Continuing with our run of quirky number ones…
Beetlebum, by Blur (their 2nd and final #1)
1 week, from 26th January – 2nd February 1997
On the one hand, there’s nothing very quirky about Britain’s second biggest band scoring their second chart-topper, with the lead single from their highly anticipated fifth album. And yet… ‘Beetlebum’ isn’t Blur at their most accessible – a fuzzy, droning number about taking heroin. It would actually make a good pub quiz question: name Blur’s two UK number ones. Everyone remembers ‘Country House’ because of the hoo-haa around the Battle of Britpop. But I doubt many casual fans would name this one over ‘Parklife’, or ‘Song 2’.
At the time, ‘Beetlebum’ was seen as a disappointment by some, and it’s hard to imagine this now, as it effectively signalled the start of Blur MK II, the Blur we’ve known for the past two decades. But until now, most of their singles had been laddish and upbeat, delivered with a knowing wink. ‘Beetlebum’ is a much rawer beast, perhaps the first song to mark the comedown from Britpop’s highs.
Damon Albarn was at first reluctant to admit what the song was about, but lines like And when she lets me slip away… Nothing is wrong, I just slip away and I am gone… Plus a whole minute of He’s on, He’s on, He’s on it… give the game away pretty quickly. The song neither glamourises, nor demonises the drug; more gives the feel of what it is like to be under its influence. ‘Sleepy, and sexy’, according to Albarn.
I remember reading a line – though I don’t remember where – describing ‘Beetlebum’ as ‘bum Beatles’. Which is harsh, even if the comparisons to White Album/Abbey Road-era Beatles are obvious, especially in the chorus harmonies. Perhaps because of the Beatles’ influence, Noel Gallagher went on record naming this as the one Blur song he wishes he had written.
And I think nowadays, now that people have got over the disappointment of it not being ‘Girls and Boys Part II’, we can agree that ‘Beetlebum’ is a great song, and if you listen carefully you can hear that it’s as full of hooks as any of their other hits, culminating in one of the creepiest endings to a #1 single – a full minute’s worth of that droning riff, weird noises, effects and alarms, ending with one final click. It’s definitely worthy of being Blur’s ‘other’ chart-topper. Plus, I’ve always had a more personal soft spot for the record, as it was my 11th birthday number one.
They have no further chart-toppers to come, sadly. Follow-up ‘Song 2’, their biggest hit outside the UK, stalled somewhat appropriately at number two, and the lead single from their next album, ‘Tender’, will famously be held off the top by Britney Spears. Damon will be back, though, as the mastermind behind Gorillaz. Two #1s for the best Britpop band (something I’ve just decided this very second, but it feels right) is pretty paltry, so I’ll do a Blur ‘Best of the Rest’ sometime soon.
The UK Number Ones Blog 
There was a reviewer – Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic – who once wrote that “Beetlebum” sounds like a run-through of The White Album in the span of five minutes. That’s pretty appropriate. It sounds a lot like a White Album album track. As someone who has The White Album as their favourite Beatles album, I should love this song as I do like Blur a lot, and I do like the song a lot, but I don’t love it. For me anyway, it doesn’t stick with me after it finishes. When it’s on, I enjoy it a lot. But it’s hard for me to recall how the song goes despite multiple listens.
Honestly, “Song 2” would’ve been my choice for lead single. The self-titled album is a really good album though.
I love Gorillaz so can’t wait to see them on this blog. I always found it fascinating that Gorillaz is far more popular than Blur overseas despite basically starting off as a side project, especially in the US where unlike Blur they actually had Top 20 hits.
Interestingly with Gorillaz, it’s neither of the songs most would assume that made number one. But for my money, the one that did is better.
Blur, or I should better say blurry, perfectly describes much of my state of mind in the ’90s when it comes to what was then-contemporary music. Living happily in a retro music bubble, I simply missed/ignored most of it. Well, I’m happy to report at least I recall “Song 2” – woo-hoo!
To be fair, ‘Beetlebum’ has some fairly clear retro influences, so could have maybe burst your bubble. And you’re not alone with ‘Song 2’ – nobody could avoid it back in 1997!
Put me down for the Song 2 crowd too, bit of an anthem. Beetlebum I like in a grungey way but it’s not top-draw Blur – those are To The End, The Universal, Under The Westway, Girls & Boys, Parklife…
Maybe it’s because I’m not a fan of the White Album self-indulgent excesses, I’m with George Martin’s “There’s a great single album in there” line….
To quote Sir Paul McCartney, “It’s great. It sold. It’s the Bloody Beatles’ White Album, shut up!”
I like it for its contrast to ‘Parklife’ and ‘Girls and Boys’, which are still great. I can imagine it was a surprise when it came out, as it was a change in direction. And as a Beatles comparison, I think it sounds more like something from ‘Abbey Road’… ‘She’s So Heavy’, maybe…
I can hear the white album in there…I do see this one as brit pop but it sure as hell doesn’t sound like a #1…and that is a good thing to me.
They didn’t embrace the mod culture like Oasis I see….I don’t know much about them.
I think you’d enjoy some of Blur’s stuff. They definitely didn’t stick to a guitar sound, like Oasis, and were a lot more experimental. I used to be firmly more Oasis, but as time goes on I think I’m swaying more to Blur… Not that you have to choose, but you know what I mean. I’m planning a ‘Best Of’ post on them soon
I do need to listen to more of them…you are probably right.
I’m looking forward to that…I really like Oasis…rememeber I’m not burnt out….their look and sound is pretty good…but I’d love to hear more Blur.
It’s not so much Oasis burn out… It sounds stupid now, but when I was a teenager you had to choose between them. And Oasis were the lads’ band, while Blur were a bit… less masculine. So to say you preferred Blur could well have been social suicide, where I was from. Plus, Blur went on a hiatus for most of the 2000s, while Oasis kept churning out albums until they split in 2009. So, it’s more that I’ve rediscovered Blur more recently, now they’re recording again and I’m not subject to peer pressure! I still do like Oasis, though. When they were good, they were great.
Say no more…I grew up with Boy George…guess what THAT would have got you lol. I do like this one…I don’t think I’ll like them as well…but that is not important…I’m sure I’ll like a few.
God you’re young! My 11th birthday number one was Dancing Queen
Thanks! Always nice to be called young… Especially when by most barometers you’re actually barelling towards middle age!
What was your birth number one…? I looked back, and using Dancing Queen as a guide, it may have been as cool a tune as ‘Satisfaction’… or Ken Dodd’s ‘Tears’?
it was I got you babe by Sonny and Cher. I was born a couple of days before the Stones made number 1 with Satisfaction. At least I avoided Ken Dodd!
Well, still a classic. Mine’s A-Ha, which is pretty decent, considering 1986 has some true horrors…
I’ve just looked through all the number ones up until my 40th. Seems that UB40 & Chrissy Hynde’s version of I got you babe was number one on my 20th birthday too