| "The Wild Ones" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Suede | ||||
| from the album Dog Man Star | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | 7 November 1994 [1] | |||
| Studio | Master Rock (London, England) | |||
| Genre | Britpop | |||
| Length | 4:50 | |||
| Label | Nude | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Ed Buller | |||
| Suede singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"The Wild Ones" is the second single from the album Dog Man Star by English rock band Suede, released on 7 November 1994 through Nude Records. The song peaked at number 18 on the UK Singles Chart and number six in Iceland.
The ballad is considered a favourite among fans and is one of their most notable songs of this period. Brett Anderson has said on numerous occasions that he regards this song as not only the high-water mark of his writing partnership with Bernard Butler, [2] but his favourite of all Suede songs. [3] The song is one of several notable Suede songs including "So Young" and "Stay Together", which were inspired by Anderson's ex-girlfriend Anick. [4] Unlike most other songs on Dog Man Star, which were recorded using Butler’s signature Gibson ES-335, "The Wild Ones" was one of only 2 songs from the 17 recorded during the sessions that Butler used a Fender Telecaster as the primary electric guitar. [5] Albeit, the intro was recorded on a Dobro Resonator guitar on the roof of Butler’s father’s Saab outside Master Rock Studios. [6]
The B-side, "Modern Boys", appears as an album track in the US and Japanese editions of Dog Man Star. The single also features a version of "Introducing the Band" by electronic pioneer Brian Eno. Another B-side, "This World Needs a Father" is the only Suede song to feature input from both Bernard Butler and Richard Oakes. While the band were putting the final touches to the album, producer Ed Buller felt that the song needed more work and offered new guitarist Oakes to play Hammond organ. [7]
"The Wild Ones" music video was filmed in Dartmoor and was directed by Howard Greenhalgh. The band met Greenhalgh at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York on a promo trip, where he won best video for Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun". [7] One of the band's few big-budget videos, it cost £150,000, most of it for computer special effects. [8] Although Anderson is a fan of the song, he dislikes the music video. While promoting album Night Thoughts in 2016, he said: "That [video] really annoys me, because it's the greatest song Suede ever wrote, and it's got this awful video. It makes me shiver. That fucking video gives me night thoughts." [9]
Music writer James Masterton was very favourable, writing: "Easily one of the greatest records the band will release in their entire career, The Wild Ones is a haunting ballad, sparsely produced and exploiting the quirks in Brett Anderson's voice to the full." [10] Music & Media wrote: "For the first time, the Anderson assembly live up to their name. Semi-acoustic with violins and all, bad ass Brett recalls forgotten heroes like Ian McCulloch and Scott Walker." [11] Linda Ryan of the Gavin Report felt the song marked a major change in the band's songwriting, by evoking classic country songwriters' tales of "what might've beens." She considered it a "more serious songwriting effort... a far cry from the tawdry lust that clung to many songs on the band's debut. Just beautiful." [12] Steve Baltin of Cash Box felt the band had undergone a "metamorphosing" compared to the band's early work. As well as the early Bowie influence, he felt they incorporated the sound of U2, writing: "The band wears the changes well, creating a song that has more sustenance than previous works... the group deserve credit for credibly reinventing themselves." [13] In reference to the band split during the summer, NME wrote: "Possibly the best song of the week... but this week, the band recorded here really no longer exists." [7] Patrick Brennan of Hot Press was highly critical of the song. He wrote: "The only thing that saves this overblown farce is the understated and anti-melodic guitar playing of Bernard Butler. 'The Wild Ones' is infantile and ultimately meaningless, with a calculated teeny-bopper yearning, and even the orchestral arrangements of Brian Gascoigne, of Scott Walker's Climate of Hunter fame, can't save it. About as wild as a storm in a tea cup." [14]
BBC America wrote a favourable retrospective review in 2008. Kevin Wicks said "[the song] is like a Britpop take on a mournful country-and-western tune. The lyrics are beautiful and poetic, and Anderson's low register has a Johnny Cash quality that is very expressive. Wonderful song." [15] In 2014, NME ranked the song at number 370 on its list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". [16] Canadian rock band Destroyer, named their 2017 album ken after the song's original title. [17]
All songs were written by Brett Anderson and Bernard Butler except where noted.
UK CD1 [18]
UK CD2 [19]
UK 12-inch single [20]
| UK cassette single [21]
European CD single [22]
Australian CD single [23]
|
| Chart (1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [24] | 66 |
| Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) [25] | 6 |
| Scotland (OCC) [26] | 16 |
| UK Singles (OCC) [27] | 18 |
Suede are an English rock band formed in London in 1989 by singer Brett Anderson, guitarist Justine Frischmann, and bass player Mat Osman. Drawing inspiration from glam rock and post-punk, Suede were dubbed "The Best New Band in Britain" by Melody Maker in 1992, and attracted much attention from the British music press. The following year their debut album Suede went to the top of the UK Albums Chart, becoming the fastest-selling debut album in almost ten years. It won the Mercury Music Prize and helped foster 'Britpop' as a musical movement, though the band distanced themselves from the term.
Suede is the debut album by English alternative rock band Suede, released in March 1993 on Nude Records. It was recorded in London at Master Rock studios late 1992 and early 1993 and was produced by Ed Buller. At the time the fastest-selling debut album in British history in almost a decade, Suede debuted at the top of the UK Albums Chart, won the 1993 Mercury Music Prize, and is often cited as one of the first Britpop records. Displaying a sound of Britishness and glam rock, its music and lyrical content has been compared to the Smiths and early David Bowie.
Dog Man Star is the second album by English alternative rock band Suede, released in October 1994 on Nude Records. The album was recorded in London at Master Rock studios in early 1994, and was produced by Ed Buller. It was the last Suede album to feature guitarist Bernard Butler; growing tensions between him and singer Brett Anderson ended with Butler leaving the band before recording was complete. As a result, some tracks on the album had to be finished with the assistance of session musicians.
Here Come the Tears is the only studio album by English rock band the Tears. It was released on 6 June 2005 on Independiente. Frontman Brett Anderson and guitarist Bernard Butler had found success together earlier in Suede, with Butler leaving that band after just two albums. Suede's career was on pause when the two reunited for this project. In January 2004, the pair had begun recording music together in secrecy; they decided to form the Tears with bassist Nathan Fisher, drummer Makoto Sakamoto and keyboardist Will Foster. The band had accumulated 18 demos by June 2004, after which, they started recording the album. Sessions were held across various studios with Butler as the producer and finished by October 2004. Here Come the Tears is a pop album that evokes the work of David Bowie, and was compared to Suede's second studio album Dog Man Star (1994).
Sci-Fi Lullabies is a two-disc compilation album by English alternative rock band Suede released by Nude Records on 6 October 1997, consisting of B-sides from the singles that were released from the group's first three albums. It reached no. 9 on the UK Albums Chart, and received universal acclaim on release. In subsequent years, the record has been hailed as one of the finest B-side compilations in popular music.
"The Drowners" is the debut single of English rock band Suede, released on 11 May 1992 on Nude Records. It was later included on the band's debut album, Suede (1993). "The Drowners" charted at number 49 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Metal Mickey" is the second single released by English rock band Suede, issued on 14 September 1992 on Nude Records. It was included on the band's debut album, Suede, the following year. The song charted at No. 17 on the UK Singles Chart, an improvement on the previous single "The Drowners", which fell short of the top 40. The song also reached the top 40 in Australia and Sweden.
"Animal Nitrate" is the third single by English rock band Suede, released through Nude Records on 22 February 1993 and later included on the band's debut album, Suede (1993). It charted at No. 7 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 No. 11 in both countries. It also debuted and peaked at No. 21 in Sweden but stayed on the chart for only two weeks.
"Stay Together" is a non-album single by English band Suede, released on 14 February 1994 through Nude Records. It is the last single released while guitarist Bernard Butler was in the band, though subsequent singles from Dog Man Star feature his music. It is tied with "Trash" as the highest-charting single the band has released, reaching No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart. The song also charted in Ireland, peaking at No. 18.
"We Are the Pigs" is the first single from the album Dog Man Star by British band Suede, released on 12 September 1994 through Nude Records.
"New Generation" is the third and final single from English rock band Suede's second album, Dog Man Star (1994). The song was released on 30 January 1995 through Nude Records and was the first single to feature music by new guitarist Richard Oakes. Though the title track is written by Anderson and departed guitarist Bernard Butler, Oakes contributes to "Together" and "Bentswood Boys". The single reached No. 21 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Trash" is the first single from English rock band Suede's third studio album, Coming Up (1996). Released on 29 July 1996 via Nude Records, "Trash" was the first single on which all the songs were written without guitarist Bernard Butler, since Richard Oakes had taken his place. The single is tied with "Stay Together" as the band's highest-charting single on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number three; however, it outsold the earlier single, thus making it their biggest-selling single. Outside the UK, the song topped the Finnish Singles Chart and reached the top five in Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden. Melody Maker ranked "Trash" number four in their list of "Singles of the Year" in 1996.
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"Saturday Night" is the third single from English rock band Suede's third studio album, Coming Up (1996), released on 13 January 1997 through Nude Records. The single continued the success of Suede's previous two hits by entering the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number six. Outside the UK, the song peaked at number one in Iceland, number seven in Finland, number eight in Denmark, and number 11 in Sweden.
"Lazy" is the fourth single from English rock band Suede's third album, Coming Up (1996). Released on 7 April 1997 through Nude Records, "Lazy" was the fourth single from the album to reach the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number nine. The song also reached the top 20 in Finland, Iceland, and Sweden.
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