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"Whenever, Wherever" is a Latin pop song written by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, Gloria Estefan, and Tim Mitchell for Shakira's first English language album, Laundry Service. The track was produced by Shakira, and recorded at Criteria Studios in Miami as well as Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas, and was engineered by Terry Manning. "Suerte", meaning "luck", is a version of "Whenever, Wherever" recorded in Spanish. It is about how fortunate she is to have found a person like the man with whom she is in a relationship.
It is the second most successful song of Shakira's career, losing only to "Hips Don't Lie". The song was released as the lead single from the album in the autumn of 2001, and was an international success, peaking at number one in Colombia, the rest of Latin America, almost every European country, as well as Australia and New Zealand. In the Netherlands, the song remained at number one for nine weeks. It reached number two in the United Kingdom, number four in Canada, and number six in the United States. "Whenever, Wherever" hit number one in 29 countries and sold over 8,5 millions copies becoming the biggest hit of 2001.
"Whenever, Wherever" is Shakira's most successful song in Europe, where it topped many of the medium sized charts, including Austria, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Although it topped the majority of European charts, "Hips Don't Lie", which is considered to be the most successful song of her career, sold substantially less well than "Whenever, Wherever" in bigger markets such as France and Germany.
The song was re-released on the Songs for Japan charity album in 2011.
Structure
"Whenever, Wherever" is a Latin pop song composed in the key of C# minor. The song is heavy influenced by Andean music, and includes the charango and panpipes in its instrumentation. Panpipes on the track were provided by esteemed panpipest Andy F Dowling, from North Ayrshire in Scotland. The song was remixed many times, the most famous of these remixes in the United States being the Tracy Young "Spin Cycle" mix.
Music video
Shakira after she submerge from the ocean in the music video for "Whenever, Wherever".
The music video was directed by Francis Lawrence in front of a green screen, and features Shakira surrounded by the earth's natural wonders. It begins with her submerged in the ocean, before leaping out onto the surrounding rocks and observing a landscape of mountains. She then proceeds to walk into the desert, where she is soon seen dancing amid a stampede of horses. The stampede suddenly ceases, and Shakira kneels into a shallow pool of mud, and begins crawling through it. As the video nears its conclusion, she is on top of a snowy mountain before jumping off, descending into water and submerging herself, as the video comes full circle.
The video became an instant hit on several music programs. It became Shakira's first video to retire on MTV's Total Request Live, and reached number one for a single week on the MuchMusic program Countdown. It won the 2002 Latin Grammy Award for "Best Short Form Music Video".
There are 2 remix videos using the Tracy Young Spin Cycle Mix and the Tracy Young Tribal Mix
Charts
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Lyrics and video
Lucky you were born that far away so
We could both make fun of distance
Lucky that I love a foreign land for
The lucky fact of your existence
Baby I would climb the Andes solely
To count the freckles on your body
Never could imagine there were only
Ten Million ways to love somebody
Le ro lo le lo le, Le ro lo le lo le
Can't you see
I'm at your feet
Whenever, wherever
We're meant to be together
I'll be there and you'll be near
And that's the deal my dear
Thereover, hereunder
You'll never have to wonder
We can always play by ear
But that's the deal my dear
Lucky that my lips not only mumble
They spill kisses like a fountain
Lucky that my breasts are small and humble
So you don't confuse them with mountains
Lucky I have strong legs like my mother
To run for cover when I need it
And these two eyes that for no other
The day you leave will cry a river
Le ro le le lo le, Le ro le le lo le
At your feet
I'm at your feet
Whenever, wherever
We're meant to be together
I'll be there and you'll be near
And that's the deal my dear
Thereover, hereunder
Or up above don't wonder
We can always play by ear
But that's the deal my dear
Le ro le le lo le, Le ro le le lo le
Think out loud
Say it again
Le ro lo le lo le lo le
Tell me one more time
That you'll live
Lost in my eyes
Whenever, wherever
We're meant to be together
I'll be there and you'll be near
And that's the deal my dear
Thereover, hereunder
You've got me head over heels
There's nothing left to fear
If you really feel the way I feel