A Life Less Ordinary (1997 single)
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| "A Life Less Ordinary" | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Single by Ash | ||
| B-side(s) | "What Deaner Was Talking About", "Where Is Our Love Going?", "Halloween" |
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| Released | October 25, 1997 | |
| Format | CD, 7", Cassette | |
| Recorded | 1997 | |
| Genre | Brit-Pop | |
| Length | 4:15 | |
| Label | Infectious | |
| Producer(s) | Owen Morris | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Ash singles chronology | ||
| "Oh Yeah" (1996) |
"A Life Less Ordinary" (1997) |
"Jesus Says" (1998) |
"A Life Less Ordinary" was a non-album single released by the band Ash on October 25, 1997. It was the title track of the film of the same name, "A Life Less Ordinary", starring Ewan McGregor and Cameron Diaz, and also appeared on the film's soundtrack. The single was released in three formats: CD, 7" and cassette. The limited edition 7" was printed on blue vinyl.
The band were personally requested for by the director of the film, Danny Boyle. This was also the first song to feature their new guitarist Charlotte Hatherley.
The song had the working title of 'Film Song' and Wheeler has said of the lyrics: 'This is a song about my muse. Robert Graves wrote a book called 'White Goddess' about the goddess of poetry, which is a concept that goes back to the ancient Greeks. Maybe this makes me sound completely mad, but I have this thing about music coming from a higher place. So I was writing a song about the goddess. It's a weird love song. It says how I'd sell my soul for something to believe in, something more significant than everyday life'
The song became their third Top 10 single in the UK charts, and is very popular with the band and the fans. Later on, in 2002 it was included in the "Intergalactic Sonic 7″s" greatest hits collection. The song is almost always in the band's live set-lists, and also appears on the "Tokyo Blitz" DVD.
The song was remixed in a slightly heavier fashion for the Japanese and US versions of "Nu-Clear Sounds". It has a different chorus and the first verse repeated in place of the second.
The first B-side, "What Deaner Was Talking About" is a cover of the song by Ween from the album Chocolate and Cheese. This track also features on Ash's live album "Live at the Wireless".
The B-side "Where Is Our Love Going?" is more of an example of the music Ash used to make in their "Trailer" then where they were heading for in "Nu-Clear Sounds". It's a fast-paced number, which later appeared on the "Cosmic Debris" B-sides collection.
The (CD only) track, "Halloween" also appears on "Cosmic Debris", but is a much slower paced story, telling a tale of loneliness on Halloween night until finally reuniting with his friends at the end of the song. The track was originally called 'Happy Halloween'.
The famous directors Hammer & Tongs directed the video for the single, which consists of the band playing on a race-track inside a heart-shaped area marked with crash barriers. Four cars appear and crash into the band. The cars race forward with the band still playing the song on the bonnets of the cars. Towards the end, the cars crash into each other throwing one over the top. However, the cars land perfectly and they race off into the distance and out of view. Of course, this being the soundtrack to the film of the same name, footage from the film is occasionally cut to. Rick was taken ill was bronchitis during the filming of this video, which explains why after the first few shots of him at the start, he has his hood up for the rest of the video. This was in fact a crew member filling in for him.
[edit] Track Listing
CD
- "A Life Less Ordinary" (Wheeler)
- "What Deaner Was Talking About" (Ween)
- "Where Is Our Love Going?" (Wheeler)
- "Halloween" (Wheeler)
7"
- "A Life Less Ordinary" (Wheeler)
- "Where Is Our Love Going?" (Wheeler)
- "What Deaner Was Talking About" (Ween)
[edit] References
| Ash |
| Tim Wheeler | Mark Hamilton | Rick McMurray |
| Charlotte Hatherley |
| Ash Discography |
|---|
| Albums: Trailer | 1977 | Nu-Clear Sounds | Free All Angels | Meltdown | Twilight of the Innocents |
| Live albums and compilations: Live at the Wireless |Tokyo Blitz | Intergalactic Sonic 7″s |
| Singles: Jack Names the Planets | Petrol | Uncle Pat | Kung Fu | Girl From Mars | Angel Interceptor | Goldfinger | Oh Yeah | A Life Less Ordinary | Jesus Says | Wildsurf | Shining Light | Burn Baby Burn | Sometimes | Candy | There's A Star | Walking Barefoot | Envy | Clones | Orpheus | Starcrossed | Renegade Cavalcade | You Can't Have It All | Polaris |
| EPs and Fan Club Releases: Get Ready | Barbie | Got A Beautiful Face... Got A Fucked Up Inside | Numbskull | I'm On Drugs | Satellite Transmissions Volume 1 | Commando |
| Demo Tapes: Solar Happy | Shed | Home Demo | Garage Girl | Pipe Smokin' Brick |
