Bang (Blur song)

"Bang"
Single by Blur
from the album Leisure
B-side "Luminous" (7")
"Explain", "Luminous", "Uncle Love" (12")
"Explain", "Luminous", "Berserk" (CD)
Released 29 July 1991
Format 12" vinyl, 7" vinyl, cassette, CD
Recorded 1991
Genre Alternative rock, baggy
Length 3:38 (album version)
Label Food
Producer(s) Stephen Street
Blur singles chronology
"There's No Other Way"
(1991)		 "Bang"
(1991)		 "Popscene"
(1992)
Music video
"Bang" on YouTube

"Bang" is a song by Blur and was released 29 July 1991 as their third single. It was also featured on the band's debut album Leisure. It has been all but disowned by the band, who claim it was written in less than 15 minutes in response to record company demands for another bankable single. It is almost never played live, and has not been included on either Blur: The Best Of or Midlife: A Beginner's Guide to Blur.

It's disappointing performance relative to previous single "There's No Other Way" marked the end of Blur's initial period of popularity, which would not be equalled until the release of "Girls & Boys" three years later.

Its music video bears a similarity to that of frontman Damon Albarn's other project, virtual band Gorillaz's "Tomorrow Comes Today", which was released ten years later.

At the beginning of the song, a man can be heard saying "bang" in a sardonic tone as he rides a train.

Track listings

All songs written by Albarn and Blur.

7" and cassette
  1. "Bang" – 3:34
  2. "Luminous" – 3:13
12"
  1. "Bang (Extended)" – 4:27
  2. "Explain" – 2:44
  3. "Luminous" – 3:13
  4. "Uncle Love" – 2:31
CD (released 5 August 1991)
  1. "Bang" – 3:34
  2. "Explain" – 2:44
  3. "Luminous" – 3:13
  4. "Berserk" – 6:52
12" - US Promo (Mindwarp Mutations)
  1. "Bang" (MW Big Bang 12" Mix) – 5:34
  2. "Bang" (MW Groove Mix) – 5:20
  3. "Bang" (MW 40 Feet Under Mix) – 7:13
  4. "Bang" (MW Hardcore Assault Mix) – 5:34
  5. "She's So High" (MW Ecstacy 12" Mix) – 6:35
  • Released 1992.

Production credits

Screenshot of "Bang" video

Video

The video, directed by Willy Smax, features the band in west London at night. Time-lapse photography of night-time traffic was used, creating streaks of light from cars' headlights. Black-and-white performance shots were also included. In later years Dave Rowntree expressed his love of the video, stating it as his favorite of the Blur catalogue. The video itself went generally unnoticed during its time of release and of all the promos, gets the least airplay on television. The video has been aired quite frequently on MTV Rocks, though, as part of their Blur Top 40 list, of which it features at 26. A vinyl copy of Beatles for Sale by the Beatles and Blonde on Blonde by Bob Dylan can be found in the music video when Graham Coxon is seen playing his guitar. The board game the band are playing whilst sat at the table is Scrabble. The music video is quite similar to "Tomorrow Comes Today" by Gorillaz due to its shots of London and the Centre Point building.

Charts

Charts (1991) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart[1] 24
US Billboard Dance Music/Club Play Singles[2] 40

References

  1. ↑ "BLUR | Artist". Official Charts. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  2. ↑ "Blur - Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 May 2013.

External links