Song 146 - A life less ordinary by Ash

Like all good genres in music, the Britpop bands had their place in the films directed at the 1990s and one of the emerging director during this period was Danny Boyle.  Boyle would produce three iconic films of the 1990s; Shallow Grave,  Trainspotting and A life less ordinary that would launch not only his career as a director but the career of Ewan MacGregor, who would go on to star in films like Star Wars and Moulin Rouge. Each of Boyle's 90s film contain a kick-ass soundtrack and for today's song I am looking no further than the title track from the film of A life less ordinary. 

The request for Ash to work on the soundtrack of the film came straight from Danny Boyle and the title track was released on 13 October 1997. Written by the band's lead singer, Tim Wheeler, who stated the song was written about his muse, the White Goddness, a character from a Robert Graves book. Wheeler describe the songs as a weird love song and a description of how he would sell his soul for something to believe in. The song reached number 10 in the chart.

From Downpatrick in Northern Ireland, Ash formed in 1992 and released their first full album, 1977 in 1996. Hailed as one of the 500 greatest albums of all times by NME, Ash isn't particularly fond of the association with Britpop due to being Irish and in some ways has outlived many of the Britpop bands as they are still performing today. Starting life as a three piece band, they recruited Charlotte Hatherley as a guitar and they would remain a four piece band until 2006, when she left the band.

Like the film for Danny Boyle, this is probably not the most well known of Ash's songs from this period but it has its own charm but you can let your own ears decide.

To hear the song
A life less ordinary by Ash


Written by Tim Wheeler
Released: October 1996
Album: A life less ordinary (Official track)

Song 143 - Riverboat Song by Ocean Colour Scene

Britpop takes us to the 1990s, but influences for some of the anthems of Britpop can be taken from the 1960s, some from the 1980s and for today's song, it is the 1970s and Led Zepplin, who provided inspiration for this Britpop number from Ocean Colour Scene. The Riverboat song released in 1996, was heavily influenced by Four Sticks by Led Zepplin and what probably makes this song stand out is its 6/8 swing time beat which breaks away from the traditional 4/4 that you hear with so many pop songs.

Released February 1996, it reached number 15 in the chart and was picked up by Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans, who used it to introduce guests on his Channel 4 programme, TFI Friday. It was their first single from Moseley Shoals which was released in April the same year. The Riverboat song paved the way for hits like The Day we caught the train and the Circle. The album reached number 2 in the chart that year. 

There is one thing that makes Ocean Colour Scene different from the other Britpop bands I have featured to date and this that I actually heard them play live at the height of their fame. In 1998, Ocean Colour Scene played at Stirling Castle, touring their second album Marchin' Already and we were lucky enough to get tickets. From memory it was a beautiful night around  August time and I went with the same friends I had been to Beautiful South with and had an amazing time. Live concerts are brilliant but to have a live concert on your doorstep of where you grew up was amazing. Stirling Castle is home turf and although I love Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle will always means that I am ten minutes from a spiritual home.

As I am feeling generous tonight, I am (a) going to stop talking and (b) give you both The Riverboat Song and The day we caught the train as they are both iconic Britpop tunes. Also the second ones creates of lovely image of me, my sister and my dad singing down the A9 on the way to Stirling. Hope you've had a good Monday.

Here the songs now:

The Riverboat Song on TFI Friday

The day we caught the train, live from Stirling Castle

Written by Ocean Colour Scene

Released: February 1996

Album: Moseley Shoals

Song 142 - Common People by Pulp

I will make no apologies for putting all these brilliant songs in the jukebox because I know half of you who are reading the blog will  be dancing around to these tracks. Common People is magical and if you aren't bopping around dancing to this song within the first few lines of this song, never come dancing with me.

Whilst Britpop brought out the rivalry between Oasis and Blur, Javis Cocker, together with his band, Pulp seemed to bring their own style to the 1990s. Surprisingly for me (and I am learning about music as I am writing this blog), Common People was their lead single from their 5th album, A Different Class.  Now I went to university with someone who hated the commercial success of bands like The Verve as I think he thought the bands lost their edge, I wonder if he felt that way about this song.

I don't really have to explain that the song is about class tourism as the lyrics speak for themselves and Pulp captured the concept perfectly in their lyrics. Cocker came up with the original tune on a small MT 500 keyboard that he had and received mixed reviews from his band member when he played it them. However, Pulp's keyboardist Candida Doyle praised Cocker for the tune's simplicity and could see that there was potentially for the tune to make a powerful song, with the right lyrics, which were then written by Cocker afterwards. Debuting it at the Reading Festival in August 1994, Pulp started to realise that they had written something that could turn into an anthem.

With this knowledge they recorded the track in over a fortnight at The Town House in London, using all 48 tracks of the recording studio to try out different ideas with their song. It is amazing that they managed to kept the final single version down to 4 minutes. The single was released in May 1995 and peaked at number 2 in the UK charts and with its success, created one of the most iconic songs of the Britpop era.

It is said that Common People moved away from the rose-tinted glasses of the working class lifestyle that had been used by other Britpop bands and appeared on numerous compilation albums  since its released. One of the most famous covers of the songs was by William Shanter in 2004. When Cocker heard that Captain Kirk was covering the song he was thrilled as he was a big Star Trek fan as a lad.

To hear Common People

Common people by Pulp

Written by Pulp
Released May 1995
Album A Different Class

Song 141 - Definitely Maybe by Oasis

For a bank holiday weekend, you need a good Britpop album to get yourself through the traffic and although there were plenty to choose from Definitely Maybe by Oasis stood out ahead of the crowd in my head.  Released at the end of August 1994, it went straight to number one in the UK album chart gaining commercial and critical success from the music industry. It was the fastest selling album at the point of release; outstripping the success of Suede! and held onto that record until 2006, when the Arctic Monkey released their album. On the point of the 20th year anniversary of its release, the album has sold about 15 million copies.

Containing their four hit singles; Shakemaker, Live forever, Cigarattes & Alcohol and Supersonic, for me it is the last track of the album that has stayed in my head for the last 22 years which is Married with Children. Whether it is gritty guitar solo at the beginning, the straight forward lyrics or whether it reminded me of someone, it somehow became one of my favourite Oasis songs. I think I rebelled a bit when I moved to university!

Together with Blur's Parklife, Definitely Maybe helped spur a revitalisation in British pop music in the 1990s. Praised by critics for its optimistic themes and supposed rebuttal of the downtrodden fatalism that could be heard in grunge music; it is fair to say the success of the album was down to Liam's delivery of his brother Noel's fantastic lyrics.

Originally called Rain, Oasis started on the music scene in 1991 and signed a record deal in 1993. It is fair to say that their first two singles off the album didn't really spark much interest with the British public; however when their third single  Live Forever, was released at  the start of August just before the album; the world woke up to the music of Oasis and they received their first top ten single in the UK and the USA. The inspiration for the song, Noel claimed, was a stance against some of the lyrics Kurt Cobain was producing.

Perhaps my appreciation for Oasis come from them drawing influence from groups like the Beatles and the Stone Roses. You don't have to look any further than the cover for Live Forever to see the influence of John Lennon as they used his childhood home as the cover for the single.   Whilst some may say about Oasis that their music is shite and keeps them up all night, their music and influence during the Britpop era will Live forever.

To hear the album:
Oasis' Definitely Maybe

Performed by Oasis
Written by Noel Gallagher
Released: 1994.

Song 140 - The Wild Ones by Suede

If Oasis and Blur were the headliners of Britpop, it has to be said that Suede perhaps was the cooler big brother that started it all.  Suede, their first album released in 1993, became the fastest selling album for nearly ten years and went on to win the Mercury prize. It is often said the the release of this album started the Britpop Movement,  but by the time Suede's second album Dog Man Star was released; the band was already trying to more away from their Britpop peers. The track I've chosen for today is their second single off Dog Man Star called the The Wild Ones. Peeking at number 18 in the UK charts, The Wild ones is said to be Brett Anderson's favourite song the band had performed.

Formed in 1989, Suede started to spark interest with the British Music scene in the early 1990s and with their breakthrough single Animal Nitrate, the band went from an indie band to major chart contenders. The writing partnership of Brett Anderson and Bernard Butler, together with Anderson's unique voice, meant that their singles and first album shocked audiences and critics alike ensuring that they were talked about within and out with the music industry.  The result was that Suede went gold after the second day of the release.

By the time Dog Man Star was released in 1994, the band was going through turmoil and despite helping to write The Wild Ones Butler left the band before the album was released and he was heavily critical of how the album was produced and managed.  The critics also didn't receive the album as well as they had the previous one and I think it is only with time has Dog Man Star received the respect it deserves.

What I love about the song The Wild ones is the sentiment of the lyrics. I think we can all relate to wanting to keep some with us for longer and to be able to do something more than the routine of day to day life. 

To have a listen and decide yourself:

The wild ones by Suede

Written by Brett Anderson and Bernard Bulter

Released: 1994

Album: Dog Man Star

Song 139 - Wonderwall by Oasis

It would be a sin to have a section on Britpop and not mention Oasis. The repudiation and headlines surrounding the Gallagher Brothers maybe bigger than their back catalogue but don't let that cloud the memories of how big Oasis was and how influential their music was (and still is) for a generation. When thinking about what should be the first song by Oasis into the jukebox and, for me,  it has to be Wonderwall.

Released at the end of October 1995, it reached number 2 in the UK chart and remains one of their best known songs. Written by Noel Gallagher, the song is said to be about an imaginary friend who comes and save you from yourself; although at the time of release everyone thought it was about Meg Matthews, his first wife. 

Taken from their second album, (What's the story) Morning Glory, Liam sang lead vocal on this, their third single from the album, the song went on to be the 10th best selling single of  1995 and one of the most covered songs by other bands. It would be wrong not to mention the The Mike Flowers Pops version that was released two months after the original version. Also reaching number two in the charts, it sparks some doubt in the uneducated minds to who had actually written the track, much to the amusement of Oasis.  

Another version of the song I discovered a couple of years ago is Marrick Sabre's Version. Bringing a reggae beat to the song; it had me dancing around the flat although could be better than the the original.

To be taken back to 1995; listen here:
Wonderwall by Oasis

The covers -

Wonderwall, performed by The Mike Flowers Pops
Wonderwall (BBC Live Version), performed by Maverick Sabre

Written by: Noel Gallagher
Released: October 1995
Album: (What's the story) Morning Glory.

Song 138 - Country House by Blur

I seem to be deep in the heart of 90s music at the moment and reliving the songs of my student life, however,   I cannot do this properly without talking about Britpop and bands like Suede, Blur and  Oasis.

Britpop is, in truth, a marketing terms to describe a subgenre of pop and alternative rock, that orginated in the UK in the 1990s. It was British bands reaction to the grunge music coming out of the USA . The Jukebox will get to grunge and Nirvana promise.  With its origins coming out of the indie scene of the 1980s, Britpop emerged with an association of Cool Britannia which evoked the swinging sixties and the British pop guitar music of that decade.

For me, the soundtrack of Britpop evokes memories of student life in Edinburgh and dancing the night away at the Citrus Club in Edinburgh. The Citrus Club is still there (although my clubbing days are long over),  and, in my day, had a unique smell of fags and alcohol that followed you home after a Saturday night dancing that would no longer apply now the smoking ban is in place (which is probably a good thing).

I think to start our journey of Britpop, I am going to start with Country House by Blur as this song bounces energy and happiness. Released as the lead single from their fourth album, The Great Escape, Country House became the band's first number  one, beating their rivals Oasis to the top spot in the UK chart. There is much written about the rivalry between the two bands, and it is said that Blur deliberately changed the release date of Country House to ensure that they would go head to head with Oasis's Roll with it. Oasis though would reach number 1 in the album charts keeping The Great Escape off the top of the charts so like everything in life it is swings and roundabouts.

Originally called Seymour, the band consisted of childhood friends Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree. In November 1989, Food Records heard Seymour play and were keen to signed them but wanted them to change their name and by March the next year  they had a new record deal and the new name of Blur. Their first breakout hit was There's no other way in 1991, started their road to become one of the most popular bands of the 1990s. All four members of the bands were involved with writing the music for Country House, with Albarn also contributing the lyrics.

It doesn't take a genius to know what this song is about and I think the band was inspired by one of the managers of their record label buying a house in the country; and used famous celebrities like Keith Allen and Matt Lucas in the video. The video was directed by Damien Hirst, who had been at university with some of the group; and  the video pays homage to Benny Hill and Queen in its direction.

To enjoy the song and video
Country House by Blur

Written by Blur
Released: August 1995
Album: The Great Escape