Mr. Writer

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2001 single by Stereophonics

title: "Mr. Writer" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["2001-singles", "2001-songs", "music-videos-directed-by-david-slade", "songs-written-by-kelly-jones", "stereophonics-songs", "uk-independent-singles-chart-number-one-singles", "v2-records-singles"] description: "2001 single by Stereophonics" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Writer" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 2001 single by Stereophonics ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox song"]

FieldValue
nameMr. Writer
coverMrwriter.jpg
typesingle
artistStereophonics
albumJust Enough Education to Perform
released
genre
labelV2
lyricistKelly Jones
producerBird and Bush
prev_titleMama Told Me Not to Come
prev_year2000
next_titleHave a Nice Day
next_year2001
misc
::

| name = Mr. Writer | cover = Mrwriter.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Stereophonics | album = Just Enough Education to Perform | B-side =

Background

"Mr. Writer" is track three on Just Enough Education to Perform. In the album's booklet, vocalist Kelly Jones explained that he first started writing the song around the same time that he wrote "I Stopped to Fill My Car Up", the closing track from Stereophonics' previous album, Performance and Cocktails (1999). He first came up with the verse chords, then the line "Mr. Writer, why don't you tell it like it is", at which point he stopped working on the lyrics for several months. While in Europe, Jones practiced the chords on touring musician Tony Kirkham's keyboard.

Later, at Monnow Valley Studio in Wales, Jones and songwriter-producer Marshall Bird were listening to Stevie Wonder's 1972 album Talking Book. The album's second track, "Maybe Your Baby", caught their attention due to its "really druggy lazy fucked up feel", and both men agreed to make "Mr. Writer" similar in tone. Together, they combined the "Mr. Writer" chords and "Maybe Your Baby"-inspired riffs while Jones wrote the lyrics to the first verse and bridge that night. Afterwards, producer Steve Bush completed the demo recording by providing bass guitar and drums.

The song was written as response to a journalist who had toured with the band and later gave them negative reviews. The song has been attributed as one of the factors that has caused the group's uneasy relationship with the media. In a 2008 interview with The Guardian, Jones admitted that "...every journalist thought ['Mr. Writer'] was about them. It took me 10 minutes to write and 10 years to explain."

Versions

A live version from Millennium Stadium Cardiff appears on the "Vegas Two Times" single, and a live acoustic version appears as track one on CD2 on the "Mr. Writer" singles, which also includes live acoustic versions of "Hurry Up and Wait" and the Beatles' "Don't Let Me Down".

Music video

The music video for the song was directed by David Slade and features clips of the band performing in a snowy globe and some other clips of the band dressed as clowns driving in a car which soon catches fire and is brutally destroyed. Then the band run off into the dusk at the end of the video.

Track listings

UK CD1

  1. "Mr. Writer" (edit)
  2. "Maritim Belle Vue in Kiel"
  3. "An Audience with Mr. Nice"

UK CD2

  1. "Mr. Writer" (live acoustic version)
  2. "Hurry Up and Wait" (live acoustic version)
  3. "Don't Let Me Down" (live acoustic version) UK cassette single and European CD single
  4. "Mr. Writer" (edit)
  5. "Maritim Belle Vue in Kiel"

Japanese CD single

  1. "Mr. Writer" (edit)
  2. "Mr. Writer" (live acoustic version)
  3. "Don't Let Me Down" (live acoustic version)
  4. "An Audience with Mr. Nice"

Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from the Just Enough Education to Perform album booklet.

Studios

Personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

::data[format=table] | Chart (2001) | Peak position | Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) | |---|---|---| | 22 | | | ::

Year-end charts

::data[format=table]

Chart (2001)PositionUK Singles (OCC)
76
::

Certifications

Release history

::data[format=table]

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref(s).United KingdomJapanUnited KingdomUnited States
19 March 2001V2
23 March 2001CD
26 March 20017-inch vinyl
30 April 2001Triple A radio
1 May 2001Alternative radio
::

References

References

  1. (2001). "Just Enough Education to Perform". [[V2 Records]].
  2. "Stereophonics: ''Performance and Cocktails''". [[AllMusic]].
  3. Barnett, Laura. (28 October 2008). "Portrait of the artist: Kelly Jones, musician". [[The Guardian]].
  4. (2002). "Vegas Two Times". V2 Records.
  5. (2001). "Mr. Writer". V2 Records.
  6. [http://www.mvdbase.com/artist.php?last=Stereophonics&first= MVDBase] Music video Database – searching for Stereophonics videography.
  7. (2001). "Mr. Writer". V2 Records.
  8. (2001). "Mr. Writer". V2 Records.
  9. (2001). "Mr. Writer". V2 Records.
  10. (2001). "Mr. Writer". V2 Records.
  11. (7 April 2001). "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles".
  12. "The Official UK Singles Chart 2001". [[UKChartsPlus]].
  13. Sexton, Paul. (24 March 2001). "U.K.'s Stereophonics, V2 Aim for Elusive Stateside Breakthrough".
  14. (17 March 2001). "New Releases – For Week Starting March 19, 2001: Singles".
  15. "ミスター・ライター {{!}} ステレオフォニックス". [[Oricon]].
  16. (24 March 2001). "New Releases – For Week Starting March 26, 2001: Singles".
  17. (27 April 2001). "Adult Alternative: Going for Adds".
  18. (27 April 2001). "Alternative: Going for Adds".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

2001-singles2001-songsmusic-videos-directed-by-david-sladesongs-written-by-kelly-jonesstereophonics-songsuk-independent-singles-chart-number-one-singlesv2-records-singles