in to promoting this single for no personal reward at all (and believe me, none of them ever expected it to be recorded, let alone be a Christmas number 1) and regardless of whether you've heard it enough or not, it deserves continued recognition for what it is and they are - an honest, straightforward, non commercial song by a bunch of girls who have gained some well deserved recognition for the unsung heroes that are military wives.

Merry Christmas to all.......

Well said
 

Nice one, Hawksridge,

Merry Christmas to your fantastic 'other half'. Good Skills.

Do wee know if it Has it made the Xmas No1?
I know it was No1 last week, fingers crossed it stays their especially as it would get the new award to celebrate the 60th(?) anniversary of the chart's (this is the first one this week )
I bought a few as Christmas pressis to give and Push up its numbers.
Well done to all involved , every ones proud off yous

I tend to agree with both sides of the discussion (diplomacy's the key), but in the words of another great number one hit: "I can't get you out of my head" !!

I have bought the CD, btw! It's just that I'm not playing it for now because as R2 listeners.....well , you know. ;)

In any case, Merry Christmas to all and especially to the ladies of the choir! :D

Bugger, I can't get I can't get you out of my head out of my head now. Thanks must go to the composer of catchy melodies, who ever, and wherever you are.......agh, could here all day.