A Song for the Lovers

"A Song for the Lovers" is a song by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft, included as the opening track on his 2000 album, Alone with Everybody, as well as his first solo single following the break-up of the Verve. The song was released on 3 April 2000 as the first single from the album in the United Kingdom and Australia. "A Song for the Lovers" was originally written by Richard Ashcroft as a demo track for the Verve's studio album Urban Hymns; three different versions were recorded, but the song did not make the final cut. It was inspired by Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart".[1]

"A Song for the Lovers"
Single by Richard Ashcroft
from the album Alone with Everybody
B-side"(Could Be) A Country Thing, City Thing, Blues Thing", "Precious Stone"
Released3 April 2000 (2000-04-03)
StudioOlympic, Metropolis (London, England)
Length5:39
LabelHut, Virgin
Songwriter(s)Richard Ashcroft
Producer(s)Chris Potter, Richard Ashcroft
Richard Ashcroft singles chronology
"A Song for the Lovers"
(2000)		 "Money to Burn"
(2000)
Audio
"A Song for the Lovers" on YouTube

The single peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart, a position that would be matched by Ashcroft's 2006 single "Break the Night with Colour". Outside the UK, the song became a moderate hit in Europe and Oceania, peaking at number nine in Italy, number 11 in Ireland, number 42 in New Zealand, and number 59 in Australia. The single also sold well in Canada, peaking at number six on the Canadian Singles Chart.

Music video

The music video for "A Song for the Lovers" premiered in May 2000 and was directed by Jonathan Glazer. The video is of narrative style. It is shot in real-time with an element of diegetic sound unusual in most music videos. Diegetic sound was used previously by Glazer for "Rabbit in Your Headlights".

Track listings
Canadian, Australian, and Japanese CD single[5][6][7]
  1. "A Song for the Lovers" (album version)
  2. "(Could Be) A Country Thing, City Thing, Blues Thing"
  3. "Precious Stone"
  • European CD single[8]
  1. "A Song for the Lovers" (album version)
  2. "(Could Be) A Country Thing, City Thing, Blues Thing"

Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from the Alone with Everybody album booklet.[9]

Studios

Personnel

Charts
Chart (2000) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[10] 59
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[11] 6
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[12] 17
Germany (Official German Charts)[13] 82
Ireland (IRMA)[14] 11
Italy (FIMI)[15] 9
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] 83
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[17] 42
Scotland (OCC)[18] 2
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[19] 78
UK Singles (OCC)[20] 3

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref(s).
Australia 3 April 2000 CD
[22]
United Kingdom
  • CD
  • cassette
 [23][24]
Japan 12 April 2000 CD [25]
United States 6 June 2000
[26]

References
  1. "Richard Ashcroft Draws Inspiration from Joy Division". MTV.
  2. A Song for the Lovers (UK CD single liner notes). Richard Ashcroft. Hut Records, Virgin Records. 2000. HUTCD128.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. A Song for the Lovers (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Richard Ashcroft. Hut Records, Virgin Records. 2000. HUTT128.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. A Song for the Lovers (UK cassette single sleeve). Richard Ashcroft. Hut Records, Virgin Records. 2000. HUTC128.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. A Song for the Lovers (Canadian CD single liner notes). Richard Ashcroft. Hut Records, Virgin Records. 2000. 7243 8 96635 2 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. A Song for the Lovers (Australian CD single liner notes). Richard Ashcroft. Hut Records, Virgin Records. 2000. HUTCDF128, 7243 8 96710 2 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. A Song for the Lovers (Japanese CD single liner notes). Richard Ashcroft. Hut Records, Virgin Records. 2000. VJCP-12132.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. A Song for the Lovers (European CD single liner notes). Richard Ashcroft. Hut Records, Virgin Records. 2000. HUTCDE128.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. Alone with Everybody (UK CD album booklet). Richard Ashcroft. Hut Records, Virgin Records. 2000. CDHUT63, 7243 8 49494 2 6.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 19.
  11. "Richard Ashcroft Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  12. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 17. 22 April 2000. p. 18. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  13. "Richard Ashcroft – A Song for the Lovers" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  14. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – A Song for the Lovers". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  15. "Richard Ashcroft – A Song for the Lovers". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  16. "Richard Ashcroft – A Song for the Lovers" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  17. "Richard Ashcroft – A Song for the Lovers". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  18. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  19. "Richard Ashcroft – A Song for the Lovers". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  20. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  21. "British single certifications – Richard Ashcroft – A Song for the Lovers". British Phonographic Industry. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  22. "Richard Ashcroft". EMI Music Australia. Archived from the original on 8 July 2000. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  23. "Why Richard Ashcroft owes Song for the Lovers to Joy Division". Radio X. 3 April 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  24. "New Releases – For Week Starting April 3, 2000: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 1 April 2000. p. 27. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  25. "ソング・フォー・ザ・ラバーズ | リチャード・アシュクロフト" [Song for the Lovers | Richard Ashcroft] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  26. "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1353. 2 June 2000. pp. 99, 104, 114. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
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