End of a Century

"End of a Century" is a song by English alternative rock band Blur. Released in November 1994 by Food Records, it was the last single to be released from their third album, Parklife (1994). The song reached number 19 on the UK Singles Chart, considered a disappointment by Andy Ross of Food.^[1] Damon 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.^{[citation needed]}

"End of a Century"
Single by Blur
from the album Parklife
B-side	"Red Necks" "Alex's Song"
Released	7 November 1994 (1994-11-07)
Genre	Britpop
Length	2:46
Label	Parlophone Food
Songwriter(s)	Damon Albarn Graham Coxon Alex James Dave Rowntree
Producer(s)	Stephen Street
Blur singles chronology
"Parklife" (1994) "End of a Century" (1994) "Country House" (1995)
Music video
"End of a Century" on YouTube

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.^[1] 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.^{[citation needed]} Producer Stephen Street saw the song as "Damon getting the art of songwriting really sorted".^[1]

Critical reception

Terry Staunton from Melody Maker wrote, "The fourth gem from Parklife in this, the year of the Blur. Forging the best bits of mid-era Beatles with wry Ray Davies observation, this has more charm than a lorryload of Lucy Claytons and should sound fantastic on the radio."^[2]

Music video

The video is a live performance recorded at Alexandra Palace.^{[citation needed]} As with their later video to "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^[3][4]

1. "End of a Century" (Albarn, Coxon, James and Rowntree; lyrics by Albarn) – 2:47
2. "Red Necks" (Albarn, Coxon, James, Rowntree; lyrics by Coxon) – 3:04

• CD and mini-CD single^[5][6]

1. "End of a Century" (Albarn, Coxon, James, Rowntree; lyrics by Albarn) – 2:47
2. "Red Necks" (Albarn, Coxon, James, Rowntree; lyrics by Coxon) – 3:04
3. "Alex's Song" (James) – 2:42

Personnel

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

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1994–1995) Peak position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] 49 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[8] 69 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[9] 2 Scotland (OCC)[10] 18 UK Singles (OCC)[11] 19

Year-end charts Chart (1995) Position Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[12] 29

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United Kingdom	7 November 1994	7-inch vinyl CD cassette	Parlophone Food	[13]
Japan	21 December 1994	Mini-CD	EMI Food	[14]

References

1. Cavanagh, David; Stuart Maconie (July–August 1995). "How did they do that?". Select.
2. Staunton, Terry (5 November 1994). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 42. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
3. Blur (1994). End of a Century (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Parlophone, Food Records. FOODS 56.
4. Blur (1994). End of a Century (UK cassette single sleeve). Parlophone, Food Records. TCFOOD 56.
5. Blur (1994). End of a Century (UK, European & Australian CD single liner notes). Parlophone, Food Records. CDFOOD56, 7243 8 81823 2 4.
6. Blur (1994). End of a Century (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). Parlophone, Food Records. TODP-2488.
7. "Blur – End of a Century" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
8. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 48. 26 November 1994. p. 15. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
9. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (25.6. '95 – 1.7. '95)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 24 June 1995. p. 26. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
10. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
11. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
12. "Árslistinn 1996". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 January 1996. p. 16. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
13. "Single Releases". Music Week. 5 November 1994. p. 23.
14. "エンド・オブ・ア・センチュリー | ブラー" [End of a Century | Blur] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 20 January 2024.