Song 2

"Song 2"
Single by Blur
from the album Blur
Released 7 April 1997 (1997-04-07)
Format
Recorded 1996
Studio Mayfair Studios
(London, England)
Genre
Length 2:02
Label Food
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Stephen Street
Blur singles chronology
"Beetlebum"
(1997)		 "Song 2"
(1997)		 "On Your Own"
(1997)
Audio sample
Sample of "Song 2" from Blur.
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Music video
"Song 2" on YouTube

"Song 2" (sometimes mistakenly titled as "Woo Hoo") is a song by British rock band Blur, the second track from their 1997 eponymous fifth studio album. The hook features Damon Albarn yelling "woo-hoo!" as the distorted bass comes in. Released in April 1997, "Song 2" reached number two on the UK Singles Chart,[3] number four on the Australian ARIA Charts,[4] and number six on US Billboard Alternative Songs (previously called Billboard Modern Rock Tracks).[5]

At the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards, "Song 2" was nominated for Best Group Video, and Best Alternative Video.[6] At the 1998 Brit Awards, the song was nominated for Best British Single, and Best British Video.[7] In December 1998, BBC Radio 1 listeners voted "Song 2" the 15th Best Track Ever.[8] In 2011, NME placed it number 79 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".[9]

The song has often featured in popular culture, and first appeared in the hit video game FIFA: Road to World Cup 98. It also appears as DLC on Just Dance 2.

Background

The track was originally nicknamed "Song 2" as a working title, but the name stuck.[10] The song is two minutes and two seconds long, there are two verses and two choruses, and it is the second song on Blur’s self-titled album.[11]

"Song 2" was intended as a parody of the grunge genre.[12][13]

Reception

In the UK, "Song 2" built upon the success of Blur's chart-topping single "Beetlebum" to reach number two in the charts.[3] It was also popular on radio stations in the US; consequently, it went at number 55 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart, number 6 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart, staying on that chart for 26 weeks and number 25 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.[14] This is the band's only crossover hit to date crossing over to top 40 radio. It also placed number two on Triple J's Hottest 100 for 1997 in Australia. The song is atypical of Blur's previous style. The song's intro has been called Graham Coxon's "finest moment".[15]

Other uses

The song became popular in the UK and overseas upon its release in 1997, and featured on college and modern rock radio stations in the US.[16] It has been licensed worldwide on numerous occasions. Its first appearance came as the title music for the hit FIFA video game FIFA: Road to World Cup 98. It has been used in numerous advertisements, including commercials for the Pentium II, Toyota Corolla and Nissan Sentra and television spots for the film Starship Troopers.[16] The American military allegedly requested to use the track at the launch of a new stealth bomber,[9] but the band refused to allow this, as Albarn is an anti-war campaigner.[9][17] More recently, "Song 2" was used as part of the London 2011 New Year's Eve fireworks display.[18] It appeared in shortened form mixed alongside various other landmark British tracks including "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" by The Beatles, "We Will Rock You" by Queen, and "London Calling" by The Clash.[18]

Television

The song is briefly featured in the episode "Malled" of the animated series Daria.[19] The song appears in the Parks and Recreation episode "Prom".[16] "Song 2" is also featured in "Sunday, Cruddy Sunday" (1999) of the animated series The Simpsons (Season 10, Episode 12) as part of a montage sequence which ends satirically.[20]

Film

The song was used in the trailer for Thunderbirds.[21]

It was used in BMW Films' short film 'Star' featuring Clive Owen and Madonna.[22]

Music video

The music video for this song was directed by Sophie Muller, and it features the band playing in a small, secluded room with loud amplifiers behind them. During the choruses, the volume of the song sends the band members crashing against the walls and ground. The set used was modeled on that in the video for their pre-breakthrough single "Popscene".

Track listing

All music composed by Albarn, Coxon, James and Rowntree. All lyrics composed by Albarn.

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/Sales
Italy (FIMI)[39] Platinum 50,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[40] Platinum 600,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. ↑ https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/7640665/1997-alternative-rock-songs-turning-20-2017
  2. ↑ Pappademas, Alex (February 2003). "Essential Britpop". Spin. 19 (2): 56. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
  3. 1 2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums. London: Guinness World Records Limited
  4. ↑ "Blur - Song 2 (Song)". Australian Charts. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
  5. ↑ Billboard Alternative Songs Billboard.com. Retrieved 9-1-2014
  6. ↑ 1997 MTV Video Music Awards Rock On The Net. Retrieved 10 February 2012
  7. ↑ The Brits 1998 Brits.co.uk. Retrieved 10 February 2012
  8. ↑ Radio 1 - Best Tracks Ever Rock List.net. Retrieved 10 February 2012
  9. 1 2 3 "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years | #79 Blur - Song 2". NME. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  10. ↑ Hottest 100 - Of All Time: Song 2. Blur ABC.net. Retrieved 10 February 2012
  11. ↑ "Woo hoo! 20 things you may not know about Blur's 'Song 2'". CBC Music. 29 April 2018.
  12. ↑ Lau, Melody. "Woo hoo! 20 things you may not know about Blur's 'Song 2'". CBC Music. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  13. ↑ DeVille, Chris. ""Song 2″ Turns 20". Stereogum.
  14. ↑ Blur | AllMusic
  15. ↑ Harry Wylie (August 1997).Top Ten Indie Guitarists Total Guitar. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  16. 1 2 3 Song 2 at AllMusic Song 2 | AllMusic
  17. ↑ Wilson, Jamie (9 April 2004). "Britpop rebel with a cause says no new nukes". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  18. 1 2 "London Eye fireworks mark new year 2011". BBC News. 1 January 2011. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  19. ↑ "Soundtrack Daria: Blur - Song 2". u-subtitles.com. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012.
  20. ↑ "Sunday, Cruddy Sunday". The Simpsons. Season 10. Episode 12. FOX. 1999.
  21. ↑ AdsNTrailers (2010-02-12), Thunderbirds (2004) Short Movie Trailer, retrieved 2017-08-23
  22. ↑ "BMW Films 'Star'". YouTube. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  23. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Blur – Song 2". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  24. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Blur – Song 2" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
  25. ↑ "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 3223." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  26. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Blur – Song 2" (in French). Les classement single.
  27. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Song 2". Irish Singles Chart.
  28. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Blur – Song 2" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  29. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  30. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Blur – Song 2". Singles Top 100.
  31. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  32. ↑ "Blur Chart History (Alternative Songs)". Billboard.
  33. ↑ "Blur Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
  34. ↑ "Blur Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard.
  35. ↑ "Chart: CLUK Update 13.06.2009 (wk23)". Zobbel. Retrieved 2009-06-11.
  36. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  37. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  38. ↑ "RPM '97 Year End Top 50 Alternative Tracks". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  39. ↑ "Italian single certifications – Blur – Song 2" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  40. ↑ "British single certifications – Blur – Song 2". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 27 October 2017. Select singles in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Song 2 in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.

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