Pure Morning

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"Pure Morning" was a last-minute addition to Without You I'm Nothing, being recorded as the band prepared B sides for the album in May, under "Nancy Boy" producer Phil Vinall. After playing with a guitar loop, they decided to develop it into a full song. Brian Molko said the lyrics were written "off the top of my head", so he only noticed their significance after recording.Segal, Victoria. [http://www.placeborussia.ru/press/press-1998-1999/nmeaug98 "No More Charlie Angels"]. NME, August 1998

Molko said that overall it was "a song about friendship", starting from the situation of "coming down when the rest of the world is waking up", such as when clubgoers get home as the sun rises and everyone else is going to work. The feeling of dislocation, "that point you feel like your life is the least sorted ever", would be solved by someone to "slip their arm around you and make slumber easier."

Molko summed up as "All you really crave is for a friend to put their arms around you and make you feel better. That's the pure morning, when that happens."[https://books.google.com/books?id=Fw0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA69 The Modern Age], Billboard

The music video, directed by Nick Gordon, and shot in slow motion at the junction of Savoy Street and Savoy Hill in London, features Brian Molko as a suicidal person. Police and authorities attempt to stop him from jumping from a building to end his life. Shots of the other band members consist of them being arrested for unseen crimes. News crews report on the scene and a single police officer runs through the building to attempt to dissuade Molko from jumping. Molko eventually jumps immediately before the officer reaches him, briefly falls, then is seen landing in a standing position on the side of the building, facing the street below him. He then walks down the side of the building, astonishing everyone.{{youtube|DHQngnnHE_0|Placebo - Pure Morning}}

The song was a staple of the band's setlist from 1998 through to 2005. After playing it on a number of shows during the band's stint on the Projekt Revolution tour of 2007, it was not performed between 2008 and 2016. In November 2013, in an interview, Brian Molko stated that although he still likes the music, the lyrics of the song nauseate him.{{Cite web|title = Interview "Interview: Brian Molko", Nov'13 - LJ Placebo Russia Archive|url = http://www.placeborussia.ru/press/press-2013/interview-nov13-eng|website = www.placeborussia.ru|access-date = 2 February 2016}} In October 2016, the song returned to the setlist and has opened almost every Placebo live set since.{{cite web |title=Placebo Concert Setlist at 6 Music Live 2016 #1 on October 3, 2016 |url=https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/placebo/2016/maida-vale-studios-london-england-33fd3c91.html |website=setlist.fm |accessdate=19 September 2018}}

UK CD1{{cite AV media notes|title=Pure Morning|others=Placebo|year=1998|type=UK CD1 liner notes|publisher=Elevator Music, Hut Records, Virgin Records|id=FLOORCD6}}

1. "Pure Morning" (radio edit)
2. "Mars Landing Party"
3. "Leeloo"

UK CD2{{cite AV media notes|title=Pure Morning|others=Placebo|year=1998|type=UK CD2 liner notes|publisher=Elevator Music, Hut Records, Virgin Records|id=FLOORDX6}}

1. "Pure Morning" (album version)
2. "Needledick"
3. "The Innocence of Sleep"

Placebo

• Brian Molko – vocals, guitar
• Stefan Olsdal – bass, guitar
• Steve Hewitt – drums, percussion

Technical personnel

• Phil Vinall – production
• Paul Corkett – additional engineering
• Jake Davies – mixing assistant
• Phelan Kane – programming
• Teo Miller – engineering
• Bunt Stafford-Clark – mastering (at Townhouse Studios, London)

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Placebo|title=Pure Morning|award=Silver|relyear=1998|certyear=2017|id=14558-426-1|access-date=22 January 2021}}

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"Pure Morning" has been featured often in British television advertisements. The song was included on the soundtrack to the film The Chumscrubber (2005). The song was covered by the project of Johnathon Sharp, Biotek, on their album Punishment for Decadence. The intro is featured in an episode of Daria, and it was also used in the Top Gear 2001 J.D. Power Survey, revealing the Lexus LS400.

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Category:1998 singles

Category:1998 songs

Category:Hut Records singles

Category:Placebo (band) songs

Category:Songs written by Brian Molko

Category:Songs written by Stefan Olsdal

Category:Songs written by Steve Hewitt