White Flag ( song ) - wikipedia White Flag ( song ) For other uses, see White flag ( disambiguation ). `` White Flag '' Single by Dido from the album Life for Rent B - side `` Paris '' Released 1 September 2003 ( 2003 - 09 - 01 ) Format CD single Genre Pop Length 4 : 01 ( album version ) 3 : 40 ( radio edit ) Label Arista Songwriter ( s ) Dido Armstrong Rollo Armstrong Rick Nowels Producer ( s ) Rollo Armstrong Dido Armstrong Dido singles chronology `` Feels Like Fire '' ( 2003 ) `` White Flag '' ( 2003 ) `` Life for Rent '' ( 2003 ) `` Feels Like Fire '' ( 2003 ) `` White Flag '' ( 2003 ) `` Life for Rent '' ( 2003 ) `` White Flag '' is a song by English singer - songwriter Dido, released as the lead single from her second studio album Life for Rent on 1 September 2003. The song is considered one of her signature songs, and helped Life for Rent sell over ten million copies worldwide. The song was nominated for the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 46th Grammy Awards, but lost to Christina Aguilera 's `` Beautiful ''. It won the Best British Single at the 2004 Brit Awards. The song ranked on Blender 's list `` The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born '' at number 317. The single fared very well on the charts around the world, peaking at number one in Australia, Austria, Germany, Italy, and Norway ; number two on the Irish Singles Chart, and number 18 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song reached number two in the UK being kept off the top spot by the UK top selling single of the year, `` Where Is the Love ? ''. The music video, directed by Joseph Kahn features actor David Boreanaz as Dido 's love interest. The song has been used in several TV series, Smallville, The Inbetweeners, Medium, The Sopranos, Tru Calling, Cold Case, Winners & Losers, and films Perfect Stranger and Mommy. Carly Rae Jepsen performed a cover version of the song on Canadian Idol. Contents 1 Background and composition 2 Critical reception 2.1 Awards and success 3 Music video 4 Track listings 5 Charts and certifications 5.1 Weekly charts 5.2 Year - end charts 5.3 Certifications 5.4 Chart successions 6 Release history 7 References 8 External links Background and composition `` White Flag '' was written and produced by Dido, Rollo Armstrong and Rick Nowels. In the song, the protagonist is unwilling to give up, even if she knows her relationship is over. `` White Flag '' features `` multi-layered '' sound, delicate piano outro, and strings. The song is written in the key of F major ( the vers starts on the minor parallel ) with a tempo of 90 beats per minute, and Dido 's vocals range from the low note of A to the high note of C. Critical reception 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. '' 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. 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. '' Awards and success The song was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 2004 Grammy Awards, but lost to Christina Aguilera 's `` Beautiful ''. The song won the award for `` Best Single '' at the 2004 BRIT Awards. Music video The music video, directed by Joseph Kahn, features actor David Boreanaz as Dido 's love interest. The video tells a story about a relationship that is over, but where Dido is obviously still smitten with her ex, who is oblivious to her. They have numerous occasions where they are near each other without him noticing. Dido is clearly still not over him, while he does n't seem to really notice she is there. 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 as much still in love with her as well. Track listings UK CD single `` White Flag '' -- 3 : 40 `` Paris '' -- 3 : 24 `` White Flag '' ( Johnny Toobad mix ) -- 6 : 17 USA CD single `` White Flag '' ( radio edit ) -- 3 : 36 `` Stoned '' ( Deep Dish radio edit ) -- 4 : 02 `` Paris '' -- 3 : 24 `` White Flag '' ( video ) -- 3 : 40 USA DVD single `` White Flag '' ( video ) -- 3 : 40 `` Life For Rent '' ( video ) -- 3 : 41 French CD single `` White Flag '' -- 3 : 58 `` Paris '' -- 3 : 24 Charts and certifications Weekly charts Charts ( 2003 -- 04 ) Peak position Australia ( ARIA ) Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Wallonia ) Brazilian Singles Chart ( ABPD ) 20 Denmark ( Tracklisten ) Europe ( European Hot 100 Singles ) Finland ( Suomen virallinen lista ) 19 France ( SNEP ) 5 Germany ( Official German Charts ) Hungary ( MAHASZ ) Ireland ( IRMA ) Italy ( FIMI ) Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 5 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 12 Norway ( VG - lista ) Poland ( Polish Singles Chart ) Portugal ( Portuguese Singles Chart ) Romania ( Romanian Top 100 ) 9 Scottish Singles Chart Spain ( PROMUSICAE ) 11 Sweden ( Sverigetopplistan ) Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) UK Singles ( The Official Charts Company ) US Billboard Hot 100 18 US Billboard Adult Contemporary US Billboard Adult Pop Songs US Billboard Mainstream Top 40 19 US Billboard Radio Songs 19 Year - end charts Chart ( 2003 ) Position Australian Singles Chart 78 Austrian Singles Chart 13 Belgian ( Flanders ) Singles Chart 25 Belgian ( Wallonia ) Singles Chart 30 Dutch Top 40 10 French Singles Chart 47 German Singles Chart 12 Hungarian Radio Top 100 Irish Singles Chart 8 Italian Singles Chart 7 New Zealand Singles Chart 27 Swedish Singles Chart 16 Swiss Singles Chart 5 UK Singles Chart 12 Chart ( 2004 ) Position US Billboard Hot 100 36 Certifications Region Certification Certified units / Sales Australia ( ARIA ) Gold 35,000 Austria ( IFPI Austria ) Gold 15,000 Belgium ( BEA ) Gold 25,000 Germany ( BVMI ) Gold 150,000 Norway ( IFPI Norway ) Platinum 10,000 Switzerland ( IFPI Switzerland ) Gold 20,000 United Kingdom ( BPI ) Gold 440,000 United States ( RIAA ) Gold 500,000 sales figures based on certification alone shipments figures based on certification alone Chart successions Preceded by `` You Were n't There '' by Lene Marlin Italian FIMI number one single 18 September 2003 Succeeded by `` Never Leave You ( Uh Oooh, Uh Oooh ) '' by Lumidee Preceded by `` Where Is the Love ? '' by The Black Eyed Peas Australian ARIA Singles Chart number - one single 28 September 2003 -- 5 October 2003 Succeeded by `` Not Me, Not I '' by Delta Goodrem Preceded by `` Unrockbar '' by Die Ärzte German number - one single 3 October 2003 Succeeded by `` Where Is the Love ? '' by The Black Eyed Peas Preceded by `` Maria ( I Like It Loud ) '' by Scooter Ö3 Austria Top 40 number - one single 5 October 2003 -- 19 October 2003 Succeeded by `` Where Is the Love ? '' by The Black Eyed Peas Release history Region Date Format Label Brazil 28 August 2003 Digital download Sony Music Entertainment References Jump up ^ The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born : 301 - 350 Jump up ^ `` Dido - Life for Rent ( album review ) - Sputnikmusic ''. 21 June 2006. Retrieved 21 February 2012. ^ Jump up to : Jeffries, David. `` White Flag - AllMusic ''. Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 18 February 2012. Jump up ^ `` Dido - White Flag Digital Sheet Music ''. Music Notes. Retrieved 21 February 2012. Jump up ^ Strachan, Derryck ( 20 June 2003 ). `` Review of Dido - Life for Rent ''. BBC. BBC. Retrieved 2012 - 02 - 21. Jump up ^ Petridis, Alexis ( 26 September 2003 ). `` Dido `` Life For Rent '' ``. The Guardian. Retrieved 2012 - 02 - 21. Jump up ^ `` Dido - White Flag - Lyrics Meaning ''. Music Banner. Retrieved 21 February 2012. Jump up ^ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7225332/ Jump up ^ `` Dido - White Flag - YouTube ''. YouTube. Retrieved 21 February 2012. Jump up ^ `` Australian-charts.com -- Dido -- White Flag ''. ARIA Top 50 Singles. Jump up ^ `` Austriancharts.at -- Dido -- White Flag '' ( in German ). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Dido -- White Flag '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop 50. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Dido -- White Flag '' ( in French ). Ultratop 50. Jump up ^ `` Brazil '' ( PDF ). ABPD. October 6, 2001. Retrieved April 1, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Danishcharts.com -- Dido -- White Flag ''. Tracklisten. Jump up ^ `` Dido : White Flag '' ( in Finnish ). Musiikkituottajat -- IFPI Finland. Jump up ^ `` Lescharts.com -- Dido -- White Flag '' ( in French ). Les classement single. Jump up ^ `` Offiziellecharts.de -- Dido -- White Flag ''. GfK Entertainment Charts. Jump up ^ `` MAHASZ Rádiós TOP 100 - 2004 ''. Mahasz. Retrieved 2017 - 01 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Dido - White Flag ''. αCharts. us. Retrieved 2010 - 04 - 18. Jump up ^ `` Italiancharts.com -- Dido -- White Flag ''. Top Digital Download. Jump up ^ `` Nederlandse Top 40 -- Dido '' ( in Dutch ). Dutch Top 40. Jump up ^ `` Charts.org.nz -- Dido -- White Flag ''. Top 40 Singles. Jump up ^ `` Norwegiancharts.com -- Dido -- White Flag ''. VG - lista. Jump up ^ `` Nielsen Music Control ''. Archived from the original on 2007 - 06 - 25. Jump up ^ `` Top40-charts.com ''. Retrieved November 24, 2015. Jump up ^ Romanian Top 100 : Editia 2, saptamina 12.01 - 18.01, 2004 Jump up ^ http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-singles-chart/20030907/41 Jump up ^ `` Spanishcharts.com -- Dido -- White Flag '' Canciones Top 50. Jump up ^ `` Swedishcharts.com -- Dido -- White Flag ''. Singles Top 100. Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- Dido -- White Flag ''. Swiss Singles Chart. Jump up ^ `` Chart Stats - Dido - White Flag ''. The Official UK Charts Company. Chart Stats. Retrieved 2010 - 04 - 19. ^ Jump up to : `` White Flag - Dido ''. Billboard. Retrieved 2010 - 04 - 19. Jump up ^ `` 2003 Australian Singles Chart ''. aria. Retrieved 13 August 2010. Jump up ^ `` 2003 Austrian Singles Chart '' ( in German ). Austriancharts. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2010. Jump up ^ `` 2003 Belgian ( Flanders ) Singles Chart '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop. Retrieved 13 August 2010. Jump up ^ `` 2003 Belgian ( Wallonia ) Singles Chart '' ( in French ). Ultratop. Retrieved 13 August 2010. Jump up ^ `` 2003 Dutch Single Chart '' ( pdf ) ( in Dutch ). Top40. Retrieved 13 August 2010. Jump up ^ `` 2003 French Singles Chart '' ( in French ). SNEP. Archived from the original on 10 May 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2010. Jump up ^ https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-2003 Jump up ^ `` MAHASZ Rádiós TOP 100 - 2004 ''. Mahasz. Retrieved 15 January 2017. Jump up ^ `` 2003 Irish Singles Chart ''. IRMA. Retrieved 13 August 2010. Jump up ^ http://www.hitparadeitalia.it/hp_yends/hpe2003.htm Jump up ^ `` 2003 New Zealand Singles Chart ''. Rianz. Archived from the original on 15 September 2008. Retrieved 13 August 2010. Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 2012 - 01 - 16. Jump up ^ `` 2003 Swiss Singles Chart '' ( in German ). Swisscharts. Retrieved 13 August 2010. Jump up ^ http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/ChartsPlusYE2003.pdf Jump up ^ `` ARIA Charts -- Accreditations -- 2003 Singles ''. Australian Recording Industry Association. Jump up ^ `` Austrian single certifications -- Dido -- White Flag '' ( in German ). IFPI Austria. Enter Dido in the field Interpret. Enter White Flag in the field Titel. Select single in the field Format. Click Suchen Jump up ^ `` Ultratop − Goud en Platina -- 2003 ''. Ultratop. Hung Medien. Jump up ^ `` Gold - / Platin - Datenbank ( Dido ; ' White Flag ' ) '' ( in German ). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Jump up ^ `` Norwegian single certifications -- Dido -- White Flag '' ( in Norwegian ). IFPI Norway. Jump up ^ `` The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community : Awards ( Dido ; ' White Flag ' ) ''. IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Jump up ^ `` British single certifications -- Dido -- White Flag ''. British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 10 June 2014. Enter White Flag in the search field and then press Enter. Jump up ^ Myers, Justin ( 27 August 2013 ). `` Dido announces greatest hits collection ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 July 2015. Jump up ^ `` American single certifications -- Dido -- White Flag ''. Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Dido Discography Songs Studio albums No Angel Life for Rent Safe Trip Home Girl Who Got Away Live albums Live at Brixton Academy ( Dido Live ( EP ) ) Compilation albums Greatest Hits Other albums Odds & Ends Singles `` Here with Me '' `` Do n't Think of Me '' `` Thank You '' `` Hunter '' `` All You Want '' `` White Flag '' `` Life for Rent '' `` Do n't Leave Home '' `` Sand in My Shoes '' `` Do n't Believe in Love '' `` Quiet Times '' `` Everything to Lose '' `` No Freedom '' `` End of Night '' Featured singles `` Stan '' `` One Step Too Far '' `` Feels Like Fire '' `` Do They Know It 's Christmas ? '' `` Sing '' `` Feelin ' Good '' `` If I Rise '' Promotional singles `` Let Us Move On '' Other songs `` Take My Hand '' Related articles Dido flip Rollo Armstrong Faithless Dusted Sister Bliss Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=White_Flag_(song)&oldid=838301641 '' Categories : 2003 singles Dido ( singer ) songs Brit Award for British Single Number - one singles in Australia Number - one singles in Austria European Hot 100 Singles number - one singles Number - one singles in Italy Number - one singles in Norway Music videos directed by Joseph Kahn Songs written by Dido ( singer ) Songs written by Rick Nowels Song recordings produced by Rick Nowels 2003 songs Arista Records singles Pop ballads 2000s ballads Hidden categories : CS1 German - language sources ( de ) CS1 Dutch - language sources ( nl ) CS1 French - language sources ( fr ) CS1 Norwegian - language sources ( no ) Use dmy dates from September 2011 Use British English from September 2011 Articles with hAudio microformats All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from September 2017 Singlechart usages for Australia Singlechart usages for Austria Singlechart usages for Flanders Singlechart usages for Wallonia Singlechart usages for Denmark Singlechart usages for Finland Singlechart usages for France Singlechart usages for Germany2 Singlechart usages for Italy Singlechart usages for Dutch40 Singlechart usages for New Zealand Singlechart usages for Norway Singlechart usages for Spain Singlechart usages for Sweden Singlechart usages for Swiss Certification Table Entry usages for Australia Certification Table Entry usages for Austria Certification Table Entry usages for Belgium Certification Table Entry usages for Germany Certification Table Entry usages for Norway Certification Table Entry usages for Switzerland Certification Table Entry usages for United Kingdom Certification Table Entry usages for United States Talk Contents About Wikipedia Español فارسی Français Hrvatski Italiano Lietuvių Nederlands Polski Português Română Türkçe Tiếng Việt 5 more Edit links This page was last edited on 26 April 2018, at 04 : 38. 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Question: who sings i will go down with this ship
Answer: Dido