Glory Box Explained

Glory Box
Cover:Glory box.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Portishead
Album:Dummy
B-Side:
  • "Toy Box"
  • "Scorn"
  • "Sheared Box"
Genre:Trip hop[1]
Length:5:06
Label:Go! Beat
Producer:
Prev Title:Sour Times
Prev Year:1994
Next Title:All Mine
Next Year:1997

"Glory Box" is a song by English electronic band Portishead, released on 3 January 1995 by Go! Beat as the third and final single from their debut album, Dummy (1994). It samples "Ike's Rap II" by Isaac Hayes and peaked at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart. Additionally, the song was a top 10 hit in Iceland, while entering the top 20 in France, Ireland and Scotland.

Creation

The song includes a sample of Isaac Hayes's 'Ike’s Rap II'.

Interpretation

Beth Gibbons has said it is a misinterpretation to see the lyrics as a demand for a return to more traditional masculine and feminine roles.[2] She has said "The key line in the song really is "Move over and give us some room" because I do think that women are very much taken for granted."[3]

Critical reception

In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton said that "Glory Box" "is definitely one of the more gloriously slinky indie records released in ages".[4] A reviewer from Music & Media commented: "Put the violin of the late Papa John Creach on top of it, and you get the Jefferson Airplane for the '90s. Based on a sample from Isaac Hayes's Isaac Moods it's 'suspense dance'."[5] Maria Jimenez from the magazine's Short Grooves wrote: "This bluesy, emotional and hypnotic number is set to a very mellow, minimalistic and spacious hip hop musical backdrop. Potent vocals reminiscent of Cowboy Junkies and intense guitar energy and dub bass amplify the power of "Glory Box"."[6]

Andy Beevers from Music Week gave it four out of five, describing it as "another highly original and atmospheric song that is probably too downbeat and leftfield for daytime radioplay, but will still sell well".[7] Andy Richardson from NME felt that "Glory Box" "makes your heart beat even slower and it's got a good groove."[8] David Sinclair from The Times noted, "This is a strange, shimmering affair, which mixes a scratchy hip-hop rhythm track, descending bass line (a la Python Lee Jackson's "In a Broken Dream"), wailing blues guitar and the icily seductive vocals of Beth Gibbons into a highly addictive concoction."[9]

Music video

The accompanying music video for the song was directed by Alexander Hemming and released on 14 November.[10] It is set in the 1950s, featuring lead singer Beth Gibbons as a jazz singer at a club while various office workers watch her perform. Sexual tension begins to rise between certain characters, as eventually, all of the workers, as separate couples, attend the club where Beth is performing. Apart from the band members, the entire cast of the video appears in drag.

The video for "Glory Box" was later made available on Portishead's official YouTube channel in 2015 and had generated more than 35 million views as of April 2024.[11]

Impact and legacy

Slant Magazine listed the song at number 21 in their ranking of "The 100 Best Singles of the 1990s" in 2011, writing: "Second only to its flawless production, which includes a sample of Isaac Hayes's 'Ike’s Rap II', is Beth Gibbons's impeccable lyrics and vocal performance on 'Glory Box'. Her voice sounding like it’s coming out of an antique radio, she’s at once coquettish and despondent, like a lounge singer delivering her final torch song before slinking off to her dressing room to drown her sorrow in booze and heroin. Her voice blossoms with momentary optimism during the second verse ('A thousand flowers could bloom!') and, of course, during the song’s rousing chorus: 'Give me a reason to love you/Give me a reason to be a woman.' A post-feminist anthem from the hungry, seedy depths of lust."[12]

Track listings

  1. "Glory Box" (edit)
  2. "Toy Box"
  3. "Scorn"
  4. "Sheared Box"
  1. "Glory Box" (edit)
  2. "Toy Box"

A1. "Glory Box" – 5:06

A2. "Scorn" – 6:04

A3. "Sheared Box" – 3:30

B1. "Strangers" – 3:55

B2. "Wandering Star" – 4:51

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1995)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[19] [20] 96
scope="row"
scope="row"
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[21] 41
scope="row"
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[22] 7
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
UK Club Chart (Music Week)[23] 97

Year-end charts

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)
United Kingdom3 January 1995Go! Beat[25]
United States3 April 1995Alternative radio[26]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Sound Media: From Live Journalism to Music Recording . Routledge . Nyre, Lars . 2009 . 57 . 978-1135253776.
  2. Web site: Rock: The reluctant dbutante. 11 December 1994. The Independent.
  3. p210, Portishead's Dummy, R J Wheston, Bloomsbury, 2011
  4. Web site: Masterton. James. Week Ending January 21st 1995. Chart Watch UK. 15 January 1995. 16 September 2021. James Masterton.
  5. New Releases: Singles . . 21 January 1995 . 11 . 17 May 2021 .
  6. Maria . Jimenez . Short Grooves . . 8 October 1994 . 11 . 15 March 2021 .
  7. Andy . Beevers . Market Preview: Dance . . 24 September 1994 . 16 . 19 April 2021.
  8. Andy. Richardson. Singles. NME. 7 January 1995. 37. 28 November 2023. Andy Richardson (writer).
  9. Sinclair, David (5 November 1994). "Pop Singles; Recordings". The Times.
  10. Promos in Production . . 5 November 1994 . 10 . 22 April 2021.
  11. Web site: Portishead – Glory Box. YouTube. 9 March 2015. 16 September 2021.
  12. Web site: The 100 Best Singles of the 1990s . . 3 May 2021 . 9 January 2011.
  13. Glory Box. Portishead. 1995. UK CD single liner notes. Go! Beat. GODCD 120, 857 767-2.
  14. Glory Box. Portishead. 1995. UK 12-inch single sleeve. Go! Beat. GODX 120, 857 767-1.
  15. Glory Box. Portishead. 1995. Australian CD single liner notes. Go! Beat, Polydor Records. 8577672.
  16. Glory Box. Portishead. 1995. UK cassette single sleeve. Go! Beat. GODMC 120, 857 766-4.
  17. Glory Box. Portishead. 1995. European CD single liner notes. Go! Beat. 857 770-2.
  18. Glory Box. Portishead. 1995. US 12-inch single vinyl disc. Go! Beat, London Records, FFRR Records. 422 850 127-1.
  19. 221.
  20. Web site: The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 04 Jun 1995. ARIA. Imgur. 2 June 2016.
  21. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 11. 5. 36. 4 February 1995. 30 May 2020.
  22. News: Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (18.2 '95 – 25.2 '95). Dagblaðið Vísir. is. 24. 18 February 1995. 1 October 2019.
  23. The RM Club Chart. Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 24 September 1994. 8. 20 May 2023.
  24. News: Árslistinn 1995. Dagblaðið Vísir. is. 25. 2 January 1996. 30 May 2020.
  25. Web site: Glory Box – EP. Apple Music. 11 May 2023.
  26. April New Music Releases. Radio & Records. 1087. 63. 24 March 1995.