Inside The Song with Graham Coxon from Blur - 'Song 2'

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Blur is an English rock band formed in 1988, consisting of vocalist Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James, and drummer Dave Rowntree. The band was central to the 1990s Britpop movement. They achieved mass popularity in the UK, aided greatly by a chart battle with rivals Oasis in 1995, which was dubbed the “Battle of Britpop”.

Their self-titled fifth album, released in 1997, incorporated influences from the lo-fi styles of American indie rock groups, and the album became their third to top UK charts.

“Song 2” is the second track, and the single, from this self-titled album. This song was atypical of Blur’s previous style as it sounds the least like the rest of the band’s Britpop catalogue. When the band originally wrote the song, they wanted to play it for their label as a joke, because they thought it was far too noisy and horrible to ever be released as a single. However, the label loved it!

The song was written to poke fun at the Grunge music that was bog in America at the time. Graham Coxon was tired of doing complicated parts and wanted to do something simple, but horrible and make as much noise as possible. The song was tracked in Maison Rouge Studio, with the vocals recorded live, and lots of fuzz and distortion on the guitar, producing the loud, extreme sound Coxon was aiming for. The song also featured two drum kits, with Dave Rowntree and Graham Coxon both banging on the drums simultaneously.

The track’s title was originally just a working title, representing the track’s placement on the album, but the name stuck. In the end, the numerology works out well, as the song is not only the second song on the album, but is 2 minutes and 2 seconds long, features 2 verses and 2 choruses, and eventually peaked at #2 on UK charts.

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InsideTheSong

Produce Like A Pro is a website which features great tips to help the beginning recordist make incredible sounding home recordings on a budget.

[Producelikeapro]

If you could see the behind-the-scenes of any song, which song would it be?

[chrisofnottingham]

Successfully managing to pull off being a teenager while middle aged

[MatthewJohnCrittenden]

Weird how this and Creep started as jokes and turned into classics. Music, gotta love it ...

[paulsmith]

Imagine if Blur had actually done an whole album in this style.

[devildriver]

3:31
"I'm what?"

"...yeah...."

[snooootch]

I was really confused when I misread the title of this video as “the making of Sonic 2 with Graham Coxon”

[ferabra]

2:01 Graham manages to play the actual drum track with his mouth, kick snare AND hi hat.

[chrischurchill]

I "met" Graham years ago when I was working as a cook in a cafe called Revival in central Bristol. I think he ordered a baked potato with beans and cheese. Seemed like a lovely bloke. I remember acting like I had no idea who he was when I should have said "dude, if you ever need a bassist....

[danolivier]

Blur was always a perfect mix of emotional, quirky, melodic, experimental and rocking

[bann]

my biggest take away is that, while the song sounds simple, there are actually a lot of little things that they have added to sweeten it (extra bass line melody, one note on guitar in the chorus, extra pair of hands on the drums...etc) and that's why it never sound right when played live. They can never recapture it with just the four of them playing their instruments. This is ultimately a imagined punk song

[footlong]

Imagine having your biggest hit put together like this yet your most technical stuff almost gets ignored. He's such a talented guitarist

[roadkillmoth]

Damon: "AND I'M PINS AND I'M NEEDLES"
And what?
"Yeah"

[jimsanger]

I remember when this came out and everyone saw blur in a completely new light. Graham is the main reason I play a tele

[Timeboycomedy]

Graham is such class and Alex James is criminally underrated as a bassist

[Sebmpg]

Goes to show you don’t need perfect tracking with no bleed and all that. You just need raw emotion

[Robbie_B]

What a quality bloke Graham is. So chilled and not bothered, yet brilliant.

[tiffbyun]

honestly i think graham is the most instinctive and genius musician in the whole world, of all the times. and i don't accept his modesty!

[infesticon]

The brilliances of song 2 is going woo hoo for the chorus while having the metal 4 chords of pop.

[MattDiMarinoMusic]

Gotta love how this video is 6 times longer than the actual song

[djtrets]

Graham Coxon has released really great stuff as solo artist too.