Amnesia Album: Tubthumper (1998)
The Wizard Of Menlo Park Album:Un (2004)
Give The Anarchist A Cigarette Album: Anarchy (1994)
by Chumbawamba
"Amnesia" is the second single from English band Chumbawamba's eighth studio album, Tubthumper (1997). The song's lyrics address the sense of betrayal that English leftists felt during the rise of New Labour. Released on 19 January 1998 by EMI, the song was met with favorable reception from critics, who regarded the song as a highlight from Tubthumper.
The song was a top-10 hit in Canada and the United Kingdom, giving the group their final top-20 entries in both countries. The song also reached number one on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100, becoming the group's final US chart entry. An accompanying music video was also released.
"Amnesia" lyrically explores the dishonesty of politicians and the ignorance of voters who continue to vote them into office. Chumbawamba's Alice Nutter told MTV that the group "wrote "Amnesia' before the general election in England, and we basically wrote it about Blair's new labor [sic]," adding that the song has a universal message, noting that "people forget that what Bill Clinton says before he gets elected is not what Bill Clinton will do when he's in office, and that's not about Bill Clinton, that's about all politicians." At the end of the album version of the song, there is an interlude that samples a UK public service announcement on mad cow disease.
Amnesia was released as a CD single in the UK. A 12-inch single of the song was later released in the US, featuring "Tubthumping" as its B-side. A full-page ad featured in Spin magazine, for the song's parent album mentioned the inclusion of "Amnesia" on the album, was accompanied by partial lyrics.
Un is the eleventh studio album by Chumbawamba, released on 8 June 2004 by Koch Records. The album was written and produced by solely by Chumbawamba. A musical departure from predecessor Readymades (2002), the album incorporates elements of folk, electronic, and world music. Thematically, the album acts as a social commentary on a variety of political and social issues, including individualism and anti-consumerism. Un was promoted with two singles: "The Wizard of Menlo Park" (included here) and "On eBay".
Anarchy is the sixth studio album by Chumbawamba. Many of the tracks address specific social issues, such as homophobia, strikes or otherisms.
Its graphic cover, depicting a baby's head emerging from a vagina, prompted the record to be banned from some shops and stocked in plain sleeves in others. The Spotify and iTunes version of the album replaces the baby picture with a painting of red roses.
The album was a commercial success, giving the group their first top-40 album on the UK Albums Chart. The album debuted and peaked at number 29 on the chart dated 7 May 1994; it spent a total of three weeks on the chart before exiting the top 100.
Give The Anarchist A Cigarette is the first track.
