Mother Universe Explained

Mother Universe
Cover:Soup Dragons-Mother Universe.jpg
Type:single
Artist:The Soup Dragons
Album:Lovegod
Released:1990
Genre:Alternative rock, dub
Length:various
Label:Big Life
Prev Title:Crotch Deep Trash
Prev Year:1989
Next Title:I'm Free
Next Year:1990

"Mother Universe" is a single taken from the Soup Dragons album Lovegod. The original version, "hinging on a Marc Bolan riff",[1] was initially ignored and regarded according to Rage Magazine as 'weird'.[2] However, after the considerable success of the album's second single, "I'm Free", Mother Universe was reworked to give it a similar feel, substituting a gospel-style chorus for guitar chords and adding various whoops and small elements of toasting.[3] [4] [5] The new version reached 26 in the UK Charts[6] and was later re-issued in the US backed by "Sweetmeat". Despite the latter version's greater success, lead singer Sean Dickson has stated his preference for the original version.

Cover Art

The original version featured a bowed headed Madonna figure in colour reversed reds.[7] The remix version cover art featured a stylised blue fly with orange wings.[8]

Track listing

UK downtempo promo 7-inch; 1989

UK, October 1990 Remix

UK, October 1990 CD

US Release

Canadian Release

Charts

Chart (1990)Peak
position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[11] 76
New Zealand (RIANZ)[12] 45
UK Singles (OCC)26

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.shockhound.com/artists/51785-the-soup-dragons-mp3 Encyclopedia of Popular Music quoted on Shockhound
  2. http://www.chrishunt.biz/features21.html Soup Dragons interview
  3. http://www.chrishunt.biz/features21.html Rage Magazine's October 1990 Soup Dragons interview
  4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzDJTcbHL3E Original version
  5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcsOzkpQQZM Second version
  6. http://www.discoogle.com/wiki/Soup_Dragons%2C_The_-_Mother_Universe_%28Us%2C1991%2C879_545-2%2CSINGLE%29 Discoogle
  7. http://www.discoogle.com/wiki/Image:237900EFC3B4044C73A6696ED8EDC945.jpg Discoogle
  8. http://forcedlaugh.blogspot.com/2009/02/soup-dragons-mother-universe-single.html Single artwork
  9. http://www.outlab.net/info/release/29910 Outlab Track Listing
  10. http://do.musica.ginio.com/albums/The_Soup_Dragons/ Track Listing
  11. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. 3 November 1990. 21 June 2021. Music & Media.
  12. Web site: THE SOUP DRAGONS - MOTHER UNIVERSE. 22 June 2021. dutchcharts.nl.