Rome Wasn't Built in a Day (song)

"Rome Wasn't Built in a Day" is a song by English musical group Morcheeba. It was released in Europe on 3 July 2000 as the lead single from their third studio album, Fragments of Freedom (2000), and was given a UK release on 24 July. The song is the group's biggest hit in their native United Kingdom, where it peaked at number 34. In New Zealand, the song reached number two and was the 13th-most-successful single of 2000. Elsewhere, the single reached the top 40 in Australia, Italy, and Switzerland. "Rome Wasn't Built in a Day" is reported to have reached the top 10 in 10 countries.^[2]

"Rome Wasn't Built in a Day"
Single by Morcheeba
from the album Fragments of Freedom
B-side	"Frogmarched to Freedom" "In the Hands of the Gods"
Released	3 July 2000 (2000-07-03)
Studio	Morcheeba Heads Quarter (South London, England)
Genre	Blues[1]
Length	3:35
Label	EastWest WEA
Songwriter(s)	Paul Godfrey Ross Godfrey Skye Edwards
Producer(s)	Paul Godfrey Ross Godfrey Pete Norris
Morcheeba singles chronology
"Summertime" (1998) "Rome Wasn't Built in a Day" (2000) "Be Yourself" (2000)

Track listings

All versions of "In the Hands of the Gods" feature Biz Markie.

UK CD1 and cassette single^[3][4]

1. "Rome Wasn't Built in a Day" – 3:34
2. "Frogmarched to Freedom" – 4:59
3. "In the Hands of the Gods" (Tumbleweed Gunslinger mix) – 4:16

UK CD2^[5]

1. "Rome Wasn't Built in a Day" – 3:34
2. "In the Hands of the Gods" (Cheeky Cheeba Chainsaw mix) – 3:19
3. "Rome Wasn't Built in a Day" (video)

European CD single^[6]

1. "Rome Wasn't Built in a Day" – 3:34
2. "In the Hands of the Gods" (Tumbleweed Gunslinger mix) – 4:15

Australian CD single^[7]

1. "Rome Wasn't Built in a Day" – 3:34
2. "In the Hands of the Gods" (Cheeky Cheeba Chainsaw mix) – 3:19
3. "Frogmarched to Freedom" – 4:59
4. "In the Hands of the Gods" (Tumbleweed Gunslinger mix) – 4:15
5. "Rome Wasn't Built in a Day" (enhanced video)

Credits and personnel

Credits are lifted from the Fragments of Freedom album booklet.^[8]

Studio

• Recorded and mixed at Morcheeba Heads Quarter (South London, England)

Personnel

• Paul Godfrey – writing, production, mixing, arrangement
• Ross Godfrey – writing, production, mixing, arrangement
• Skye Edwards – writing, all vocals
• Derek Green – backing vocals, additional vocal production
• Paul Jason Fredericks – backing vocals
• Joy Rose – backing vocals
• Dee Lewis – backing vocals
• Steve Gordon – bass
• Dan Goldman – Fender Rhodes piano, Hammond C3 organ
• Martin Carling – drums
• Chris White – tenor and baritone saxophone
• Steve Sidwell – trumpet
• Steve Bentley-Klein – violin, string arrangement
• Pete Norris – production, mixing, arrangement

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2000) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[9] 28 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[10] 11 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[11] 10 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[12] 89 Germany (GfK)[13] 70 Ireland (IRMA)[14] 48 Italy (FIMI)[15] 7 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] 82 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[17] 2 Poland (Nielsen Music Control)[18] 1 Scotland (OCC)[19] 24 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[20] 33 UK Singles (OCC)[21] 34

Year-end charts Chart (2000) Position New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[22] 13

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref(s).
Europe	3 July 2000	CD	WEA	[23]
United Kingdom	24 July 2000	CD cassette	EastWest	[24][25]

References

1. "U.K.'s Morcheeba Further Evolves". Billboard. 7 July 2000. Archived from the original on 13 January 2002. Retrieved 18 November 2023 – via Warner Music Australasia.
2. Pingitore, Silvia (19 November 2020). "Remember Rome Wasn't Built in a Day in 2000? Interview with Morcheeba's Skye Edwards". the-shortlisted.co.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
3. Rome Wasn't Built in a Day (UK CD1 liner notes). Morcheeba. EastWest Records. 2000. EW214CD1, 8573-83679-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
4. Rome Wasn't Built in a Day (UK cassette single sleeve). Morcheeba. EastWest Records. 2000. EW214C.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
5. Rome Wasn't Built in a Day (UK CD2 liner notes). Morcheeba. EastWest Records. 2000. EW214CD2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
6. Rome Wasn't Built in a Day (European CD single liner notes). Morcheeba. WEA. 2000. 8573-83997-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
7. Rome Wasn't Built in a Day (European CD single liner notes). Morcheeba. WEA. 2000. 8573839602.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
8. Fragments of Freedom (UK CD album booklet). Morcheeba. EastWest Records. 2000. 8573-84027-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
9. "Morcheeba – Rome Wasn't Built in a Day". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
10. "Morcheeba – Rome Wasn't Built in a Day" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
11. "Morcheeba – Rome Wasn't Built in a Day" (in French). Ultratip.
12. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 33. 12 August 2000. p. 11. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
13. "Morcheeba – Rome Wasn't Built in a Day" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
14. "Irish-charts.com – Discography Morcheeba". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
15. "Morcheeba – Rome Wasn't Built in a Day". Top Digital Download.
16. "Morcheeba – Rome Wasn't Built in a Day" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
17. "Morcheeba – Rome Wasn't Built in a Day". Top 40 Singles.
18. "Nielsen Music Control". Archived from the original on 12 May 2007.
19. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
20. "Morcheeba – Rome Wasn't Built in a Day". Swiss Singles Chart.
21. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
22. "End of Year Charts 2000". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
23. Stavenes Dove, Siri (5 August 2000). "Airborne – The pick of the week's new singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 32. p. 10. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
24. Paoletta, Michael (8 July 2000). "U.K.'s Morcheeba Further Evolves". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 28. p. 16.
25. "New Releases – For Week Starting July 24, 2000: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 22 July 2000. p. 25. Retrieved 3 August 2021.