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1973 (song)

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"1973"
Song

"1973" is the first single released from James Blunt's second studio album All the Lost Souls.

Background

"1973" is written by Mark Batson and James Blunt. "He was trying to write an English singer-songwriter song, and I was trying the Dr. Dre end of the scale," says Blunt.[1] The song was inspired by the club scene in Ibiza, where Blunt maintains a residence and enjoys the social scene.[2] The song has been remixed by Pete Tong and Dave Spoon as part of their Ibiza 2007 Remix Project, and Tong started playing the remix in July 2007 when acting as DJ at Pacha, the Ibiza club that inspired the song and opened in 1973.

Blunt has stated in a radio interview with KISFM on September 8th that the girl from his lyrics "Simona" was indeed based on a real woman whom he met at a club.

Release

First performed by Blunt during his Fall 2006 North American tour, 1973 was released for radio play on July 23, 2007 to selected radio stations around the world. It was made available for download exclusively from the Verizon Wireless network in the United States on that date as well. [3] Starting on August 7, 2007, the song was made widely available for digital download. CD and vinyl recordings were released on September 3, 2007.

There are four covers for the single. The CD and 7-inch have James Blunt's name spelled out using photographs of various neon signs. Below his name is the title of the song overlaid on an adaptation of the cover for the All the Lost Souls album, using multiple photographs of Blunt as a background, this time through an amber filter; the photographs beneath the song title are highlighted. The CD+DVD cover is similar, but uses a different typeface for the title and is seen through a ruby-coloured filter. The promo version has Blunt's name spelled out with neon letters, and the title is on what appears to be a theatre marquee. The covers were designed by Bose Collins.

The song has received various criticisms. The Australian Daily Telegraph quotes, "This is a musical and lyrical wasteland - where good song ideas have gone to die". It reached Number 1 in the UK and German airplay charts on 21 August 2007.

B-Sides

"Dear Katie" was written by Blunt's long-time keyboardist Paul Beard. It features vocals by Blunt and backing vocals and keyboards by Beard. Beard also mixed the song.

"So Happy" was written by Felix Howard and James Blunt. Howard has also collaborated on songs for other performers, including Sugababes.

"Annie" is written by Blunt and Jimmy Hogarth. It is also a track on the album All the Lost Souls, and has been performed at concerts since October 2006. Blunt and Hogarth have collaborated on several songs in the past, including "So Long Jimmy" from the Back to Bedlam album. The B-side is an acoustic version of the song, performed by Blunt and Paul Beard.

Music video

The video, in which a modern-day Blunt strolls among '70s street scenes, reflects the song's nostalgic tone. "The '70s sound like they were a time of excess and great flamboyance," he says, "but a sense of fun as well."[4] The video was shot in Los Angeles.

CD Singles

CD1:
1. "1973"
2. "Dear Katie"

CD2:
1. "1973"
2. "Annie" [Live from The Garden Shed]
3. "So Happy" [Single Version]
4. "1973" [CD-Rom Video]

7’’:
A. "1973"
B. "So Happy"

Promo
1. "1973" (Radio Edit)

Reception

The song debuted at #10 on the UK Singles Chart, making it his third top 10 single and the fifth released single debuting in the UK Singles Chart. In Switzerland the song debuted at #1 making it his second top 10 hit. It also peaked at #1 in China and Venezuela.

In the U.S. the song made its first appearance on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles where it peaked at #2. Still the song hasn't appeared on the Billboard Hot 100. The song peaked at #77 on the Pop 100.

From 86, the song made to jump at number 2 in Billboard's European Hot 100 Singles.

Charts

Chart Peak
position
Australian Singles Chart 17
Austria Singles Chart[5][6] 1
Belgium Singles Chart[5] 21
Brazil Singles Chart[7] 33
Canadian Hot 100 Singles Chart[8] 13
Canada Download Chart[9] 11
Canada Airplay Chart[10] 25
China Singles Chart[11] 1
Croatia Singles Chart[12] 2
Czech Singles Chart[13] 24
Denmark Singles Chart[14] 4
Europe Top 200[14] 4
Euro Air Play Top 100[15] 2
German Singles Chart[16] 2
Hungary Singles Chart[17] 22
Indonesia Singles Chart[18] 11
Italy Singles Chart[19] 2
Italy Top Digital Download Chart[20] 4
Ireland Singles Chart[21] 5
Japan Singles Chart (Foreign)[22] 4
Latvian Airplay Top[23] 12
Lithuania Single Chart[14] 3
Malta Singles Chart[14] 9
Netherlands Singles Chart 1[5] 8
Netherlands Singles Chart 2[24] 4
Netherlands Antilles Singles Chart[25] 8
Norway Singles Chart[5] 10
Poland Singles Chart[14] 8
Romania Singles Chart[26] 53
Slovakia Singles Chart[14] 4
Slovenia Singles Chart[14] 7
Spain Singles Chart[14] 37
Sweden Singles Chart[5] 7
Switzerland Sinlges Chart[5] 1
Thailand Singles Chart[27] 18
Tokyo Hot 100[28] 26
UK Singles Chart[29] 4
UK Download Chart[29]
U.S. Billboard European Hot 100 Singles 2
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 102
U.S. Billboard Hot Digital Songs 59
U.S. Billboard Pop 100 77
Global Track Chart[5] 7
World Singles Chart (Musiccharts.net)[30] 8
Venezuela Singles Chart[31] 1

References

  1. ^ http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20046330,00.html
  2. ^ http://www.i4u.com/article10181.html
  3. ^ Poletta, Michael (2007-07-21). "Beautiful and the Beat". Billboard (magazine). Billboard. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20046330,00.html
  5. ^ a b c d e f g PeaksWorld
  6. ^ [1]
  7. ^ Brazilian Hot 100
  8. ^ Canadian Hot 100
  9. ^ [2]
  10. ^ [3]
  11. ^ China Hit top 20
  12. ^ Croatia Singles Chart
  13. ^ Czech Singles Chart
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h Euro peaks
  15. ^ [4]
  16. ^ German Singles Chart
  17. ^ Hungary Singles Chart
  18. ^ Indonesia Singles Chart
  19. ^ Italian Singles Chart
  20. ^ Italy Top Digital Download Chart
  21. ^ Ireland Singles Chart
  22. ^ Hongkong Singles Chart
  23. ^ Latvian Airplay Top
  24. ^ [5]
  25. ^ Netherlands Antilles Singles Top 40
  26. ^ Romanian Singles Top 50
  27. ^ Thailand Singles Chart
  28. ^ Tokyo Hot 100
  29. ^ a b UK Singles+Download Chart
  30. ^ World Singles Chart
  31. ^ Venezuela Top 20
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