Who's David Explained

Who's David
Cover:	Who'sdavid.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Busted
Album:	A Present for Everyone
B-Side:	"Teenage Kicks" "Where Is the Love?" "Fall at Your Feet" "Aliens"
Length:	3:35 (uncensored album version) 3:19 (single version)
Label:	Universal Island
Producer:	Steve Power
Prev Title:	Crashed the Wedding
Prev Year:	2003
Next Title:	Air Hostess
Next Year:	2004

"Who's David" is a song by British pop punk band Busted. It was released on 16 February 2004 as the second single from their second studio album, A Present for Everyone (2003). It was co-written by Tom Fletcher of McFly. The single features the live version of "Teenage Kicks", which the band performed at the 2004 Brit Awards ceremony. In response to being frequently asked "who is David?", Willis claimed that David is the name of his facial mole.^[1]

The song was written about experiences with a girl who is unfaithful. It peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's third number-one single and their second consecutive.

Critical reception

In August 2004, "Who's David" came 20th in a VH1 viewer survey of the worst number-one singles of all time.^[2]

In her review of Busted's May 2016 show at Wembley Arena during the Pigs Can Fly Tour 2016, The Daily Telegraphs Alice Vincent wrote: "Who's David, which paints its female muse crudely, has dated badly – especially when misogynistic epithets came from the mouths of now fully grown men."^[3] When asked about it by Harriet Gibsone of The Guardian, Bourne seemed confused; Willis replied "Basically, it's not cool to call women bitches any more.", whilst Simpson said "[he was] not sure it ever was."^[4]

Music video

The official music video features Busted before they go on stage for a gig at Wembley Arena.^[5] The video begins with the band backstage, followed by thousands of fans piling into the arena. Busted are swamped by paparazzi as they go towards the stage, but are helped there by management. The video ends with Busted running up a ramp onto the stage.^[6]

Track listings

UK CD1 and cassette single^{[7] [8]}

1. "Who's David" (single version)
2. "Teenage Kicks"

UK CD2^[9]

1. "Who's David" (single version)
2. "Where Is the Love?"
3. "Fall at Your Feet"
4. "Who's David" (video)

Japanese CD single^[10]

1. "Who's David"
2. "Where Is the Love?"
3. "Fall at Your Feet"
4. "Teenage Kicks"
5. "Who's David" (video)

Personnel

Personnel are taken from the A Present for Everyone album booklet.^[11]

• James Bourne – writing
• Tom Fletcher – writing
• Steve Power – production, mixing, programming
• Dan Porter – assistant recording engineer

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2004)	Peak position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[12]	6
Romania (Romanian Top 100)^[13]	89

Year-end charts

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)
United Kingdom	16 February 2004			^[15]
Japan	25 February 2004	CD		^[16]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Individual random facts:-. Busted Online. 4 January 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304073217/http://www.bustedonline.org/busted/randomfacts.html. 4 March 2016.
2. Web site: Cliff hit voted worst ever number one. Oliver. Mark. 13 August 2004. The Guardian. 16 August 2016.
3. News: Vincent . Alice . 12 May 2016 . Does Charlie Simpson regret agreeing to a Busted reunion? Wembley Arena review . en-GB . The Daily Telegraph . 21 April 2023 . 0307-1235 . subscription.
4. News: Gibsone . Harriet . 24 November 2016 . Busted on reforming: 'People don't get why we are here again … they know how it ended' . en-GB . The Guardian . 21 April 2023 . 0261-3077.
5. News: We're on film with our pop idols Busted . 26 February 2004 . 21 April 2023 . Daily Echo . en.
6. Web site: Busted – Who's David. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/lPwfSH1OTxA. 21 December 2021. live. 16 November 2015. YouTube. 4 January 2016.
7. Who's David. Busted. 2004. UK CD1 liner notes. Universal Records, Island Records. MCSTD40355, 9816998-8.
8. Who's David. Busted. 2004. UK cassette single sleeve. Universal Records, Island Records. MCSC40355.
9. Who's David. Busted. 2004. UK CD2 liner notes. Universal Records, Island Records. MCSXD40355, 9817000-7.
10. Who's David. Busted. 2004. Japanese CD single liner notes. Universal Records, Island Records. UICI-5013.
11. A Present for Everyone. A Present for Everyone. Busted. 2003. UK CD album booklet. Universal Records, Island Records. MCD60090, 9865875.
12. Hits of the World – Eurochart Hot 100. Billboard. 116. 10. 53. 30 August 2003. 21 July 2012.
13. Web site: Arhiva romanian top 100 – Editia 14, saptamina 5.04 – 11.04, 2004. Romanian Top 100. ro. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20050221022240/http://www.rt100.ro/editie-top-100_x10113.html. 21 February 2005. 16 May 2020.
14. Web site: The Official UK Singles Chart 2004. UKChartsPlus. 10 October 2018.
15. New Releases: Singles. Music Week. 27. 14 February 2004.
16. Web site: CDリリース. CD Releases. Oricon. ja. https://web.archive.org/web/20040305172047/http://www.oricon.co.jp/release/data.asp?week=-1&k=1. 5 March 2004. 23 August 2023.