The Bitter End (song)
Encyclopedia
"The Bitter End" is a single by British alternative rock
band Placebo
from their fourth studio album, Sleeping with Ghosts
, released in 2003.
The song is based around the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four
by George Orwell
. There are several references to it throughout the song, one of the most noticeable being the reference to the 2nd of May - the date on which the two main characters, Winston and Julia, first spend the night together.
It was featured on the soundtrack of "Radio Big" in the PlayStation 2
game SSX 3
. It was also released as downloadable content for Guitar Hero World Tour
.
In 2010, Utada covered the song on her first US Tour, Utada: In the Flesh 2010
.
Rock Sound
reasoned that the track's "kick ass romp" reinforces "their status as purveyors of pure indie pop in the vein of The Smiths
." However, NME
saw differing influences woven in the track, reporting that "The Bitter End" "sees Placebo powering along with a relentless U2
- chasing-after-The Cure
melody that's as infectious as 24."
Summarising Placebo's 2004 singles collection, Once More with Feeling, BBC.co.uk's Nottingham music reviewer Jaime Gill stated that "each song stems from a songwriter so instinctive and precise that when he writes a song called "The Bitter End", that's exactly what it sounds like."
sees the band playing in the dish of the Lovell Telescope
, one of the largest radio telescopes. Halfway through the video, it displays an infrared
image of a couple chasing after each other. They eventually catch each other up and kiss against a wall. Near the end of the video, the band is rained upon. It was filmed close to Stockport
in Cheshire
, England
.
Key
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 Placebo
Placebo (band)
Placebo are a British rock band from London, England, formed in 1994 by singer and guitarist Brian Molko and bass guitarist Stefan Olsdal. The band was joined by drummer Robert Schultzberg, who was later replaced by Steve Hewitt after conflicts with Molko. Hewitt left the band in October 2007 and...
from their fourth studio album, Sleeping with Ghosts
Sleeping with Ghosts
Sleeping with Ghosts is the fourth studio album by English alternative rock band Placebo, released in 2003 through Astralwerks and Hut Records...
, released in 2003.
The song is based around the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell is a dystopian novel about Oceania, a society ruled by the oligarchical dictatorship of the Party...
by George Orwell
George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair , better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist...
. There are several references to it throughout the song, one of the most noticeable being the reference to the 2nd of May - the date on which the two main characters, Winston and Julia, first spend the night together.
It was featured on the soundtrack of "Radio Big" in the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
game SSX 3
SSX 3
SSX 3 is a snowboarding extreme racing game published by Electronic Arts and developed by EA Sports BIG, which was released in late 2003. It is the third installment in the SSX series, and is THX approved. Like the previous installments, the game was critically acclaimed...
. It was also released as downloadable content for Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero World Tour is a music video game developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision. It is the fourth main entry in the Guitar Hero series...
.
In 2010, Utada covered the song on her first US Tour, Utada: In the Flesh 2010
Utada: In the Flesh 2010
Utada: In The Flesh 2010 was Japanese-American singer-songwriter Utada's first international tour. The 10-date sold out tour began in Honolulu and ended in London, with the London date reportedly selling-out in as little as five hours, to which another date was added...
.
Critical response
Critics generally praised the single upon its release. Reviewing Sleeping with Ghosts, BBC.co.uk's rock/indie reviewer Dan Tallis described "The Bitter End" as "a good pop tune", having "just the right amount of dark, gothic atmosphere to please their fans and enough radio friendly guitars to please the new generation of indie kids." The Times thought the song "ramped up the energy level to devastating effect."Rock Sound
Rock Sound
Rock Sound is a British magazine which champions rock music. The magazine aims at being more "underground" and less commercial, whilst also giving coverage to more well known acts.-History:...
reasoned that the track's "kick ass romp" reinforces "their status as purveyors of pure indie pop in the vein of The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
." However, NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
saw differing influences woven in the track, reporting that "The Bitter End" "sees Placebo powering along with a relentless U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
- chasing-after-The Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
melody that's as infectious as 24."
Summarising Placebo's 2004 singles collection, Once More with Feeling, BBC.co.uk's Nottingham music reviewer Jaime Gill stated that "each song stems from a songwriter so instinctive and precise that when he writes a song called "The Bitter End", that's exactly what it sounds like."
Music video
The music 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...
sees the band playing in the dish of the Lovell Telescope
Lovell Telescope
The Lovell Telescope is a radio telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory, near Goostrey, Cheshire in the north-west of England. When it was constructed in 1955, the telescope was the largest steerable dish radio telescope in the world at 76.2 m in diameter;it is now the third largest, after the...
, one of the largest radio telescopes. Halfway through the video, it displays an infrared
Infrared
Infrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...
image of a couple chasing after each other. They eventually catch each other up and kiss against a wall. Near the end of the video, the band is rained upon. It was filmed close to Stockport
Stockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
CD1
CD2
Formats
"The Bitter End" was released on 10 March 2003 via Elevator Music/Hut Records, the first single to be culled from Sleeping with Ghosts. Two CD singles offering differing B-sides were issued, as well as a single in 7" vinyl format. Later, "The Bitter End" saw inclusion on the November 2004 compilation Once More with Feeling: The Singles.| Format | Track number | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| The Bitter End | ||||
| CD1 single (UK, Elevator Music) | B | D | T | BV |
| CD2 single (UK, Elevator Music) | B | E | DP | |
| 7" single (UK, Elevator Music) | B | D | ||
Key
- B - "The Bitter End"
- D - "Daddy Cool"
- T - "Teenage Angst (piano version)"
- BV - "The Bitter End video"
- E - "Evalia"
- DP - "Drink You Pretty"