Getting Blurry: Ten Favourites from Blur

Blur performed at London's Hyde Park as part of the Olympic closing ceremonies last night in what may or may not be their last ever show together, so I thought it would be a good time to hunker down and pick my ten favourite songs by the Britpop legends.  While I've seen a few "Blur's Best Songs" lists in recent weeks, I'm going to steer clear of that debate as it would be virtually impossible for me to rate their immense body of work and distill it down to a mere 10 or 20 or even 50 best songs (especially in light of the recent Blur21 box set being released which features a plethora of unreleased music).  No, these are strictly ten songs that resonate with me the most, in no particular order.  So without further ado...

'Tracy Jacks' (from Parklife - 1994)

Parklife blew the doors off the mainstream and transformed Blur from indie hopefuls into bonafide superstars.  'Tracy Jacks' grabbed my attention straightaway and has long been my favourite song on the album and is probably (on nine out of ten days) my favourite song in their entire discography.  It's bounciness (from all instruments) coupled with its witty, narrative style lyrics, just does it for me.



'She's So High' (from Leisure - 1991)

Blur's debut album, Leisure, takes a lot of criticism as being the weakest of their seven studio albums.  As you will see as you scroll through this list, I don't feel that way.  Yes, it does have weak songs, but so do most of their albums (Parklife excluded).  'She's So High' was apparently written at the very first rehearsal after the four members got together.  Not too bad.  Sure, Blur sounded a lot like what they were influenced by at the time, but what band's debut album isn't that way?  Alex James' elastic bass line combined with Damon Albarn's dreamy vocal delivery (that's dreamy sounding, not dreamy in an infatuated sort of way) made this an instant favourite and I was definitely hooked once Graham Coxon's backwards guitar solo shows up.  Psychedelic!



'Bang' (from Leisure - 1991)

'Bang' was the third and final single from their debut.  The band no longer look at it with any favour and state that it was written merely for the benefit of their record label who were looking for more "single" type material.  I was hooked right off the bat by it's catchy guitar intro and Madchester-like drums, but it's the chorus that really does it for me.  "I don't need anyone, but a little love would make things better" is a phrase I'm sure every early twenty-something can relate to (and even some who aren't in their early 20s).



'Battle' (from 13 - 1999)

As the 90s came to a close, Blur had moved away from their happy-go-lucky selves.  The party that was the mid-90s Britpop scene had seen itself become exactly what it had been the antithesis to some seven or eight years early.  13, a record that was heavily influenced by singer Damon Albarn's breakup with longtime girlfriend, Elastica's Justine Frischmann (the king and queen of Britpop), is a dark ride.  'Battle' is a heartbreaking seven minute jam, complete with Dave Rowntree's trip-hop inspired drums, spacey keyboards and Sonic Youth inspired guitar freak outs.



'Sing' (from Leisure - 1991)

Very hypnotic is the best way I can describe 'Sing'.  There's a beautiful melancholia at play that is punctuated by the haunting "ahhs" that feature over the crescendo of the song.  It also featured prominently in Danny Boyle's 1996's film Trainspotting.  



'This Is A Low' (from Parklife - 1994)

One of many songs in the Blur catalog that pull at the heartstrings.  'This Is A Low' is in essence the closing track on Parklife ('Lot 105' always felt like an afterthought) and is a fitting bookend to a classic album.  A melancholic vocal delivery in the verses followed by soaring choruses with another Graham Coxon beauty of a solo squeezed in for good measure.  Every time I listen to it, I don't want it to end.



'Oily Water' - (from Modern Life Is Rubbish - 1993)

The first time I heard 'Oily Water' I was (as I often am) listening to it on headphones.  The song opens with a very cool tremolo/delay bit that always had me thinking "how the hell did he do that" as it ping-ponged from ear to ear.  After playing in multiple bands with pedal fiends, I now know that it's easier than I originally thought.  Still, I could listen to that opening bit over and over.  Thankfully, the rest of the song is equally cool.



'Charmless Man' (from The Great Escape - 1995)

Like 'Tracy Jacks' before it, 'Charmless Man' is another bouncy number that is heavy on the witty lyrics about everything from wine ("he knows his Claret from his Beaujolais") to lifestyle choices ("he knows the swingers and their cavalry").  Capped off with some ridiculously catchy "na na nas", 'Charmless Man' is Blur at their Britpop pinnacle.



'Advert' (from Modern Life Is Rubbish - 1993)

A sample stating "food processors are great" leads into a plinkly (probably just made up a word there) keyboard loop that bursts into a full on onslaught of overdriven guitars and crashing cymbals and even sirens and other noises.  Try to resist jumping around in pure exhilaration.



'Beetlebum' (from Blur - 1997)

The first single from Blur's fifth album, 'Beetlebum' has a sort of hungover feel to it, which isn't surprising.  The Britpop scene had reached its apex and its excesses had taken their toll on the band.  'Beetlebum', although different from their Parklife era sound, was also quintessentially Blur.  Whether it's Coxon's stuttered guitar in the verses, the Beatles-esque chorus or the emotional qualities found in the song's instrumental outro (my favourite part of the song), 'Beetlebum' is a classic.



* Honourable mention should go to 'Under The Westway', which I think is a great addition but I just felt was too new to make the list.  Maybe if I do this again in ten years, it might be there.

Thanks for reading!