Released 1999 Genre Alternative Rock Producer(s) TommyD/Catatonia | Format CD Label Blanco y Negro | |
Writer(s) Paul Jones, Cerys Matthews, Owen Powell, Aled Richards and Mark Roberts | ||
"Londinium" is a song recorded by the Welsh band Catatonia, taken from their third studio album, Equally Cursed and Blessed. It was written by Mark Roberts and the band, and produced by TommyD.
Recording and release
Londinium was released as the second single from the album Equally Cursed and Blessed against the wishes of the band, who wanted to release "Karaoke Queen" instead. Singer Cerys Matthews was also equally annoyed that the studio had spent more on the video than it had cost to produce the album. She was open about it in interviews, saying as much both to NME and when interviewed by Jo Whiley on BBC Radio 1.
It was released on 12 July 1999, and supported by a string of appearances on television shows such as CD:UK, The Pepsi Chart Show and Top of the Pops. However, it did not pick up a great deal of airplay amid fears that it contained inflammatory lyrics about London. It peaked in the UK charts at number 20.