Chemical World

by

Blur

Edit

"Chemical World" is a song by English alternative rock band Blur, featured on their second album Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993). It was released on 28 June 1993 as the second single from that album, equalling their previous release "For Tomorrow" at number 28 in the UK Singles Charts. In the United States, the song reached number 27 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, becoming the only single from Modern Life Is Rubbish to chart there. The song was commissioned by Blur's American record label, SBK Records, to increase the album's appeal for the American market.

The first of the two CDs released for the single contains the song "Never Clever" (recorded live at Glastonbury Festival, June 1992) which was originally intended as the follow-up single to Blur's fourth single, "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 to celebrate Food Records' 100th release. The 7" vinyl of "Chemical World" has a cover version of Rod Stewart's "Maggie May", which was also featured on Ruby Trax, a 3-CD compilation of cover versions issued by the NME on its 40th birthday and on Blur's The Special Collectors Edition.

B-side "Young and Lovely" was hailed as one of the greatest "lost tracks" by Q in 2007.

The music video shows the band in a grassy field surrounded by wildlife. On Beavis and Butt-head, when the video was reviewed, Beavis said that he wanted to urinate all over the band and the wildlife, including a snail and Damon Albarn.

The track appeared in Midlife: A Beginner's Guide to Blur.