Released August 25, 1998 Recorded 1998 Length 4:18 (single version) | Format CD single Genre R&B Label Pendulum/Red Ant | |
"Lately" is a ballad recorded by American R&B girl group Divine. The song was released as the group's debut single in 1998 and peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the US. The gospel-inspired song was eventually released to international markets, but it failed to make as big of an impact as it did in North America.
Contents
Track listing
- "Lately" (radio edit) 4:05
- "Lately" (main edit) 4:18
- "Lately" (instrumental) 5:16
- "Lately" (radio edit) 4:05
- "My Love" 4:51
Samantha Mumba version
In 2000 Samantha Mumba released her version of the song on her debut LP Gotta Tell You. Due to the lack of popularity of the original version, performed by Divine, throughout the world (except in the US), Mumba's label decided to release the song as a single internationally. The single was released in the Autumn of 2001, followed by a commercial release in December 2001. The single managed to peak at number 6 in the UK Singles Chart.
Mumba's version is the most popular version to date internationally.
"Lately" was the fifth and final single from "Gotta Tell You" internationally. It is technically the album's sixth single overall.
Music video
In the music video you see flashes of Mumba singing, and a wall calendar flipping down the days. The video eventually goes into a scene of an Asian man's photo hanging on a wall, to whom Mumba is singing about. The video late shows Mumba in front of a dancing choir. It eventually closes with Mumba's face singing the last line "lately".
Critical reception
The song has gotten mixed reviews. PopRescue wrote "sounds like the kind of dreary dirge that every X Factor winner has to record. Tedious, nauseating, and paint-by-numbers ballad."