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