"Mouthwash" is a song by Kate Nash. On 1 October 2007, it was released as her third single, and the second to be taken from her debut studio album, Made of Bricks. The song, which Nash described as a "protest song", includes lyrics in which Nash describes herself and the "confusion of youth".
| "Mouthwash" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Kate Nash | ||||
| from the album Made of Bricks | ||||
| B-side |
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| Released | 1 October 2007 | |||
| Genre | Indie rock | |||
| Length |
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| Label | Fiction | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Kate Nash | |||
| Kate Nash singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Mouthwash" on YouTube | ||||
Upon its release, the song drew both favorable and mixed assessments from music critics. It became Nash's second top thirty entry on the UK Singles Chart, following her number-two single "Foundations". The single also entered the singles charts in Belgium and Scotland.
Composition edit
"Mouthwash" is a medium-tempo pop song in the key of D-flat major.[1] It was composed by Nash and Paul Epworth.[1]
The song's chorus includes the lyrics "I use mouthwash, sometimes I floss, I've got a family and we drink cups of tea", while in its verses Nash "lists various parts of herself and explains why you can't break her".[2] Its lyrical themes have been likened to "I'm Every Woman" and "I Will Survive."[2] The song has been described as "less combative" than many of the other tracks on Made of Bricks, such as "Foundations".[3]
Nash stated in an interview that the song is "a protest song that comes from the confusion of youth. I guess it's about not quite being there yet. About not feeling totally sure where you are going but still feeling the need to defend all the things that make you into who you are. We all have routines and things in common, that still somehow manage to be totally unique and personal to you."[4]
Release edit
The song's CD single was released in the United Kingdom on 24 September 2007.[2]
Reception edit
Critical edit
Upon its release, the song was awarded four stars out of five by BBC Radio 1's Chart Blog. Writing for that outlet, critic Fraser McAlpine wrote that he would have awarded the song five stars, except for the fact that he considered the song inferior to other Made of Bricks tracks (including "Foundations," "Merry Happy," and "We Get On").[2]
Conversely, Mike Diver, writing for Drowned in Sound, gave the song a score of five out of ten.[4] Diver deemed the song "perfectly pleasant" but continued that it is "half-realised and far from fulfilling."[4]
Commercial edit
Following its release, the song became Nash's second Top 30 single in the United Kingdom. On the UK Singles Chart dated 18 August 2007, it debuted at number 84. It re-entered the singles chart dated 15 September 2007, and on the chart dated 7 October 2007, it attained its peak of number 23. It spent a total of ten weeks on the chart.[5]
Track listings edit
All songs written by Kate Nash.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mouthwash" | Nash | 5:02 |
| 2. | "Stitching Leggings" | Nash | 2:17 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mouthwash" | Nash | 5:02 |
| 2. | "Dirt (Demo from Iceland)" | Nash | 6:06 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mouthwash" | Nash | 5:02 |
| 2. | "Take 'Em Back" (misprinted as "Take 'Em Out" on the cover) | Nash | 2:19 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mouthwash" (Hot Chip Remix) | Nash | 5:26 |
Music video edit
The music video for "Mouthwash" was filmed at the Bradford Alhambra on the 20 August 2007, and had earlier filmed at the Bristol Hippodrome in late July or early August 2007.[6] Nash performed with the touring cast of Starlight Express on both occasions, who learned two new routines for the video.[6] It features Nash backstage of the theatres, and on the theatre stages playing the piano while the show is being performed.[6] The video was directed by Kinga Burza.[7]
Charts edit
| Chart (2007–2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[8] | 6 |
| Scotland (OCC)[9] | 23 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[10] | 23 |
References edit
- ^ a b "Mouthwash sheet music". NoteFlight. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ a b c d McAlpine, Fraser. "Chart Blog: Kate Nash.- 'Mouthwash'". BBC Radio 1. British Broadcasting Service. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ Cinquemani, Sal (2 February 2008). "Review: Kate Nash, Made of Bricks". Slant. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ a b c Diver, Mike. "Single Review: Kate Nash - 'Mouthwash'". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 17 June 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ "Kate Nash: Full Official Charts history". Official Charts. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ a b c Clayton, Emma (21 August 2007). "Pop star Kate rollers into town!". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
- ^ Anitai, Tamar (5 February 2008). "New Video: Kate Nash, 'Pumpkin Soup'". MTV. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
- ^ "Kate Nash – Mouthwash" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
- ^ "Kate Nash: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
External links edit
- Review of Kate Nash's Mouthwash on Unreality Music