"Beautiful Ones" is a song by English rock band Suede, released as the second single from their third album, Coming Up (1996), on 14 October 1996 through Nude Records. The song became a top-10 hit in the United Kingdom, peaking at number eight, and reached number one in Iceland for two weeks.
Background
Featuring one of new guitarist Richard Oakes' first guitar riffs, "Beautiful Ones" became one of Suede's more popular singles. The song was originally titled "Dead Leg" after bassist Mat Osman jokingly threatened to give Oakes a dead leg if he was unable to write a top ten single.[1] The song charted at number eight on the UK Singles Chart in October 1996, in an era when the top 10 consisted of an eclectic mix of pop, indie and dance music.[2]
Reception and legacy
Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Like a fast-mangled Oasis song, The London Suede succeeded in making sounds of pop/rock that are definitely unique. The painfully true lyrics and vibrant sounds have already proved to be a hit in the U.K."[3] Kevin Courtney from The Irish Times commented, "The Suede resurrection continues apace with this second single from the band's brilliant Coming Up album […] Richard Oakes's crispy guitar intro sets the sordid scene, and Brett takes up the trashy torch with bum slapping gusto. As immediate and invigorating as, well, a good sniff of premium unleaded."[4] Music writer James Masterton said in his weekly UK chart commentary, that the band’s follow up to "Trash" "hits similar heights with a rather fine catchy melody that is by no means instant but gradually works its way into your consciousness with repeated listens."[5] A reviewer from Music Week gave it four out of five, adding that "the familiar strains of Brett Anderson ride over this strong single".[6]
In 2014, Paste listed the song at number 34 in its list of "The 50 Best Britpop Songs". Michael Danaher wrote: "The song is both simple and sophisticated, and it's a true Britpop gem that deserves much attention."[7] In a Clash retrospective feature on Coming Up, Ricky Jones called the single "a jangly pop masterpiece with one of the most melancholic sing-a-long choruses Britpop would ever produce."[8]
Music video
The music video for the song was directed by Pedro Romhanyi, who had previously made the video for the band's third single, "Animal Nitrate" in early 1993. The video features the band shot in black and white performing the song, intercut with quick edits of conceptual segments illustrating the song's lyrics in a literal fashion.
^Beautiful Ones (UK CD2 liner notes). Suede. Nude Records. 1996. NUD 23CD2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Beautiful Ones (UK cassette single sleeve). Suede. Nude Records. 1996. NUD 23MC.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Beautiful Ones (European CD single liner notes). Suede. Nude Records. 1996. NUD 663742 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Beautiful Ones (Japanese CD single liner notes). Suede. Nude Records. 1996. ESCA 6626.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
