BLUR - SONG 2

Publicada: 7 d’abril de 1997

Regne Unit: núm. 2

“Song 2” és un tema del 1997 de la banda anglesa Blur, inclòs com a segon tall del seu cinquè àlbum d’estudi, “Blur”. Tot i tenir un títol provisional, la cançó es va convertir en un dels himnes més reconeguts dels anys 90, gràcies a la seva energia explosiva i el crit “Whoo-hoo!”. Va arribar al núm. 2 al Regne Unit, al núm. 4 a Austràlia i es va convertir en el major èxit internacional del grup, especialment als Estats Units, on va assolir el núm. 6 a la llista Modern Rock Tracks i s’hi va mantenir durant 26 setmanes. El single ha estat certificat triple platí al Regne Unit.

El títol “Song 2” era simplement un nom de treball: segona cançó del disc, segon senzill, i amb una durada de 2 minuts exactes. Tot i la seva simplicitat, el nom va quedar-se perquè tant la banda com els fans el van continuar utilitzant.

Musicalment, “Song 2” és una sàtira del grunge i l’alt-rock americà, gèneres que dominaven les llistes d’èxits als EUA a mitjans dels 90. Amb guitarres distorsionades, bateria potent i una actitud deliberadament “bruta”, la banda volia fer una paròdia del so americà, però irònicament, va ser el seu èxit més gran als Estats Units.

La cançó va néixer d’una sessió improvisada amb dues bateries i una actitud sense filtres. El baixista Alex James va descriure-la com “una idea brainless [sense cervell]” que funcionava precisament perquè no intentava ser perfecta. L’intent de refinar-la va fallar, i finalment, Blur va acceptar que l’autenticitat crua era la seva força.

Inicialment, Damon Albarn va cantar una lletra sense sentit com a guia vocal. El productor Stephen Street va insistir a mantenir aquella gravació original per la seva energia espontània. Albarn havia composat el tema a un ritme molt més lent, però el guitarrista Graham Coxon va accelerar-lo, creant-ne la versió vibrant que es coneix avui.

El videoclip, dirigit per Sophie Muller i nominat als MTV Video Music Awards, mostra el grup tocant en una habitació mentre l’energia del so els fa volar contra les parets, reflectint el caràcter explosiu de la cançó.

“Song 2” és un exemple emblemàtic de com l’instint artístic pot triomfar sobre la perfecció tècnica. Com va dir Alex James: “No cal polir-ho tot. A vegades, la primera cosa que fas és quan realment ho sents.”

BLUR - SONG 2

Released: April 7, 1997

UK: #2 

“Song 2” is a 1997 track by English rock band Blur, featured as the second song on their self-titled fifth album. Released physically on 7 April 1997, the track became one of the band’s most iconic songs. It peaked at #2 on the UK Singles Chart, reached #4 in Australia, and became Blur’s most successful single in the United States, where it charted at #6 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks, staying for 26 weeks, and hit #55 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart. The song is 2 minutes long, certified triple platinum in the UK, and is their most globally recognized hit.

Though widely known as “Whoo-Hooo” due to its explosive chorus, “Song 2” got its title simply as a working name—the second track on the album, second single, and two minutes long. Despite its placeholder title, the name stuck after fans and the band continued to use it informally during live performances.

Musically, “Song 2” is characterized by loud distorted guitars, gritty vocals, and an aggressive grunge-inspired sound. It was originally meant as a parody of American grunge and alternative rock, a genre dominating US charts at the time. Ironically, this tongue-in-cheek approach made it Blur’s biggest hit in America. The song was written spontaneously with minimal planning—Blur’s bassist Alex James recalled that it emerged from a chaotic jam session with two drum kits and an intentionally rough, “brainless” style. Attempts to polish or refine the track failed, and the band learned to embrace the raw, unfiltered nature of the recording.

Frontman Damon Albarn’s original vocal was just babbling, recorded as a guide. Producer Stephen Street insisted on keeping it, believing its spontaneous energy worked perfectly. Albarn initially composed the song at a much slower tempo, but guitarist Graham Coxon sped it up, which gave the track its frenetic energy. Albarn later admitted the faster version was vastly superior.

The song’s MTV Video Music Awards-nominated video, directed by Sophie Muller, features the band being hurled into walls by the sheer force of their amps during the explosive choruses. 

“Song 2” is a case of artistic instinct triumphing over perfectionism. As Alex James summarized, it was “the realization you don’t have to polish everything. Sometimes the thing you do first is when you mean it.” 

IKE & TINA TURNER - PROUD MARY

Publicada: 14 de gener de 1971

Llistes d’èxits: EUA: #4

“Proud Mary” va ser escrita originalment per John Fogerty i publicada pel grup Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) el gener de 1969, dins el seu àlbum “Bayou Country”. Tot i que la cançó començà com una peça sobre una minyona, va evolucionar fins a explicar la història d’un vaixell de vapor anomenat “Proud Mary”. La versió original de CCR es caracteritza pels seus potents riffs de guitarra rítmics, que imiten el so d’una roda de pales d’un vaixell fluvial.

El 1971, Ike & Tina Turner van transformar “Proud Mary” en una de les versions més potents i icòniques del R&B. La seva interpretació comença amb la ja llegendària introducció parlada de Tina:

“We never, ever do anything nice and easy…”

La versió arrenca de manera lenta i sensual, però aviat esclata en un ritme funk-rock frenètic, ple de vocals amb influències gospel i una energia escènica desbordant. L’arranjament el van concebre Ike Turner i Soko Richardson, amb el suport coreogràfic de The Ikettes. Aquesta posada en escena va convertir la cançó en un número insígnia del seu repertori.

Tant va impactar, que el mateix John Fogerty va confessar en una ocasió que temia que la gent oblidéssin que ell n’era l’autor, perquè la versió de Tina havia esdevingut la més recordada.

El single va arribar al número 4 del Billboard Hot 100 i al número 5 de la llista R&B, i va guanyar un Grammy el 1972 a la Millor Interpretació Vocal R&B per un Grup. Ike & Tina la van presentar a programes de televisió com Playboy After Dark, The Ed Sullivan Show i Soul Train, i es va convertir en una peça clau dels seus concerts en directe, inclosa en àlbums com “Live at Carnegie Hall” i “Live in Paris”, ambdós del 1971.

Tina Turner va continuar interpretant “Proud Mary” durant tota la seva carrera en solitari. Apareix a l’àlbum en directe “Tina Live in Europe” (1988) i va tenir un paper destacat al film biogràfic del 1993 “What’s Love Got to Do with It”, on Angela Bassett interpretava Tina Turner. Tina en va fer una nova gravació per a la banda sonora de la pel·lícula, i aquella versió va ser inclosa al recopilatori “All the Best” (2004). Una altra versió en directe es pot sentir a “Tina Live” (2009), enregistrada durant la seva gira del 50è aniversari.

Les seves interpretacions conjuntes de “Proud Mary” amb Beyoncé i Cher van fer que la cançó arribés a noves generacions, mantenint-la viva com una de les peces més emblemàtiques de la història de la música moderna.

IKE & TINA TURNER - PROUD MARY

Released: January 14, 1971

Charts: US: #4 

“Proud Mary” was originally written by John Fogerty and released by Creedence Clearwater Revival in January 1969 on their album “Bayou Country”. While it began as a song about a maid, the song tells the story of a riverboat named “Proud Mary”. The original CCR version was built on strong rhythmic guitar riffs meant to mimic the churn of a paddlewheel steamboat. 

In 1971, Ike & Tina Turner transformed “Proud Mary” into one of the most powerful R&B covers of all time. Their version begins with Tina’s now-legendary spoken introduction: “We never, ever do anything nice and easy…” The cover starts slowly, then erupts into a fast-paced, energetic funk rock rendition, filled with gospel-influenced vocals and explosive stage presence. This rearrangement was driven by Ike Turner and Soko Richardson, with added choreography and the backing vocals of The Ikettes. Their performance turned the song into a signature number. The Ike & Tina version is so powerful that John Fogerty once feared people would forget he wrote it, as Tina’s interpretation had become so dominant.

It reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #5 on the R&B chart, eventually winning a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Group in 1972. Ike & Tina debuted it on TV shows such as Playboy After Dark, The Ed Sullivan Show, and Soul Train, and it became a staple of their live sets, featured on live albums like Live at Carnegie Hall (1971) and Live in Paris (1971).

Tina Turner continued to perform “Proud Mary” throughout her solo career. It was featured in her 1988 album “Tina Live in Europe” and again in the 1993 biopic “What’s Love Got to Do with It”, where Angela Bassett portrayed Turner in a dramatized version of her rise to fame. Tina re-recorded the song for the biopic’s soundtrack, and that solo version was later included in her 2004 greatest hits compilation “All the Best”. A live version from her 50th Anniversary Tour appeared on the 2009 album “Tina Live”. Her performances of “Proud Mary” with Beyoncé and Cher brought the song to new generations. 

BILLY JOEL - THE RIVER OF DREAMS

Publicada: 19 de juliol de 1993

Llistes: EUA: #3 · Regne Unit: #3

“The River of Dreams” és la cançó que dóna títol i el primer single de l’àlbum “River of Dreams”, el dotzè disc d’estudi de Billy Joel, publicat el juliol de 1993. Va esdevenir un gran èxit, arribant al número 3 tant als Estats Units com al Regne Unit, i encapçalant les llistes d’Austràlia, Nova Zelanda, Canadà i la llista Adult Contemporary dels EUA. És el single més ben posicionat de Joel durant la dècada dels noranta i continua sent el seu últim Top 10 tant als EUA com al Regne Unit. La cançó va ser produïda per Joe Nicolo i Danny Kortchmar.

Musicalment, destaca per la seva sonoritat espiritual i influenciada pel gospel, un gir estilístic nou en la carrera de Joel. Malgrat declarar-se ateu, Joel va omplir la lletra d’imatges religioses, com el baptisme, rius de sang i una reescriptura del Salm 23:4 (“travessant la vall de la por”). Tant el títol de la cançó com la frase “walking in my sleep” van sorgir d’un somni real que Joel va tenir—es va despertar amb la melodia al cap. Tot i intentar ignorar-la (fins i tot cantant-la a la dutxa per “treure-se-la del cap”), la cançó insistia a tornar, i finalment la va acabar acceptant i enregistrant.

Joel ha descrit “The River of Dreams” com un joc de paraules amb el concepte de “corrents de consciència”, i la cançó funciona com un viatge introspectiu profund. Parla de la recerca de la veritat, el propòsit i l’acompliment espiritual, expressant una inquietud que resulta tant personal com universal.

Durant els Premis Grammy de 1994, on la cançó va estar nominada a Disc de l’Any, Joel va protagonitzar un moment molt comentat. Al mig de la seva actuació, després d’un fals final, va fer una pausa, va mirar el rellotge i va dir sarcàsticament: “Temps publicitari valuós que passa… dòlars”. Era una crítica oberta als productors per haver interromput el discurs d’agraïment de Frank Sinatra aquella nit. Tot i que el premi va ser per a “I Will Always Love You” de Whitney Houston, el gest de Joel va quedar com un dels moments més recordats d’aquella gala.

El videoclip, dirigit per Andy Morahan, es va rodar a Connecticut, i mostra Joel i les coristes sobre un pont ferroviari damunt el riu Connecticut, així com altres escenaris pintorescos com Old Saybrook i East Haddam. També hi apareix un ferri que es creu que és el Rocky Hill–Glastonbury Ferry.

BILLY JOEL - THE RIVER OF DREAMS

Released: July 19, 1993

Charts:  US: #3   UK: #3 

“The River of Dreams” is the title track and lead single from Billy Joel’s twelfth studio album, “River of Dreams”, released in July 1993. It became a major hit, peaking at No. 3 in both the US and the UK, and topping charts in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the US Adult Contemporary chart. It was Joel’s best-charting single of the 1990s and remains his final Top 10 hit in the US and UK to date. The song was produced by Joe Nicolo and Danny Kortchmar.

The song is notable for its spiritual and gospel-influenced sound, which was a new direction for Joel. Even being a self-identified atheist, Joel infused the track with religious imagery, referencing baptism, rivers of blood, and a rephrasing of Psalm 23:4 (“Through the valley of fear”). The line “walking in my sleep” and the song’s title both stem from a dream Joel had—he literally woke up with the tune in his head. Initially hesitant to write or record it, he tried to dismiss it, even singing it in the shower to wash it away. But the song persisted, and he ultimately embraced it.

Joel described “The River of Dreams” as a play on the concept of a “stream of consciousness”, reflecting a deep, introspective journey. The song explores searching for truth, purpose, and spiritual fulfillment, and expresses a yearning that feels both personal and universal.

At the 1994 Grammy Awards, where the song was nominated for Record of the Year, Joel made headlines during his performance. After a false ending in the middle of the song, he paused, looked at his watch, and said sarcastically, “Valuable advertising time going by… dollars.” This was a protest against producers for cutting off Frank Sinatra’s acceptance speech earlier in the show. Although the award went to Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You”, Joel’s bold on-stage statement became a memorable moment in Grammy history.

The music video, directed by Andy Morahan, was shot in Connecticut and features Joel and backup singers standing on a railroad bridge over the Connecticut River, as well as other scenic locations like Old Saybrook and East Haddam. A ferry shown in the video is believed to be the Rocky Hill–Glastonbury Ferry.

 TINA TURNER - I DON’T WANNA LOSE YOU

Released: November 6, 1989

Charts: UK: #8 

“I Don’t Wanna Lose You” is a soulful pop ballad performed by Tina Turner, released as the second single in the UK from her seventh solo studio album, “Foreign Affair”. Written by Albert Hammond and Graham Lyle—the latter also co-wrote Turner’s earlier hit “What’s Love Got to Do with It”—the song became a Top 10 hit in multiple countries, peaking at No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart, marking Turner’s fifth UK Top 10 single. It also charted well in Belgium and Australia.

The track emerged from a spontaneous collaboration between Hammond and Lyle. As recounted by Hammond, the idea for the chorus came to him in the early morning hours while suffering from jet lag before meeting Lyle for the first time. While casually strumming a guitar in Lyle’s studio, Hammond improvised the melody and lyrics for the chorus. Lyle then contributed a pre-written verse, and the two quickly realized the strength of the combination, developing the song organically on the spot.

Produced by Roger Davies—Turner’s manager and key figure in shaping her sound in the late ’80s and beyond—the song fits within the mature, emotionally resonant style that defined “Foreign Affair”. It is driven by a lush arrangement and Turner’s heartfelt vocal performance, emphasizing vulnerability and emotional sincerity. The lyrics express a desire to hold on to a relationship and an aversion to parting.