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"Beetlebum"
Single by Blur
from the album Blur
Released	20 January 1997
Format	7" vinyl, 2 x CD
Recorded	1997
Genre	Indie rock
Length	5:05
Label	Food
Producer(s)	Stephen Street
Chart positions
#1 (UK Singles Chart) #3 (Finland) #35 (Australia) #39 (Sweden)
Blur singles chronology
"Charmless Man" (1996)	"Beetlebum" (1997)	"Song 2" (1997)

"Beetlebum" is a song by English band Blur and was released as the lead single from the band's eponymous fifth album, Blur. The single became Blur's second to reach the number one spot in the UK Singles Chart (after "Country House"). The song's title, "Beetlebum", is falsely said to be a stab at Liam Gallagher, lead singer of rival band Oasis, for his over-idolising of The Beatles. The song is also rumoured to be about heroin, which has led many to believe it is about Damon Albarn's ex-girlfriend and her battle with drugs and how it affected him, who at the time was also combating substance addictions. It is more likely to be a reference to the comedy prank show Beadlebum from which the song uses distorted sound clips and a line in the chorus mimics the catchphrase. Damon himself stated in an interview with MTV that the song describes a complicated emotion, sort of 'sleepy' and sort of 'sexy'.

The band has also mentioned alternately in interviews, that musically the song was inspired by the song "All Together Now" by The Beatles, "Ain't Love Grand?" by The Opd (themselves named after a reference to The Beatles), and Guided by Voices.

"Beetlebum" is very highly regarded by fans of Blur. In a vote on blurtalk.com, it was voted Blur's best single, far outpacing competitors such as "Coffee & TV", "The Universal", and "Popscene". The band also seems to consider the song one of their best, as it served as the opening track on Blur and Blur: The Best of.

Contents 1 Track listings 1.1 In the UK 1.2 In Japan/Australia 1.3 In the US 2 Music video

• 7" FOOD89

1. "Beetlebum"
2. "Woodpigeon Song"

• CD1 CDFOOD89

1. "Beetlebum"
2. "All Your Life"
3. "A Spell (For Money)"

• CD2 CDFOODS89

1. "Beetlebum"
2. "Beetlebum" (Mario Caldato Jr. Mix)
3. "Woodpigeon Song"
4. "Dancehall"

• CD TOCP-40021 released 16 January 1997 by Toshiba-EMI (Japan), CD 83576-2 by Capitol Records (Australia)

1. "Beetlebum"
2. "All Your Life"
3. "Woodpigeon Song"
4. "A Spell (For Money)"

• Virgin Records Promo DPRO-12777

1. "Beetlebum" (radio edit) - 3:59
3. "Beetlebum" (album version) - 5:05
4. "Call Out Research Hook #1" (guitar)
5. "Call Out Research Hook #2" (vocal)

UK (CD1)

UK (CD2 and 7"), Japan, US

The single's video is relatively simple, comprising a performance of the song with computer generated 'zoom-outs' from the studio to show the Earth in the centre of kaleidoscopic patterns. Notably, in the video, Alex James' cigarette and Dave Rowntree's Coke can are censored, possibly intentionally. It was directed by Sophie Muller.

Preceded by "Your Woman" by White Town

UK Singles Chart Number 1 single 26 January 1997 – 2 February 1997

Succeeded by "Ain't Nobody" by LL Cool J

Blur
Damon Albarn | Alex James | Dave Rowntree
Graham Coxon | Simon Tong
Discography
Albums: Leisure | Modern Life Is Rubbish | Parklife | The Great Escape | Blur | 13 | Think Tank
Compilations: The Special Collectors Edition | Live at the Budokan | Bustin' + Dronin'
The 10 Year Limited Edition Anniversary Box Set | Blur: The Best of
Singles: See Blur Singles
Other projects
The Ailerons | Fat Les | The Good, the Bad and the Queen | Gorillaz | Me Me Me | WigWam
Related articles
Food Records | Honest Jon's | Stephen Street | Transcopic
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