| "I Know What I'm Here For" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by James | ||||
| from the album Millionaires | ||||
| Released | 19 July 1999[1] | |||
| Length | 3:56 | |||
| Label | Mercury | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Brian Eno | |||
| James singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "I Know What I'm Here For" on YouTube | ||||
"I Know What I'm Here For" is a song by British rock band James. It was the first single released from their eighth studio album, Millionaires,[2] and reached number 22 on the UK Singles Chart.
"It's about the meaning of life. It's also about the nature of being in a band: the fulfilment of adolescent fantasies of endless drugs, drink and sex. But unless there's self-discipline, it can easily become a nightmare… Initially we did it almost as a blues song, but [producer] Brian Eno came up with the wacky, space-funk hookline. It became the album's first single, to make an announcement that we'e gone into a new musical area." – Tim Booth, singer[3]
The single was released on CD and cassette and reached number 22 in the UK Top 40 chart, spending five weeks on the chart.[4]
A live version and a video appeared on the limited edition two-disc edition of Millionaires.
The backing to the song was used by Ford in adverts shown during broadcasts of the UEFA Champions League in the 2007/2008 football season.[citation needed]
Peter Buckley, in The Rough Guide to Rock, described it as an "effortless soaring track".[5] In contrast, Victoria Segal, reviewing the track for the NME, described it as "not interesting ... just silly".[6]
UK CD2 (Mercury JIMDD 22)[8]
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UK cassette single (Mercury JIMMC22)[9]
European maxi-CD single (Mercury 562 261-2)[10]
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| Chart (1999) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[11] | 69 |
| Scotland (OCC)[12] | 14 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[13] | 22 |
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