The Wurzels release AI-written single called Wurzel Me Up

Comic folk band The Wurzels have released a new single written by artificial intelligence (AI) called Wurzel Me Up.

The band, who are best known for songs such as The Combine Harvester (Brand New Key) and I Am A Cider Drinker, said they decided to use the technology to help them as they had not written a song for a while.

Singer Pete Budd, 84, said: “We realised that it was a long time since we had written a new pop tune. We needed some ‘cutting-hedge’ technology.”

The band’s longest-serving member, Tommy Banner, 85, added: “We decided to explore this new artificial world to see if it could help us analyse our catalogue of Wurzel songs and give us some lyrical inspiration for a new release.”

Budd added he realised there were genuine concerns with AI over plagiarism and copyright issues.

He added: “Stars like them young’uns (Sir) Elton (John) and Macca (Sir Paul McCartney) are right to be concerned, we don’t agree with plagiarism in any form without some form of renumeration and so, in this case, we have strived to only plagiarise ourselves.”

Formed in 1966, the band are known for playing up to West Country stereotypes, and have had eight UK hit singles and three UK top 40 albums.

The Combine Harvester (Brand New Key), known for its line: “I’ve got a brand new combine harvester and I’ll give you the key”, reached the top of the UK singles chart in May 1976, while its follow-up, I Am A Cider Drinker, reached number three in the same year.

The band is currently made up of Budd and Banner with bass player Sedge Moore; keyboard player Louie Gribble; and drummer Leigh Delamere.