Back to Bedlam is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter James Blunt, released on 11 October 2004 by Custard and Atlantic Records. It is named after the famous psychiatric institution of Bethlem Royal Hospital in London, which is commonly known as "Bedlam".

Initially lingering in the lower regions of the UK Albums Chart in its first few months of release, it became a major worldwide success after its third single, "You're Beautiful", became a worldwide hit in mid-2005. Back to Bedlam would go on to become the highest-selling album of 2005 in the UK, with over 2.4 million copies sold. In 2011, it was overtaken by Amy Winehouse's Back to Black as the best-selling album of the 21st century in the UK. Back to Bedlam currently ranks as the 18th-best-selling album in UK chart history, and the biggest-selling debut album by a British artist. As of 2017, it has sold 3.33 million copies in the UK,

Background and recording

Blunt had piano and violin lessons as a child, but his first significant exposure to popular music was at Harrow School. There, he was introduced to the guitar by a fellow student, and started playing the instrument and writing songs at age 14. At University of Bristol, his undergraduate thesis was The Commodification of Image – Production of a Pop Idol; one of his main references for the thesis was sociologist and rock critic, Simon Frith, chairman of the Mercury Music Prize panel of judges since 1992.

Because the British Army sponsored his university education, Blunt was obliged to serve a minimum of four years in the armed forces. He stated on an interview in his Back to Bedlam sessions that he chose to join the military as his father was "pushing for it, so that [Blunt] could obtain a secure work placement and income". Blunt trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. While still in the army, he worked on demos during his time off. A backing vocalist and songwriting collaborator suggested he contact Elton John's manager Todd Interland, with whom she used to share a house.

Blunt left the British Army in 2002 so that he could pursue his musical career. It was at that period that he started using the stage name "Blunt", in part to make it easier for others to spell; "Blount" is pronounced the same way, and remains his legal surname. Shortly after leaving the army, he was signed to EMI music publishers and Twenty-First Artists management. A record contract remained elusive, with label executives pointing to Blunt's posh speaking voice as a barrier in class-divided Britain. and within a few days, Blunt signed a recording contract with Perry, and one month later he was in Los Angeles working with producer Tom Rothrock.

Blunt recorded Back to Bedlam from September 2003 to February 2004 with producer Tom Rothrock at Rothrock's home studio, using session musicians and performing on many different instruments himself. While in Los Angeles, he lodged with actress Carrie Fisher, whom he had met through the family of a former girlfriend. Fisher was very supportive of Blunt's aspirations, suggesting the name of the album and providing use of a bathroom in her home for Blunt to record the song "Goodbye My Lover".

Critical reception

AllMusic felt "...the soulful British crooner James Blunt's wistful debut infuses the listener – in order – with rainy-day hope, the wistful comfort of unattainable love, and finally world-weary resignation. While his parched and effeminate falsetto recalls Gasoline Alley-era Rod Stewart with a healthy dose of Antony and the Johnsons, it's the late Elliott Smith who casts the largest shadow on Back to Bedlam."

Track listing

Personnel

  • James Blunt – lead vocals; guitars (tracks 1, 5, 6, 9); organ on (tracks 3, 4, 6, 9); piano (tracks 1, 4, 5, 10); Wurlitzer electric piano (tracks 5, 6, 7); acoustic guitar (tracks 2, 7); Rhodes piano (tracks 3, 4); keyboards and marimba (track 1); classical guitar (track 3); twelve-string guitar (track 4); church organ (track 5); backing vocals (track 6); grand piano (track 8); mellotron (track 9)
  • Sasha Krivtsov – bass (all tracks except 4, 7, 10); backing vocals (track 6)
  • Charlie Paxson – drums (all tracks except 10); backing vocals (track 6)
  • John Nau – Hammond organ (tracks 3, 5–7, 8); Wurlitzer electric piano (tracks 1, 3, 8, 9); piano (track 2); guitar sustain (track 4); backing vocals (track 6); tack piano (track 8)
  • Eric Gorfain – strings (tracks 2, 4, 5)
  • Richard Dodd - strings (tracks 2, 4, 5)
  • The Section Quartet – strings (tracks 2, 4, 5)
  • John "Gumby" Goodwin – electric guitar (track 3); backing vocals (track 6); slide guitar solo (track 7)
  • Matt Chait – guitar sample (track 4); electric guitar (track 7); guitar (track 8)
  • Jimmy Hogarth – acoustic guitar and keyboards (track 3)
  • Sacha Skarbek – Rhodes piano (track 3)
  • Amanda Ghost – backing vocals (track 3)
  • Guy Chambers – guitar feedback (track 5)
  • Tom Rothrock – backing vocals (track 6)
  • W. Vincent – bass (track 8)
  • The Producer – slide guitar (track 9)
  • Linda Perry – guitar and production (track 10)
  • P. III – bass (track 10)
  • Brian McCloud – drums (track 10)
  • Tom Rothrock – production, mixing
  • Mike Tarantino – engineering; lead guitar (track 1); electric guitar (track 2); Mississippi guitar (track 7)
  • David Guerrero – engineering (track 10)
  • John Morrical – engineering assistance
  • Andrew Chavez – engineering assistance (track 10)
  • Don Tyler – mastering

Charts

Weekly charts

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|-

! Chart (2004–2024)

! Peak<br />position

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"| Croatian International Albums (HDU)

| 1

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"| European Albums (Billboard)

|style="text-align:center;"|1

|-

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Greek Albums (IFPI Greece)

|7

|-

!scope="row"|Mexican Albums (Top 100 Mexico)

| style="text-align:center;"| 1

|-

|-

|-

|-

! scope="row"|Taiwanese Albums (Five Music)

| 17

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|}

Year-end charts

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

|-

! Chart (2005)

! Position

|-

!scope="row"|Australian Albums (ARIA)

| style="text-align:center;"|9

|-

!scope="row"|Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)

| style="text-align:center;"|41

|-

!scope="row"|Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)

| style="text-align:center;"|30

|-

!scope="row"|Belgian Alternative Albums (Ultratop Flanders)

| style="text-align:center;"|21

|-

!scope="row"|Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)

| style="text-align:center;"|23

|-

!scope="row"|Danish Albums (Hitlisten)

|style="text-align:center;"|8

|-

!scope="row"|Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)

| style="text-align:center;"|17

|-

!scope="row"| European Albums (Billboard)

| style="text-align:center;"|2

|-

!scope="row"|Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)

| style="text-align:center;"|24

|-

!scope="row"|French Albums (SNEP)

| style="text-align:center;"|10

|-

!scope="row"|German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)

|style="text-align:center;"|21

|-

!scope="row"| Irish Albums (IRMA)

| style="text-align:center;"|1

|-

!scope="row"|Italian Albums (FIMI)

|style="text-align:center;"|40

|-

!scope="row"|New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)

|style="text-align:center;"|1

|-

!scope="row"|Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)

| style="text-align:center;"|48

|-

!scope="row"|Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)

| style="text-align:center;"|4

|-

!scope="row"|Swedish Albums & Compilations (Sverigetopplistan)

| style="text-align:center;"|5

|-

!scope="row"| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)

| style="text-align:center;"|6

|-

!scope="row"| UK Albums (OCC)

| style="text-align:center;"|1

|-

!scope="row"|Worldwide Albums (IFPI)

| style="text-align:center;"|9

|}

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

|-

! Chart (2006)

! Position

|-

!scope="row"| Australian Albums (ARIA)

| style="text-align:center;"|1

|-

!scope="row"| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)

| style="text-align:center;"|6

|-

!scope="row"|Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)

| style="text-align:center;"|6

|-

!scope="row"|Belgian Alternative Albums (Ultratop Flanders)

| style="text-align:center;"|4

|-

!scope="row"|Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)

| style="text-align:center;"|5

|-

!scope="row"|Danish Albums (Hitlisten)

| style="text-align:center;"|33

|-

!scope="row"|Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)

| style="text-align:center;"|13

|-

!scope="row"|European Albums (Billboard)

| style="text-align:center;"| 1

|-

!scope="row"|French Albums (SNEP)

| style="text-align:center;"|11

|-

!scope="row"|German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)

|style="text-align:center;"|5

|-

!scope="row"| Greek Albums (IFPI)

|style="text-align:center;"|33

|-

!scope="row"| Greek Foreign Albums (IFPI)

|style="text-align:center;"|5

|-

!scope="row"| Irish Albums (IRMA)

| style="text-align:center;"|20

|-

!scope="row"|Italian Albums (FIMI)

|style="text-align:center;"|77

|-

!scope="row"|Japanese Albums (Oricon)

| style="text-align:center;"|40

|-

!scope="row"| Mexican Albums (Top 100 Mexico)

| style="text-align:center;"|17

|-

!scope="row"|New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)

| style="text-align:center;"|2

|-

!scope="row"|South African Albums (RISA)

| style="text-align:center;"|14

|-

!scope="row"|Swedish Albums & Compilations (Sverigetopplistan)

| style="text-align:center;"|17

|-

!scope="row"| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)

| style="text-align:center;"|3

|-

!scope="row"| UK Albums (OCC)

| style="text-align:center;"|22

|-

!scope="row"|US Billboard 200

| style="text-align:center;"|7

|-

!scope="row"|US Tastemakers Albums (Billboard)

| style="text-align:center;"|10

|-

!scope="row"|US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)

| style="text-align:center;"|2

|-

!scope="row"|Worldwide Albums (IFPI)

| style="text-align:center;"|4

|}

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

|-

! Chart (2007)

! Position

|-

!scope="row"| Australian Albums (ARIA)

| style="text-align:center;"|78

|-

!scope="row"|Belgian Midprice Albums (Ultratop Flanders)

| style="text-align:center;"|14

|-

!scope="row"|Belgian Midprice Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)

| style="text-align:center;"|2

|-

!scope="row"|UK Albums (OCC)

| style="text-align:center;"|113

|-

!scope="row"|US Billboard 200

| style="text-align:center;"|189

|}

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

|-

! Chart (2008)

! Position

|-

!scope="row"|Belgian Midprice Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)

| style="text-align:center;"|13

|-

|}

Decade-end charts

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

|-

! Chart (2000–09)

! Position

|-

!scope="row"|Australian Albums (ARIA)

| style="text-align:center;"|8

|-

!scope="row"|UK Albums (OCC)

| style="text-align:center;"|1

|-

!scope="row"| US Billboard 200

|align="center"|137

|}

Certifications and sales

Use in media

Eight of the ten songs on Back to Bedlam were licensed for use in television shows, movies, advertising campaigns and trailers, a total of 34 times. This included "Tears and Rain", "So Long Jimmy" and "Cry", tracks that had not been released as singles.

See also

  • List of best-selling albums in the United Kingdom
  • List of best-selling albums of the 2000s in Australia
  • List of best-selling albums of the 2000s (decade) in the United Kingdom
  • List of best-selling albums of the 2000s (century) in the United Kingdom

Notes

References

  • Back to Bedlam