# A Song for the Lovers

"A Song for the Lovers" is a song by English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft, included as the opening track on his 2000 album, Alone with Everybody, as well as his first solo single following the break-up of the Verve. The song was released on 3 April 2000 as the first single from the album in the United Kingdom and Australia. "A Song for the Lovers" was originally written by Richard Ashcroft as a demo track for the Verve's studio album Urban Hymns; three different versions were recorded, but the song did not make the final cut. It was inspired by Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart".
The single peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart, a position that would be matched by Ashcroft's 2006 single "Break the Night with Colour". Outside the UK, the song became a moderate hit in Europe and Oceania, peaking at number nine in Italy, number 11 in Ireland, number 42 in New Zealand, and number 59 in Australia. The single also sold well in Canada, peaking at number six on the Canadian Singles Chart.

## Music video

The music video for "A Song for the Lovers" premiered in May 2000 and was directed by Jonathan Glazer. The video is of narrative style. It is shot in real-time with an element of diegetic sound unusual in most music videos. Diegetic sound was used previously by Glazer for "Rabbit in Your Headlights".

## Track listings

* UK CD, 12-inch, and cassette single
    Canadian, Australian, and Japanese CD single
* "A Song for the Lovers" (album version)
* "(Could Be) A Country Thing, City Thing, Blues Thing"
* "Precious Stone"
* European CD single
* "A Song for the Lovers" (album version)
* "(Could Be) A Country Thing, City Thing, Blues Thing"

## Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from the Alone with Everybody album booklet.
Studios
* Recorded and mixed at Olympic and Metropolis Studios (London, England)
* Mastered at Metropolis Mastering (London, England)
Personnel
* Richard Ashcroft – writing, vocals, guitars, keyboards, percussion, production
* Pino Palladino – bass
* Chuck Leavell – piano
* Peter Salisbury – drums
* Steve Sidelnyk – percussion, programming
* Teena Lyle – vibes
* Duncan Mackay – trumpet
* Lucinda Barry – harp
* The London Session Orchestra – strings
* Gavyn Wright – concertmaster
* Wil Malone – string arrangement and conducting
* Chris Potter – production, mixing
* Tony Cousins – mastering

## Charts

| Chart (2000) | Peak position |
| Australia (ARIA) | 59 |
| Canada (Nielsen SoundScan) | 6 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) | 17 |
| Germany (Official German Charts) | 82 |
| Ireland (IRMA) | 11 |
| Italy (FIMI) | 9 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 83 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) | 42 |
| Scotland (OCC) | 2 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 78 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 3 |

## Certifications

| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Silver | 200,000$^‡$ |
| $^‡$ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |||

## Release history

| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) |
| Australia | 3 April 2000 | CD | HutVirgin |
| United Kingdom | 3 April 2000 | CDcassette | HutVirgin |
| Japan | 12 April 2000 | CD | HutVirgin |
| New Zealand | 8 May 2000 | CD | HutVirgin |
| United States | 6 June 2000 | Mainstream rockactive rockalternative radio | HutVirgin |