Begging You

"Begging You"
Single by The Stone Roses
from the album Second Coming
Released	October 1995
Format	12" vinyl, Cassette, CD
Recorded	1993-1994 (Written 1993)
Genre	Alternative dance
Length	4:52
Label	Geffen
Writer(s)	Ian Brown, John Squire
Producer(s)	Simon Dawson, Paul Schroeder
The Stone Roses singles chronology
"Ten Storey Love Song" (1995) "Begging You" (1995) "All For One" (2016)

"Begging You" is a song by The Stone Roses, released as the final single before their break-up a year later, and was the third single from the album Second Coming. "Begging You" was released in the UK and Australia, peaking at #15 on the UK Singles Chart.

"Begging You" was a loud cacophonous track with heavy drum beats, soaring guitars, pulsing bass and apocalyptic lyrics. John Squire said that the song was loosely based on material from Public Enemy's Fear of a Black Planet. The song also contains many references to Aesop's Fables.

The song was used on the Boys (1996) film's soundtrack. In 2010, it was used by the BBC for its MotoGP coverage.

Cover artwork

John Squire designed the "Begging You" cover with the insides of floppy disks. The disks were supposedly used to teach Squire how to use samplers and sequencers for the track. Squire found the process too complicated and decided to smash the disks to use them for a piece of art instead.

Squire took the insides of the disks and set them in plaster. He arranged them in a grid motif and painted the piece with colours "borrowed" from an Edgar Degas painting.

Music video

The music video for "Begging You" features strippers wearing masks of the band members. There are also scenes of the band playing live and traditional dances from various cultures.

Track listing

12" vinyl (Geffen GEFST 22060)

1. Begging You (Album Version) (4:52)
2. Begging You (Chic Mix) (5:32)
3. Begging You (Cox's Ultimatum Mix) (6:33)
4. Begging You (Stone Corporation Vox) (6:24)

Cassette (Geffen GFSC 22060)

1. Begging You (Album Version) (4:52)
2. Begging You (Chic Mix) (5:32)

CD (Geffen GEFSTD 22060)

1. Begging You (Album Version) (4:52)
2. Begging You (Lakota Mix) (7:48)
3. Begging You (Stone Corporation Vox) (6:24)
4. Begging You (Chic Mix) (5:32)
5. Begging You (Young American Primitive Remix) (5:25)

Australian Tour Edition CD (Geffen GEFDM 22061)

1. Begging You (Album Version) (4:52)
2. Begging You (Lakota Mix) (7:48)
3. Begging You (Stone Corporation Vox) (6:24)
4. Begging You (Chic Mix) (5:32)
5. Begging You (Young American Primitive Remix) (5:25)
6. Begging You (Radio Edit Version) (3:48)

Promo CD (Geffen WGSTD 22060)

1. Begging You (Radio Edit) (3:48)
2. Begging You (Chic Edit) (3:45)

Promo 12" vinyl 1 (Geffen WGFST 22060)

1. Begging You (Stone Corporation Vox) (6:24)
2. Begging You (Cox's Ultimatum Mix) (6:34)
3. Begging You (Overworld Mix) (6:31)
4. Begging You (Lakota Mix) (7:48)

Promo 12" vinyl 2 (Geffen WGFSX 22060)

1. Begging You (Album Version) (4:52)
2. Begging You (Chic Mix) (5:32)
3. Begging You (Stone Corporation Dub) (5:46)
4. Begging You (Young American Primitive Remix) (5:25)

External links

• The Definitive Stone Roses Discography entry