"End of a Century" is a song by English alternative rock band Blur. Released in November 1994, it was the last single to be released from their third album, Parklife (1994). "End of a Century" reached number 19 on the UK Singles Chart, considered a disappointment by Andy Ross of Food Records.[2] Albarn later stated that "End of a Century" may not have been the best choice for the album's fourth single, and that "This Is a Low" would have been a better alternative.[citation needed]
"End of a Century" | ||||
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Single by Blur | ||||
from the album Parklife | ||||
B-side |
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Released | 7 November 1994 (1994-11-07)[1] | |||
Recorded | October 1993–January 1994 | |||
Genre | Britpop | |||
Length | 2:46 | |||
Label | Food | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Stephen Street | |||
Blur singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"End of a Century" on YouTube | ||||
Damon Albarn stated that the song is about "how couples get into staying in and staring at each other. Only instead of candle-light, it's the TV light." The opening line, "she said there's ants in the carpet", refers to an infestation of ants that Albarn and his then-girlfriend Justine Frischmann suffered in their then-home in Kensington.[2] The lyrics seem to emphasise the then upcoming millennium change and the fact that people contemplate the future rather than take care of the present.[citation needed] Producer Stephen Street saw the song as "Damon getting the art of songwriting really sorted".[2]
The video is a live performance recorded at Alexandra Palace. As with their later video to Tender, it uses the audio track of the live performance, rather than overdubbing the audio of the studio take.
7-inch and cassette single
CD single
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