The Universal

"The Universal" is a song by English alternative rock band Blur and is featured on their fourth studio album, The Great Escape. It was released 13 November 1995 as the second single from that album, charting at #5 in the UK Singles Chart (see 1995 in British music).

In keeping with the song's science fiction theme, the single's cover art is an allusion to the opening shot of 2001: A Space Odyssey, and the music video is a tribute to the movie A Clockwork Orange, with the band dressed up in costumes similar to Alex and his droogs. Both movies were directed by Stanley Kubrick.

Music video

A music video for the song was directed by Jonathan Glazer. The band is presented in imitation of the opening scenes from the 1971 film A Clockwork Orange, in the Milk Bar. Blur star as the quasi-Droogs, complete with Damon Albarn wearing eyeliner similar to the character Alex DeLarge. They perform in the bar in all-white. Though the band do not engage in their usual vibrant stage demeanor, Damon Albarn frequently turns to the camera and gives a sly, crooked smile. Graham Coxon spends the majority of the video sitting against the wall while playing.

The Universal (Small Faces song)

"The Universal" is a UK single released by English R&B influenced group Small Faces on 28 June 1968 and reached number 16 staying remaining in the top-40 for a total of 10 weeks.

Song profile

"The Universal" was originally titled by Steve Marriott as "Hello the Universal" but due to an error early in the single's production and manufacture was instead printed as the shorter "The Universal", and due to the costs involved never corrected. The erratic sounding song was partly tape recorded by Marriott in the garden of his Essex home at the time, Beehive Cottage. His dogs can clearly be heard barking in the background. The song was further enhanced and other instruments added later in the recording studio. One of Marriott's dogs, Seamus, was also recorded howling in the studio for the Pink Floyd track of the same name, from their 1971 album Meddle.

It has been suggested that Britpop band Blur's song of the same name was entitled so due to this track. The band were said to have been influenced by "Lazy Sunday" on their song, "Parklife", further adding to the speculation.