This Day in Pop: 'Sometimes' single is released in 1999 (April 30)

[PokemonSpears]

 

On April 30, 1999, Sometimes was released as Britney Spears' second single off her debut album ...Baby One More Time, and second single ever. It was written and produced by Jörgen Elofsson, with additional production by Per Magnusson and David Kreuger. Recorded in May 1998 at Cheiron Studios in Sweden, the teen pop ballad talks about a girl who's shy about revealing her true, intense feelings towards her love interest, citing time as the only thing she needs to overcome her fears. 

 

Sometimes was released as the Radio Edit, which features a shorter musical bridge, reducing the album version of the song by 10 seconds.

 

Along several remixes across the different formats, it also included I'm So Curious as a B-side, the only song co-written by Britney from her first album.

 

According to Elofsson's site, he came up with the song during a trip to Key West, Florida, while walking down the town one morning. Back in Sweden, he played the song to his peers, who really liked it, and Max Martin suggested him to send it to Martin Dodd, the A&R at Zomba Records and Cheiron’s European Coordinator. Dodd sent it to the management of a new female artist, for which he considered the song would work perfectly. The management of the girl, who happened to be Britney Spears, loved it, and decided to take it.

Despite not being released as a physical single in the United States, following the massive hit that was ...Baby One More Time, it became a general success hitting the radio stations in early April. It peaked at #21 on the Billboard Hot 100, AND #6 on the Mainstream Top 40 chart. It went #1 on New Zealand and several European countries, including the UK where it was certified Gold for over 450k copies, and was Top 10 on many other charts, receiving Platinum certifications in Australia, Belgium and Sweden.

 

A music video directed by Nigel **** was released in May of that year, after its shooting got delayed due to a knee injury she suffered while rehearsing for it when it was supposed to be filmed originally, back in February; but we'll celebrate that anniversary in a few days.

 

Britney Spears performed the song live since her very first showcases in 1998 as well as her Mall Tour.

 

 

She also included the song on her first tours, being the Dream Within a Dream Tour the last time she would perform the song, back in 2002.

 

 

 

She also performed the song in many TV appearances and promo performances

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[femmepop]

omg thank you for this cute reminder.

I remember being stayed by the angelic looks in  this music video. when it came out I immediately went to the mall and bought drawstring white pants.

I know it's not her fave song probably because it projected this wholesome demure image of "britney spears" but it really meant a lot at the time and was EVERYTHING.

song of that summer for sure...

the teen choice awards performance with "Crazy" was my fave I remember watching it live 😭

 

[thebritmaster]

A smash 

[princessmimi]

Wow I cant believe its been 22 years since its release, thats crazy!
 

This is also my fave song of hers besides Born To Make You Happy.

I wish she didnt hate it cause honestly its one of her best songs

and also if it wasnt for the song, she would've been a 1 hit wonder.

I would love if she performed it again just one more time but

obviously that aint gonna happen

[ElectricPlatypusLove]

It's so epic that it took nearly 6 months to need a follow-up to MEGA SMASH ...Baby One More Time. She was already a household name by this time. The implant rumors also began at this time.  I have memories of her on MTV Spring Break teaching some of the dance moves.  There were a few different edits of the music video. The moment when the dancers form a heart around Britney was lowkey iconic at the time and often talked about. Looking back now it's just insane how much of a star she was by her 2nd single. Literally nobody was as into the song as "...Baby" but I think her label literally released sometimes to not clash with its success and allow a bit of a cool down. And then by her 3rd single, the premiere was a pop culture event, with even a FILM BEING RENAMED  to capitalize on the Britney effect. Her launch to superstardom has to be the fastest one in pop history. 

[So Annoying]

I hated this song. Even Britney herself hates it. 

I became a fan with 'Crazy'.

[MeAgainstTheMusic_]

Can we just appreciate Sometimes and what a gorgeous song it is!

I know Britney doesn’t like it but it’s such a sweet song. I don’t even know what else could have taken its place as second single from BOMT. It gets unnecessary hate 

[Charlotte_the_Harlot]

Can we also appreciate "I'm So Curious", I love how she sings it with her natural voice, what a shame they never let her use such voice again
It is a perfect B-side for "Sometimes"
Both "Sometimes" and "I'm So Curious" bring back old memories of 1999's summer, when I was 8 yrs old kid, dreaming of being like Britney when I grow up 

Now I am grown up and I'm not Britney, what went wrong in my life 
Not to mention how beautiful she was looking in the "Sometimes" video, literally the prettiest girl in the world 

[Isla]

It’s a cute song and it’s a shame Britney doesn’t like it!

[On_Mah_Raydah]

Never liked that song very much, like Britney

[lustwecantcontrol]

I didn’t realize it was released on my birthday! 

[Martian_M00d]

I do like this song, haha. Did she stop performing it after 2000?? 

[PokemonSpears]

50 minutes ago, lustwecantcontrol said:

I didn’t realize it was released on my birthday! 

Happy birthday

[PokemonSpears]

12 minutes ago, Martian_M00d said:

I do like this song, haha. Did she stop performing it after 2000?? 

she last performed it on a medley in 2002 during the Dream Within a Dream Tour.

[Martian_M00d]

1 minute ago, PokemonSpears said:

she last performed it on a medley in 2002 during the Dream Within a Dream Tour.

I did not hear this remix and I'm digging it 

 

[MyAccountGotBanned]

She said she didn’t like it as a joke, funny enough Justin in one of the early interviews said it’s his favorite song of hers 

[Style. In Moscow]

Imagine not liking this song...

the song sounds so good and a staple in Britney’s discography even if she pays it dust. 
 

[DollyParton]

This is my very first single/disc i bought when i was 8.  When this single got released, I started stanning Britney.

 

 

[Stefani]

 

[sunny_liston]

I absolutely love this song, but can someone please explain the Mall Tour to me -- this happened in summer '98 right, ie well before Sometimes / BOMT (oct '98) / anything Britney was released to the mass public... So during this tour she was literally an anonymous random 16 yr old girl performing never-before heard songs in malls across America with a small dance team behind her. Why would anyone have even stopped to listen at that time, let alone record this performance? Was the talent/potential that obvious (as is so clear to us now) ?