C'mon Billy

"C'mon Billy"
Single by PJ Harvey
from the album To Bring You My Love
B-side "Darling Be There" / "Maniac" / "One Time Too Many"
Released 1995
Format CD, vinyl
Genre Alternative rock
Length 2:52
Label Island
Writer(s) PJ Harvey
Producer(s) Flood, John Parish, PJ Harvey
PJ Harvey singles chronology
"Down by the Water"
(1995)
C'mon Billy
(1995)
"Send His Love to Me"
(1995)
Alternate cover

C'mon Billy was the second single released on PJ Harvey's 1995 album To Bring You My Love. As one of the more solemn tracks on the album it depicts a woman begging for the aforementioned Billy to come home and meet his son.[1] Her singing style is described as "frantic purrs" and has an accompanying string section similar to songs from previous albums. Despite this added string section the song is credited as being a clear example of Harvey's sound change, critics have stated that the song was possibly a "glimpse of the Blues Explosion and Portishead."[2][3] The song charted 29 on the UK Charts and had moderate airplay in the UK.[4]

Music video

The accompanying music video to the song shows PJ Harvey in a saloon setting said to be surreal by critics.[5] While there she attempts to seduce a man there implied to be Billy. The video then shows imaginary home movies of Harvey, Billy, and a baby boy playing together in a park. A Chicago Tribune critic referred to Harvey in the video as a "sadomasochistic dominatrix in blood-red dress." Although the video impressed VH1 executives, they rejected it from being able to play on their channel because the video was seen as scary and off-putting.[6][7]

Track list

  1. "C'mon Billy" – 2:52
  2. "Darling Be There" – 3:46
  3. "Maniac" – 4:01
  4. "One Time Too Many" – 2:51[8]

Chart positions

Chart (1995) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart[4] 29
Australian ARIA Singles Chart[9] 128

References

  1. Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (November 2, 2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide: Completely Revised and Updated 4th Edition (4 ed.). Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0743201698. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  2. Santangelo, Antonio (July 3, 2003). "CMJ Silver Salute" (821). CMJ: 5. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  3. Aswad, Jem (April 1995). "PJ Harvey To Bring You My Love Island". CMJ: 12. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Pj Harvey". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  5. Michigan Sociological Association (1999). "Michigan Sociological Review, Volumes 13-15". 13-15. Retrieved December 9, 2012.
  6. Kot, Greg (December 18, 2000). "`My Music Has Not Been Easy Listening That Stops People'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  7. "PJ Harvey - C'mon Billy". Artistdirect. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  8. "PJ Harvey – C'Mon Billy". Discogs. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  9. "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry (submitted to charts.mail@aria.com.au), received 15 July 2015". imgur.com. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 19 July 2015.

External links

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