The Universal: Difference between revisions
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| artist = [[Blur (band)|Blur]] |
| artist = [[Blur (band)|Blur]] |
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| album = [[The Great Escape (Blur album)|The Great Escape]] |
| album = [[The Great Escape (Blur album)|The Great Escape]] |
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| B-side = |
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| B-side = {{ubl|"Ultranol"|"No Monsters in Me"|"Entertain Me" ([[Slacker (producer)|The Live It!]] remix)}} |
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* "Ultranol" |
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⚫ | |||
* "No Monsters in Me" |
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* "Entertain Me" (remix) |
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| released = {{start date|1995|11|13|df=y}} |
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| recorded = |
| recorded = |
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| studio = |
| studio = |
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| venue = |
| venue = |
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| genre = [[Pop music|Pop]]<ref name= "Erlewine 2024">{{cite web|first= Stephen Thomas|last= Erlewine|title= The 25 most essential Blur songs|website= [[The A.V. Club]]|date= May 4, 2024|url=https://www.avclub.com/blur-band-best-songs-ranked-1851455676|accessdate= May 5, 2024}}</ref> |
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<!-- Do not add unsourced genres or genres sourced from a WP:NOTRSMUSIC site --> |
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| length = 3:59 |
| length = 3:59 |
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| label = [[Food Records|Food]] |
| label = |
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* [[Food Records|Food]] |
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* [[Parlophone]] |
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| composer = |
| composer = |
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* [[Damon Albarn]] |
* [[Damon Albarn]] |
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{{External music video|{{YouTube|BrbxWOMpwfs|"The Universal"}}}} |
{{External music video|{{YouTube|BrbxWOMpwfs|"The Universal"}}}} |
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}} |
}} |
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"'''The Universal'''" is a song by English [[alternative rock]] band [[Blur (band)|Blur]] and is featured on their fourth studio album, ''[[The Great Escape (Blur album)|The Great Escape]]'' (1995). It was released on 13 November 1995 as the second [[single (music)|single]] from that album, charting at number five on the [[UK Singles Chart]] and number 12 in both Iceland and Ireland. |
"'''The Universal'''" is a song by English [[alternative rock]] band [[Blur (band)|Blur]] and is featured on their fourth studio album, ''[[The Great Escape (Blur album)|The Great Escape]]'' (1995). It was released on 13 November 1995 by [[Food Records|Food]] and [[Parlophone]] as the second [[single (music)|single]] from that album, charting at number five on the [[UK Singles Chart]] and number 12 in both Iceland and Ireland. |
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In keeping with the song's [[list of science fiction themes|science fiction theme]], the single's cover art is an allusion to the opening shot of ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey (film)|2001: A Space Odyssey]]'', and the music video is a tribute to the movie ''[[A Clockwork Orange (film)|A Clockwork Orange]]'', with the band dressed up in costumes similar to [[Alex (A Clockwork Orange)|Alex]] and his droogs.<ref name="Clockwork">{{cite news |title=From Blur To Bowie, 18 Ingenious Music Moments Inspired By Stanley Kubrick Movies |url= https://www.nme.com/photos/from-blur-to-bowie-18-ingenious-music-moments-inspired-by-stanley-kubrick-movies-1406636#TA5AT6LoGzxEiaBE.99 |access-date=18 September 2019 |work=NME}}</ref> Both films were directed by [[Stanley Kubrick]]. |
In keeping with the song's [[list of science fiction themes|science fiction theme]], the single's cover art is an allusion to the opening shot of ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey (film)|2001: A Space Odyssey]]'', and the music video, directed by [[Jonathan Glazer]], is a tribute to the movie ''[[A Clockwork Orange (film)|A Clockwork Orange]]'', with the band dressed up in costumes similar to [[Alex (A Clockwork Orange)|Alex]] and his droogs.<ref name="Clockwork">{{cite news |title=From Blur To Bowie, 18 Ingenious Music Moments Inspired By Stanley Kubrick Movies |url= https://www.nme.com/photos/from-blur-to-bowie-18-ingenious-music-moments-inspired-by-stanley-kubrick-movies-1406636#TA5AT6LoGzxEiaBE.99 |access-date=18 September 2019 |work=NME}}</ref> Both films were directed by [[Stanley Kubrick]]. |
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==Critical reception== |
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Simon Williams from ''[[New Musical Express|NME]]'' named the song Single of the Week, praising it as "rather brilliant". He wrote, "A ludicrously grandiose ballad that weeps spiritual buckets and sweeps the same swish floor as 'This Is a Low'. It's exotic! It has strings and things! It will turn your hard bastard spine into vodka jelly when they play it in an arena near you at Crimbo! And — crucially — it ends like 'The Orinoco Song' by ''[[The Wombles]]''. As ''all'' songs should."<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Simon|last=Williams|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/53595921186/|title=Singles|magazine=[[New Musical Express|NME]]|date=11 November 1995|page=43|access-date=22 March 2024}}</ref> |
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==Music video== |
==Music video== |
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[[File:Blur the universal video.jpg|left|upright|thumb|250px|A scene from the music video for "The Universal" which was inspired from the 1971 film ''[[A Clockwork Orange (film)|A Clockwork Orange]]'', featuring the band as quasi-[[wikt:droog|Droog]]s in an all-white bar, complete with Albarn wearing an eyeliner similar to [[Alex (A Clockwork Orange)|Alex DeLarge]].]] |
[[File:Blur the universal video.jpg|left|upright|thumb|250px|A scene from the music video for "The Universal" which was inspired from the 1971 film ''[[A Clockwork Orange (film)|A Clockwork Orange]]'', featuring the band as quasi-[[wikt:droog|Droog]]s in an all-white bar, complete with Albarn wearing an eyeliner similar to [[Alex (A Clockwork Orange)|Alex DeLarge]].]] |
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A |
A music video for the song was directed by English film director and screenwriter [[Jonathan Glazer]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mvdbase.com/video.php?id=3747 |title=Blur – "The Universal [version 1]" |publisher=mvdbase.com |access-date=28 June 2010 |archive-date=14 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514094127/http://www.mvdbase.com/video.php?id=3747 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The band is presented in imitation of the opening scenes from the 1971 film ''[[A Clockwork Orange (film)|A Clockwork Orange]]'', in the Milk Bar. Blur star as the quasi-Droogs, complete with [[Damon Albarn]] wearing eyeliner similar to the character [[Alex DeLarge]].<ref name="Clockwork"/> They perform in the bar in all-white. Though the band do not engage in their usual vibrant stage demeanour, Damon Albarn frequently turns to the camera and gives a sly, crooked smile. Graham Coxon spends the majority of the video sitting against the wall, while playing his guitar. They also spend some time during the video sitting at a table, watching the people around them.<ref name="Clockwork"/> |
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The bar patrons consist of different groups; a male with two females are openly kissing. The man has lipstick all over his face; a lone female entertains male business colleagues by exploiting their sexual interest in her; two men, one identified as a 'red man' (dressed entirely in red) who used to be 'blue', conduct a stilted (subtitled) conversation; two other men – one of them wearing a [[vicar]]'s [[clerical collar]] – become increasingly drunk on cocktails, laughing more and more hysterically until the clergyman tells his friend something to which the viewer is not privy, causing his friend to withdraw into stunned silence (a device similar to that used in [[Radiohead]]'s promotional video for the song "[[Just (song)|Just]]" in the same year). There are also two old men who make a few comments (again subtitled) |
The bar patrons consist of different groups; a male with two females are openly kissing. The man has lipstick all over his face; a lone female entertains male business colleagues by exploiting their sexual interest in her; two men, one identified as a 'red man' (dressed entirely in red) who used to be 'blue', conduct a stilted (subtitled) conversation; two other men – one of them wearing a [[vicar]]'s [[clerical collar]] – become increasingly drunk on cocktails, laughing more and more hysterically until the clergyman tells his friend something to which the viewer is not privy, causing his friend to withdraw into stunned silence (a device similar to that used in [[Radiohead]]'s promotional video for the song "[[Just (song)|Just]]" in the same year). There are also two old men who make a few comments (again subtitled) marvelling at the scene. Blur then walk down the aisle to exit the building. Damon Albarn stops them, then the clergyman moves in to kiss his friend. |
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There are also scenes outside, showing high rise buildings, where people are gathered around a golf ball speaker atop a roof, listening. |
There are also scenes outside, showing high rise buildings, where people are gathered around a golf ball speaker atop a roof, listening. |
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The [[golf ball]]-shaped speaker featured in the video was |
The [[golf ball]]-shaped speaker featured in the video was purchased by [[Garth Crooks]] in a charity auction in 1999.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/442694.stm Auction takes Blur back to their roots] – BBC News Online</ref> |
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{{clear|left}} |
{{clear|left}} |
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==Track listings== |
==Track listings== |
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All music was composed by [[Damon Albarn|Albarn]], [[Graham Coxon|Coxon]], [[Alex James (musician)|James]], and [[Dave Rowntree|Rowntree]]. All lyrics were |
All music was composed by [[Damon Albarn|Albarn]], [[Graham Coxon|Coxon]], [[Alex James (musician)|James]], and [[Dave Rowntree|Rowntree]]. All lyrics were written by Albarn. |
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{{col-start}} |
{{col-start}} |
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{{col-2}} |
{{col-2}} |
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* '''UK CD1 and Australian CD single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The Universal|others=[[Blur (band)|Blur]]|year=1995|type=UK CD1 liner notes|publisher=[[Food Records]], [[Parlophone]]|id=CDFOODS 69, 7243 8 82554 2 4}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The Universal|others=Blur|year=1995|type=Australian CD single liner notes|publisher=[[EMI Records]]|id=8 82554 2}}</ref> |
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'''7-inch and cassette''' |
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⚫ | |||
'''CD1''' |
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# "The Universal" – 4:00 |
# "The Universal" – 4:00 |
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# "Ultranol" – 2:42 |
# "Ultranol" – 2:42 |
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# "No Monsters in Me" – 3:38 |
# "No Monsters in Me" – 3:38 |
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# "Entertain Me" ([[Slacker (producer)|The Live It!]] remix) – 7:19 |
# "Entertain Me" ([[Slacker (producer)|The Live It!]] remix) – 7:19 |
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⚫ | |||
'''CD2: ''The Universal II – Live at the [[BBC]]''''' |
* '''UK CD2: ''The Universal II – Live at the [[BBC]]'''''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The Universal|others=Blur|year=1995|type=UK CD2 liner notes|publisher=Food Records, Parlophone|id=CDFOOD 69, 7243 8 82557 2 1}}</ref> |
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# "The Universal" – 4:11 |
# "The Universal" – 4:11 |
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# "Mr Robinson's Quango" – 4:17 |
# "Mr Robinson's Quango" – 4:17 |
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# "It Could Be You" – 3:17 |
# "It Could Be You" – 3:17 |
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# "[[Stereotypes (song)|Stereotypes]]" – 3:12 |
# "[[Stereotypes (song)|Stereotypes]]" – 3:12 |
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* '''UK cassette single and European CD single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The Universal|others=Blur|year=1995|type=UK cassette single sleeve|publisher=Food Records, Parlophone|id=TC FOOD 69}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The Universal|others=Blur|year=1995|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=Food Records, Parlophone|id=7243 8 82559 2 9}}</ref> |
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⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
* '''Japanese CD single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The Universal|others=Blur|year=1995|type=Japanese CD single liner notes|publisher=Food Records, [[EMI Music Japan]]|id=TOCP-8770}}</ref> |
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'''Japanese CD''' |
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# "The Universal" – 4:00 |
# "The Universal" – 4:00 |
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# "It Could Be You" ( |
# "It Could Be You" (live at the BBC) – 3:17 |
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# " |
# "Stereotypes" (live at the BBC) – 3:12 |
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# "Entertain Me" ( |
# "Entertain Me" (The Live It! remix) – 7:19 |
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{{col-end}} |
{{col-end}} |
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*Note: the 7-inch vinyl edition was pressed for use on [[jukeboxes]] and was not issued commercially. |
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==Charts== |
==Charts== |
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!Chart (1995–1996) |
!Chart (1995–1996) |
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!Peak<br/>position |
!Peak<br/>position |
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|- |
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!scope="row"|Australia ([[ARIA Charts|ARIA]])<ref>{{cite web|url=https://i.imgur.com/10BqBkK.jpeg|title=Blur chart history, received from ARIA on 16 February 2022|publisher=Imgur.com|access-date=21 June 2024}} N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column indicates the release's peak on the national chart.</ref> |
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|104 |
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!scope="row"|Europe ([[European Hot 100 Singles|Eurochart Hot 100]])<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-12-02.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=[[Music & Media]]|volume=12|issue=48|page=11|date=2 December 1995|access-date=30 June 2020}}</ref> |
!scope="row"|Europe ([[European Hot 100 Singles|Eurochart Hot 100]])<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-12-02.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=[[Music & Media]]|volume=12|issue=48|page=11|date=2 December 1995|access-date=30 June 2020}}</ref> |
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{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Blur|title=The Universal|award=Silver|relyear=1995|certyear=1995|id=7400-388-1|access-date=10 September 2021}} |
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Blur|title=The Universal|award=Silver|relyear=1995|certyear=1995|id=7400-388-1|access-date=10 September 2021}} |
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{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}} |
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}} |
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==Release history== |
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{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
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!scope="col"|Region |
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!scope="col"|Date |
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!scope="col"|Format(s) |
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!scope="col"|Label(s) |
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!scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
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|- |
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!scope="row"|United Kingdom |
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|13 November 1995 |
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|{{hlist|CD|cassette}} |
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|{{hlist|[[Parlophone]]|[[Food Records|Food]]}} |
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⚫ | |||
|- |
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!scope="row"|Japan |
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|20 December 1995 |
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|CD |
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|{{hlist|[[EMI Music Japan|EMI]]|Food}} |
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|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/143957/products/265943/1/|title=ユニバーサル {{!}} ブラー|trans-title=Universal {{!}} Blur|publisher=[[Oricon]]|language=ja|access-date=20 January 2024}}</ref> |
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|} |
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==Cover versions== |
==Cover versions== |
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[[Category:1995 singles]] |
[[Category:1995 singles]] |
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[[Category:Blur (band) songs]] |
[[Category:Blur (band) songs]] |
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[[Category:EMI Music Japan singles]] |
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[[Category:Food Records singles]] |
[[Category:Food Records singles]] |
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[[Category:Parlophone singles]] |
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[[Category:Song recordings produced by Stephen Street]] |
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Stephen Street]] |
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[[Category:Songs written by Alex James (musician)]] |
[[Category:Songs written by Alex James (musician)]] |
Latest revision as of 00:05, 20 July 2024
"The Universal" | ||||
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Single by Blur | ||||
from the album The Great Escape | ||||
B-side |
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Released | 13 November 1995 | |||
Genre | Pop[1] | |||
Length | 3:59 | |||
Label | ||||
Composer(s) | ||||
Lyricist(s) | Damon Albarn | |||
Producer(s) | Stephen Street | |||
Blur singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Audio sample | ||||
"The Universal" | ||||
Music video | ||||
"The Universal" on YouTube |
"The Universal" is a song by English alternative rock band Blur and is featured on their fourth studio album, The Great Escape (1995). It was released on 13 November 1995 by Food and Parlophone as the second single from that album, charting at number five on the UK Singles Chart and number 12 in both Iceland and Ireland.
In keeping with the song's science fiction theme, the single's cover art is an allusion to the opening shot of 2001: A Space Odyssey, and the music video, directed by Jonathan Glazer, is a tribute to the movie A Clockwork Orange, with the band dressed up in costumes similar to Alex and his droogs.[2] Both films were directed by Stanley Kubrick.
Critical reception
[edit]Simon Williams from NME named the song Single of the Week, praising it as "rather brilliant". He wrote, "A ludicrously grandiose ballad that weeps spiritual buckets and sweeps the same swish floor as 'This Is a Low'. It's exotic! It has strings and things! It will turn your hard bastard spine into vodka jelly when they play it in an arena near you at Crimbo! And — crucially — it ends like 'The Orinoco Song' by The Wombles. As all songs should."[3]
Music video
[edit]A music video for the song was directed by English film director and screenwriter Jonathan Glazer.[4] The band is presented in imitation of the opening scenes from the 1971 film A Clockwork Orange, in the Milk Bar. Blur star as the quasi-Droogs, complete with Damon Albarn wearing eyeliner similar to the character Alex DeLarge.[2] They perform in the bar in all-white. Though the band do not engage in their usual vibrant stage demeanour, Damon Albarn frequently turns to the camera and gives a sly, crooked smile. Graham Coxon spends the majority of the video sitting against the wall, while playing his guitar. They also spend some time during the video sitting at a table, watching the people around them.[2]
The bar patrons consist of different groups; a male with two females are openly kissing. The man has lipstick all over his face; a lone female entertains male business colleagues by exploiting their sexual interest in her; two men, one identified as a 'red man' (dressed entirely in red) who used to be 'blue', conduct a stilted (subtitled) conversation; two other men – one of them wearing a vicar's clerical collar – become increasingly drunk on cocktails, laughing more and more hysterically until the clergyman tells his friend something to which the viewer is not privy, causing his friend to withdraw into stunned silence (a device similar to that used in Radiohead's promotional video for the song "Just" in the same year). There are also two old men who make a few comments (again subtitled) marvelling at the scene. Blur then walk down the aisle to exit the building. Damon Albarn stops them, then the clergyman moves in to kiss his friend. There are also scenes outside, showing high rise buildings, where people are gathered around a golf ball speaker atop a roof, listening.
The golf ball-shaped speaker featured in the video was purchased by Garth Crooks in a charity auction in 1999.[5]
Track listings
[edit]All music was composed by Albarn, Coxon, James, and Rowntree. All lyrics were written by Albarn.
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Charts
[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
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Year-end charts[edit]
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Certifications
[edit]Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United Kingdom (BPI)[20] | Silver | 200,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
[edit]Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
United Kingdom | 13 November 1995 |
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[21] | |
Japan | 20 December 1995 | CD |
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[22] |
Cover versions
[edit]- A cover by Irish singer Joe Dolan in 1998 made it to number 19 on the Irish Singles Chart.[15]
References
[edit]- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (4 May 2024). "The 25 most essential Blur songs". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ a b c "From Blur To Bowie, 18 Ingenious Music Moments Inspired By Stanley Kubrick Movies". NME. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ Williams, Simon (11 November 1995). "Singles". NME. p. 43. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
- ^ "Blur – "The Universal [version 1]"". mvdbase.com. Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
- ^ Auction takes Blur back to their roots – BBC News Online
- ^ The Universal (UK CD1 liner notes). Blur. Food Records, Parlophone. 1995. CDFOODS 69, 7243 8 82554 2 4.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ The Universal (Australian CD single liner notes). Blur. EMI Records. 1995. 8 82554 2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ The Universal (UK CD2 liner notes). Blur. Food Records, Parlophone. 1995. CDFOOD 69, 7243 8 82557 2 1.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ The Universal (UK cassette single sleeve). Blur. Food Records, Parlophone. 1995. TC FOOD 69.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ The Universal (European CD single liner notes). Blur. Food Records, Parlophone. 1995. 7243 8 82559 2 9.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ The Universal (Japanese CD single liner notes). Blur. Food Records, EMI Music Japan. 1995. TOCP-8770.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Blur chart history, received from ARIA on 16 February 2022". Imgur.com. Retrieved 21 June 2024. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column indicates the release's peak on the national chart.
- ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 48. 2 December 1995. p. 11. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (9.12. '95 – 15.12. '95)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 9 December 1995. p. 58. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
- ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Universal". Irish Singles Chart.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Blur – The Universal". Singles Top 100.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Top 100 Singles 1995". Music Week. 13 January 1996. p. 9.
- ^ "British single certifications – Blur – The Universal". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
- ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 11 November 1995. p. 31. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
- ^ "ユニバーサル | ブラー" [Universal | Blur] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 20 January 2024.