Tag Archives: supergrass

#870: Supergrass – Moving

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Anyone remember hearing this song in a TV advert somewhere during the early 2000s? That question is mainly aimed to any British readers I may have. Because I’m sure that I’d heard ‘Moving’ somewhere before I properly listened to the song many, many years ago now. When it comes to a lot of Supergrass’ singles, I wouldn’t be able to exactly pinpoint when and where I was when I heard them for the first time. Their music videos occasionally popped up on various channels back in the day, and just through those I found that Supergrass were actually quite great. Seeing as singles receive the music video treatment, and ‘Moving’ was one of those from Supergrass’ self-titled album from 1999, the track falls into that category.

And what is ‘Moving’ about, you might ask? Why, it’s a good ol’ song about the strain of touring. Moving and moving until you barely know who you are anymore, and trying to keep your sanity by thinking of the people back home. Especially your loved ones. The band describe these feelings in two kind of sections. There are the wistful verses, led by acoustic guitars, what sounds like an organ and strings. Then there are the busier chugging choruses where the band come in together and lay down a bit of a funky rhythm. There’s a great dynamic between the two things. Makes for some attentive listening, when those verses are left lingering at their end, you can’t wait for those choruses to kick in.

When I recently read a YouTube comment somewhere saying that the track takes its intro from Pink Floyd’s ‘Dogs’, I have to say I did start listening to it just a bit differently. There is quite the similarity. And there’s another thing I’m starting to wonder. Is there a hint of– not Auto-Tune… well, maybe it is Auto-Tune… but I’ll say pitch correction on Gaz Coombes’ vocal? Because there are many live performances of Supergrass performing the track and he definitely doesn’t hit those notes as smoothly as he does on the album. Think there’s some studio trickery going on. Sounds so great though. Definitely one of those ones for a long train journey, watching the scenery pass you by. Always like a good travelling song.

#813: Supergrass – Mary

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‘Mary’ is a track on Supergrass’ self-titled album from 1999. The ‘X-Ray’ album as it’s usually referred to by fans. On it, guitarist Gaz Coombes and bassist Mick Quinn sing the vocal together, with Quinn taking the melody and Coombes on the lower harmony. The track evolved from a three chord piano riff created by then resident keyboardist Rob Coombes which pretty much repeats throughout the song’s entirety.

There is a threatening tone to this song. It has a very smooth groove to it, but Quinn and Coombes start singing about the things they’re going to do or meant to do to the listener, and how people have dark thoughts in their heads. The only thing revealed about Mary is that she has green teeth, and that she gets shocked/scared by the song’s narrator. It’s all from the perspective of someone that the listener is definitely not meant to like. And I think that’s what appeals to me the most about this song. It’s different in that way from many others by Supergrass.

Pre-YouTube days you really had to search for music videos online. I remember finding this one somewhere, and after reading that it was censored and was rarely shown during the day time… Well, it piqued my curiosity. And as you can see above, the video is quite creepy. The more scary scenes were hilariously replaced in the censored version with pictures of onions. I don’t know, either. They had to do something, I guess.

#807: Supergrass – Mansize Rooster

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I received I Should Coco for what I think was my 14th birthday. Might have even been my 13th. But by the end of that first full listen, I was sure it was another 10/10 by the group. As time’s gone on, I do think some songs on there do sound a bit dated. ‘Mansize Rooster’ falls under that category. Everything from the jaunty piano, the walking bassline, and those horns that come in the chorus. Those are just a few things. But it’s just so darn catchy, still.

The track is about a young man who is well-endowed for his age. The narrator’s strapped for cash and things aren’t looking too great in life, but with his package he might just be able to turn things around. It took me a while to get the joke in the song’s title. What’s another name for a rooster? There you go. And although the music sounds dated, I think it definitely works to give off this strange childish and horny tone of the lyrics. It’s a swinging number from the beginning before switching to a frenetic, fast-paced freakout for the choruses. It alternates between those tempos every time. It’s a crazy ride of a listen.

As you can see, Supergrass were very, very young in this music video. The members were practically children, it’s quite surreal to see. Some strange things happen in it. The three guys share a bathtub, guitarist Gaz Coombes appears in women’s clothing for a brief moment. It’s all a bit campy. It’s a good time for all.

#798: Supergrass – Mama & Papa

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Quite surprising to me that this is the first song from this album that I’m to do a post on. I’ve shared my interest in Supergrass a lot of times before, I thought I surely must have covered at least one track. But I haven’t, so here it is for you today. Supergrass’ self-titled album, their third, often referred to as the ‘X-Ray album’ because of its cover was released in the autumn/fall of 1999. I got it as a gift in… 2006, I wanna say. I’m really big on Supergrass. I don’t think there’s one dud in the band’s discography. X-Ray’s probably the one that I enjoy the least. Not because it’s bad. It doesn’t have the immediacy and the hooks like I Should Coco or In It for the Money. It’s a slow burner. A bit more experimental too. Though it does have some great songs on there, ‘Mama & Papa’ being one that I only really started appreciating a few months ago.

The track is the final one on the album, bringing things to a calm and kind of sad ending. Quite funny that after using a variety of instruments apart from your usual rock ensemble throughout the album, they close it out with an short and sweet acoustic number. After two false starts, it gets under way with a twinkling arpeggiated guitar chord and a misty ‘ooh’ backing vocal. Bassist Mick Quinn takes the lead vocal on here, singing about being alone in the park, looking up at the sky and missing his mum and dad. We’ve all been there. Usual singer and guitarist Gaz Coombes provides the harmonies and that aforementioned ‘ooh’ in the breaks.

On a live listening party for the album last year, Quinn guided Supergrass fans through the tracklist with quips and anecdotes about how each song was made. He didn’t say much about this one. Coombes was playing the track’s riff in the practice room and Quinn sung over the top. I was also listening during that ‘event’, and it was there that ‘Mama’ got to me. Only took 14 years.

#768: Supergrass – Lose It

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Wondering where to start with this one. I was given Supergrass’ debut album I Should Coco as a gift for, I think, my fourteenth birthday and I remember taking to it immediately on the first listen. ‘Lose It’ has always been a high point from the album for me even if it may be a song of Supergrass’ that a lot of people might not know so much about.

I think what made me appreciate it at first was how mean it sounded compared to the track that comes before it on the album. It was like ‘Alright’ was just a brief moment where everything’s fun and sunny before things get heavy again. Like a lot of other songs on Coco, ‘Lose It’ possesses very high energy and a bit of claustrophobic atmosphere that makes it feel like the band are just thrashing this performance in a tight room somewhere. It’s a bit intense. There aren’t many lyrics in this track either. If it wasn’t for the short “I don’t want anybody…” verse/(bridge?) – the song would just consist of its chorus. The repetitive nature just makes it all the more memorable.

The song was released as a very limited single in ’95, packaged only in the United States in the form of 2,500 copies of vinyl. Still managed to chart in the UK somehow.