The Verve - Urban Hymns

Uwefuchs

Well-known member
Jesus christ what an album!

Just been listening to this, to be honest its the first time I've listened to a lot of these songs for years and forgot how good it was.

I think its one the best albums from that era and so underrated.

Obviously you've got the well known songs like Bittersweet Symphony and lucky man which ended up as singles but songs like Space and Time, Weeping Willow and Velvet Morning are absolutely class.

It took me right back to my youth!
 
There were rumours at the time that a certain Gallagher brother ‘helped’ write a lot of it.

Listen to the lyrics of ‘drugs don’t work’ and tell me that’s not about chemo and someone dying of cancer, you can’t. Awesome piece of work.
 
Quite possibly the best album of the 90s because of the sheer quality of every track, there is no She's Electric or Married with Children which to me means it's better than both Definitely Maybe and WTSMG.

As fir the Gallagher influence Noel often claims credit as he dedicated Cast no Shadow to Richard Ashcroft and told him to sort his 6hit out with Nick Mcabe and lo and behold within 18 months they had written and recorded Urban Hymns.

Haigh Hall 98 will always be my Knebworth
 
Funny enough the only song i skip is the drugs dint work. Still one my favourite albums though. No way on earth theres any oasis writing connection its far better than their output
During Oasis Knebworth gigs in 96 Liam Gallagher pays homage to Richard Ashcroft.
 
There were rumours at the time that a certain Gallagher brother ‘helped’ write a lot of it.

Listen to the lyrics of ‘drugs don’t work’ and tell me that’s not about chemo and someone dying of cancer, you can’t. Awesome piece of work.
Why would Ashcroft need help from an inferior song writer?
 
can remember watching the verve in concert on the box and really enjoying the show, only knew a couple of tracks but it came over really well.
 
Have seen Richard Ashcroft a couple of times and again, when he popped up at a Liam Gallagher gig as a guest. First time I saw him was in 1999, just after The Verve split. Alone, he's superb, with The Verve, I imagine it would have been brilliant. As for UH, what an album! Plenty of memories attached to it. Mostly related to my first year at university. Blasting out Bittersweet on my stereo, with the windows open, during a hot summer in 1998.
 
Bittersweet Symphony was basically a sample of Andrew Oldham’s orchestral cover of Rolling Stones This Will be The Last Time

Bittersweet Symphony would still be a great song just backed by strumming chords on an acoustic guitar. While the sample instrumental does enhance the song considerably, Ashcroft deserves a lot of credit for turning it into a great song that far surpasses its source material.
 
So many memories. Reminds me of school days. My Mum loved the album and used to play it in the car on the way to drop me off at school. Lent the CD to a 'mate' and never saw it again. 'Lucky Man' is one of those great nostalgia songs for me. Fortunate enough to see the Verve at V Festival 2008. Saw Ashcroft at the Town Hall a few years back and he opened with 'Sonnet'. Magic.
 
Bittersweet Symphony was basically a sample of Andrew Oldham’s orchestral cover of Rolling Stones This Will be The Last Time

I only found this out a few months ago. I was listing to Spotify on my TV and it came up in the song facts.

Apparently the Verve don't receive one penny in royalties from it. Arguably their best song and most played in movies and adverts etc. Stunning😕
 
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