1996 single by Suede
"
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.
[1]
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.
[2]
Song meaning
[
edit
]
Various meanings have been given to the song, but the main themes seem to be about 'outsiders', being different but living well with it. In a 2013 interview, Anderson expanded this theme, saying: "It's a song that's kind of about being in the band and, by extension, it's a song about the fans and the whole kind of ethos of being a Suede... person."
[3]
He also described it as the soundtrack to his life, saying "It's about believing in the romance of the everyday."
[4]
In an interview in late 2009, for the SkyArts' Songbook series, Anderson said about the song:
I actually wrote it about the band Suede. It's a celebration of the band, but by extension, it's a celebration of the fans as well. And it was a kind of a song written about us, as a gang, it was written about the values we stood for. And even though it sounds like a love song, it was actually about the idea of the identity of the band, and what they stood for.
Critical reception
[
edit
]
The song proved to be a successful comeback single for Suede, receiving praise from critics. Kevin Courtney of
The Irish Times
said it is "probably their most direct and immediate pop statement to date."
[5]
Melody Maker
had proclaimed the song "single of the week" a fortnight prior to release.
[6]
Tania Branigan called it "bitterly sweet, a love song for strangers; fast, in every sense of the word." In reference to the single's B-sides, she said: "In the finest '
Drowners
' tradition, the two B-sides are almost finer."
[7]
Pan-European magazine
Music & Media
wrote, "They haven't lost their camp, dramatic touch (piped strings!), distorted guitars and strong melodies. Great summer record."
[8]
Music Week
rated it five out of five, and also they picked it as Single of the Week. The reviewer noted, "This return single finds Suede at their most flamboyant with
Brett Anderson
's deliciously
Bowie
-like vocals stealing the show over an adventurous arrangement. This should be their biggest hit to date and augurs very well for their September album."
[9]
The magazine's Alan Jones declared it "their most disciplined and direct pop nugget to date", "hugely commercial, and likely to be their biggest hit yet."
[10]
Ted Kessler of
NME
said, "So the scaremongers were wrong. Brett Anderson is the creative force behind Suede. Here's the proof: this week sees the release of their first post-
Bernard Butler
single and nobody can really admit that they thought it would sound half as good as it does."
[11]
George Byrne of the
Irish Independent
had high praise for the single, writing: "The four songs which make up the 'Trash' EP (Nude) are the most uncluttered and focused since their first three singles, dipping back into glam rock with a vengeance. The title track is glorious, a robust romp with a keyboard intro reminiscent of Bowie's '
Heroes
' as Anderson leerily lolls with the lyrical lowlife."
[12]
James Bennett of
The Telegraph
felt the song could reach number one due to the lack of competition from fellow Britpop bands on its release. On the single, he wrote: "This time round, public acceptance may be added to critical acclaim because the comeback single, Trash, is instant, flawless, three-minute essence-of-pop, as irresistible as '
Satisfaction
' or '
Ride a White Swan
'." He added: "Brett Anderson's acutely mannered vocal [...] gels with Richard Oakes' insistent guitar to weave a magic reminiscent of the soaring romanticism conjured by Bowie and
Fripp
on 'Heroes'."
[13]
Music video
[
edit
]
The music video for the song was filmed at
Elstree Studios
[6]
and directed by David Mould. It features the whole band performing in a crowded, up-market bar decorated in garish primary colours among people in glamorous, high-end fashions of the day. The video also marks the first appearance of a new band member, keyboard player
Neil Codling
.
Accolades
[
edit
]
In December 1996,
Melody Maker
ranked "Trash" number four in their list of "Singles of the Year".
[2]
A 2014 poll by US music magazine
Paste
marking the 20th anniversary of Britpop listed "Trash" at number 14 in its list, "The 50 Best Britpop Songs." Michael Danaher wrote: "The song is a festering, anthemic pop gem that featuring a glorious chorus and guitar and synth-driven rhythm. A vastly underrated song this side of the Atlantic."
[14]
In a public poll by
NME
, "Trash" was placed at number nine on its list of the "50 Greatest Britpop Songs Ever", saying: "with 'Trash', Suede made being a glam weirdo seem like the most appealing thing in the world."
[15]
Versions
[
edit
]
A different version of the song appears on the group's 2003 compilation album,
Singles
, where the vocals were re-recorded along with an alternative ending. All four of the singles' B-sides were included on Suede's compilation
Sci-Fi Lullabies
, which was released the following year, although the version of "Europe is our Playground" was a new version and not the original B-side version found here. "Europe is Our Playground" also marks the songwriting debut of bass guitarist
Mat Osman
.
Track listings
[
edit
]
All songs were written by
Brett Anderson
and
Richard Oakes
except where noted.
- "Trash"
- "Europe Is Our Playground" (Anderson,
Mat Osman
)
- UK CD1 and Australian CD single
[18]
[19]
- "Trash"
- "Europe Is Our Playground" (Anderson, Osman)
- "Every Monday Morning Comes"
- "Trash"
- "Have You Ever Been This Low?"
- "Another No-One" (Anderson)
|
- European maxi-CD single
[21]
- "Trash"
- "Europe Is Our Playground" (Anderson, Osman)
- "Every Monday Morning Comes"
- "Another No-One" (Anderson)
- "Trash"
- "Europe Is Our Playground" (Anderson, Osman)
- "Every Monday Morning Comes"
- "Have You Ever Been This Low?"
- "Another No One" (Anderson)
|
Charts
[
edit
]
Weekly charts
[
edit
]
|
Year-end charts
[
edit
]
|
Certifications
[
edit
]
Release history
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Barnett, David (23 March 2010).
"Trash, You & Me: The Story Of Suede's Coming Up"
.
The Quietus
. Retrieved
21 March
2017
.
- ^
a
b
"Singles Of The Year"
.
Melody Maker
. 21 December 1996. p. 68
. Retrieved
5 June
2024
.
- ^
Daly, Rhian (21 September 2016).
"Watch Suede Recall Writing '90s Hit Trash'
"
.
NME
. Retrieved
2 March
2018
.
- ^
Barnett, Laura.
"Portrait of the artist: Brett Anderson"
.
The Guardian
. 18 January 2010
- ^
Courtney, Kevin (2 August 1996).
"Trash Can Sinatra"
.
The Irish Times
. Retrieved
5 November
2018
.
- ^
a
b
Thompson, Ben (21 July 1996).
"Suede's frontman was into British pop..."
The Independent
. Retrieved
5 November
2018
.
- ^
Branigan, Tania (13 July 1996). "Singles".
Melody Maker
: 54.
- ^
"Singles"
(PDF)
.
Music & Media
. Vol. 13, no. 29. 20 July 1996. p. 11.
- ^
"Reviews: Singles"
(PDF)
.
Music Week
. 20 July 1996. p. 42
. Retrieved
1 September
2021
.
- ^
Jones, Alan (27 July 1996).
"Talking Music"
(PDF)
.
Music Week
. p. 10
. Retrieved
1 September
2021
.
- ^
Kessler, Ted (27 July 1996). "I'm Stronger Than Ever, I'm Afraid".
NME
.
- ^
Byrne, George (23 July 1996). "Suede make a brash return".
Irish Independent
.
- ^
Bennett, James (27 July 1996). "Suede back from the cleaners".
The Telegraph
. p. 9.
- ^
Stiernberg, Bonnie (11 June 2014).
"The 50 Best Britpop Songs"
.
Paste
. Retrieved
5 June
2017
.
- ^
"50 Greatest Britpop Songs Ever ? As Voted By You"
.
NME
. 13 May 2013
. Retrieved
4 March
2018
.
- ^
Trash
(UK 7-inch single sleeve).
Suede
.
Nude Records
. 1996. NUD 21S.
{{
cite AV media notes
}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link
)
- ^
Trash
(UK cassette single sleeve). Suede. Nude Records. 1996. NUD 21MC.
{{
cite AV media notes
}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link
)
- ^
Trash
(UK CD1 liner notes). Suede. Nude Records. 1996. NUD 21CD1.
{{
cite AV media notes
}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link
)
- ^
Trash
(Australian CD single liner notes). Suede. Nude Records. 1996. 663527 2.
{{
cite AV media notes
}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link
)
- ^
Trash
(UK CD2 liner notes). Suede. Nude Records. 1996. NUD 21CD2.
{{
cite AV media notes
}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link
)
- ^
Trash
(European maxi-CD single liner notes). Suede. Nude Records. 1996. NUD 663480 2, 01-663480-14.
{{
cite AV media notes
}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link
)
- ^
Trash
(Japanese EP liner notes). Suede. Nude Records. 1996. ESCA 6495.
{{
cite AV media notes
}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link
)
- ^
"
Suede ? Trash"
(in Dutch).
Ultratip
. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
- ^
"
Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 9736
."
RPM
.
Library and Archives Canada
. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- ^
"Top National Sellers"
(PDF)
.
Music & Media
. Vol. 15, no. 35. 31 August 2019. p. 15
. Retrieved
20 August
2019
.
- ^
"Eurochart Hot 100 Singles"
(PDF)
.
Music & Media
. Vol. 13, no. 34. 24 August 1996. p. 12
. Retrieved
25 January
2020
.
- ^
"
Suede: Trash"
(in Finnish).
Musiikkituottajat
. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
- ^
"Islenski Listinn Topp 40 (3.10. ? 9.10. '96)"
.
Dagblaðið Visir
(in Icelandic). 4 October 1996. p. 16
. Retrieved
2 October
2019
.
- ^
"
The Irish Charts ? Search Results ? Trash"
.
Irish Singles Chart
. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
- ^
"Suede ? Trash"
(in Dutch).
MegaCharts
. Retrieved
25 July
2021
.
- ^
"
Suede ? Trash"
.
VG-lista
. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
- ^
"Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100"
.
Official Charts Company
. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
- ^
"
Suede ? Trash"
.
Singles Top 100
. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
- ^
"Official Singles Chart Top 100"
.
Official Charts Company
. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
- ^
"Arslistinn 1996"
.
Dagblaðið Visir
(in Icelandic). 2 January 1997. p. 25
. Retrieved
30 May
2020
.
- ^
"Arslista Singlar, 1996"
(in Swedish).
Sverigetopplistan
. Retrieved
30 May
2020
.
- ^
"British single certifications ? Suede ? Trash"
.
British Phonographic Industry
. Retrieved
31 January
2020
.
- ^
"New Releases: Singles"
(PDF)
.
Music Week
. 27 July 1996. p. 43
. Retrieved
2 July
2021
.
- ^
"トラッシュ | スウェ?ド"
[Trash | Suede] (in Japanese).
Oricon
. Retrieved
17 January
2024
.
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