| "It's Grim Up North" | ||||
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| Single by The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu | ||||
| Released | 28 October 1991 | |||
| Recorded | Trancentral[1] | |||
| Genre | Industrial techno | |||
| Length | 4:04 (radio edit) 10:03 (extended) | |||
| Label | KLF Communications (UK) | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Jimmy Cauty, Bill Drummond | |||
| Producer(s) | The KLF | |||
| Drummond & Cauty singles chronology | ||||
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"It's Grim Up North" is a song by The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu (The JAMs). The song was originally released as a limited edition "Club Mix" in December 1990 with Pete Wylie on vocals. A re-recorded version with Bill Drummond on vocals was released commercially in October 1991. These recordings were the first releases by Drummond and his creative partner Jimmy Cauty under the JAMs moniker since the 1988 compilation album Shag Times, and the last under that name; in the meantime they had operated as the Timelords and the KLF. The 1991 single release reached No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart and entered the top 10 in Denmark and Finland.
The lyrics to "It's Grim Up North" list towns and cities in the North of England, set to a pounding industrial techno beat and percussion reminiscent of steam whistles. The 1991 version segues into an orchestral instrumental of the hymn "Jerusalem". A recurring theme of "It's Grim Up North" was drab greyness, representing the dreary, overcast skies of the "grim" North. The original single featuring Pete Wylie was pressed on grey vinyl, and the same colour was retained for the sleeve of the 1991 release. The video for "It's Grim Up North" was filmed in black and white, and shows The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu performing in the pouring rain.
"It's Grim Up North" was planned to be a prominent track on the JAM's album The Black Room, but the album was never completed.