"No Distance Left to Run" is a song by English rock band Blur from their sixth studio album, '' 13'' (1999). It was released as the third and final single from the album on 15 November 1999, reaching number 14 on the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. It is widely understood to refer to Blur vocalist
Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn (; born 23 March 1968) is an English-Icelandic musician, singer-songwriter and composer, best known as the frontman and primary lyricist of the rock band Blur and as the co-creator and primary musical contributor of the virtual ...
's split from long-term partner
Justine Frischmann
Justine Elinor Frischmann (born 16 September 1969) is an English artist and retired musician. She was the lead singer of the Britpop band Elastica after forming Suede, before retiring from the music industry and pursuing a career as a painter.
...
.
Music and lyrics
Damon Albarn says that he is affected by this song: "It upsets me, that song. It upset me singing it. Doing that vocal upset me greatly. To sing that lyric I really had to accept that that was the end of something in my life. It's amazing when you do have the guts to do that with your work, because it don't half help you." The name of the song is also
the title
The Title are a British four-piece indie band based in Stoke-on-Trent, England, and signed with Sons Ltd.documentary about the band, which was released in cinemas in January 2010.
Music video
The promotional video directed by
Thomas Vinterberg
Thomas Vinterberg (; born 19 May 1969) is a Danish film director who, along with Lars von Trier, co-founded the Dogme 95 movement in filmmaking, which established rules for simplifying movie production. He is best known for the films ''The Celeb ...
is notable for using night-vision cameras to capture all four members of the band asleep in their respective beds. A DVD version was also released that featured a short documentary about the making of the video. Alex James reportedly dreamt that he "was in Germany in a karaoke bar. I think I was a leopard for a minute."
B-sides
The B-side "Beagle 2", was sent aboard
Beagle 2
The ''Beagle 2'' is an inoperative British Mars lander that was transported by the European Space Agency's 2003 ''Mars Express'' mission. It was intended to conduct an astrobiology mission that would have looked for evidence of past life on Mar ...
, an unsuccessful British landing spacecraft that formed part of the European Space Agency's 2003 Mars Express mission. The DVD edition of the single features a video of footage of the Beagle 2 over which plays "Far Out (Beagle 2 remix)", a full band version of a song originally from ''
Parklife
''Parklife'' is the third studio album by the English rock band Blur, released on 25 April 1994 on Food Records. After disappointing sales for their previous album ''Modern Life Is Rubbish'' (1993), ''Parklife'' returned Blur to prominence in ...
'', using an outtake from the ''Parklife'' sessions.
Track listing
*CD1
# "No Distance Left To Run" – 3:28
# " Tender" ( Cornelius remix) – 5:23
# "So You" – 4:14
*Enhanced CD2
# "No Distance Left To Run" – 3:28
# "Battle" ( UNKLE remix) – 7:15
# "Beagle 2" – 2:52
# "No Distance Left To Run" (video)
*Cassette / Promo CD
# "No Distance Left To Run" – 3:28
# " Tender" ( Cornelius remix) – 5:23
*12" vinyl
# "No Distance Left To Run" – 3:28
# " Tender" ( Cornelius remix) – 5:23
# "Battle" ( UNKLE remix) – 7:15
*DVD
# "No Distance Left To Run" (promotional video)
# "No Distance Left To Run" (live video)
# ''The Making Of No Distance Left To Run''
# " Tender" (live video)
# "Battle" (live video)
# ''Beagle 2 (Space Footage)'' ("Far Out (Beagle 2 Remix)" soundtracks the space footage)
*European CD
# "No Distance Left To Run" – 3:28
# " Tender" ( Cornelius remix) – 5:23
# "Battle" ( UNKLE remix) – 7:15
# "Beagle 2" – 2:52
Production credits
*"No Distance Left To Run" produced by William Orbit
*"So You" and "Beagle 2" produced by Blur
*
Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn (; born 23 March 1968) is an English-Icelandic musician, singer-songwriter and composer, best known as the frontman and primary lyricist of the rock band Blur and as the co-creator and primary musical contributor of the virtual ...
: Lead Vocals, Keyboards
*
Graham Coxon
Graham Leslie Coxon (born 12 March 1969) is an English musician, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and painter who came to prominence as a founding member of the rock band Blur. As the group's lead guitarist and secondary vocalist, Cox ...
: Guitar, Backing Vocals
* Alex James: Bass Guitar
*
Dave Rowntree
David Alexander De Horne Rowntree (born 8 May 1964) is an English musician, politician, solicitor, composer and animator. He is the drummer for the rock band Blur and was a Labour Party councillor in Norfolk County Council from 2017 until 202 ...