Pure Morning
| "Pure Morning" | ||||
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| Single by Placebo | ||||
| from the album Without You I'm Nothing | ||||
| B-side | "Mars Landing Party" | |||
| Released | 3 August 1998 | |||
| Format | CD single, 7", 12", cassette | |||
| Recorded | Real World Studios, 1998 | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock | |||
| Length | 3:59 (single version) | |||
| Label | Virgin Records | |||
| Placebo singles chronology | ||||
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"Pure Morning" is the first single from British alternative rock band Placebo's second album Without You I'm Nothing. The single was very successful in the US, going at number 19 in the Billboard, and it also went at number 4 in the UK Singles Chart.
The song has been featured often in British television advertisements. In 1999, it was featured in an advert for the Lexus IS200.
"Pure Morning" was also included as track 12 on Big Shiny Tunes 3. The song was included on the soundtrack to the 2005 film Chumscrubber. The intro is also featured in the Beavis and Butt-head spin-off Daria episode Just Add Water Season 3. The song was covered by the Johnathon Sharp project Bio-tek on their album Punishment for Decadence.
Writing and recording
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"Pure Morning" (1998)
 "Pure Morning" |
The song was initially recorded as a B-side for the album in May, the lyrics were written "off the top of" Molko's head[1] and is about "coming down" in the morning when everyone is happy, it is also a celebration of friendship hence the mention of the word friend in the beginning of most of the lines in the song ("A friend in needs a friend indeed/A friend with weed is better"). The song is a very simple song and started out as a guitar loop but developed into the song it is today. The song was the last to be recorded and the band switched producers from Steve Osborne to Phil Vinall at the last minute to put it on the album.
Music video
The music video, directed by Nick Gordon and shot in slow-motion at the junction of Savoy Street and Savoy Hill in London, focuses on the character of a suicidal man played by Brian Molko. Police and authorities attempt to stop him from jumping from a building to end his life. Shots of the rest of the band consist of them being arrested for unseen crimes. News crews report on the scene and a single police officer runs through the building to attempt to convince the suicidal man from jumping. Molko eventually leans forward, causing many characters to react in sadness and anguish as if he has jumped; but instead of falling all the way, he impossibly starts walking vertically down the side of the building to about halfway down the building, to the astonishment of all. Molko wears a black polar neck shirt with holes at the shoulders, and black nail polish on his fingers and toes. He also wears tight black leggings and has his makeup done in his usual androgynous style.[2]
Live performance history
The song was a staple of the band's setlist from 1998, through to 2005. Since then, apart from a number of shows during the band's stint on the 2007 Projekt Revolution tour, it has not been performed. Brian Molko has stated his disdain towards the song, particularly towards the lyrics, in a number of interviews.
Track listing
- CD1
- "Pure Morning" (single edit) - 4:00
- "Mars Landing Party" - 1:45
- "Leeloo" - 5:19
- CD2
- "Pure Morning" - 4:22
- "Needledick" - 1:13
- "The Innocence of Sleep" - 3:46
Personnel
- Placebo
- Brian Molko - vocals, guitar
- Stefan Olsdal - bass, guitar
- Steve Hewitt - drums, percussion
- Technical personnel
- Phil Vinall – production
- Paul Corkett – additional engineering
- Jake Davies – mixing assistant
- Phelan Kane – programming
- Teo Miller – engineering
- Bunt Stafford-Clark – mastering (at Townhouse Studios, London)
References
External links
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