Beetlebum

"Beetlebum" is a song by English alternative rock band Blur. It was released in January 1997 as the lead single from the band's eponymous fifth album, Blur. The single debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Blur's second track to reach the top of the charts (after "Country House").[1][2]

"Beetlebum"
Single by Blur
from the album Blur
B-side
  • "Woodpigeon Song" (7")
  • "All Your Life", "A Spell (For Money)" (CD1)
  • "Beetlebum" (Mario Caldato Jr. mix), "Woodpigeon Song", "Dancehall" (CD2)
Released20 January 1997
Format7" vinyl, 2 × CD
Length5:05
LabelFood
Songwriter(s)Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James, Dave Rowntree
Producer(s)Stephen Street
Blur singles chronology
"Charmless Man"
(1996)		 "Beetlebum"
(1997)		 "Song 2"
(1997)
Music video
"Beetlebum" on YouTube
Audio sample
  • file
  • help

Background

The song is about heroin and the drug experiences Damon Albarn had with his then-girlfriend, Justine Frischmann of Elastica.[3][4] Albarn has stated in an interview with MTV that the song describes a complicated emotion, sort of "sleepy" and sort of "sexy".[5]

The song has been described as a "Beatles tribute" by several publications; Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic wrote that the song "[ran] through the White Album in the space of five minutes."[6]

Music video

The "Beetlebum" music video was directed by Sophie Muller.[7] It is a relatively simple production, combining a performance of the song in a room in a tall building with computer-generated zoom-outs from the set showing the Earth in the centre of kaleidoscopic patterns. Alex James' cigarette and Dave Rowntree's Coke can are censored. Damon falls down and rolls on a carpet with pictures of poppies. At the end of the video, the camera zooms out of the room and the building and shows the surrounding area, ending with a shot of London's skyline.

The band's behaviour throughout the video is muted compared to Blur's earlier videos, including "Girls & Boys", "Parklife", and "Country House".

Track listing

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

Personnel

Charts and certifications

A cover of "Beetlebum" appeared on disc for the European release of the music video game Rock Band. It was released as downloadable content for the Rock Band series outside of Europe.[24] It was also referenced in series 6 of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (The Hexagonal Phase) listed in the Guide before Zaphod Beeblebrox's entry.

References
  1. "BLUR | Artist". Official Charts. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
  2. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 602. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. Andrew Smith (10 March 2002). "Interview: Justine Frischmann: Elastica limits". The Observer. The Guardian. Then, in early 1997, Blur had a hit with a single called 'Beetlebum', which, after being pressed in these very pages, Albarn reluctantly admitted to be about heroin.
  4. No Distance Left to Run 2010 film
  5. MTV Blurography – Broadcast December 1996
  6. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Review: – Blur". Allmusic. Retrieved 25 December 2012.
  7. "The Best of Blur (2000)". IMDb.com. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  8. "Australian-charts.com – Blur – Beetlebum". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  9. "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 9893." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  10. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14 no. 7. 15 February 1997. p. 16. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  11. "Blur: Beetlebum" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  12. "Offiziellecharts.de – Blur – Beetlebum". GfK Entertainment Charts.
  13. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (30.1. – 5.2. '97)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 31 January 1997. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  14. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Beetlebum". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  15. "Dutchcharts.nl – Blur – Beetlebum" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  16. "Charts.nz – Blur – Beetlebum". Top 40 Singles.
  17. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  18. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  19. "Swedishcharts.com – Blur – Beetlebum". Singles Top 100.
  20. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  21. "Árslistinn 1997 – Íslenski Listinn – 100 Vinsælustu Lögin". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 January 1998. p. 25. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  22. "Top 100 Singles 1997". Music Week. 17 January 1998. p. 27.
  23. "British single certifications – Blur – Beetlebum". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  24. Purchese, Robert (8 April 2008). "Rock Band gets official Euro date News • News • Xbox 360 •". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
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