55. ‘Young And Lovely’

B-side of ‘Chemical World’, first of two-part CD. Produced by Stephen Street.

One of the great mysteries of Blur’s career is why this wonderful song failed to make it on to ‘Modern Life’. Recorded at Maison Rouge in the same session as ‘Chemical World’ (see 54), ‘Young and Lovely’ has much to recommend it: the lovely chord modulations of the verse (G to F to A to A flat minor to F sharp minor and finally back to G), Damon’s bravura vocal performance and, best of all, Graham’s guitar playing which centers around a fixed pattern of ‘hammer-ons’ (hitting a note and quickly placing the finger on a higher fret to produce a rolling, folky twang). It peaks on the circular solo at 2.24.

The main influences here seem to be Nick Drake and Scott Walker, in whose music Graham was soaking himself during nights of drinking. In a late-night conversation with Justine and Damon, Graham chose his guitar playing on ‘Young and Lovely’ as the most poignant music he has recorded. And at Dave Rowntree’s wedding, St Etienne’s Bob Stanley asked Blur why ‘Young and Lovely’ was not on the LP. There seems no satisfactory answer. Food wanted it on, but felt there were greater battles worth fighting. If Food were keen, it’s possible that the band excluded it out of sheery bloody-mindedness. With hindsight, Damon agrees: “It should have been on the LP. But it didn’t get on there and fucking ‘Turn It Up’ did.”