Glastonbury Song

"Glastonbury Song" was inspired by the town in Somerset, England, and the single sleeve features a photograph of Glastonbury Tor, taken by Michael Mathias. Scott told Rolling Stone in 1993: "It's almost like a place to go on a pilgrimage, a holy, sacred place. It's inspiring to be there."[4] Speaking of the song in a 2003 interview with Valley Advocate, Scott commented: "It's actually one of the most commercial, radio-friendly songs musically that I've ever produced. In many countries it was successful, but in Britain, they wouldn't play it because of the chorus."[5]

A music video was filmed to promote the single, directed by John Downer. It was later described by Scott in his autobiography as "cleverly filmed nonsensical tosh". As Scott was dissatisfied with the video ("It made me look like an egotist with a messiah complex who thought I was God"), Geffen ultimately accepted Scott's wishes not to release it. The band performed the song live on Top of the Pops.[6]

Upon release, Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian noted: "The new album is still Scott-as-hippie-gypsy. There's the epitomical "Glastonbury Song": it may sound like glossy pop-rock, but the lyric reveals a Scott pining for simple, mud-caked values.[7] Liverpool Echo commented: "The song is very Mike Scott with its meditative verse, celebratory chorus and ragbag of spiritual references. The music has enough movement to make it almost rocky but with a gentle feel."[8] Richard Plunkett of the Australian newspaper The Age commented: "Scott has long been touted as one of the big hopes of rock music, and the Celtic-influenced singer-songwriter excels himself here. It takes a certain genius to make a line such as "I just found God" work. Great stuff, and quite exceptional production."[9]

In a review of Dream Harder, Stereo Review noted: "The lightness of touch, traditional instrumentation, and pantheistic-minded celebrations that have typified the Waterboys from Fisherman's Blues forward are evident here in "Glastonbury Song"."[10] CD Review wrote: "Scott still manages to provide some light melodic relief with "Glastonbury Song" and "Corn Circles," recalling his more typical work and English roots."[11] In his review of the album, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic picked the song as an AMG Pick Track.[12]

• Mike Scott - vocals, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, keyboard, percussion
• Chris Bruce - lead guitar, rhythm guitar
• Scott Thunes - bass
• Carla Azar - drums
• Tawatha Agee, Cindy Mizelle, Fonzi Thornton - backing vocals on "Glastonbury Song"
• Sugar Blue - harmonica on "Karma"

Production

• Mike Scott - producer (all tracks)
• Bill Price - producer, recording and mixing on "Glastonbury Song" and "Karma"
• Niko Bolas - recording and mixing on "Chalice Hill", "Burlington Bertie and Accrington Stanley", "Corn Circle Symphony" and "Mister Powers"
• Mike White - additional engineer on "Chalice Hill", "Burlington Bertie and Accrington Stanley" and "Mister Powers"

Other

• Michael Mathias - photography