History by The Verve Song Info
"History" is a song by English rock band The Verve, and is featured on their second album A Northern Soul. This was the first song by the band to feature strings (a formula that would later be used for several Urban Hymns singles). The opening lyrics of the song are based on the first two stanzas of William Blake's poem, London. The song is quite melancholy, with Melody Maker describing it as "an epic, windswept symphony of strings, flailing vocals and staggeringly bitter sentiments". It has been claimed the song was written about Ashcroft's split with his girlfriend, although Ashcroft denied this.