Battle (song)

2000 single by Wookie

"Battle"

Single by Wookie featuring Lain
from the album  Wookie
Released| 31 July 2000 (2000-07-31)
Studio| Soul II Soul (London, England)
Genre| UK garage[1][2]
Length| 5:01
Label|

* S2S
* PIAS

Songwriter(s)|

* Jason Chue
* Lain Gray

Producer(s)| Wookie
Wookie singles chronology
| "What's Going On"
(2000)  | "Battle"
(2000)  | "Get Enuff"
(2000)

|
|

Audio
"Battle" on YouTube

"Battle" is a song by UK garage musician Wookie featuring vocals from Lain. It was released on 31 July 2000 as the third single from Wookie's self-titled debut and only studio album (2000). Upon its release, the song reached number 10 on the UK Singles Chart and number 81 in the Netherlands. British newspaper The Guardian ranked the track at number one on their list of the Best UK Garage Tracks in 2019.

## Release and reception

[edit]

S2S and PIAS Recordings released "Battle" in the United Kingdom on 31 July 2000 as a CD and 12-inch vinyl single.[3] Six days later, the song debuted at number 10 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Wookie's first and only single to reach the UK top 30.[4] The song also appeared on the Dutch Single Top 100, where it charted for one week at number 81 in September 2000.[5] Critically, British trade paper Music Week called the track "innovative" and "distinctive", noting its crossover potential.[2] In 2019, The Guardian published their list of the Best UK Garage Tracks, giving first place to "Battle" for its "beautiful" production and writing that the song's "soulful" vocals and gospel-influenced lyrics about surmounting conflict could be perceived as a response to the CeCe Rogers song "Someday".[1] Capital Xtra included the song in their list of "The Best Old-School Garage Anthems of All Time".[6]

## Track listings

[edit]

UK CD single[7]

1. "Battle" (radio edit)
2. "Battle" (Dobie mix part 1)
3. "Battle" (M.J. Cole mix)

UK 12-inch single[8]

A1. "Battle" (full mix)
B1. "Battle" (M.J. Cole mix)
B2. "Battle" (Dobie mix part 1)

UK cassette single[9]

1. "Battle" (radio edit)
2. "Battle" (M.J. Cole mix)

European CD single[10]

1. "Battle" (radio edit)
2. "Battle" (Dobie mix part 1)

Australian CD single[11]

1. "Battle" (radio edit)
2. "Battle" (Dobie mix part 1)
3. "Battle" (M.J. Cole mix)
4. "Battle" (full mix)

|

## Credits and personnel

[edit]

Credits are taken from the UK CD single liner notes.[7]

Studio

* Recorded at Soul II Soul Studios (London, England)

Personnel

* Wookie – writing (as Jason Chue), production
* Lain Gray – writing, vocals
* Ed Colman – engineering

* John Davis – cutting
* Tomato – sleeve artwork
* Takay – photography

|

## Charts

[edit]

Chart (2000)  | Peak
position

|

Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[12] | 38
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[13] | 12
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[5] | 81
Scotland (OCC)[14] | 50
UK Singles (OCC)[4] | 10
UK Dance (OCC)[15] | 2
UK Indie (OCC)[16] | 1

## Release history

[edit]

Region  | Date  | Format(s)  | Label(s)  | Ref.

|
|
|
|

United Kingdom  | 31 July 2000  |

* 12-inch vinyl
* CD

| S2S|PIAS | [3]
Australia  | 22 January 2001  | CD  |

* S2S
* PIAS
* DanceNet

| [17]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Petridis, Alexis (16 May 2019). "The Best UK Garage Tracks – Ranked!". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
2. ^ a b "Reviews: Singles". Music Week. 15 July 2000. p. 21.
3. ^ a b "New Releases – For Week Starting July 31, 2000: Singles". Music Week. 29 July 2000. p. 27.
4. ^ a b "Wookie: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
5. ^ a b "Wookie feat. Lain – Battle" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
6. ^ "The Best Old-School Garage Anthems Of All Time". Capital XTRA.
7. ^ a b Battle (UK CD single liner notes). Wookie. S2S Recordings, PIAS Recordings. 2000. S2SPCD001.`{{cite AV media notes}}`: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
8. ^ Battle (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Wookie. S2S Recordings, PIAS Recordings. 2000. S2SP001.`{{cite AV media notes}}`: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
9. ^ Battle (UK cassette single sleeve). Wookie. S2S Recordings, PIAS Recordings. 2000. S2SPMC001.`{{cite AV media notes}}`: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
10. ^ Battle (European CD single liner notes). Wookie. S2S Recordings, PIAS Recordings. 2000. PIASV 002 CDS, 946.0002.24.`{{cite AV media notes}}`: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
11. ^ Battle (Australian CD single liner notes). Wookie. S2S Recordings, PIAS Recordings. 2001. 019882.`{{cite AV media notes}}`: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
12. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 34\. 19 August 2000. p. 23.
13. ^ "Tipparade-lijst van week 38, 2000" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
14. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
15. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
16. ^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
17. ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 22nd January 2001" (PDF). ARIA. 22 January 2001. p. 23\. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2008. Retrieved 20 February 2025.

*[Ref.]: Reference