The Drugs Don't Work

The track was recorded for Urban Hymns with Richard Ashcroft, Nick McCabe, Simon Jones and Peter Salisbury. The album sessions took place at Olympic Studios in London with Youth and the Verve producing. Released as a single in 1997, it gave the Verve their first UK number 1 and became one of the defining songs of the Urban Hymns campaign. Its release came shortly after Bitter Sweet Symphony and confirmed the band commercial peak in Britain. It remains one of the Verve signature songs and one of Richard Ashcroft most recognized ballads. The track has endured through radio play, compilations and continued association with late 1990s British guitar music.