"Blue Is the Colour" is the fifth studio album by the Beautiful South, released in October 1996 through Go! Discs and in America through Ark 21 Records. It followed the singles "Pretenders to the Throne" and "Dream a Little Dream," which weren't included in any album until the second greatest hits collection, Solid Bronze, in 2001.
The album maintains the melancholic tone of its predecessor, Miaow, and is often seen as the band's darkest effort, reflecting Paul Heaton's life experiences at the time. This is evident in tracks like "Liars’ Bar," which addresses alcoholism; "The Sound of North America," a sarcastic critique of capitalism; "Mirror," which deals with prostitution; "Blackbird on the Wire"; "Have Fun," noted by Heaton as his saddest song; and the aptly titled "Alone."
The album produced four singles, starting with "Rotterdam," which peaked at No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart in September 1996. This was followed by "Don't Marry Her," reaching No. 8 in December, "Blackbird on the Wire," which peaked at No. 23 in March 1997, and "Liar's Bar," which did not reach the top 40 in June. On "Liars' Bar," Heaton's vocals intentionally mimic Tom Waits, and "Alone" features a bass line that alludes to his style. The album debuted at No. 1 on the UK album chart on November 2, 1996, and went on to sell over 1.5 million copies, making it the group's best-selling studio album.
