Green Fields
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article documents a current single. Information is likely to change as the song remains on the charts. |
| "Green Fields" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| Single by Damon Albarn, Tony Allen, Paul Simonon, and Simon Tong | ||
| from the album The Good, the Bad and the Queen |
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| Released | April 2, 2007 | |
| Format | 7", CD, download | |
| Recorded | 2005 - 2006 | |
| Genre | Alternative rock | |
| Length | 2:26 | |
| Label | Parlophone, Honest Jon's | |
| Writer(s) | Damon Albarn | |
| Producer(s) | Danger Mouse | |
| Damon Albarn, Tony Allen, Paul Simonon, and Simon Tong singles chronology | ||
| "Kingdom of Doom" (2007) |
"Green Fields" (2007) |
|
| The Good, the Bad and the Queen track listing | ||
| "Three Changes" (10) |
"Green Fields" (11) |
"The Good, the Bad and the Queen" (12) |
"Green Fields" is a song by Damon Albarn's unnamed alternative rock band, and is the eleventh track on their 2007 debut album The Good, the Bad and the Queen (see 2007 in British music). The song was released April 2, 2007 as the band's third single in the United Kingdom.[1] In the album's review for NME, Hamish MacBain called the song "the best thing Damon's ever written."[2] The Sun considered the song with Beatles-references, referring to the songs ability to "cast [Albarn] as a latter-day Lennon and offers wistful, woozy psychedelia as Strawberry Fields are replaced by green ones."[3]
Damon Albarn wrote the original version of the song following a night out with Blur bassist Alex James and Marianne Faithfull. That demo was recorded in a studio on "Goldhawk Road" and Albarn gave the tape to Faithfull.[4] It was later recorded by the singer/actress with different lyrics in the verses and released on her 2005 album Before the Poison as "Last Song."[5] The demo of the song resurfaced "late in the proceedings of recording [The Good, the Bad and the Queen]" when Albarn played it for the rest of the band. The band decided to record the track and Albarn decided to "finish it by explaining how I lost this song and now it's come back to me. So it’s a song about a song."[4]
Alexis Petridis of The Guardian commented that as the album comes to a close "we find Damon Albarn reflecting on the passing of time." The reviewer explicitly described this song's lyrical beginning "years ago, somewhere on the Goldhawk Road" as more than a "reference to the west London thoroughfare whose traffic noise appears on the 1995 Blur album The Great Escape." Petridis remarks that Albarn "suggests that "years ago" means the height of Britpop," especially when Albarn sings "how the world has changed."[6]
[edit] Track listings
- Promo CD CDRDJ6738
- "Green Fields"
- 7" R6738
- "Green Fields"
- "England, Summer (in black & white) Dog House"
- 7" RS6738
- "Green Fields"
- "England, Summer (in black & white) Polling Day"
- Enhanced CD CDRS6738
- "Green Fields"
- "England, Summer (in black & white) Polling Day"
- "Green Fields" (original demo)
- The original demo written and recorded by Damon Albarn in 1998.[7]
- "Kingdom of Doom" (video)
[edit] References
- ^ The Good, The Bad And The Queen announce new single. NME (2007-02-20). Retrieved on 2007-02-20.
- ^ MacBain, Hamish (2007-01-13). Damon Albarn finds his soul with new supergroup. NME. Retrieved on 2007-03-02.
- ^ Cosyns, Simon (2007-01-19). Something For The Weekend: Damon's Brit on the side. The Sun. Retrieved on 2007-03-02.
- ^ a b Something For The Weekend: Track by Track. The Sun (2007-01-19). Retrieved on 2007-03-02.
- ^ Troussé, Stephen. Damon Albarn - The Good, The Bad and The Queen - The Good, The Bad and The Queen - Review. Uncut. Retrieved on 2007-02-20.
- ^ Petridis, Alexis. The Good, the Bad and the Queen - Pop - Guardian Unlimited Music. Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved on 2007-03-02.
- ^ "Fields of Gold... and Green". NME. Retrieved on 2007-03-01.
[edit] External links
- "Green Fields" single page at The Good, the Bad and the Queen unofficial fansite.
- "Green Fields" songography page at The Good, the Bad and the Queen unofficial fansite.
