Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve.

Ah, "Bitter Sweet Symphony" by The Verve! What a fucking rollercoaster of a song, encapsulating the very essence of 90s Britpop with a goddamn legal drama to boot. This track, from their 1997 album "Urban Hymns," is a masterpiece marred by controversy, and if you're not familiar with it, sit the hell down because you're in for a story.

First off, the tune's iconic string section that everyone and their mother recognizes wasn't originally composed by The Verve. Nope, these geniuses decided to sample an orchestral rendition of The Rolling Stones' song "The Last Time," performed by The Andrew Oldham Orchestra. A decision that would bite them in the arse harder than a rabid dog. They did get initial clearance for the sample, but shit hit the fan when The Stones' rights holders argued The Verve used more of the song than agreed upon. The aftermath? The Verve had to sign over 100% of the song's royalties to Allen Klein, The Rolling Stones' manager at the time, effectively making Mick Jagger and Keith Richards the credited songwriters alongside Richard Ashcroft of The Verve. Can you imagine the fucking gall? Your biggest hit, and you don't see a penny from it because of a sample.

The irony of it all is that "Bitter Sweet Symphony" talks about the struggle of life, the pursuit of something more, and the feeling of being trapped in an endless cycle, which pretty much mirrors what the band went through with the song's legal battles. Richard Ashcroft, the lead singer and the poor sod who wrote the lyrics, was quoted saying it's the best song Jagger and Richards have written in 20 years, a beautiful fuck-you to the whole mess.

It wasn't until 2019, decades after the song's release, that Ashcroft finally regained the rights to "Bitter Sweet Symphony" after a legal agreement with The Rolling Stones' members, who agreed that Ashcroft should receive the royalties and songwriting credit. A somewhat happy ending to a bitter dispute, proving once again that the music industry can be a right cunt to navigate.

So, when you listen to "Bitter Sweet Symphony," you're not just hearing a 90s anthem; you're diving into a tale of creativity, theft, legal battles, and ultimately redemption. Fucking poetic, isn't it?

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