Mountains (Biffy Clyro song)

"Mountains" is a single by Scottish band Biffy Clyro, released on 18 August 2008. Originally released as a non-album single, "Mountains" is the band's highest-charting single to date on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number five. It topped the Scottish Singles Chart, giving Biffy Clyro their third number one there. Outside the United Kingdom, "Mountains" reached number 55 in Australia and number 42 in Ireland. It was later included on the band's fifth studio album, Only Revolutions.[1]

"Mountains"
Single by Biffy Clyro
from the album Only Revolutions
B-side
  • Little Soldiers
  • Paperfriend
  • Robbery
Released18 August 2008
FormatCD, 7", Digital download
RecordedSunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood, California
Early March 2008
GenreAlternative rock
Length3:20
Label14th Floor
Songwriter(s)Simon Neil / Biffy Clyro
Producer(s)Garth Richardson / Biffy Clyro
Biffy Clyro singles chronology
"Who's Got a Match?"
(2008)		 "Mountains"
(2008)		 "That Golden Rule"
(2009)
Only Revolutions track listing
  1. "The Captain"
  2. "That Golden Rule"
  3. "Bubbles"
  4. "God and Satan"
  5. "Born on a Horse"
  6. "Mountains"
  7. "Shock Shock"
  8. "Many of Horror"
  9. "Booooom, Blast & Ruin"
  10. "Cloud of Stink"
  11. "Know Your Quarry"
  12. "Whorses"
"Mountains"
7" Picture Disc #1
"Mountains"
7" Picture Disc #2

"Mountains" was originally entitled "Teeth or Mountains", and was first played live at the Electric Festival in Getafe, Spain, on 30 May 2008.

Release and reception
The band signing copies in Glasgow, 25 August 2008

Taking a short break from touring with Say Anything in March 2008, the band recorded the song in Los Angeles, with producer Garth Richardson - producer of the band's previous album, Puzzle.

After appearing in many of the band's summer setlists, the song made its radio debut on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show on Friday 19 June 2008 and was introduced as "The Hottest Record in the World Today".

To coincide with the single's physical release, the band embarked on a promotional tour across the UK performing acoustic sets in record stores and signing copies of the single.[2]

Composition

The song is notably more radio-friendly than the band's previous releases, due to its fairly normal song structure and heavy emphasis on melody. It is also one of their first songs to feature a piano. Despite its radio-friendly style, the song incorporates an unusual time signature of 15
16 throughout the verses and chorus[3], while the post-choruses switch between 4
4 and 3
4.

Use in media

The song was used for the credits for XXXX Gold Beach Cricket.

Mountains was included on Colin McRae: DiRT 2 in a video tribute to the late Scottish rally driver Colin McRae.[4]

This song also appears on Shift 2: Unleashed.

B-Sides

"Paperfriend" was a track recorded for Puzzle in 2007 that didn't make the cut. Lyrics from the track, "Help Me Be Captain", can be heard in the song.

"Little Soldiers" appeared in the band's acoustic sets promoting the single.

Track listing
  • CD 14FLR32CD
  1. "Mountains" – 3:23
  2. "Little Soldiers" – 2:46
  • 7" Picture Disc #1 14FLR32V1
  1. "Mountains" – 3:23
  2. "Paperfriend" – 4:07
  • 7" Picture Disc #2 14FLR32V2
  1. "Mountains" – 3:23
  2. "Robbery" – 1:54
  1. "Mountains (Acoustic Version)"

Songs and lyrics by Simon Neil, music by Biffy Clyro. All songs published by Good Soldier Songs.

Personnel

[5][6][7]

  • Simon Neil – guitar, piano, vocals, writer
  • Ben Johnston – drums, vocals
  • James Johnston – bass, vocals, recording (of "Little Soldiers" & "Robbery")
  • Garth Richardson – producer
  • Andy Wallace – mixing
  • David Schiffman – engineering
  • Ben Kaplan – engineering
  • Mike Fraser – engineering (of "Paperfriend")
  • John O'Mahony – mix engineer
  • Howie Weinberg – mastering
  • Mark Williams – mixing (of "Little Soldiers" & "Robbery)
  • Frank Arkwright – mastering (of "Little Soldiers", "Robbery" & "Paperfriend")
  • Alex H. N. Gilbert – artist and repertoire, and additional production
  • OXEN – cover art and design

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[13] Gold 400,000

sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

References
  1. http://stereokill.net/2009/09/05/biffy-clyro-artwork-track-listing/%5B%5D
  2. http://www.biffyclyro.com/?section=news&nid=162
  3. "BIFFY CLYRO Only Revolutions - Track By Track". 16 January 2010.
  4. Video on YouTube
  5. Biffy Clyro – "Mountains" CD single liner notes (14FLR32CD)
  6. Biffy Clyro – "Mountains" 7" single #2 (14FLR32V2)
  7. Biffy Clyro – "Mountains" 7" single #1 (14FLR32V1)
  8. "The ARIA Report: Issue 991 (Week Commencing 23 February 2009)" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. p. 4. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  9. "Irish-charts.com – Discography Biffy Clyro". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  10. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  11. "Biffy Clyro: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  12. "Official Singles Chart 2008" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  13. "British single certifications – Biffy Clyro – Mountains". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 6 October 2018. Select singles in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Mountains in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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