Girl from Mars

"Girl from Mars" is a song by Northern Irish band Ash, the second to be released from their debut studio album, 1977 (1996). The song was written by Tim Wheeler when he was sixteen and was played by the band on their first Top of the Pops appearance two weeks after their A-level exams.[6] It was released on 31 July 1995 on CD, 7-inch vinyl, and cassette formats.[7] "Girl from Mars" was Ash's first top-forty single, reaching number 11 on the UK Singles Chart, number five on the Icelandic Singles Chart and number 16 on the Irish Singles Chart. It also peaked at number 86 in Australia in March 1997.

"Girl from Mars"
Single by Ash
from the album 1977
B-side
Released31 July 1995 (1995-07-31)[1]
Genre
Length3:30
LabelInfectious
Songwriter(s)Tim Wheeler
Producer(s)Owen Morris
Ash singles chronology
"Kung Fu"
(1995)		 "Girl from Mars"
(1995)		 "Angel Interceptor"
(1995)

The song is featured on the greatest hits collection "Intergalactic Sonic 7″s", the soundtrack to the television program Gilmore Girls "Our Little Corner of the World", and live versions can be found on their Live at the Wireless album, the Tokyo Blitz DVD and the Numbskull EP. The track has also been used by NASA as the hold music on their telephone lines.[8]

Music video

Two different videos exists for the single. The first, the UK promo video, was directed by Peter Christopherson and is described by the band as a "cross between 'Give It Away' by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the 'Natrel Plus' TV ad". The band (especially drummer Rick McMurray) hated the video so much that when the time came to release the song in America, they re-filmed it. Directed by Jesse Peretz (who also directed Foo Fighters's "Big Me" video), the video sees Ash playing the song as part of an art exhibition, and mesmerizing a small girl watching the band.

Track listing

CD, 7-inch, cassette single

  1. "Girl from Mars" (Wheeler)
  2. "Astral Conversations with Toulouse-Lautrec" (Ash)
  3. "Cantina Band" (John Williams)

Charts
Chart (1995–1997) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[9] 86
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[10] 5
Ireland (IRMA)[11] 16
Scotland (OCC)[12] 14
UK Singles (OCC)[13] 11

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[14] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 29 July 1995. p. 43. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  2. Stiernberg, Bonnie (11 June 2014). "The 50 Best Britpop Songs". Paste. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  3. Roy, David (11 November 2016). "Ash's Tim Wheeler on 20 years of 1977 and becoming a Legend". The Irish News. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  4. Travers, Paul (4 May 2021). "14 rock and metal songs influenced by Star Wars". Kerrang!. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  5. Begrand, Adrien (9 March 2005). "Ash: Meltdown". PopMatters. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  6. Heaney, Mick (2 May 2004). "A burning desire to rise from the ashes". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 23 October 2010.
  7. "Releases >> Girl from Mars". Ash Official. Retrieved 23 October 2010.
  8. "Ash head to Zennor for final stop on A-Z tour". Western Morning News. 27 August 2009. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  9. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  10. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (2.12. '95 – 8.12. '95)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 December 1995. p. 58. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  11. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Girl from Mars". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
  12. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
  13. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
  14. "British single certifications – Ash – Girl from Mars". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
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