M.O.R.

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This article is about the song by Blur. For the radio format see Middle of the road.

"M.O.R."
Single by Blur
from the album Blur
Released	September 15, 1997 (UK) September 23, 1997 (US) February 11, 1998 (Japan)
Format	7" vinyl, cassette, CD
Recorded	1997
Genre	Britpop
Length	3 min 27 s (album version)
Label	Food (UK, Australia) FOODCD 107 (UK) 7243 8 84432 2 (Australia) Virgin 38611-2 (US) Toshiba-EMI (Japan) TOCP-40081
Producer(s)	Stephen Street
Chart positions
#15 (UK)
Blur singles chronology
"On Your Own" (1997)	"M.O.R." (1997)	"Tender" (1999)

"M.O.R." is the title of a song by Blur, from their eponymous album, Blur. "M.O.R." reached #15 in the UK singles chart on its release as a single in 1997.

The song's melody was effectively borrowed from David Bowie's "Boys Keep Swinging" and is perhaps the most straightforward example of Bowie's influence on the band. Bowie and collaborator Brian Eno received credit for "M.O.R.", though the words, tempo, and instrumentation are completely different. "M.O.R." itself stands for "middle of the road", which appears in the lyrics.

[edit] Music Video

The song's video was directed by John Hardwick and is considered one of the most expensive videos the band ever made. It was shot in Sydney, Australia, and follows the misadventures of the band members (or rather, stuntmen in balaclavas pretending to be them) as they try to escape from the police. It also features cameos by stunt choreographer Grant Page as a helicopter pilot, and actor Noah Taylor in as a truck passenger. The video is included in the Blur: The Best of DVD/VHS released on October 30, 2000.

[edit] Track listing

• 7" FOOD107

1. "M.O.R. (Road Version)"
2. "Swallows in a Heatwave"

• Cassette TCFOOD107

1. "M.O.R. (Road Version)"
2. "Swallows in a Heatwave"

• CD CDFOOD107

1. "M.O.R." (Road Version)
2. "Swallows in a Heatwave"
3. "Movin' On (William Orbit Remix)"
4. "Beetlebum (Moby's Minimal House Remix)"

• US CD

1. "M.O.R. (Road Version)"
2. "Pop Scene" (Live at Peel Acres)
3. "Song 2" (Live at Peel Acres)
4. "Bustin' + Dronin'"

• US Promo CD

1. "Road Version Edit"
2. "Alan Moulder Mix Edit"
3. "Call out Research Hook #1"
4. "Call out Research Hook #2 (Moulder Mix)"

Notes:

• The UK and US 'Road versions' are different, the U.S. version using the same take as is used in the video while the U.K. version is closer in pace to the album version.
• The UK 7" is on orange vinyl.

Blur
Damon Albarn | Alex James | Dave Rowntree
Graham Coxon | Simon Tong
Discography
Albums: Leisure | Modern Life Is Rubbish | Parklife | The Great Escape | Blur | 13 | Think Tank
Compilations: The Special Collectors Edition | Live at the Budokan | Bustin' + Dronin'
The 10 Year Limited Edition Anniversary Box Set | Blur: The Best of
Singles: See Blur Singles
Other projects
The Ailerons | Fat Les | The Good, the Bad and the Queen | Gorillaz | Me Me Me | WigWam
Related articles
Food Records | Honest Jon's | Stephen Street | Transcopic
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