Country House (song)
Encyclopedia
"Country House" is a song by English alternative rock
band Blur
. It was released as the lead single from the band's fourth album The Great Escape on 14 August 1995. "Country House" was the first of two Blur singles to reach number one on the UK Singles Chart
(the second being 1997's "Beetlebum
").
The song is about a man who retires to an expensive country house to escape the pressures of the city. In an interview for the South Bank Show, Damon Albarn
explained that it was inspired by former Blur manager Dave Balfe, who left Blur's label Food Records
and bought a house in the country. The cover art features an image of Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria
(the image is horizontally flipped).
The "CD 2" single is an EP titled Blur Recorded Live From Mile End Stadium, complete with the subtitled Blur's Country House No. 2.
moved the original release date to the same day as Oasis
's "Roll with It". The British
media had already reported an intense rivalry between the two bands and this clash of releases was seen as a battle for the number one spot, dubbed the 'Battle of Britpop'.
In the event, "Country House" won the 'battle', attaining the No. 1 spot while "Roll with It" came in at No. 2 and having marginally fewer sales. However, the sales for Blur's album The Great Escape were lower than those for Oasis's album (What's the Story) Morning Glory.
"Country House" features the lines "He's got morning glory/And life's a different story", a line often assumed to be an allusion to the title of Oasis's album Morning Glory. In fact, Blur recorded the song before Oasis had completed, let alone released, their album. Other explanations have included a reference to the Jamiroquai
song "Morning Glory", released in 1994, or a jibe at Julian Cope
, who, like Dave Balfe, was formerly a member of The Teardrop Explodes
, and was known for using LSD. It may, however, simply have been a reference to the British slang term for waking up with an erection
.
for "Country House" was directed by artist Damien Hirst
, who had attended Goldsmiths, University of London with members of Blur. It features Keith Allen as a businessman trapped in a giant board game called "Escape from the Rat Race". The band appears in the video alongside British comic actors Matt Lucas
and Sara Stockbridge
and model Jo Guest
. It features pastiches of - or tributes to - Benny Hill
(Lucas' doctor chasing scantily clad young women culminating in the entry of the milk van of Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)
and Queen
's 1975 video for "Bohemian Rhapsody
". It was nominated for Best Video in the 1996 BRIT Awards
.
A candlestick from the video sold on eBay for £92 in March 2005, though it was estimated to be worth £500.
announced the winner the day before, though the show's chart was unofficial) "Country House" topped the British singles chart, selling 270,000 copies, compared to 220,000 sold by "Roll with It", which came in at number two. Albarn himself was surprised that "Country House" topped the charts. He told NME, "I sort of believed all the papers, including NME, who told me Oasis were going to win." The single's cover art is a picture of the famous Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
. It was released as the lead single from the band's fourth album The Great Escape on 14 August 1995. "Country House" was the first of two Blur singles to reach number one on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
(the second being 1997's "Beetlebum
Beetlebum
"Beetlebum" is a song by English alternative rock band Blur. It was released as the lead single for the band's eponymous fifth album, Blur...
").
The song is about a man who retires to an expensive country house to escape the pressures of the city. In an interview for the South Bank Show, Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn is an English singer-songwriter and record producer who has been involved in many high profile projects, coming to prominence as the frontman and primary songwriter of Britpop band Blur...
explained that it was inspired by former Blur manager Dave Balfe, who left Blur's label Food Records
Food Records
Food Records was a record label set up in 1984 by David Balfe, who later took on Andy Ross as his partner. Originally formed as an independent record label with distribution going through Rough Trade Distribution, Food licenced acts to the Polygram offshoot London and Warner's WEA Records, before...
and bought a house in the country. The cover art features an image of Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
(the image is horizontally flipped).
The "CD 2" single is an EP titled Blur Recorded Live From Mile End Stadium, complete with the subtitled Blur's Country House No. 2.
Release and 'battle' with Oasis
"Country House" received a great deal of media attention when Blur's label Food RecordsFood Records
Food Records was a record label set up in 1984 by David Balfe, who later took on Andy Ross as his partner. Originally formed as an independent record label with distribution going through Rough Trade Distribution, Food licenced acts to the Polygram offshoot London and Warner's WEA Records, before...
moved the original release date to the same day as Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
's "Roll with It". The British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
media had already reported an intense rivalry between the two bands and this clash of releases was seen as a battle for the number one spot, dubbed the 'Battle of Britpop'.
In the event, "Country House" won the 'battle', attaining the No. 1 spot while "Roll with It" came in at No. 2 and having marginally fewer sales. However, the sales for Blur's album The Great Escape were lower than those for Oasis's album (What's the Story) Morning Glory.
"Country House" features the lines "He's got morning glory/And life's a different story", a line often assumed to be an allusion to the title of Oasis's album Morning Glory. In fact, Blur recorded the song before Oasis had completed, let alone released, their album. Other explanations have included a reference to the Jamiroquai
Jamiroquai
Jamiroquai is a British jazz funk and acid jazz band formed in 1992. Jamiroquai were initially the most prominent component in the early-1990s London-based acid jazz movement, alongside groups such as Incognito, the James Taylor Quartet, and the Brand New Heavies. Other Acid Jazz artists such as...
song "Morning Glory", released in 1994, or a jibe at Julian Cope
Julian Cope
Julian Cope is a British rock musician, author, antiquary, musicologist, poet and cultural commentator...
, who, like Dave Balfe, was formerly a member of The Teardrop Explodes
The Teardrop Explodes
The Teardrop Explodes were an English post-punk/neo-psychedelic band formed in Liverpool in 1978. Best known for their Top Ten UK single "Reward" the group originated as a key band in the emerging Liverpool post-punk scene of the late 1970s, the group also launched the career of group frontman...
, and was known for using LSD. It may, however, simply have been a reference to the British slang term for waking up with an erection
Erection
Penile erection is a physiological phenomenon where the penis becomes enlarged and firm. Penile erection is the result of a complex interaction of psychological, neural, vascular and endocrine factors, and is usually, though not exclusively, associated with sexual arousal...
.
Music video
The videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "Country House" was directed by artist Damien Hirst
Damien Hirst
Damien Steven Hirst is an English artist, entrepreneur and art collector. He is the most prominent member of the group known as the Young British Artists , who dominated the art scene in Britain during the 1990s. He is internationally renowned, and is reportedly Britain's richest living artist,...
, who had attended Goldsmiths, University of London with members of Blur. It features Keith Allen as a businessman trapped in a giant board game called "Escape from the Rat Race". The band appears in the video alongside British comic actors Matt Lucas
Matt Lucas
Matthew Richard "Matt" Lucas is an English comedian, screenwriter and actor best known for his acclaimed work with David Walliams in the television show Little Britain; as well as for his portrayals of the scorekeeping baby George Dawes in the comedy panel game Shooting Stars, Tweedledee and...
and Sara Stockbridge
Sara Stockbridge
Sara Stockbridge is an English model and actress who achieved a certain level of high fashion notoriety in the mid to late 1980s as the muse of designer Vivenne Westwood...
and model Jo Guest
Jo Guest
Joanne Guest is an English former glamour model and media figure.- Glamour career :Born and raised in Chesterfield, north east Derbyshire, England, Guest got her start in modelling when she came across an advertisement for it while on a catering course at her local college...
. It features pastiches of - or tributes to - Benny Hill
Benny Hill
Benny Hill was an English comedian and actor, notable for his long-running television programme The Benny Hill Show.-Early life:...
(Lucas' doctor chasing scantily clad young women culminating in the entry of the milk van of Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)
Ernie (the Fastest Milkman in the West)
"Ernie " is an innuendo-laden comedy or novelty song, written and performed by the English comedian Benny Hill...
and Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
's 1975 video for "Bohemian Rhapsody
Bohemian Rhapsody
"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock band Queen. It was written by Freddie Mercury for the band's 1975 album A Night at the Opera...
". It was nominated for Best Video in the 1996 BRIT Awards
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
.
A candlestick from the video sold on eBay for £92 in March 2005, though it was estimated to be worth £500.
Promotion and release
On Sunday 20 August 1995 the charts were officially announced. (The Chart ShowThe Chart Show
The Chart Show is a music video programme which ran in the UK on Channel 4 between 1986 and 1988, then on ITV between 1989 and 1998. The production company was Video Visuals, and was credited as "A Yorkshire Television Presentation" from 1993 and 1998...
announced the winner the day before, though the show's chart was unofficial) "Country House" topped the British singles chart, selling 270,000 copies, compared to 220,000 sold by "Roll with It", which came in at number two. Albarn himself was surprised that "Country House" topped the charts. He told NME, "I sort of believed all the papers, including NME, who told me Oasis were going to win." The single's cover art is a picture of the famous Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany.
Track listings
- 7" and Cassette
- "Country House"
- "One Born Every Minute"
- CD1
- "Country House"
- "One Born Every Minute"
- "To The End (la comedie)"
- Features an extended outro, starts at 3:45
- CD2: Blur Recorded Live from Mile End Stadium
- "Country House" (live)
- "Girls & Boys" (live)
- "Parklife" (live)
- "For Tomorrow" (live)
- Japan CD
- "Country House"
- "One Born Every Minute"
- "To The End (la comedie)"
- Features an extended outro, starts at 3:45
- "Charmless Man"
Production credits
- "Country House" and "Charmless Man" produced by Stephen Street
- "One Born Every Minute" produced by Blur and John Smith
- "To the End (la comedie)" produced by Stephen Hague, Blur and John Smith