The Verve’s ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’ was originally released in 1997 and quickly became one of the most recognisable British songs of its era. Written by Richard Ashcroft and transformed by Wil Malone’s unforgettable string arrangement, it fused grand, cinematic ambition with a stark meditation on modern life. Its opening bars are instantly familiar, but the song’s emotional pull lies in the tension between its lush orchestration and Ashcroft’s resigned, searching vocal. Issued by UMR / Virgin, this edition restores the original artwork and pairs the single with ‘So Sister’, a B-side written by Ashcroft that complements the main track’s reflective mood. More than a period-defining hit, ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’ endures as a cultural touchstone — a song whose scale, sentiment and sense of melancholy remain undiminished decades on.