"Bluetonic" is a song by English indie rock band the Bluetones. Primarily written by Mark Morriss, the song was released by Paradox Records as the first single from their debut album Expecting to Fly (1996) on 2 October 1995. Inspired by an Adrian Mitchell poem, the song was originally called "No. 11" and its demo recording appeared on Fierce Panda Records' third EP compilation, Return To Splendour (1994). The single peaked at number nineteen on the UK Singles Chart. Its promotional music video was directed by Dom and Nic, and was featured on the soundtrack for the 1997 romantic crime comedy film Shooting Fish.
Background "Bluetonic" was written on a Saturday night when Mark Morriss would usually see his former girlfriend and was the eleventh track by the band. He was up the whole night with a chord progression and completed the first draft on Sunday morning. When he was studying English, the poem "Celia Celia" by Adrian Mitchell was written on one of the walls in the room that ended up getting stuck in his head. Morriss said that he wanted to write something that was "melancholy, but not too depressing." Its title changed in the same month it was released on Return To Splendour, December 1994.
Reception Melody Maker called "Bluetonic" a "classic melancholy pop single", comparing it to the Smiths' "Well I Wonder", the Stone Roses' "Waterfall", and the Field Mice's "So Sad". Sylvia Patterson of NME gave it Single of the Week in September 1995, writing it is "incorrigibly cheery". In Everett True's February 1996 review of Expecting to Fly for Melody Maker, he stated that the single alongside "Slight Return" contains "incandescent beauty". "Bluetonic" was voted number fifteen on 1995's John Peel's Festive Fifty.
Music video
The music video for "Bluetonic" was directed by Dom and Nic at their production company Oil Factory, who also directed their later video for the Bluetones' second stand-alone single, "Marblehead Johnson", released 16 September 1996. The beginning of the video was filmed at King's Cross in London, later at a service station corridor and toilets in the evening, and in a stubble field at sunrise. The initial premise for the video was that the band were on the run from going on a heist, whilst wearing cat masks made out of papier-mâché. The video also features Gareth McLennan, an old college friend of Mark Morriss, who also directed the video for their single "Fast Boy", released 21 April 2003.
The video was included on both the band's November 1997 Mondo Concerto VHS and DVD release and their October 2007 Blue Movies DVD. Upon its release, it featured on The Chart Show and Top of the Pops.
Track listing All tracks are written by Mark Morriss, Adam Devlin, Scott Morriss and Eds Chesters, except track 1; Mark Morriss, Adam Devlin, Scott Morriss, Eds Chesters and Adrian Mitchell.
UK single (CD, 12")
"Bluetonic" – 4:07 "Colorado Beetle" – 4:04 "Glad to See Y'Back Again?" – 3:25 UK single (7", cassette)
"Bluetonic" – 4:07 "Glad to See Y'Back Again?" – 3:25
Credits and personnel Credits are taken from the Expecting to Fly album booklet and CD single notes.
The Bluetones
Mark Morriss – vocals Adam Devlin – guitar Scott Morriss – bass guitar, backing vocals Eds Chesters – drums
Additional personnel
Adrian Mitchell – songwriter Hugh Jones – production Helen Woodward – mix engineering Geoff Pesche – mastering Trevor Ray Hart – photography
Charts Weekly charts Chart (1995)Peakposition
References