"White Flag" is a song by English singer-songwriter Dido, released as the lead single from her second studio album, Life for Rent (2003). The song was first released to US radio on 7 July 2003 and was issued in the United Kingdom as a physical single on 1 September 2003. The song performed well on record charts around the world, peaking at number one in Australia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Norway, and Portugal. In Dido's native UK, it reached number two on the UK Singles Chart, and in the United States, it climbed to number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"White Flag" was written and produced by Dido, Rick Nowels, and Rollo Armstrong.[2] In the song, the protagonist is unwilling to give up, even if she knows her relationship is over.[3] Dido has stated the song was inspired by a real break-up she had with a former fiancé.[4]
"White Flag" features "multi-layered" sound, delicate piano outro, and strings.[3] The majority of the song is in the key of D minor, but constantly alternates between that key and its relative major, F major.[5] The tempo is 90 beats per minute, and Dido's vocals range from the low note of A3 to the high note of C5.[6]
Critical receptionedit
David Jeffries from AllMusic praised "Dido's sweet delivery" and stated that "It’s all very beautiful, the perfect soundtrack for weeping, and the definition of "wistful" in a song."[3] Derryck Strachan wrote for BBC Music that the song is "engaging to the extent that you could easily be humming along without it registering in your brain. There's something unconscious, pleasantly innocuous about it. It's comfort food for the ears and it could be easily on a Tom Hanks–Meg Ryan romantic comedy."[7] Alexis Petridis from The Guardian wrote that the song "is a superb, confidently written pop song, possessed of a chorus that is impossible to dislodge from your memory without the aid of hypnotherapy."[8]
The video tells a story about a relationship that is over, but where Dido is obviously still smitten with her ex, who is oblivious of her. They have numerous occasions where they are near each other without him noticing. Dido is clearly still not over him, and he is clearly not over her. At the end of the video, they return to their apartments and Dido's room is filled with photos of him and, in a twist ending, his apartment is also filled with Dido's photos (showing he's still as much in love with her as well.) The screen rotates throughout the entirety of the video, never standing still. The song's opening is also cut out entirely from the video.[12]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
^"Dido – White Flag – YouTube". YouTube. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
^ abWhite Flag (European CD single liner notes). Dido. Arista Records, Cheeky Records. 2003. 82876 560912.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^White Flag (Japanese CD single liner notes). Dido. Arista Records, BMG Japan. 2003. BVCA-29605.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^White Flag (European 12-inch single vinyl disc). Dido. Arista Records, Cheeky Records. 2003. 82876546021.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^White Flag (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Dido. Arista Records. 2003. 82876546021.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^White Flag (Australian CD single liner notes). Dido. Arista Records, Cheeky Records. 2003. 82876546022.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^"Top 50 Singles Εβδομάδα 30/11–06/12" (in Greek). IFPI. Archived from the original on 9 December 2003. Retrieved 29 June 2020. See Best Position column.
^"Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
^"Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
^"The Irish Charts – Search Results – White Flag". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
^"Hit of the World: Portugal" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 115, no. 41. 11 October 2003. p. 89. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
^"Arhiva romanian top 100 Editia 2, saptamina 12.01 – 18.01, 2004" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on 20 February 2005. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
^"Top Radio Hits Russia Weekly Chart: Nov 27, 2003". TopHit. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
^"Italian single certifications – Dido – White Flag" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Select "2021" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "White Flag" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
^"IFPI Norsk platebransje Trofeer 1993–2011" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway.
^"Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2003" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011.
^"The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('White Flag')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
^"Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1511. 4 July 2003. p. 26. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
^"Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1516. 8 August 2003. p. 26. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
^"Dido: Single". click2music.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 1 October 2003. Retrieved 4 November 2023. To view release date, select Dido from Vælg kunster (A - Å), then click on White Flag.
^"Dido Waves 'White Flag'". NME. 10 July 2003. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
^"Reviews – Records Released 1.09.03: Single of the Week". Music Week. 23 August 2003. p. 21.
^"ホワイト・フラッグ | ダイド" [White Flag | Dido] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
^"Dido: White Flag". click2music.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 23 February 2005. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
^"The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 15th September 2003" (PDF). ARIA. 15 September 2003. p. 25. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2003. Retrieved 15 May 2021.