Out of Time (Blur song)

"Out of Time" is a song by Blur and was released as the lead single from their seventh album Think Tank in 2003 (see 2003 in British music). The song is a bass-driven track with minimal drums and acoustic guitar accompanied by eastern and orchestral flourishes. The faint gargling noises in the intro is part of a scene from Doctor Who. It reached number five in the UK Singles Chart.[1] "Out of Time" was Blur's first release in three years and also the band's first release without guitarist Graham Coxon.

"Out of Time"
Single by Blur
from the album Think Tank
Released14 April 2003
RecordedMarrakech, 2002
GenreAlternative rock, art rock, acoustic rock
Length3:51
LabelParlophone
Songwriter(s)Damon Albarn, Alex James, Dave Rowntree
Producer(s)Blur, Ben Hillier
Blur singles chronology
"Don't Bomb When You Are the Bomb"
(2002)		 "Out of Time"
(2003)		 "Crazy Beat"
(2003)
Music video
"Out of Time" on YouTube

Since the 2009 reunion, the song has been a staple of Blur's live sets, albeit in a slightly different arrangement featuring Coxon playing electric guitar.

In October 2011, NME placed it at number 73 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years" and eighth on its list "Greatest Tracks of the Decade".[2] They later ranked it the 499th best song ever.[3]

Video

The song was accompanied by an anti-war music video directed by John Hardwick, edited by Quin Williams and produced by Mike Wells through London-based production company Helen Langridge Associates (HLA).[4] It was the first of Blur's videos to not feature the band members themselves in any way, consisting entirely of footage from a 2002 BBC Correspondent documentary depicting life aboard the United States aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln on duty in the Persian Gulf. Produced and directed by Anthony Makin, shot by Brian Green and Dale Rodkin and edited by Karen O'Connor,[5] Warship was filmed in October 2002 and premiered 1 December 2002 on BBC Two.[6] Hardwick got the idea to use the documentary footage for the music video while watching the film.[7] He showed the band a reference tape cut to fit the song in early February 2003. Blur decided to release it as the finished video.[8] It premiered on 10 March.[9]

The video is centred on Jill Ameperosa, a 24-year-old aircraft maintenance technician. After walking up to the deck, she looks out at sea whilst subtitles on the screen read, "Two days after I get home he leaves. It's just too hard. I used to love him. But you can't love someone you don't know anymore ...".

Albarn described the video as

the antithesis of the 'Top Gun' image of the American military machine. It focuses on the loneliness of somebody working on an aircraft carrier and the fact that a six-month tour of duty means that relationships break down and children go without their parents. That's the reality of it."[10]

Commenting on the video, Hardwick explained,

it occurred to me that some of the personnel revealed in that film communicated a fragility that I felt was echoed in the song. Putting the two together was a comparatively simple task. The video offers an alternative perspective on the individuals who exist at the sharp end of government policy by portraying the armed forces as being staffed by people who have the same needs as all others."[8]

The video won Hardwick a Wood Pencil for music video direction[4] and Williams a Graphite Pencil for music video editing[11] at the 2004 D&AD Awards.

Reception

Paul Moody of the NME praised the song, stating

First the shock, then the awe ... Alex applies a low rumble of bass; Dave, clearly dreaming of a solo voyage to Mars, adds space-dust brushes, and Damon sings in a voice so pure, clear and welcoming you want to have a shower in it. And those lyrics: "You've been so busy lately / You haven't found the time..." If 'Out Of Time' isn't a love song to Graham, adolescent dreams going awry in the muddle of adulthood, frankly, we don't want to know. Wow. Suddenly 'Songbird' doesn't sound so clever after all ...".[12]

In October 2011, the publication placed it at number 73 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years" and eighth on its list "Greatest Tracks of the Decade".[2]

Track listing
  1. "Out of Time"
  2. "Money Makes Me Crazy" (marrakech mix)
  1. "Out of Time" (Video)
  2. "Money Makes Me Crazy" (marrakech mix)
  3. "Tune 2"
  1. "Out of Time"
  2. "Money Makes Me Crazy" (marrakech mix)
  3. "Tune 2"
  4. "Don't Be"
  5. "The Outsider"
  6. "Out of Time" (video)
  7. "Crazy Beat" (video)

Charts
Chart (2003) Peak
position
Germany (Official German Charts)[14] 75
Ireland (IRMA)[15] 17
Italy (FIMI)[16] 25
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[17] 19
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[18] 97
UK Singles (OCC)[19] 5

Production credits
  • "Out of Time", "Tune 2", "Don't Be" and "The Outsider" produced by Blur and Ben Hillier[13]
  • "Money Makes Me Crazy" (marrakech mix) produced by Norman Cook, Blur and Ben Hillier[13]

Additional musicians
  • Blur
    • Damon Albarn – vocals, guitars, programming
    • Alex James – bass, backing vocals
    • Dave Rowntree – drums
    • Ben Hillier: production, keyboards, samples
  • Group Regional du Marrakech
    • Desyud Mustafa: Orchestral arrangement
    • Mohamed Azeddine (MD): Oud
    • M. Rabet Mohamid Rachid: Violin
    • Bezzari Ahmed: Rabab
    • Gueddam Jamal: Violin, cello
    • Hijaoui Rachid: Violin
    • Moullaoud My Ali: Oud
    • Kassimi Jamal, Youssef: Oud
    • El Farani Mustapha: Tere
    • Abdellah Kekhari: Violin
    • Dalal Mohamed Najib: Darbouka
    • Ait Ramdam El Mostafa: Kanoun

See also

References
  1. Blur – Out of Time – Music Charts acharts.us. Retrieved 5 December 2011.
  2. "150 Best Tracks Of The Past 15 Years". Nme.Com. Retrieved 14 October 2011.
  3. http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/nme_500_greatest_songs_2014.htm
  4. https://www.dandad.org/awards/professional/2004/music-videos/13504/out-of-time/
  5. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/programmes/correspondent/transcripts/2526873.txt
  6. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/correspondent/2526873.stm
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 May 2003. Retrieved 7 May 2003.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. Bychawski, Adam (10 March 2003). "'Time' Capsule: The 'Out Of Time' promo is based on a documentary shot on a US warship in The Gulf..." NME. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2020. The live page is missing some text.
  9. http://www.vblurpage.com/discography/videos/promos.htm
  10. Wiederhorn, Jon (24 July 2003). "Blur Revolt Against Hit Songs, Show No Love for the U.S. Military". MTV. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  11. https://www.dandad.org/awards/professional/2004/music-videos/13533/out-of-time/
  12. Moody, Paul (12 April 2003). "NME Reviews – Blur : Out Of Time". NME.
  13. Blur – Out of Time – Singles Info & Formats vblurpage.com. Retrieved 5 December 2011
  14. "Offiziellecharts.de – Blur – Out of Time". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  15. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Out of Time". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  16. "Italiancharts.com – Blur – Out of Time". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  17. "Swedishcharts.com – Blur – Out of Time". Singles Top 100.
  18. "Swisscharts.com – Blur – Out of Time". Swiss Singles Chart.
  19. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
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