Blur - Beetlebum (Jools Holland 1997)

"Beetlebum" is a song by English band Blur. It was released as the lead single for 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"). It is believed that the song is about heroin and the drug experiences that Damon Albarn had with his then girlfriend, Justine Frischmann of Elastica. Albarn has stated in an interview with MTV that the song describes a complicated emotion, sort of 'sleepy' and sort of 'sexy'.

"Beetlebum" is very highly regarded by fans of Blur. A members' poll on blurtalk.com currently rates "Beetlebum" as Blur's best single, beating its nearest competitors "The Universal", "Coffee & TV" and "Popscene" by a considerable margin. The band also seems to consider the song one of their best. Even Blur's rival, Noel Gallagher has praised it, when on Zane Lowe's brown couch he described it as his favourite Blur song. It is the opening track on Blur and Blur: The Best of.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• blur
• live
• beetlebum
• song
• jools
• holland
• england
• uk
• tv
• britpop
• damon
• albarn
• alex
• james
• graham
• coxon

[114underground]

There's a big "1998" written at the clock behind, which makes me doubt if it's really 1997... not that anyone cares :)

[staybeautiful33]

@114underground it was the 31th december 1997...

[cauthoncrazy]

I could watch Graham Coxon play that guitar part all day long.

[spongekitkat0422]

i find it a bit off seeing the people dancing int he background

[WlNDAGO]

best song ever!

[iniggr3]

@staybeautiful33

what a shitty way to spend new year's day party

[chikochan43]

i gotta say, oh my Graham, you are an amazing guitarist.

[johnmcluskey]

Just think, this performance was 14 years ago to this day and it's still hard to get music to sound as good as this. Just fantastic!!

[chchchcherrybomb37]

If I could play guitar a fifth as well as Graham I'd be very, very happy.

[CloudbreakFox]

Damon rocks!!! And also his T-Shirt!!!

[LECOMTE330]

coooooool!!!

[sherbert500]

95 to 00 was mental for music and since then its died a death ....we need a new movement or something........music is so bland and stale it needs a kick up the ass....had the punk in the 70s britpop in the 90s..........

[Goodywagon]

@cguitar100 I mean seriously man. Soo whack.

[cguitar100]

@Goodywagon so funny bro

[VermontConnection]

Graham I wanna be your guitar

[rossomaguire17]

@114underground its the new years eve episode of jools holland

[EyeSpyHiFi]

What a fucking performance!

[thespecialkkid]

i remember watching this when it aired, man this takes me back

[maurolinga]

@staybeautiful33 what a end of a year, fookin party

[Goodywagon]

So 8 people had a twitch and slipped right on the click right? What is not love about this? Hope you weren't expecting meat dresses.

[Goodywagon]

This is performed flawlessly!

Fucking Graham,

Holly shit!

[lizshiviosk]

i can see that damon love ACDC :))

[lynchaxxonn]

@TheSmithDorian absolutely this song/album is absolutely brilliant even if song2 was played to fuck. blur is one of the best rock bands(use that term loosely of course) ever period and never got their proper respects in america

[TheSmithDorian]

@ADREYCOMP

Spot on. The outro is something else - you can sit and glide your way down for hours just listening to that ending over and over.