THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

947-Ocean Colour Scene-Hundred Mile High City.

1997-Number 4 single.

Best Bit-At 3.25. If electric guitars could report physical abuse, then this lot would be in big trouble with the guitar police.

Ocean Colour Scene were formed in 1989, in Solihull, England, by the coming together of two local bands who had recently split. Simon Fowler, (vocals and guitar) Oscar Harrison, (drums) and Damon Minchella, (bass) had all previously been members of the Birmingham based band ‘The Fanatics,’ while the fourth member Stephen Cradock, (vocals, and guitar) had been a member of the Solihull based band ‘The Boys. After the disappointing sales of Ocean Colour Scene’s self titled debut Album in 1992, things finally began to take a turn for the better when Paul Weller (see also best songs 670-94 and 59) invited the band to support him on some tour dates. Ocean Colour Scene which is often abbreviated to ‘OCS’ then came to the attention of Noel Gallagher, (see also best songs 1006-758 and 15) which in turn led to ‘OCS’ supporting Oasis on their 1995 tour, and a contract being signed with ‘MCA Records.’

Ocean Colour Scene who biggest commercial success came at the height of ‘Britop’ in the mid 1990’s, play a mixture of ‘Blues Rock,’ and ‘Alternative Rock,’ and to date have released 10 studio Albums between 1992-2013, and 34 singles between 1990-2013, they have also issued seven live Albums, and four compilations. In the UK where they have achieved their greatest success, 17 of their singles have reached that charts top 40, with ‘Hundred Mile High City,’ and ‘The Day We Caught the Train,’ (1996) both charting the highest, when peaking at Number 4. In total there have been seven different members of Ocean Colour Scene come and go, and at the time of writing they remain active, with all current and previous members, having had pursued other musical projects over the years.

‘Hundred Mile High City’ was the first of four singles released from Ocean Colour Scene’s third studio Album ‘Marchin’ Already,’ from September 1997. All the members of ‘OCS’ at that time received the songwriting credits, with the production being by Brendan Lynch, and Martin ‘Max’ Heyes. Brendan Lynch is a London based music producer, who through the course of his career has also produced for the likes of Paul Weller, and Primal Scream. In 1996 Lynch became the first person ever to officially remix an Oasis song, when he reworked ‘Champagne Supanova’ (see also best songs 758.) ‘Marchin’ Already’ would prove to be the groups biggest success, giving them their only UK Number 1 Album to date. The Album knocked Oasis’ ‘Be Here Now’ off the top spot, which led to Noel Gallagher sending ‘OCS’ his congratulations through a plaque on which he had inscribed, ‘To The Second Best Band In Britain.’ Steve Cradock famously replied, ‘It’s an honour to be described as Britain’s second best band, ahead of Oasis, but behind the Beatles.’ In 1998 ‘Hundred Mile High City’ was one of the songs chosen for the British/American black comedy crime film ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels,’ which led to the song becoming a staple of ‘Alternative Rock Music’ radio stations in America, and giving them exposure in the States.

In an interview in 2002 Steve Cradock explained what ‘Hundred Mile High City’s’ real meaning is, saying it was written about a friend of his who was in a deep depression over a failed love affair. Cradock went on to say that his friend was mortified because he had been oblivious to his own behaviour, which had led to an emotional breakdown. Cradock has said that the song is about the desperation of a love lost, and the need to escape the pain, (possibly through suicide) as he realises that he was the architect of his own downfall.

‘I get a need and I’m wanting to please it. I gotta face and I’m wanting to feel it. The more I feel is the more that I need it, the more I need is the less I believe it.’