"Lucky Man"
Single by the Verve
from the album Urban Hymns
B-side
  • "Never Wanna See You Cry"
  • "MSG"
  • "The Longest Day"
Released24 November 1997 (1997-11-24)
StudioOlympic (London)
GenreBritpop
Length4:53
LabelHut
Songwriter(s)Richard Ashcroft
Producer(s)
The Verve singles chronology
"The Drugs Don't Work"
(1997)		 "Lucky Man"
(1997)		 "Sonnet"
(1998)

"Lucky Man" is a song by English rock band the Verve. It was written by singer Richard Ashcroft. The song was released as the third single from the band's third studio album, Urban Hymns (1997). It was released on 24 November 1997, charting at number seven on the UK Singles Chart. The song was the band's second top-20 hit on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in the United States, climbing to number 16. In Canada, "Lucky Man" peaked at number 25 on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart. It also reached the top 40 in Finland, Iceland, Ireland, and New Zealand.

Background

In an interview on BBC Radio 2, singer Richard Ashcroft said the song was "inspired by my relationship with my wife, and that sense of when you're beyond the sort of peacock dance that you have early on in a relationship. And you're getting down to the raw nature of yourselves."[1]

Release

"Lucky Man" was released in the United Kingdom on 24 November 1997 across four formats: two CD singles, a 7-inch vinyl single, and a cassette single.[2][3] An earlier single from the band, "History", is included as a B-side on CD1 of the UK release.[4] The final B-side on CD2, "Happiness More or Less", is a remix of the title track made by guitarist Nick McCabe after another B-side was needed for the release. All of the guitar and most of the vocal parts were taken out, leaving the drums, bass and strings. Another B-side on CD2, "MSG", is an alternate version of "Bitter Sweet Symphony" that features the percussion and bass line from that song, with psychedelic soundscapes added.[5] On 2 March 1998, the same day that follow-up single "Sonnet" was released, a 12-inch vinyl single of "Lucky Man" was also issued.[6] In the United States, the song was serviced to alternative radio on 7 April 1998.[7]

Reception

U2's Bono listed the song as one of six songs released between 1986 and 2006 that he wished he'd written.[8][9] A review in Cherwell stated that while the track was "not as instantly classically catchy" as Bitter Sweet Symphony, "it's likely to grow on you".[10]

Music videos

The UK version of the video was directed by Andy Baybutt and sees the band in the Thames Reach development, adjacent to the Thames Wharf complex, directly opposite the Harrods Furniture Depository. This is situated near Hammersmith, west London in post code W6 9HA. Richard Ashcroft sings the song whilst playing an acoustic guitar; the rest of the band look on. The Thames Wharf Complex was designed by Sir Richard Rogers. The US version was shot in New York City, featuring the band in an apartment and then travelling to a mountain top.

Track listings

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[33] Platinum 600,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref(s).
United Kingdom 24 November 1997
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 Hut [2][3]
2 March 1998 12-inch vinyl [6]
United States 7 April 1998 Alternative radio [7]

References

  1. ↑ Evans, Chris (20 December 2018). "Richard Ashcroft – Lucky Man". BBC Radio 2. Retrieved 1 May 2022 – via Facebook.
  2. 1 2 Sexton, Paul (29 November 1997). "The Verve's Drugs Work After All" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 48. p. 10. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  3. 1 2 "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 22 November 1997. p. 37.
  4. 1 2 Lucky Man (UK CD1 liner notes). The Verve. Hut Records. 1997. HUTDG 92, 7243 8 94745 2 7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. 1 2 Lucky Man (UK CD2 liner notes). The Verve. Hut Records. 1997. HUTDX 92, 7243 8 94746 2 6.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. 1 2 "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 28 February 1998. p. 27.
  7. 1 2 "Be on the Lookout". Gavin Report. No. 2200. 3 April 1998. p. 43.
  8. ↑ Lapatine, Scott. "Songs U2 Wish They Wrote". Retrieved 20 September 2017.
  9. ↑ "The Song They Wished They'd Written". U2. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
  10. ↑ Cee Brandson (21 November 1997). "Speed of Sound: The Verve - Lucky Man". Cherwell. Vol. 219, no. 7. p. 12.
  11. ↑ Lucky Man (UK cassette single sleeve). The Verve. Hut Records. 1997. HUTC 92, 7243 8 94745 4 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ↑ Lucky Man (Australian CD single disc notes). The Verve. Hut Records, Virgin Records. 1997. HUTCDF92, 7243 8 94752 2 7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ↑ Lucky Man (UK 12-inch single sleeve). The Verve. Hut Records. 1997. HUTT92, 7243 8 94745 6 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ↑ Lucky Man (Australian & New Zealand VHS single liner notes). The Verve. Hut Records, Virgin Records. 1997. 724349050235.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ↑ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart - Week Ending 30 Aug 1998". ARIA. Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  16. ↑ "The Verve – Lucky Man" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  17. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3592." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  18. ↑ "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 3620." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  19. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 50. 13 December 1997. p. 17. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  20. ↑ "The Verve: Lucky Man" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  21. ↑ "The Verve – Lucky Man" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  22. ↑ "The Verve – Lucky Man" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  23. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (22.1 – 29.1. 1998)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 23 January 1998. p. 22. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  24. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Lucky Man". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  25. ↑ "The Verve – Lucky Man". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  26. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  27. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  28. ↑ "Alternative Airplay". Billboard. 20 June 1998. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  29. ↑ "Adult Alternative Airplay". Billboard. 20 June 1998. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  30. ↑ "Najlepsze single na UK Top 40–1997" (in Polish). Archived from the original on 4 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  31. ↑ "RPM's Top 100 Hit Tracks of '98" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 63, no. 12. 14 December 1998. p. 20. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  32. ↑ "Most Played Modern Rock Songs of 1998". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 6, no. 52. 25 December 1998. p. 36.
  33. ↑ "British single certifications – Verve – Lucky Man". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
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