The Universal (song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Not to be confused with the single called "The Universal" by The Small Faces.
| "The Universal" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
||
| Single by Blur | ||
| from the album The Great Escape | ||
| Released | 13 November 1995 | |
| Format | CD | |
| Recorded | 1995 | |
| Genre | Britpop | |
| Length | 3:59 | |
| Label | EMI, Food Records | |
| Producer(s) | Stephen Street | |
| Chart positions | ||
|
||
| Blur singles chronology | ||
| "Country House" (1995) |
"The Universal" (1995) |
"Stereotypes" (1996) |
"The Universal" is a song by British band Blur and is featured on their fourth studio album, The Great Escape. It was released 13 November 1995 as the second single from that album, charting at #5 in the UK Singles Chart (see 1995 in British music).
The song's music is very broad and moves away from the fast-paced, light-hearted music of other songs on the album. The song begins with a string section (the Duke Quartet) playing the simple two-chord pattern before the guitar and bass enters. After the first chorus, a brass section (The Kick Horns) enter, playing the interlude between verses. After the second chorus, there is an instrumental playout of the chorus from these two sections.
In keeping with the song's science fiction theme, the single's cover art is an allusion to the opening shot of 2001: A Space Odyssey, and the video, directed by Jonathan Glazer, is a tribute to the movie A Clockwork Orange, with the band dressed up in costumes similar to Alex and his droogs. Both movies were directed by Stanley Kubrick.
The song was voted #12 of all of the singles of 1995 in a poll at Rate Your Music as of 14th September 2006 [1].
[edit] Track listings
- CD1 CDFOODS69
- "The Universal"
- "Ultranol"
- "No Monsters in Me"
- "Entertain Me" (The Live It! remix)
- CD2 CDFOOD69: "The Universal II - Live At The Beeb"
- "The Universal" (live)
- "Mr Robinson's Quango" (live)
- "It Could Be You" (live)
- "Stereotypes" (live)
| Blur |
| Damon Albarn | Alex James | Dave Rowntree |
| Graham Coxon |
| Blur discography |
|---|
| Albums: Leisure | Modern Life Is Rubbish | Parklife | The Great Escape | Blur | 13 | Think Tank |
| Compilations: The Special Collectors Edition | Live at the Budokan | The 10 Year Limited Edition Anniversary Box Set | Bustin' + Dronin' | Blur: The Best of |
| Singles: See Blur Singles |
| Related articles |
| The Ailerons | Britpop | Fat Les | Food Records | The Good, the Bad and the Queen | Gorillaz | Stephen Street | Simon Tong | WigWam |
