Central Reservation
The title track, written in Cartagena, and the exception in her Brighton set in 2026.
Beth Orton, from Central Reservation (1999)
- Written by
- Beth Orton
- Released
- 1999
- Length
- 4:50
- Album
- Central Reservation
Orton told the Guardian in 2012 that the song was written in Cartagena, Colombia, on a day of sitting in the sunshine after a night without sleep. The album contains it twice. The original version, 4:50, has Orton on vocals and acoustic guitar with Ted Barnes on slide and acoustic guitar, produced by Orton and Mark Stent. The Then Again Version, 4:01, is built on guitar, keyboards and beats from Ben Watt.
The single, the second from the album, used the Then Again Version instead of the acoustic original and reached number 37 on the UK singles chart. A video was filmed in New York City, produced by Sophie Muller. Remixes came from Spiritual Life and Ibadan, William Orbit and Deep Dish.
On stage
- 2022-10, Koko, London Reviewed in the Guardian as one of the older songs kept in the set, rearranged for the band, which included bassist Ali Friend.
- 2026-10, Concorde 2, Brighton The exception in a set drawn almost entirely from The Ground Above and Weather Alive, according to the Guardian's review.
More songs by Beth Orton
Stolen Car, Sweetest Decline, Pass in Time, Feel to Believe, Stars All Seem to Weep
Sources
- Central Reservation (song), Wikipedia
- Beth Orton: I started to believe I had run my course, The Guardian (2012-09-23)
- Beth Orton review, Brighton Concorde 2, The Guardian (2026-10-13)