Universe (Slade song)
| "Universe" | ||||
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| Single by Slade | ||||
| from the album Wall of Hits | ||||
| B-side | "Red Hot" "Merry Xmas Everybody" |
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| Released | 2 December 1991 | |||
| Format | 7" single, 12" single, cassette, CD | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 4:15 | |||
| Label | Polydor Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Jim Lea | |||
| Producer(s) | Jim Lea | |||
| Slade singles chronology | ||||
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"Universe" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released in 1991 as the second single from the band's compilation album Wall of Hits. It was written and produced by bassist Jim Lea. The song failed to chart in the UK and would be the band's last single before disbanding in 1992.
In 2007, Lea would release his own solo version of "Universe" on his debut solo album Therapy.
After the commercial failure of the band's 1987 album You Boyz Make Big Noize, and the end of their contract with RCA, Slade decided to take an eighteen month break. Although the band announced their intentions to record a new album, these plans did not materialise. Later in 1991, the band's former 1970s label Polydor Records approached the band with the idea of recording two new singles to promote a new compilation album Wall of Hits. Furthermore, if both singles were successful, the label was willing to release a new studio album. The two singles, "Radio Wall of Sound" and "Universe", were soon completed, with "Radio Wall of Sound" being released in October 1991. The band's first Top 40 hit since 1984, it reached No. 21 in the UK. With the release of Wall of Hits in November, "Universe" followed in December and attempted to attract the Christmas market and help promote the compilation. "Universe" failed to chart in the UK and would be the band's final single. With the commercial failure of "Universe", Polydor's option for a new studio album was withdrawn and the band would split up in 1992.
"Universe" was written by Lea after the idea for the song came to him as he was heading out to an Indian restaurant for an evening meal. Like "Radio Wall of Sound", "Universe" was originally a solo recording of Lea's, who had completed much of the song's recording prior to it becoming a Slade song. Lea planned to add strings to the song at Abbey Road, however as the studio was booked, he used a synthesiser to record the strings section at Rich Bitch Studios instead.
In a 1992 fan club interview, Holder spoke of the song in relation to "Radio Wall of Sound", and about its commercial failure:
"I liked Universe even though I knew it was not such an instant song and it would take people time to latch on to it. I saw "Universe" as the stronger song and maybe if we had held it back for a while it may have been more successful but unfortunately it got lost in the Christmas market and there is just nothing you can do about it now. I think that everybody did a good job, we did a lot of TV, radio and press work around that period but it didn't translate into high sales of the two records. It was record company's decision [to release "Universe"]. The plan was always to do "Radio Wall of Sound", then the Wall of Hits album, followed by "Universe" to help carry the album along in the Christmas market. But we didn't realise how late "Universe" was coming out, it was actually two weeks later than planned. I don't know why, but by then we were into the Christmas mania season and not being such an instant track it lost out to the more popular records."
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Wikipedia