"Monsters" is a song by English singer-songwriter James Blunt. It was written by Blunt, Amy Wadge and Jimmy Hogarth for Blunt's sixth studio album Once Upon a Mind (2019).[1] It was released as the fourth single from the album on 01 November 2019.[2]
"Monsters" | ||||
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Single by James Blunt | ||||
from the album Once Upon a Mind | ||||
Released | 01 November 2019 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 4:19 | |||
Label | Atlantic Records UK | |||
Songwriter(s) | Blunt, Amy Wadge and Jimmy Hogarth | |||
James Blunt singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Monsters" on YouTube | ||||
Blunt has decided to donate all of the profit made from the song to Help for Heroes and British Legion charities.[3][4]
James Blunt's father Charles, himself a kidney donor, was diagnosed with stage four chronic kidney disease.[5] Blunt wrote "Monsters" to "express his feelings about his father and his illness, almost as if it's a touching farewell to his father".[6] In an interview with Good Morning Britain Blunt said,[5]
Really that has been an amazing moment. Because when you realise your father's mortality it's a great opportunity to say the things I'd like to say to him. So I have written a song called Monsters for him.
In the same interview he made a plea for type O kidney donors to step forward.[5] In January 2020 MSN reported Blunt's father had been scheduled for a transplant.[7]
The music video was filmed in Oxfordshire, UK, and it was directed by Vaughan Arnell.[8] The music video features James Blunt, and his father Charles Blount.[6] The video focuses on a close up of James Blunt's face as he sings the first two verses and choruses of the song, and then switches to a wider angle showing himself and his father sitting at a table while he sings the final part.[6]
Australian television presenter Lisa Wilkinson said she was "left bawling" after watching the music video of the song.[9] Monika Barton of Newshub wrote about the music video, "Go on, have a little watch and see if you have a heart, or merely just a sharp, pointy piece of flint where it should be".[10]
Minnie Wright of the Daily Express wrote, "Heartbreaking perspective illuminates the place from which Blunt has penned the deeply personal Once Upon A Mind with the arrival of Monster".[11] Lauren Murphy of Entertainment.ie wrote, "Before you watch this video, be warned that it's pretty tough going if you're feeling in any way emotionally fragile, or have lost a parent".[12] Rudi Kinsella of Joe wrote, "This is one of the most emotional music videos we've seen in a very long time".[13]
Chart (2020) | Peak position |
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UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[14] | 74 |
Canada Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[15] | 13 |
France (SNEP)[16] | 38 |
Ireland[16] | 70 |
James Blunt singles | |
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Discography | |
Back to Bedlam |
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All the Lost Souls | |
Some Kind of Trouble | |
Moon Landing | |
The Afterlove | |
Once Upon a Mind |
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Featured singles |