# Chemical World

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For the Royal Society of Chemistry journal, see [Chemistry World](/source/Chemistry_World).

"**Chemical World**" is a song by the English [rock](/source/Rock_music) band [Blur](/source/Blur_(band)), included on their second album, *[Modern Life Is Rubbish](/source/Modern_Life_Is_Rubbish)* (1993), and released in June 1993 by [Food Records](/source/Food_Records). The song was written by the band and produced by them with [Stephen Street](/source/Stephen_Street), [Clive Langer](/source/Clive_Langer), [Alan Winstanley](/source/Alan_Winstanley) and [Steve Lovell](/source/Steve_Lovell). It peaked at number 28 on the [UK Singles Charts](/source/UK_Singles_Charts) as well as number 27 on the US *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))* [Modern Rock Tracks](/source/Modern_Rock_Tracks) chart.

## Tracks

The single was released in the UK on 7-inch and 12-inch [vinyl](/source/Gramophone_record) and two CDs. CD1 and the 12-inch featured the reworked demo version while CD2 and the 7-inch featured the [Stephen Street](/source/Stephen_Street) version (in edited form on the 7-inch). The 12-inch and CD2 feature three exclusive tracks "Young & Lovely", "Es Schmecht" and "My Ark". "Young & Lovely" was hailed as one of the greatest "lost tracks" by [*Q*](/source/Q_(magazine)) in 2007.

CD1 features three tracks recorded live at [Glastonbury Festival](/source/Glastonbury_Festival) 1992. The song "Never Clever" had not been previously released. It was originally intended as the follow-up to Blur's fourth single, "[Popscene](/source/Popscene)". However, the commercial death of "Popscene" prompted those plans to be abandoned. The studio version of "Never Clever" was eventually released on a [promo CD](/source/Promotional_recording) to celebrate [Food Records](/source/Food_Records)' 100th release in 1997.

The 7-inch [vinyl](/source/Vinyl_record) has a [cover version](/source/Cover_version) of [Rod Stewart](/source/Rod_Stewart)'s "[Maggie May](/source/Maggie_May)", which had been recorded for and was first released on *[Ruby Trax](/source/Ruby_Trax)*, a 1992 triple album compilation of cover versions issued by the *[NME](/source/NME)* on its 40th birthday. It was also featured on Blur's *[The Special Collectors Edition](/source/The_Special_Collectors_Edition)* in 1994 along with "Es Schmecht".

## Release

"Chemical World" was released on 28 June 1993 as the second [single](/source/Single_(music)) from *[Modern Life Is Rubbish](/source/Modern_Life_Is_Rubbish)*,[3] equalling their previous release "[For Tomorrow](/source/For_Tomorrow_(song))" at number 28 in the [UK Singles Charts](/source/UK_Singles_Charts).[4] In the United States, the song reached number 27 on the [Modern Rock Tracks](/source/Modern_Rock_Tracks) chart, becoming the only single from the album to chart there.[5]

The song was commissioned by Blur's American record label, [SBK Records](/source/SBK_Records), to increase the album's appeal for the American market.[6] The first version shown to SBK was a demo produced by the band. It was then re-recorded in a version produced by Stephen Street. This version was used for the UK version of the album but SBK preferred the demo which was 'reworked' by producers [Clive Langer](/source/Clive_Langer) and [Alan Winstanley](/source/Alan_Winstanley) and used for the US album. Although originally never labelled as such (with only the producer credits on the sleeves and labels showing which version is used), this version is now known as "Chemical World (Reworked)" which is how it appeared since 1999's *[The 10 Year Limited Edition Anniversary Box Set](/source/The_10_Year_Limited_Edition_Anniversary_Box_Set)*.

The single cover features a red [Ferrari F40](/source/Ferrari_F40) and a [mustang](/source/Mustang) against a background of the [Brooklyn Bridge](/source/Brooklyn_Bridge) and the [Manhattan](/source/Manhattan) skyline. The music video shows the band in a grassy field surrounded by wildlife. On the 1994 *[Beavis and Butt-head](/source/Beavis_and_Butt-head)* episode "Generation in Crisis", when the video was reviewed, [Beavis](/source/Beavis) ([Mike Judge](/source/Mike_Judge)) said that he wanted to urinate all over the band and the wildlife, including a snail and [Damon Albarn](/source/Damon_Albarn). "Chemical World" did not appear on the 2000 greatest hits compilation *[Blur: The Best Of](/source/Blur:_The_Best_Of)* but was included on the 2009 compilation *[Midlife: A Beginner's Guide to Blur](/source/Midlife:_A_Beginner's_Guide_to_Blur)*.

## Critical reception

[Miranda Sawyer](/source/Miranda_Sawyer) from *[Select](/source/Select_(magazine))* wrote, "On Blur's 'Chemical World' (*[Food](/source/Food_Records)*), Damon tells the tale of some poor townie lass who takes the bus into the country to get a bit of fresh air and loses her flat as a result."[7]

## Track listings

All music was composed by [Damon Albarn](/source/Damon_Albarn), [Graham Coxon](/source/Graham_Coxon), [Alex James](/source/Alex_James_(musician)) and [Dave Rowntree](/source/Dave_Rowntree). All lyrics were written by Albarn except where noted.

- **7-inch**

1. "Chemical World" (radio edit) – 3:54
1. "[Maggie May](/source/Maggie_May)" ([Rod Stewart](/source/Rod_Stewart) and [Martin Quittenton](/source/Martin_Quittenton)) – 4:05

- **12-inch**

1. "Chemical World" (reworked) – 3:46 (uncredited on sleeve that it is the reworked demo version)
1. "Es Schmecht" – 3:38
1. "Young & Lovely" – 5:04
1. "My Ark" – 5:58

- **CD1 (live tracks from [Glastonbury Festival](/source/Glastonbury_Festival) [1992](/source/Glastonbury_Festival_line-ups#1992))**

1. "Chemical World" (reworked) (uncredited on sleeve that it is the reworked demo version)
1. "Never Clever" (live) ([Blur](/source/Blur_(band)) (music and lyrics))– 2:28
1. "Pressure on Julian" (live) – 5:00
1. "Come Together" (live) – 3:30

- **CD2**

1. "Chemical World" (radio edit) – 3:54
1. "Young & Lovely" – 5:04
1. "Es Schmecht" – 3:38
1. "My Ark" – 5:58

## Personnel

- "Chemical World" and "Young & Lovely" produced by [Stephen Street](/source/Stephen_Street)
- "Es Schmecht" produced by [Blur](/source/Blur_(band))
- "My Ark" produced by Blur and John Smith
- "Maggie May" produced by Steve Lovell
- "Chemical World" (Reworked) produced by Blur, [Clive Langer](/source/Clive_Langer) and [Alan Winstanley](/source/Alan_Winstanley)

### Chemical World

- [Damon Albarn](/source/Damon_Albarn) – vocals
- [Graham Coxon](/source/Graham_Coxon) – electric guitars, acoustic guitars, backing vocals
- [Alex James](/source/Alex_James_(musician)) – bass guitar
- [Dave Rowntree](/source/Dave_Rowntree) – drums

### Intermission

- Damon Albarn – piano
- Graham Coxon – electric guitar
- Alex James – bass guitar
- Dave Rowntree – drums

## Charts

Chart (1993) Peak position Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[8] 87 UK Airplay (Music Week)[9] 16

## References

1. Stiernberg, Bonnie (11 June 2014). ["The 50 Best Britpop Songs"](https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/the-50-best-britpop-songs/). *[Paste](/source/Paste_(magazine))*. Retrieved 24 May 2021.

1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. ["Modern Life Is Rubbish – Blur | Songs, Reviews, Credits"](http://www.allmusic.com/album/modern-life-is-rubbish-mw0000104918). [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic). Retrieved 24 May 2021.

1. "New Releases: Singles". *[Music Week](/source/Music_Week)*. 26 June 1993. p. 27.

1. OCC

1. ["Blur – Awards"](http://www.allmusic.com/artist/blur-mn0000758444/awards). AllMusic. Retrieved 6 May 2013.

1. Cavanagh, David & Stuart Maconie (July–August 1995). "How did they do that?". *Select*

1. Sawyer, Miranda (August 1993). ["New Singles"](https://selectmagazinescans.monkeon.co.uk/showpage.php?file=wp-content/uploads/2010/10/singles.jpg). *[Select](/source/Select_(magazine))*. p. 111. Retrieved 1 January 2025.

1. ["Eurochart Hot 100"](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1993/MM-1993-07-24.pdf). *[Music & Media](/source/Music_%26_Media)*. Vol. 10, no. 30. 24 July 1993. p. 19. Retrieved 24 March 2024.

1. ["Top 50 Airplay Chart"](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1993/Music-Week-1993-07-24.pdf). *[Music Week](/source/Music_Week)*. 24 July 1993. p. 20. Retrieved 30 April 2024.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Chemical World](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_World) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_World?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.