"Slight Return" is a song by English indie rock band the Bluetones, released as the second single from their 1996 debut album, Expecting to Fly. Re-released as a solo single on 22 January 1996, it was originally issued as a double-A-side with "The Fountainhead" the previous year. "Slight Return" peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart and is the band's highest-placing single. Bluetones frontman Mark Morriss said that the title of the song was initially a nickname, but as he was not good with naming songs, it eventually became the official title.[1]

"Slight Return"
Single by the Bluetones
from the album Expecting to Fly
B-side
  • "Don't Stand Me Down"
  • "Nae Hair On't"
Released22 January 1996 (1996-01-22)
RecordedMid-1995
StudioRidge Farm (Surrey, England)
LabelSuperior Quality
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Hugh Jones
The Bluetones singles chronology
"Bluetonic"
(1995)
"Slight Return"
(1996)
"Cut Some Rug/Castle Rock"
(1996)

Track listings edit

UK 7-inch and cassette single; European CD single[2][3][4]

  1. "Slight Return"
  2. "Don't Stand Me Down"

UK, Australian, and Japanese CD single[5][6][7]

  1. "Slight Return"
  2. "Don't Stand Me Down"
  3. "Nae Hair On't"

US CD single[8]

  1. "Slight Return"
  2. "Don't Stand Me Down"
  3. "Nae Hair On't"
  4. "Are You Blue or Are You Blind?"

Credits and personnel edit

Credits are taken from the Expecting to Fly album booklet.[9]

Studio

Personnel

  • Mark Morriss – writing, vocals
  • Eds Chesters – writing, drums, percussion
  • Adam Devlin – writing, six-string guitar, twelve-string guitar
  • Scott Morriss – writing, vocals, electric bass guitar
  • Hugh Jones – production, mixing
  • Helen Woodward – mix engineering
  • Geoff Pesche – mastering

Charts edit

Certifications edit

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] Silver 200,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history edit

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom 22 January 1996
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
Superior Quality [22]
Japan 25 February 1996 CD A&M [23]

References edit

  1. ^ Publisher (20 February 2014). "Interview: The Bluetones' Mark Morriss". Songwriting Magazine. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  2. ^ Slight Return (UK 7-inch single sleeve). The Bluetones. Superior Quality Recordings. 1996. BLUE 003X.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. ^ Slight Return (UK cassette single sleeve). The Bluetones. Superior Quality Recordings. 1996. BLUE 003MC.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ^ Slight Return (European CD single liner notes). The Bluetones. Superior Quality Recordings. 1996. 581 360-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. ^ Slight Return (UK CD single liner notes). The Bluetones. Superior Quality Recordings. 1996. BLUE 003CD.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ^ Slight Return (Australian CD single liner notes). The Bluetones. Superior Quality Recordings. 1996. 581 361-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ^ Slight Return (Japanese CD single liner notes). The Bluetones. A&M Records. 1996. POCM-1154.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ^ Slight Return (US CD single liner notes). The Bluetones. A&M Records. 1996. 31458 1555 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ Expecting to Fly (UK CD album booklet). The Bluetones. Superior Quality Recordings. 1996. BLUECD 004, 540 475-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ "Australian ARIA Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 30 Jun 1996". ARIA. Retrieved 12 April 2018 – via Imgur. N.B. The HP column displays the highest peak reached.
  11. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 6. 10 February 1996. p. 15. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  12. ^ "The Bluetones: Slight Return" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  13. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (30.3. – 5.4. '96)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 30 March 1996. p. 52. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  14. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Slight Return". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  15. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  16. ^ "The Bluetones – Slight Return". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  17. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  18. ^ "Árslistinn 1996". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 January 1997. p. 16. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  19. ^ "Top 100 Singles 1996". Music Week. 18 January 1997. p. 25.
  20. ^ "Najlepsze single na UK Top 40–1996 wg sprzedaży" (in Polish). Archived from the original on 4 June 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  21. ^ "British single certifications – Bluetones – Slight Return". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  22. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 20 January 1996. p. 31. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  23. ^ "Bluetones Discography" (in Japanese). PolyGram. Archived from the original on 20 February 1999. Retrieved 27 August 2023.