Changes: Clint Eastwood

Revision as of 19:54, 26 October 2021

Clint Eastwood is the fifth track on Gorillaz' 2001 album "Gorillaz", as well as the first proper Gorillaz single. The song is named after the actor of the same name due to its similarity to the theme music of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

In Rise of the Ogre, the song is claimed as Gorillaz' big signature tune. A huge smash initially in the UK, where it remained in the charts for months and the top 10 for weeks.

At around the same time radio in Europe also went mad for the song. Slightly later in 2001 the song would also become a massive radio hit in the US and central and South America. Bigger than his previous smash, Song 2 (with Blur), this song remains one of Damon Albarn's biggest hits (it's popularity beaten only by Feel Good Inc.).

In the UK, the Ed Case Refix actually got far more airplay than the regular verson due to the popularity of UK Garage at the time, resulting in the inclusion of said remix on the debut LP. B-side Dracula was probably the best of the off cuts from the 'Gorillaz' sessions and most popular Phase 1 B-side track. British hip hop group Phi Life Cypher also contributed providing rap and vocals both to the original version of Clint Eastwood, later released on G-Sides and at the live BRIT Awards performace.

Because of legal issues that Damon Albarn had with Del The Funky Homosapien, his rapping parts could not be used during live performances, and so various rappers have contributed different raps to the song, including Phi Life Cypher themselves, De La Soul with Bootie Brown or Jamal Grey in Demon Detour, Tinie Tempah (Johnathan Ross Show), Snoop Dogg (Glastonbury), Bashy & Kano (Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour), and Eslam Jawaad (Damascus). However, after both Del and Damon sorted out their problems, in most recent shows the original rap has been used again.

Recording

Real life backstory

The foundation of the song is based around a preset produced by the Suzuki Omnichord OM-300 called Rock 1. It’s original demos were recorded by Albarn using a drum machine and a guitar, with similar demos being, re-recorded into Logic as a backing track.

The original rap was done by Phi-Life Cypher and planned to keep that as the album version. However, Dan the Automator insisted that a different rapper be used instead, and courted Del The Funky Homosapien (who he was working with on Deltron 3030 at the time) as the guest rapper. Del was initially hesitant and only agreed to record his It after being shown the band’s artwork and recognizing Jamie Hewlett’s art style from Tank Girl (a comic he collected as a teenager). Using techniques he learned from reading “How To Write a Hit Song”, he wrote and recorded his verses for the song. It was considered superior and stuck as the album version, quickly becoming one of the band’s biggest hits.

The strings featured in the song are from a string machine, the Solina String Ensemble. According to engineer, Jason Cox, "Damon gave us the OK to set fire to it on stage, but we said 'No, you can't set fire to that! It's a classic!", and it ended up being used on the song as well as some other tracks on the album. The drums are provided by a drum machine and the main instrument used in the song is the melodica, which Albarn used to make the basic track as well.

Virtual band backstory

While recording at Kong Studios, 2-D started fiddling around with his melodica and Russel Hobbs took the good bits out of it, while Murdoc wrote the melody and 2-D then sang it.

2-D also claimed he had a cold when he did the vocals but still really worked.

Murdoc jokingly said that when he did the song he just pushed the reggae setting button on his Honda Z-Chord autoharp, turned the knob from 'flop' to 'hit' and popped out the song.

The original recording featured Murdoc signing "colourless, atonal vocals", but Dan the Automator, the producer of the album, suggested the song could be improved by replacing his sections with a rap.

Such suggestion seemed to trigger a ghostly summoning which shook all of Kong, and Del's phantom erupted from Russel's head and sang his own lines while Russel was sent to a coma. Russel later claimed that Del transformed the whole sound.

After finishing the song, they called it 'Clint Eastwood' because it had a "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" feel to the melodica line. 2-D also said that because of its dub feel, it was a tip of the hat to all 1970's reggae stars who used names like that.

Lyrics

I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
I've got sunshine in a bag
I'm useless, but not for long
The future is coming on
I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
I've got sunshine in a bag
I'm useless, but not for long
The future is coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on

Ahhh yeah! Hahah
Finally someone let me out of my cage
Now, time for me is nothing cause I'm counting no age
No, I couldn't be there
Now you shouldn't be scared
I'm good at repairs
And I'm under each snare
Intangible
Bet you didn't think so I command you to
Panoramic view, look, I'll make it all manageable
Pick and choose, sit and lose, all you different crews
Chicks and dudes, who you think is really kickin' tunes?
Picture you gettin' down in a picture tube
Like you lit the fuse
You think it's fictional? Mystical? Maybe
Spiritual. Hero who appears in you to clear your view when you're too crazy
Lifeless, to know the definition for what life is
Priceless to you because I put you on the hype shit
You like it?
Gun smokin', righteous with one toke
Psychic among those
Possess you with one go

I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
I've got sunshine in a bag
I'm useless, but not for long
The future is coming on
I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
I've got sunshine in a bag
I'm useless, but not for long
The future is coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on

The essence, the basics
Without it, you make it
Allow me to make this child-like in nature
Rhythm, you have it or you don't, that's a fallacy
I'm in them
Every sprouting tree, every child a piece
Every cloud and sea
You see with your eyes
I see destruction and demise, corruption in disguise
From this fuckin' enterprise
Now I'm sucked into your lies
Through Russel, not his muscles but percussion he provides
With me as a guide
Y'all can see me now 'cause you don't see with your eye
You perceive with your mind
That's the inner
So I'm gonna stick around with Russ and be a mentor
Bust a few rhymes so motherfuckers remember where the thought is
I brought all this so you can survive when law is lawless
Feelings, sensations that you thought was dead
No squealing, remember that it's all in your head

I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
I've got sunshine in a bag
I'm useless but not for long
The future is coming on
I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
I've got sunshine in a bag
I'm useless but not for long
My future is coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on
My future is coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on
My future is coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on
My future is coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on
My future is coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on
My future is coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on
My future

UK Formats

Enhanced CD

1. Clint Eastwood (Edit)
2. Clint Eastwood (Ed Case Refix)
3. Dracula
4. Clint Eastwood (Video)

Cassette

1. Clint Eastwood (Edit)
2. Clint Eastwood (Ed Case Refix Edit)
3. Dracula

12"

A. Clint Eastwood (Album Version)
B1. Clint Eastwood (Ed Case Refix)
B2. Clint Eastwood (Phi Life Cypher Version)

Release dates and chart positions

UK : 05/03/01 – highest chart position: 3

AUS : 07/05/01 – highest chart position: unknown

USA: 26/03/01 - highest chart position: 57

List of officially released versions

Original full length version (5:39) - on 12" single, Gorillaz and The Singles Collection 2001-2011
Single edit (3:44) - on various single formats
Ed Case Re-fix (4:30) - on 12" promo and some versions of Gorillaz
Ed Case Re-fix edit (3:42) - on many single formats, some versions of Gorillaz, and The Singles Collection 2001-2011
Phi Life Cypher version (4:50) - on various single formats and G-Sides
Live in Manchester version on Demon Days Live DVD and "DARE" single
A rare, but official, promo CD of unmastered tracks intended for the Gorillaz album contains the full unfaded version of "Clint Eastwood" running 6:33. This version was never properly released.

Video

Trivia

"Clint Eastwood" is the first track (and one of the few) to directly address a band member by name in the lyrics. In one verse Del states, "Through Russel, not his muscles but percussion he provides..."
- Funnily enough, the Phi-Life Cypher version addresses both Russel and Noodle instead, in the verses "I'm a mad dred, causin' so much havoc in Russel's head" and "I smash the top of your head with a guitar I borrowed from Noodle".

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[File:Clinte.jpg|thumb]][[File:005d9e3826014445b97b10921833f25e.png|thumb|220x220px]]
+[[File:005d9e3826014445b97b10921833f25e.png|thumb|220px]]
 [[Image:ClintCD.jpg|250px|right|thumb|CD]]
-'''Clint Eastwood''' was the first proper [[Gorillaz]] single. A huge smash initially in the UK, where it remained in the charts for months and the top 10 for weeks.
+'''Clint Eastwood''' is the fifth track on [[Gorillaz]]' 2001 album ''"[[Gorillaz (album)|Gorillaz]]"'', as well as the first proper Gorillaz single. The song is named after the actor of the same name due to its similarity to the theme music of ''The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.''
+In [[Rise of the Ogre]], the song is claimed as Gorillaz' big signature tune. A huge smash initially in the UK, where it remained in the charts for months and the top 10 for weeks.
-At around the same time radio in Europe also went mad for the song. Slightly later in 2001 the song would also become a massive radio hit in the US and central and South America. Bigger than his previous smash, Song 2 (with Blur), this song remains [[Damon Albarn|Damon Albarn's]] biggest hit.
+At around the same time radio in Europe also went mad for the song. Slightly later in 2001 the song would also become a massive radio hit in the US and central and South America. Bigger than his previous smash, Song 2 (with Blur), this song remains one of [[Damon Albarn|Damon Albarn's]] biggest  hits (it's popularity beaten only by [[Feel Good Inc.]]).
-In the UK the Ed Case Refix (available on all formats) actually got far more airplay than the A-side, probably resulting in the inclusion of said remix on the debut LP. B-side [[Dracula]] was probably the best of the off cuts from the 'Gorillaz' sessions, and tour rap group Phi Life Cypher also contributed a version.
+In the UK, the [[Clint Eastwood (Ed Case Refix)|Ed Case Refix]] actually got far more airplay than the regular verson due to the popularity of UK Garage at the time, resulting in the inclusion of said remix on the debut LP. B-side [[Dracula]] was probably the best of the off cuts from the 'Gorillaz' sessions and most popular Phase 1 B-side track. British hip hop group [[Phi Life Cypher]] also contributed providing rap and vocals both to the [[Clint Eastwood (Phi Life Cypher Version)|original version of Clint Eastwood]], later released on ''[[G-Sides]]'' and at the live [[Clint Eastwood (Live BRITs Performance)|BRIT Awards performace]].
-During live performances, various rappers have contributed different raps to the song, including De La Soul & Bootie Brown or Jamal Grey (Demon Detour,) Tinie Tempah (Johnathan Ross Show,) Snoop Dogg (Glastonbury,) Bashy & Kano (Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour) and Eslam Jawaad (Damascus.)
-[[File:Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood|thumb|330x330px]]
+Because of legal issues that Damon Albarn had with [[Del The Funky Homosapien]], his rapping parts could not be used during live performances, and so various rappers have contributed different raps to the song, including Phi Life Cypher themselves, De La Soul with Bootie Brown or Jamal Grey in Demon Detour, Tinie Tempah (Johnathan Ross Show), Snoop Dogg (Glastonbury), Bashy & Kano (Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour), and Eslam Jawaad (Damascus). However, after both Del and Damon sorted out their problems, in most recent shows the original rap has been used again.
+== Recording ==
+=== Real life backstory ===
+The foundation of the song is based around a preset produced by the Suzuki Omnichord OM-300 called Rock 1. It’s original demos were recorded by Albarn using a drum machine and a guitar, with similar demos being, re-recorded into Logic as a backing track.
+The original rap was done by Phi-Life Cypher and planned to keep that as the album version. However, [[Dan the Automator]] insisted that a different rapper be used instead, and courted Del The Funky Homosapien (who he was working with on Deltron 3030 at the time) as the guest rapper. Del was initially hesitant and only agreed to record his It after being shown the band’s artwork and recognizing [[Jamie Hewlett]]’s art style from [[Tank Girl]] (a comic he collected as a teenager). Using techniques he learned from reading “How To Write a Hit Song”, he wrote and recorded his verses for the song. It was considered superior and stuck as the album version, quickly becoming one of the band’s biggest hits.
+The strings featured in the song are from a string machine, the Solina String Ensemble. According to engineer, Jason Cox, "Damon gave us the OK to set fire to it on stage, but we said 'No, you can't set fire to that! It's a classic!", and it ended up being used on the song as well as some other tracks on the album. The drums are provided by a drum machine and the main instrument used in the song is the melodica, which Albarn used to make the basic track as well.
+===Virtual band backstory===
+[[File:Clinte.jpg|thumb]]
+While recording at [[Kong Studios]], [[2-D]] started fiddling around with his melodica and [[Russel Hobbs]] took the good bits out of it, while Murdoc wrote the melody and 2-D then sang it.
+-D also claimed he had a cold when he did the vocals but still really worked.
+[[Murdoc]] jokingly said that when he did the song he just pushed the ''reggae setting'' button on his Honda Z-Chord autoharp, turned the knob from 'flop' to 'hit' and popped out the song.
+The original recording featured Murdoc signing ''"colourless, atonal vocals"'', but Dan the Automator, the producer of the album, suggested the song could be improved by replacing his sections with a rap.
+Such suggestion seemed to trigger a ghostly summoning which shook all of Kong, and [[Del]]'s phantom erupted from Russel's head and sang his own lines while Russel was sent to a coma. Russel later claimed that Del transformed the whole sound.
+After finishing the song, they called it '' 'Clint Eastwood' '' because it had a ''"The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"'' feel to the melodica line. 2-D also said that because of its ''dub'' feel, it was a tip of the hat to all 1970's reggae stars who used names like that.
 == Lyrics ==
+{{Lyrics
-<poem>
+|content=<poem>
 I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
-I got sunshine in a bag
+I've got sunshine in a bag
 I'm useless, but not for long
 The future is coming on
 I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
-I got sunshine in a bag
+I've got sunshine in a bag
 I'm useless, but not for long
 The future is coming on
@@ Line 25: / Line 49: @@
 It's coming on
+Ahhh yeah! Hahah
 Finally someone let me out of my cage
 Now, time for me is nothing cause I'm counting no age
@@ Line 33: / Line 58: @@
 Intangible
 Bet you didn't think so I command you to
-Panoramic view
+Panoramic view, look, I'll make it all manageable
-Look, I'll make it all manageable
 Pick and choose, sit and lose, all you different crews
 Chicks and dudes, who you think is really kickin' tunes?
 Picture you gettin' down in a picture tube
 Like you lit the fuse
-You think it's fictional?
+You think it's fictional? Mystical? Maybe
+Spiritual. Hero who appears in you to clear your view when you're too crazy
-Mystical? Maybe
-Spiritual
-Hero who appears in you to clear your view when you're too crazy
 Lifeless, to know the definition for what life is
 Priceless to you because I put you on the hype shit
 You like it?
-Gun smokin', righteous with one token
+Gun smokin', righteous with one toke
 Psychic among those
 Possess you with one go
 I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
-I got sunshine in a bag
+I've got sunshine in a bag
 I'm useless, but not for long
 The future is coming on
 I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
-I got sunshine in a bag
+I've got sunshine in a bag
 I'm useless, but not for long
 The future is coming on
@@ Line 65: / Line 87: @@
 Without it, you make it
 Allow me to make this child-like in nature
+Rhythm, you have it or you don't, that's a fallacy
-Rhythm
-You have it or you don't, that's a fallacy
 I'm in them
-Every sprouting tree
+Every sprouting tree, every child a piece
-Every child of peace
 Every cloud and sea
 You see with your eyes
-I see destruction and demise
+I see destruction and demise, corruption in disguise
-Corruption in disguise
 From this fuckin' enterprise
 Now I'm sucked into your lies
@@ Line 83: / Line 102: @@
 So I'm gonna stick around with Russ and be a mentor
 Bust a few rhymes so motherfuckers remember where the thought is
-I brought all this
+I brought all this so you can survive when law is lawless
-So you can survive when law is lawless
 Feelings, sensations that you thought was dead
 No squealing, remember that it's all in your head
 I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
-I got sunshine in a bag
+I've got sunshine in a bag
 I'm useless but not for long
 The future is coming on
 I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
-I got sunshine in a bag
+I've got sunshine in a bag
 I'm useless but not for long
 My future is coming on
@@ Line 121: / Line 139: @@
 My future
 </poem>
+}}
 ==UK Formats==
@@ Line 127: / Line 146: @@
 . Clint Eastwood (Edit)<br />
-. Clint Eastwood (Ed Case Refix Edit)<br />
+. Clint Eastwood (Ed Case Refix)<br />
 . Dracula<br />
-. Clint Eastwood (Video)
+. [[Clint Eastwood (Video)]]
 '''Cassette'''
@@ Line 140: / Line 159: @@
 A. Clint Eastwood (Album Version)<br />
-B1. Clint Eastwood (Ed Case Refix Edit)<br />
+B1. Clint Eastwood (Ed Case Refix)<br />
 B2. Clint Eastwood (Phi Life Cypher Version)
@@ Line 150: / Line 169: @@
 == List of officially released versions ==
-* Original full length version (5:39) - on 12" single, [[Gorillaz (album)|''Gorillaz'']]'' and [[The Singles Collection 2001-2011]]''
+* Original full length version (5:39) - on 12" single, ''Gorillaz and [[The Singles Collection 2001-2011]]''
 * Single edit (3:44) - on various single formats
 * Ed Case Re-fix (4:30) - on 12" promo and some versions of ''Gorillaz''
-* Ed Case Re-fix edit (3:42) - on many single formats, some versions of ''Gorillaz'', and ''The SIngles Collection 2001-2011''
+* Ed Case Re-fix edit (3:42) - on many single formats, some versions of ''Gorillaz'', and ''The Singles Collection 2001-2011''
 * Phi Life Cypher version (4:50) - on various single formats and ''G-Sides ''
-* Live in Manchester version on [[Demon Days Live at the Manchester Opera House|''Demon Days Live DVD'']] and [[DARE]] single
+* Live in Manchester version on [[Demon Days Live at the Manchester Opera House|''Demon Days Live DVD'']] and "[[DARE]]" single
 *A rare, but official, promo CD of [[Gorillaz (Un-mastered Version)|unmastered tracks]] intended for the ''Gorillaz'' album contains the full unfaded version of "Clint Eastwood" running 6:33. This version was never properly released.
+== Video ==
+[[File:Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood (Official Video)|thumb|500px|center]]
+== Trivia ==
+* "Clint Eastwood" is the first track (and one of the few) to directly address a band member by name in the lyrics. In one verse Del states, ''"Through Russel, not his muscles but percussion he provides..."''
+** Funnily enough, the Phi-Life Cypher version addresses both Russel and [[Noodle]] instead, in the verses "''I'm a mad dred, causin' so much havoc in Russel's head''" and "''I smash the top of your head with a guitar I borrowed from Noodle''".
+<gallery>
+Clint Eastwood Inside.png|Full inside cover art for the CD release of the single.
+Clint Eastwood Front.png|Full front cover art for the CD release of the single.
+.JPG|Clint Eastwood wallpaper 8.
+.JPG|Clint Eastwood wallpaper 7.
+.JPG|Clint Eastwood wallpaper 6.
+.JPG|Clint Eastwood wallpaper 5.
+.JPG|Clint Eastwood wallpaper 4.
+.JPG|Clint Eastwood wallpaper 3.
+.JPG|Clint Eastwood wallpaper 2.
+.JPG|Clint Eastwood wallpaper 1.
+</gallery>
 {{Template:Gorillaz}}
 [[Category:Gorillaz (album)]]
-[[Category:2001 Singles]]
+[[Category:Phase 1]]
+[[Category:Singles]]
+[[Category:Songs]]
+[[Category:Gorillaz]]
+[[Category:Music]]
+[[Category:Phase 1 Songs]]

Gorillaz Wiki