Lucky Man (The Verve song)

"Lucky Man"
Single by The Verve
from the album Urban Hymns
B-side "Never Wanna See You Cry"
"History"
"MSG"
"The Longest Day"
Released 24 November 1997
Format CD
Recorded 1997 at Olympic Studios, London
Genre Britpop
Length 4:53
Label Hut
Writer(s) Richard Ashcroft
Producer(s) Youth, The Verve
The Verve singles chronology
"The Drugs Don't Work"
(1997)		 "Lucky Man"
(1997)		 "Sonnet"
(1998)

"Lucky Man" is a song by English rock band The Verve. It was written by singer Richard Ashcroft. The song was released as the third single from the band's third studio album, Urban Hymns (1997). It was released on 24 November 1997, charting at #7 on the UK Singles Chart.[1] The song was also the band's second Top 20 hit on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in the United States. In Australia, "Lucky Man" peaked at #60 on the ARIA singles chart.[2]

Background

The final B-side on CD 2 of the UK release, "Happiness More or Less", was a remix of the title track made by guitarist Nick McCabe after another B-side was needed for the release. All of the guitar and most of the vocal parts were taken out, leaving the drums, bass and strings. Another B-side on CD 2, "MSG", was an alternate version of "Bitter Sweet Symphony", which featured the percussion and bass line from that song, with psychedelic soundscapes added. An earlier single from the band, "History", was included as a B-side on CD 1.

Music videos

The UK version of the video was directed by Andy Baybutt and sees the band in the Thames Reach development, adjacent to the Thames Wharf complex; this is situated near Hammersmith, west London in post code W6 9HA. Richard Ashcroft sings the song whilst playing an acoustic guitar; the rest of the band look on. The Thames Wharf Complex was designed by Sir Richard Rogers. The US version was shot in New York, featuring the band in an apartment and then travelling to a mountain top.

The Verve did not allow the video for this single to be played on the UK music show The Chart Show. The show had recently been re-designed and attracted much criticism; the band also criticized it, and refused to allow the song to be played unless the show was re-designed again just for the band, as the message claimed, and/or if the show played the video clean without any graphics overlaying it. The Chart Show didn't agree to this and in the Top Ten and Indie Chart, a message appeared explaining why the video wasn't shown. The show maintained a lighthearted approach to the situation by saying such things as "In the words of Vanilla... no way, no way, mah nà mah nà".

Track listings

  1. "Lucky Man" – 4:57
  2. "Never Wanna See You Cry" – 4:31
  3. "History" – 5:08
  1. "Lucky Man" – 4:57
  2. "MSG" – 7:00
  3. "The Longest Day" – 7:21
  4. "Lucky Man (Happiness More or Less)" – 4:57
  1. "Lucky Man" – 4:57
  2. "Never Wanna See You Cry" – 4:31
  1. "Lucky Man" – 4:57
  2. "Never Wanna See You Cry" – 4:31
  1. "Lucky Man" – 4:57
  2. "Never Wanna See You Cry" – 4:31
  3. "MSG" – 7:00
  4. "Longest Day" – 7:21
  1. "Lucky Man" – 4:57

US version

In 1998 "Lucky Man" was released in America. The single was distributed by Virgin Records

  1. "Lucky Man" (radio edit) – 4:20
  2. "Lucky Man" (album version) – 4:53
  3. "Lucky Man" (Call Out Research Hook 1) – 0:10
  4. "Lucky Man" (Call Out Research Hook 2) – 0:13
  5. "Lucky Man" (Call Out Research Hook 3) – 0:10

Australian version

  1. "Lucky Man" – 4:57
  2. "MSG" – 7:00
  3. "Longest Day" – 7:21
  4. "Lucky Man (Happiness More or Less)" – 4:57

French version

  1. "Lucky Man" – 4:53
  2. "Never Wanna See You Cry" – 4:30

References

  1. ↑ "Official Charts > Verve". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 2016-02-06.
  2. ↑ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart - Week Ending 30 Aug 1998". ARIA. Retrieved 2016-02-06.

External links

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