One Crowded Hour

"One Crowded Hour" is a song by Australian indie rock band Augie March written by Glenn Richards. The song was released in April 2006 as the first single released from their third studio album, Moo, You Bloody Choir.

"One Crowded Hour"
Single by Augie March
from the album Moo, You Bloody Choir
Released3 April 2006 (2006-04-03)[1]
Length4:16
Label
Songwriter(s)Glenn Richards
Producer(s)Eric Drew Feldman
Augie March singles chronology
"Little Wonder"
(2003)		 "One Crowded Hour"
(2006)		 "The Cold Acre"
(2006)

The song had been played by both the band and acoustically by frontman, Glenn Richards, for upwards of two years before the album was finally released.

Details

The song’s title comes from a poem by Thomas Osbert Mordaunt.

During the band's appearance on the live music TV show Cold: Live At The Chapel, Richards revealed the song was written while he was housesitting for Deborah Conway, and was inspired by, and named after, a book she owned about an Australian wartime photographer Neil Davis. Richards has said, "Deborah has a wonderful collection of records and books. She was on holidays, so I was looking after the house and taking advantage of all that. I was also listening to a lot of early Bob Dylan, which would explain the chord progression."[2]

The song was picked up and played by radio station Triple J then later by Nova, giving the song more radio exposure. During its original chart run in 2006, the song reached number 33 on the ARIA Singles Chart.[3] In January 2007, the song was ranked No. 1 on the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2006.[4] Following its win, the track re-entered the ARIA chart at number 29, its peak, the next month.[3]

In 2013, Australian singer Taylor Henderson recorded a version for his album Taylor Henderson.[5]

Reception

In June 2007, the song won Song of the Year at the Australian Performing Rights Association Awards. The song was voted at No. 59 on the Triple J Hottest 100 of All Time in 2009.[6] It was also voted No. 24 on the Triple J Hottest 100 20 Years countdown.[7]

Rolling Stone Australia noted the, "Twisting, romantic wordplay that is at turns both clever and earnest—it was upon penning this chorus Augie March would create a timeless pop song. The kind that hangs around like ether in our collective consciousness; somehow we know the words without trying—as if they were planted in a dream."[8]

Music video

The video clip for "One Crowded Hour" is set in a gloomy forest where Richards and the band perform. Plastic animals like deer and bears are seen passing by the band. The clip's atmosphere is very dreary and mysterious, represented by the band's clothes, instruments and the sky in grey.

Awards and nominations

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards are presented annually by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA).

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2007"One Crowded Hour" – Glenn Richards[9]Song of the YearWon

Track listing

Australian maxi-CD[3]

  1. "One Crowded Hour" (single mix) – 4:16
  2. "There Is No Such Place" (acoustic version) – 3:06
  3. "Passed Out in Clarkefield" – 4:34
  4. "Asleep in Perfection" (acoustic version) – 4:26
  5. "Clockwork" (acoustic version) – 4:05

Charts
Chart (2007) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[3] 29

References
  1. "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 3rd April 2006" (PDF). ARIA. 3 April 2006. p. 29. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 April 2006. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. Jeff Jenkins (2007). 50 Years of Rock in Australia. Melbourne: Wilkinson Publishing. p. 292. ISBN 9781921332111.
  3. "Augie March – One Crowded Hour". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  4. "Triple J Hottest 100 2006". Australian Broadcasting Company. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  5. Melissa Redman (27 November 2013). "Album Review: Taylor Henderson – Taylor Henderson". Renowned for Sound. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  6. "Triple J Hottest 100 of All Time". Australian Broadcasting Company. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  7. "Triple J's Hottest 100 20 Years – The Countdown". Australian Broadcasting Company. 18 April 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  8. James Di Fabrizio. "200 Greatest Australian Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone Australia.
  9. "Previous Winners Song of the Year". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 2 May 2010.
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