Wikipedia

Sonnet (The Verve song)

"Sonnet" is a song by the English rock band the Verve and is featured on their third album, Urban Hymns (1997). It was released on 2 March 1998 as the final single from the album. The ballad has the same instrumental layout as "The Drugs Don't Work", consisting of acoustic and electric guitars backed up with a string section mainly consisting of violins.

"Sonnet"
Single by the Verve
from the album Urban Hymns
B-side
  • "Stamped"
  • "So Sister"
  • "Echo Bass"
Released2 March 1998 (1998-03-02)
StudioOlympic (London)
GenreBritpop
Length4:22
Label
Songwriter(s)Richard Ashcroft
Producer(s)
The Verve singles chronology
"Lucky Man"
(1997) 		"Sonnet"
(1998) 		"The Thaw Session"
(2007)
Music video
"Sonnet" on YouTube

At the start of 1998, Hut wanted to release another single from the album, an idea which the band disagreed with. Unusually, Hut pressed them on this matter, and so the band finally agreed to release "Sonnet", but only in a format that would make it ineligible for chart recognition. Consequently, "Sonnet" was released as part of a set of four 12-inch records (backed by "Stamped", "So Sister" and "Echo Bass").

The release of "Sonnet" was limited to just 5,000 copies, despite the huge radio coverage it received, and the UK's Official Charts Company refused to recognise it as a single because of the extra content, as planned. The pack was released in a cardboard mailer, and the preceding three singles from the album, all were re-released on the same day, fitted into the mailer. However, sales of an imported format resulted in it charting in the United Kingdom at number 74. The song also charted in Australia, Iceland, and New Zealand, reaching numbers 83, 4, and 43, respectively.

Music video edit

The music video is set in a large car park. An "Exit" sign written in Russian can be seen in the background. The rest of the video consists of repeated close-ups of singer Richard Ashcroft sitting in a chair, with different backgrounds each time.

Track listing edit

  • European CD and 12-inch single[1][2]
Australian and Japanese CD single[1][3]
  1. "Sonnet"
  2. "Stamped"
  3. "So Sister"
  4. "Echo Bass"

Charts edit

Certifications edit

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[10] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history edit

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom 2 March 1998 12-inch vinyl
[11]
Japan 8 July 1998 CD [12]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Sonnet (European & Australian CD single liner notes). The Verve. Hut Records, Virgin Records. 1998. HUTCD100.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ^ Sonnet (European limited 12-inch single sleeve). The Verve. Hut Records, Virgin Records. 1998. HUTTX100.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. ^ Sonnet (Japanese CD single liner notes). The Verve. Virgin Records. 1998. VJCP-12096.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ^ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart - Week Commencing 25 Jan 1999". ARIA. Retrieved 6 February 2016 – via Imgur.
  5. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (2.4. – 9.4. 1998)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 3 April 1998. p. 30. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  6. ^ "The Verve – Sonnet". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  7. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  8. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  9. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 100 – Vinsælustu Lögin '98". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 January 1999. p. 34. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  10. ^ "British single certifications – Verve – Sonnet". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  11. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 28 February 1998. p. 27. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  12. ^ "ソネット | ザ・ヴァーヴ" [Sonnet | The Verve] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
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