For Tomorrow

Single infobox
Name = For Tomorrow


Artist = Blur
from Album = Modern Life Is Rubbish
Released = 19 April 1993
Format = 12" vinyl, cassette, 2 x CD
Recorded = January 1993
Genre = Britpop
Length = 4:18
Label = EMI, Food Records
Producer = Stephen Street, Blur, John Smith
Chart position =

• #28 (UK Singles Chart)

Reviews =
Last single = "Popscene"
(1992)
This single = "For Tomorrow"
(1993)
Next single = "Chemical World"
(1993) |

"For Tomorrow" is a song by British rock band Blur and is the lead track to their second album, "Modern Life Is Rubbish". It was released 19 April 1993 as the first single from the album, charting at #28 in the UK Singles Chart. The extended version of "For Tomorrow" was included in the band's compilation album, "", and was the only song from "Modern Life Is Rubbish" to be featured on the compilation.

ingle background

In this period the band had gone on a tour of the USA which they greatly detestedfact|date=October 2008, especially as the country was the home of grunge music and audiences were not receptive to their music. After that tour lead singer Damon Albarn started to write songs with a very British feel. This was one such song, written on Christmas Day 1992. David Balfe, the head of the band's record company, commissioned this song as the original album did not have any hit singles. The single cover of the two World War II fighter planes was used by the band as a sense of Britishness. [http://www.vblurpage.com/info/history/9294.htm] "Last accessed: 24 March, 2007"]

Chart position & critical reception

The song charted at #28 in the UK in its first week of release, a position matched by Blur's next single, "Chemical World". This was the third lowest chart position the band reached in the UK, the previous single "Popscene" had reached #32 and "She's So High" in 1990 didn't make the Top 40, charting at #48. The song did not chart in any other countries.

The song received many more popular reviews than "Popscene". However, due to their recent terrible live performances, they were a bit restrained into giving the band much praisefact|date=October 2008. In fact, one reviewer wrote "Blur - you are The Soup Dragons. Now fuck off". Blur History 1992-94 ]

Lyrical themes

Primrose Hill Graffiti

The lyrics of the song are about London, and especially Primrose Hill, a hill in the borough of Camden, North London. From there one can see the whole of central London before them. Lyrics from the song: "and the view's so nice" have been written on the pavement near the top of the hill. The complete phrase from the song says "Take a drive to Primrose Hill // It's windy there, and the view's so nice". Part of the promotional video was also filmed at Primrose Hill.

Emperors Gate reference

The ending of the song has lyrics about a man, Jim, entering his house in Emperors' Gate, SW7 (Kensington). When Albarn's parents first moved to London, they lived in a flat nextdoor to The Beatles. In a 2005 interview Damon Albarn stated that he used Emperors' Gate in the lyrics because of this [ www.timeout.com Best London songs "For Tomorrow" [http://www.timeout.com/london/music/features/2026/5.html#15] "Last accessed: 24 March, 2007"] (13 Emperors' Gate was the first London-based home for the Lennons; they lived there in 1964 [cite book | author=Chris Ingham| title=The Rough Guide to the Beatles| year=2003 | issue=1 | page=336 ] ). He found it "romantic" that his parents lived right next to these people.

Increase in stature

Like "Modern Life is Rubbish", the album this song appears on, "For Tomorrow" has massively increased in stature since its release. The song charted at #15 in a "Time Out" poll about the best songs about London, with the magazine labelling the track as an "indie anthem" [Time Out Magazine: The 50 best London songs [http://www.timeout.com/london/music/features/2026.html] "Last accessed: 24 March, 2007"] . In addition, "MOJO" magazine chose this song in their "50 Greatest British Tracks Ever" list, beating more well-known Blur songs [ MOJO- Greatest British Tracks ever [http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/mojo_p2.htm#The_50_Greatest_British_Tracks_Ever] "Last accessed: 24 March, 2007"] . In a blurtalk.com vote, For Tomorrow was voted fifth out of all of the band's singles, despite being the third lowest charting on its release [ www.blurtalk.com- Blur Singles vote [http://www.blurtalk.com/Vote.asp?pagename=Blur_Singles_Vote] "Last accessed: 24 March, 2007"] .

Music video

The video, directed by Julien Temple, was filmed in a classic black and white style. This, backed with the front cover of the World War II fighter planes and the typical British clothing worn by Albarn in the video, shows that the band was going for a pro-British, anti-American record. The video was shot entirely in London. Some repeated scenes include:
* The band at Trafalgar Square
* Shots of Nelson's Column
* Albarn leaning out of a London bus
* The band flying kites atop Primrose Hill

The video ends with Albarn rolling down Primrose Hill with a girl.

Track listings

*CD1
#"For Tomorrow" (visit to primrose hill extended)
#"Peach"
#"Bone Bag"

*CD2 (released 26th april)
#"For Tomorrow" (single version)
#"When The Cows Come Home"
#"Beachcoma"
#"For Tomorrow" (acoustic)

*12"
#"For Tomorrow" (visit to primrose hill extended)
#"Into Another"
#"Hanging Over

*Cassette
#"For Tomorrow" (visit to primrose hill extended)
#"Into Another"
#"Hanging Over"

Production Credits

*"For Tomorrow" and "When the Cows Come Home" produced by Stephen Street
*"Peach", "Bone Bag", "Beachcoma", "Into Another" and "Hanging Over" produced by Blur and John Smith

References

External links

*"Allmusic" reviews: [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:4gr67ub020j3~T1 12"] , [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:87320r8ai48i~T1 CD1] , [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:hb63tr4rkl4x~T1 CD2]
* [http://www.funkypancake.com/blog/archives/006646.html Story of the lyrics being put on Primrose Hill]