"End of a Century" is a song by English

alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from mainstream or commerci ...

band Blur. Released in November 1994, it was the last single to be released from their third album, ''

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 i ...

'' (1994). "End of a Century" reached number 19 on the UK Singles Chart, considered a disappointment by Andy Ross (British music), Andy Ross of Food Records. Albarn later stated that "End of a Century" may not have been the best choice for the album's fourth single, and that "This Is a Low" would have been a better alternative.

Lyrical content

Damon Albarn stated that the song is about "how couples get into staying in and staring at each other. Only instead of candle-light, it's the TV light." The opening line, "she said there's ants in the carpet", refers to an infestation of ants that Albarn and his then-girlfriend Justine Frischmann suffered in their then-home in Kensington. The lyrics seem to emphasise the then upcoming millennium change and the fact that people contemplate the future rather than take care of the present. Producer Stephen Street saw the song as "Damon getting the art of songwriting really sorted".

Music video

The video is a live performance recorded at Alexandra Palace. As with their later video to Tender (song), Tender, it uses the audio track of the live performance, rather than overdubbing the audio of the studio take.

Track listings

7-inch and cassette single # "End of a Century" (Damon Albarn, Albarn, Graham Coxon, Coxon, Alex James (musician), James and Dave Rowntree, Rowntree; Lyrics by Albarn) – 2:47 # "Red Necks" (Albarn, Coxon, James, Rowntree; Lyrics by Coxon) – 3:04 CD single # "End of a Century" (Albarn, Coxon, James, Rowntree; Lyrics by Albarn) – 2:47 # "Red Necks" (Albarn, Coxon, James, Rowntree; Lyrics by Coxon) – 3:04 # "Alex's Song" (James) – 2:42

Personnel

* Damon Albarn – lead vocals, electric organ, organ * Graham Coxon – acoustic and electric guitars, clarinet, backing vocals * Alex James (musician), Alex James – bass guitar * Dave Rowntree – drums

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

{{Authority control 1994 singles 1994 songs Blur (band) songs Food Records singles Wikipedia requested audio of songs Song recordings produced by Stephen Street Songs written by Alex James (musician) Songs written by Damon Albarn Songs written by Dave Rowntree Songs written by Graham Coxon