| "The Flood" | ||||
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| Single by Cheryl Cole | ||||
| from the album Messy Little Raindrops | ||||
| Released | 2 January 2011 | |||
| Recorded | 2010 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:57 | |||
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| Songwriter(s) | ||||
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| Cheryl Cole singles chronology | ||||
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"The Flood" is a song by English recording artist Cheryl Cole. The song was written by Priscilla Hamilton and Wayne Wilkins, for Cole's second studio album, Messy Little Raindrops (2010). It was released on 2 January 2011 through Fascination Records (Polydor Records), as the album's second and final single. The song, produced by Wilkins and Antwoine Collins, has lyrics that refer to a "natural disaster love" and make many allusions to shipwreck, the sea, and water.
"The Flood" received mixed reviews from music critics. Despite some saying the song is perfectly suited to Cole's voice, critics questioned Cole's effectiveness as a balladeer, while calling the song "a flood of stool". "The Flood" achieved moderate success, peaking at number eighteen in the United Kingdom, making it Cole's first solo single to not enter the top 5 on the chart. The song also peaked at number twenty-six in Ireland and at number forty-six in Europe.
An accompanying music video for the song, directed by Sophie Muller, was released on 24 November 2010. Filmed on the southern coast of England, it portrays Cole alone in a remote house overlooking a stormy ocean, while she struggles to adjust to life without her love. "The Flood" was performed at 2010's Royal Variety Performance in front of Charles, Prince of Wales and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. It was also performed in an acoustic form, along with "Promise This", on Alan Carr: Chatty Man.