Lately (Lisa Scott Lee song)

Background and Composition

Promoting the single Lisa Scott-Lee in an interview with Toazted stated, "Lately was one of the first songs I wrote after Steps when I wanted to go solo and I was very determined to get a record deal so I wanted to write, you know a really good song so that I could go round to different record companies and it was a very exciting time for me because my thinking of solo made me feel very nervous but I was excited and I.. you know when you get butterflies in your stomach? So I took that feeling and put it into a song. Lately is about when you meet somebody for the first time whether it's a boy or a girl and maybe you fancy each other and you get butterflies in your stomach and that's what Lately is about".

Release and Promotion

After Scott-Lee managed the band 3SL, consisting of her three brothers including Andy Scott-Lee who enjoyed very limited success, she collaborated with Point4, (Peter Day, Phil Dyson, Paul (Bronze) Newton, and Daniel Sherman) to write and produce 8 songs together including "Lately", "Too Far Gone" and "I'll Wait For You", which was included on her debut album "Never or Now". After Scott-Lee signed a record deal with Mercury Records, "Lately" was chosen to be released 12 May 2003.

Scott-Lee performed the track on two appearances on Top Of The Pops, notably singing the song live on both occasions. She also performed the song on CD:UK. When Steps re-formed in 2011 and announced they would go on tour during Spring in 2012, Lisa performed a medley as her solo featuring Heaven, Beautiful People and Lately.

Chart Position

"Lately" debuted at #6 in UK on 24 May 2003 spending 8 weeks in the chart but it quickly fell out of the top ten reaching #14 the following week. It spent 2 weeks in the top 20 and 5 weeks in the top 40 before disappearing from the charts.

Music Video

The music video for "Lately" begins with some dark shots of Scott-Lee's body under a red shade of light with neon lights behind her as she looks into the camera whilst wearing a ribboned white outfit. She plays up to computer generated camera's which gets close ups of her dancing that is shown on a TV screen in front on a couple lusting on a couch and a couple in a car. There are shots of her in a revealing brown outfit (that she wears for the single art) with flashing lights behind her as she sings into a glowing hanging microphone. After the first chorus the males get distracted by Scott-Lee on the TV screens as she is getting their attention away from the girls they are with. After the second chorus she is in a different outfit that is black with silver chains around her waist with flashing lights behind her singing the bridge of the song. The video does not have a set dance routine or any dancers although Scott-Lee dances up to the cameras through the video and it is very different from anything that she has done in Steps.

Track listing

UK CD
(980029-5; Released: 12 May 2003)

1. "Lately" (Radio Edit) - 3:37
2. "Lately" (Stella Browne Remix) [Edit] - 6:28
3. "Lately" (Soda Club Radio Edit) - 3:38
4. "Lately" (56K Mix) [Edit] - 5:57
5. "Lately" (Video)

UK 12" Vinyl
(980029-6; Released: 12 May 2003)

Side A

1. "Lately" (Stella Browne Remix) - 7:52

Side B

1. "Lately" (Bimbo Jones Let Stealth Live Mix) - 9:00
2. "Lately" (Soda Club Afterhours Radio Mix) - 6:35

UK 2x12" Vinyl
(LSLDJ1-1/LSLDJ1-2; Released: 2003)

Side A

1. "Lately" (Bimbo Jones Let Stealth Live Mix)

Side B

1. "Lately" (Bimbo Jones Dub Mix)

Side C

1. "Lately" (Stella Browne Remix)

Side D

1. "Lately" (Stella Browne Dub)

UK CD Promo
(LSLCJ1; Released: 2003)

1. "Lately" (Radio Edit) - 3:37
2. "Lately" (56K Mix) - 5:57
3. "Lately" (Soda Club Extended Mix) - 6:10
4. "Lately" (Soda Club Afterhours Mix) - 6:35
5. "Lately" (Stella Browne Remix) - 7:52

UK CD Promo
(LSLCJ2; Released: 2003)

1. "Lately" (Radio Edit)

UK CDr Promo
(Released: 2003)

1. "Lately" (Single Version) - 3:52

UK CDr Promo
(Released: 2003)

1. "Lately" (Radio Edit) - 3:52

UK CDr Promo
(Released: 2003)

1. "Lately" (Radio Edit) - 3:37
2. "Lately" (Single Mix) - 3:53
3. "Lately" (56k Mix) - 6:52
4. "Lately" (Soda Club Extended Mix) - 6:10
5. "Lately" (Soda Club Afterhours Mix) - 6:35
6. "Lately" (Stella Browne Remix) - 7:52
7. "Lately" (Bimbo Jones Let Stealth Live Mix) - 9:00
8. "Lately" (Bimbo Jones Dub Mix) - 7:59

UK CDr Promo
(Released: 2003)

1. "Lately" (Radio Edit)
2. "Lately" (56k Radio Edit)
3. "Lately" (56k Mix)
4. "Lately" (Soda Club Radio Mix)
5. "Lately" (Soda Club Extended Mix)
6. "Lately" (Soda Club Afterhours Mix)
7. "Lately" (Stella Browne Remix)
8. "Lately" (Stella Browne Dub)
9. "Lately" (Bimbo Jones Let Stealth Live Mix)
10. "Lately" (Bimbo Jones Dub Mix)
11. "Lately" (Shanghai Surprise Diva Edit)
12. "Lately" (Shanghai Surprise Diva Mix)

NL CD
(980867-4; Released: 2003)

1. "Lately" (Radio Edit) - 3:37
2. "Lately" (Stella Browne Remix) [Radio Edit] - 3:41
3. "Lately" (Soda Club Radio Edit) - 3:38
4. "I'm Burning" - 3:24
5. "Lately" (Video)