Animal Nitrate

"Animal Nitrate" is the third single by Suede, released on Nude Records in 1993 and later included on the band's debut album Suede. It charted at number seven on the UK Singles Chart, making it the highest-charting single from the album. The song is the band's highest-charting single in Ireland and New Zealand, peaking at number 11 in both countries. It also debuted and peaked at number 21 in Sweden but stayed on the chart for only two weeks.

"Animal Nitrate"
Single by Suede
from the album Suede
B-side"The Big Time"
Released22 February 1993
Recorded1992
StudioMaster Rock Studios, London, England
GenreBritpop, alternative rock, glam rock
Length3:27
LabelNude
Songwriter(s)Brett Anderson, Bernard Butler
Producer(s)Ed Buller
Suede singles chronology
"Metal Mickey"
(1992)		 "Animal Nitrate"
(1993)		 "So Young"
(1993)
Audio sample
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Background

Suede had received widespread media coverage in the year leading up to the release of the debut album in March 1993.[1] "Animal Nitrate", released one month before the album was the third in a triptych of singles following on from the successful first two singles, "The Drowners" and "Metal Mickey". The title of the song is a reference to the inhalant drug amyl nitrite, although singer Brett Anderson has said it has more to do with other drugs like ecstasy and cocaine.[2] The idea of the song came about when Anderson went through a period where, he says: "drugs were taking the place of people."[2] Chris Jones, reviewing Suede's debut album for the BBC, concurred. "Despite its punning title it’s a thrill-seeking slice of cynicism that perfectly summed up what it was like to be young and chemically imbalanced in the nation’s capital at the time."[3]

The original working title for the song was "Dixon", as guitarist Bernard Butler's guitar part during the chorus was inspired by the intro to popular BBC television series Dixon of Dock Green.[4] The song was almost overlooked as a single. While initially, Anderson was convinced that the ballad "Sleeping Pills" would be the third single; he was overruled by Nude Records owner Saul Galpern, who insisted that "Nitrate" had the broader commercial appeal as a single.[5] Speaking to NME in 2013 on writing the song, Anderson said: "We were rehearsing it for months and months and Bernard kept asking me if I had any lyrics for it and I wanted something special to say over the top of what he’s written. I like the fact it’s a song about a dark, murky world that ended up in the Top 10."[6] Indeed, Anderson had stated in the first Melody Maker cover story in April 1992 that his fantasy was to have written a top-ten UK single about "some bizarre sexual experience."[7]

Music video

The video for the title track was directed by Pedro Romhanyi. The band caused some controversy with the video as scenes involving a fat lady in a bikini, and someone kissing a man with a pig's head were cut from various screenings.[8] In the UK, the ITV network refused to air the video during daytime programming as it features scenes of two men kissing and embracing. "[The video] was too contentious for the Saturday lunchtime slot," said an ITV spokesperson. Howard Wuelfing, a New York publicist for Columbia Records, defended the video as mere "flirting with sexual imagery... through androgyny."[9] The band took cocaine to prepare for the video. Anderson wanted to replicate the energy of their live shows, he explained: "We weren't experienced enough at the time to just do it on cue. I think we ended up getting a load of coke in and jumping around like lunatics. Back in the days when we used to do things like that."[6] The video was filmed in Lisson Green housing estate in the London borough City of Westminster. The band reportedly used flat number 18 and paid the occupants a tenner for the inconvenience caused.[10] It won the first MTV Euro Video Song Contest in 1993.[11]

Release and promotion

The song was first performed live six months before its actual release at the 1992 Reading Festival.[7] Throughout late 1992, the song would feature at many of Suede's UK live shows along with many other songs which made it on to the album. It would receive its largest audience when the band played the song at the 1993 Brit Awards one week prior to its release. When the NME heard that Suede had been left off the nominations for the Brit Awards, they began a weekly campaign to get them to perform at the awards on the night.[12] The song was nominated for Best British Single at the following year's Brit Awards. The single was released 22 February 1993 and became the band's first top-ten single charting at no. 7 on the UK Singles Chart.[13] The single remained at no. 7 the following week.[14] At the time this was considered a rare feat for an indie band, something which Saul Galpern points to the Brits performance as the reason for its success.[5] It is estimated the performance reached approximately nine million homes.[15] While the song's subject matter may not have particularly appealed to the masses, Anderson agreed that it did reach a wide audience due to its hooks and radio friendly appeal.[5] The single was also the band's big breakthrough in Sweden, a country where the band would have long-term future success. Two weeks prior to the release of the single, Sony Music Sweden had ordered finished product directly from Nude Records and sent it to key radio producers, media and retailers. The promotion efforts paid off when "Animal Nitrate" became a big radio hit in Sweden and generated strong interest in the band's first Swedish gig.[16] The special showcase in Stockholm on the second date of the band's European tour on 21 April 1993 was sold out the month before.[17] The single peaked on the Swedish charts at no. 21 on 24 March.[18]

Reception

Billboard wrote: "Follow-up to debut U.S. single 'Metal Mickey' not as hard-hitting, but a strong cut no less. Sound is skewed toward power pop, with emphasis on heavy melody and stomping rhythms. Perhaps too much emphasis on the latter, however, as single lacks fluidity. Much-touted lead singer Brett Anderson wrenches his vocals from the gut, recalling early performances from Duran Duran's Simon LeBon."[19] The Age awarded it 'Single of the Week', writing: "This single is their album's strongest, an irresistible mix of strange guitar riffery, manic rhythm section and a personality desperately craving to be noticed."[20] Select ranked the song at no. 1 in its single of the year for 1993.[21]

Accolades

In March 2005, Q placed "Animal Nitrate" at number 97 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.[22] In May 2007, NME magazine placed "Animal Nitrate" at number 43 in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever.[23] In 2012 the same magazine placed the song at number 14 on its 100 Best Tracks of the Nineties.[24] It again recognised the song in 2014 by ranking it at number 33 in its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[25] A 2010 Radio X poll of listeners, presenters and a team of experts compiled a list of the top 1000 songs of all time, where "Animal Nitrate" ranked at number 60.[26] In 2014, Paste listed the song at number 29 in its 50 Best Britpop Songs.[27]

Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian included the song in her "10 of the Best" Britpop songs. She said that "Butler's opening riff is one of the most undeniable in pop."[28] Louder Sound included Butler's guitar solo at no. 94 in their list of the "100 greatest guitar solos in rock."[29]

Track listings

All songs written by Brett Anderson and Bernard Butler.

7" Vinyl, Cassette

  1. "Animal Nitrate"
  2. "The Big Time"

12" Vinyl, CD

  1. "Animal Nitrate"
  2. "Painted People"
  3. "The Big Time"

Charts
Chart (1993) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[30] 89
Ireland (IRMA)[31] 11
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[32] 11
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[18] 21
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[13] 7

Cover versions

Basement covered the song on their 2014 EP Further Sky.[33] Zachary Houle of PopMatters wrote that the cover "strip[ped] away all of the glam" of the original, making it "a straightforward rock anthem."[33] Alternative Press contributor Brian Kraus considered it "faithful to the original" and the best song on the EP.[34] He called it "a fine fit" amongst the "lighthearted moods" found on the EP.[34] AbsolutePunk staff member Aj LaGambina thought the track "blend[ed] in as if it" was one of the band's own compositions.[35] Punknews.org reviewer RENALDO69 called the cover "tight—knit and sharp" within the "very polished" EP.[36]

In September 2015 The Libertines performed a live version of the song at a gig at Camden's Dublin Castle in London.[37]

References
  1. Leith, William (21 March 1993). "Now you see them..." The Independent. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  2. Mulvey, John (20 February 1993). "Latter-Day Nitrate Fever". NME: 24.
  3. Jones, Chris (19 Apr 2007). "All wrapped in androgyny and attitude..." BBC Music.
  4. Barnett 2003, p. 94.
  5. Barnett 2003, p. 109.
  6. "Suede: 'We got a load of cocaine in to make the 'Animal Nitrate' video'". NME. 1 March 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
  7. Barnett 2003, p. 93.
  8. Barnett 2003, p. 110.
  9. Ali, Lorraine (18 April 1993). "Pop Eye". Los Angeles Times. p. 59.
  10. Smith, Oliver (24 February 2016). "54 locations that defined Britpop". The Telegraph. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  11. Russell, Deborah (23 April 1994). "Promotions & Appointments Tighten Ties At MTV, VH-1". Billboard. p. 40. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  12. "Suede perform 'Animal Nitrate' at the Brits". BBC Music. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  13. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  14. "Official Singles Chart Top 75". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  15. "London Suede" (PDF). Billboard. 17 September 1994. p. 16. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  16. Neptune, Ken (12 February 1994). "Brits Around the World" (PDF). Billboard: 46–48. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
  17. Tilli, Robert (10 April 1993). "Will Anderson Persuede The Continent?" (PDF). Music & Media. p. 12. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  18. "Swedishcharts.com – Suede – Animal Nitrate". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  19. Flick, Larry (10 July 1993). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard: 62. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  20. "Singles". The Age. 18 June 1993. p. 32. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  21. "Suede - Animal Nitrate". Acclaimed Music. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  22. "Q Magazine - 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks Ever!".
  23. "The Greatest Indie Anthems Ever". NME. 1 May 2007. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  24. Breihan, Tom (16 May 2012). "NME's 100 Best Tracks of the Nineties". NME. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  25. Barker, Emily (31 January 2014). "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". NME. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
  26. "The Top 1,000 Songs Of All Time - 100 to 1". Radio X. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  27. Stiernberg, Bonnie (11 June 2014). "The 50 Best Britpop Songs". Paste. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  28. Sullivan, Caroline (15 February 2017). "Britpop songs – 10 of the best". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  29. "The 100 greatest guitar solos in rock". Louder Sound. 28 September 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  30. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  31. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Animal Nitrate". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  32. "Charts.nz – Suede – Animal Nitrate". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  33. Houle, Zachary (29 July 2014). "Basement: Further Sky EP". PopMatters. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  34. Kraus, Brian (29 July 2014). "Basement – Further Sky EP – Reviews". Alternative Press. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  35. LaGambina, Aj. "Basement - Further Sky - Album Review". AbsolutePunk. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  36. RENALDO69 (29 July 2014). "Basement - Further Sky (7-inch)". Punknews.org. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  37. Daly, Rhian (5 September 2015). "The Libertines bring 'week of shenanigans' to a close with two-hour secret gig in London pub". NME. Archived from the original on 2 October 2015.

Bibliography
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