<P> Blur completed their second album Modern Life Is Rubbish in December 1992, but Food Records said the album required more potential hit singles and asked them to return to the studio for a second time . The band complied and Albarn wrote "For Tomorrow", which became the album's lead single . "For Tomorrow" was a minor success, reaching number 28 on the charts . Modern Life Is Rubbish was released in May 1993 . The announcement of the album's release included a press photo which featured Blur, dressed in a mix of mod and skinhead attire, posing alongside a mastiff with the words "British Image 1" spraypainted behind them . At the time, such imagery was viewed as nationalistic and racially insensitive by the British music press; to quieten concerns, Blur released the "British Image 2" photo, which was "a camp restaging of a pre-war aristocratic tea party". Modern Life Is Rubbish peaked at number 15 on the British charts, but failed to break into the US Billboard 200, selling only 19,000 copies there . </P> <P> The success of Parklife (1994) revived Blur's commercial fortunes . The album's first single, the disco - influenced "Girls & Boys", found favour on BBC Radio 1 and peaked at number 5 on the UK Singles Chart, and number 59 in the US Billboard Hot 100 where it remains the band's highest - charting single . Parklife entered the British charts at number one and stayed on the album charts for 90 weeks . Enthusiastically greeted by the music press--the NME called it "a Great Pop Record...bigger, bolder, narkier and funnier (than Modern Life is Rubbish)"--Parklife is regarded as one of Britpop's defining records . Blur won four awards at the 1995 Brit Awards, including Best Band and Best Album for Parklife . Coxon later pointed to Parklife as the moment when "(Blur) went from being regarded as an alternative, left field arty band to this amazing new pop sensation". </P> <P> Blur began working on their fourth album The Great Escape at the start of 1995 . Building upon the band's previous two albums, Albarn's lyrics for the album consisted of several third - person narratives . James reflected, "It was all more elaborate, more orchestral, more theatrical, and the lyrics were even more twisted...It was all dysfunctional, misfit characters fucking up ." The release of the album's lead single "Country House" played a part in Blur's public rivalry with Manchester band Oasis termed the "Battle of Britpop". Partly due to increasing antagonisms between the groups, Blur and Oasis ultimately decided to release their new singles on the same day, an event the NME called "The British Heavyweight Championship". The debate over which band would top the British singles chart became a media phenomenon, and Albarn appeared on the News at Ten . At the end of the week, "Country House" ultimately outsold Oasis' "Roll With It" by 274,000 copies to 216,000, becoming Blur's first number one single . </P> <P> The Great Escape, which Albarn told the public was the last instalment in the band's Life Trilogy, was released in September 1995 to ecstatic reviews . The NME hailed it as "spectacularly accomplished, sumptuous, heart - stopping and inspirational", while Mojo argued "Blur are the very best that' 95 Britpop has to offer and this is a most gong - worthy sound, complete with head - slicing guitars, catchy tunes and very funny words". Entering the UK charts at number one, the album sold nearly half a million copies in its first month of sale . However, opinion quickly changed and Blur found themselves largely out of favour with the media once again . Following the worldwide success of Oasis' (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (which went quadruple platinum in America), the media quipped "(Blur) wound up winning the battle but losing the war ." Blur became perceived as an "inauthentic middle class pop band" in comparison to the "working class heroes" Oasis, which Albarn said made him feel "stupid and confused". Alex James later summarised, "After being the People's Hero, Damon was the People's Prick for a short period...basically, he was a loser--very publicly ." </P>

What was blur's first number one single in the uk