Synopsis

"The Misbegotten" is presented as an atmospheric band performance rather than a conventional narrative. Tim Burgess and the Charlatans occupy a stark, restless visual space while the camera and editing emphasize the song's pulsing electronic-rock momentum. The mood is dislocated and slightly confrontational, matching lyrics about identity, attraction, and an encounter that leaves the narrator unsure of what he has stepped into. The result is a compact, mood-first promo that mirrors the track's hypnotic, uneasy energy.

Factoids & Trivia

• The single was released on May 5, 2008, as the third single from the album "You Cross My Path."

• "The Misbegotten" reached number five on the UK Indie Singles Chart.

• The song was written by all five members of the band: Martin Blunt, Jon Brookes, Tim Burgess, Mark Collins, and Tony Rogers.

• Tim Burgess used a cut-up writing method associated with David Bowie and William S. Burroughs when assembling the lyrics.

• Burgess said the lyrics were partly prompted by an uncomfortable party encounter in which a man offered him the opportunity to have sex with his wife.

• Musically, the track looked back toward the sound of The Charlatans' 1995 self-titled album. Burgess also cited electronic musician Doris Norton as an influence.

• The seven-inch release included a remix by The Horrors, while the CD single featured "Blank Heart, Blank Mind" and "Set Me Free."

• "You Cross My Path" was initially made available as a free download through Xfm. More than 80,000 downloads had been reported before the album received its physical release.

• The album was recorded in Los Angeles, Ireland, and at the band's Big Mushroom studio in Cheshire. Alan Moulder mixed most of the record.