Their biggest commercial and critical success came with 1990's Jordan: The Comeback (one of two albums produced by Thomas Dolby), which was a hit in the UK and nominated for a BRIT award. The band also had a UK Top 10 hit with their 1988 song The King of Rock 'n' Roll.
Perhaps their finest album, Steve McQueen (originally released in June 1985) was re-released in August 2007 as a 2-CD deluxe edition, with a bonus disc of eight acoustic reinterpretations of some of the original tracks. Of the release, the record company said: "Digitally remastered by original producer Thomas Dolby, the album is sounding even better than ever. As if that weren't enough it is complemented here with a second disc containing eight sublime acoustic versions, which have been specially re-recorded for this release by Paddy McAloon."
Steve McQueen was released in the US under the title Two Wheels Good following pressure from the late actor's estate.
Prefab Sprout released Let's Change the World With Music - The Blueprint in 2009 on the Kitchenware Records label (website). See also Sprout Trivia below.
Discography:
Lions In My Own Garden (Exit Someone) / Radio Love - Feb 25, 1982 (their first record, released on their own label Candle)
The Devil Has All the Best Tunes / Walk On - Oct 1983 (Kitchenware) (feat. Wendy Smith and Fiona Attwood)
Swoon - Mar 1984
Steve McQueen aka Two Wheels Good (US) - Jun 1985
From Langley Park to Memphis - Mar 1988
Protest Songs - Jun 1989
Jordan: The Comeback - Aug 1990
The Best of Prefab Sprout: A Life of Surprises - Jul 1992 (compilation; exit Conti hereafter)
Andromeda Heights - May 1997
38 Carat Collection (disc 1) - Oct 1999 (compilation)
38 Carat Collection (disc 2) - Oct 1999 (compilation)
The Gunman And Other Stories - Jun 18, 2001 (sans Smith)
Chronology of Bandmembers:
Paddy McAloon (born Patrick Joseph McAloon, Jun 7, 1957, Durham); vocals / guitars / keyboards
Martin McAloon (born Jan 4, 1962, Durham); bass guitar
Michael Salmon; drums / percussion
Wendy Smith (born May 31, 1963, Middlesbrough); vocals / guitars / keyboards
Neil Conti (born Feb 12, 1959, Luton); drums / percussion
Fiona Attwood (Chester-le-Street); backing vocals
Sprout Trivia:
Paddy conceived the name "Prefab Sprout" when he was just 14 back in 1972, he revealed in an interview with French magazine BEST. It was his attempt at creating an unusual name like groups that were popular at the time (eg Tyrannosaurus Rex, Moby Grape, Grand Funk Railroad, etc.).
The band has had as many as 11 drummers (including Paddy McAloon himself on programmed percussion!) in its lineup. Of these, Conti was the most closely identified with the group. (source: http://www.browningmcintosh.com/plocktonwest/sproutfacts.html)
Paddy had apparently conceived of an album named Let's Change The World With Music (the working title of the band's forthcoming album, due February 2009) as far back as the early 1990's:
"I actually wrote a Gulf War album called Let's Change The World With Music, and I've got a couple of beauties, but there are right and wrong times to do things, and it came after another album I wrote which is much lighter... it's called Billy Midnight, very romantic. So the Gulf War album was a more serious response to that. I keep junking things all the time." - NME June 20, 1992 (source: http://www.browningmcintosh.com/plocktonwest/sprout_misc.html)
"And I have an album called Let's Change The World With Music; lots of songs about music, playing on that horrible thing where you listen to a song like "We Are The World" and the sentiment is great but it's such a cliché that it sticks in your throat. It plays on that edge between that kind of thing and real sincerity." - NME April 15, 1995 (source: http://www.browningmcintosh.com/plocktonwest/sprout_misc.html)
"Look, since 1990 I've written what I think of as my best music. You can hear some of it on Andromeda Heights. But I have also - in detailed demo form - an album called Let's Change The World With Music. It was written as the follow up to Jordan." - BEST magazine (France) July 1997 (source: http://www.browningmcintosh.com/plocktonwest/sprout_misc.html)
Devil Came a Calling
Prefab Sprout Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He took a midnight stroll
I asked him what he wanted,
He said, "your immortal soul"
For fifty years I'll spoil you
Like the only man alive
With power, wealth,
A mansion on Fellatio Drive
The devil came a calling
All smiles and flattery
In his hands a contract
Exclusively for me
When the fifty years are over,
I asked "what happens then?"
He pretended not to hear me,
But he offered me his pen
He showed me a house
It was as big as a star
He said to me "Patrick,
Whad'ya thinks so far?"
The devil came a calling
No brimstone, fire, no rain
In fact I found him charming,
Articulate, urbane
The devil came a calling
Charisma all the way
Imagine being master
Of all that you survey
He showed me his world,
Hell, he threw me the keys
Introduced me to women –
They went down on their knees
The devil came a calling
He took a midnight stroll
I asked him what he wanted,
He said "your immortal soul"
In his hands were papers
He told me they were signed
My memory is hazy
I'm sure that I declined
The devil came a calling
No brimstone, fire, no rain
In fact I found him charming,
Articulate, urbane
In his hands were papers
He showed me they were signed
My memory is hazy
I thought that I declined
My memory is hazy
I'm sure that I declined
The devil came a calling
The devil came a calling
"Devil Came a Calling" by Prefab Sprout is a song about the temptation and allure of making a deal with the devil. The lyrics tell the story of a man who is visited by the devil in the middle of the night. The devil promises to spoil the man for fifty years, offering him power, wealth, and a mansion on Fellatio Drive in exchange for his immortal soul. The man is hesitant at first, but he ultimately succumbs to the devil's charismatic persuasion and signs a contract. The devil shows him a house as big as a star and introduces him to women who "went down on their knees."
The song is a cautionary tale about the dangers of making a deal with the devil, as the man ultimately realizes his mistake and tries to back out of the agreement. However, as the devil already has his signature, the man is left unsure whether he declined or not. The theme of the song is the conflict between temptation and morality, with the devil representing the former and the man's conscience representing the latter.
Overall, "Devil Came a Calling" presents a complex message about the power of persuasion, temptation, and moral ambiguity. It warns listeners about the dangers of giving in to temptation and making deals that compromise their moral convictions.
Line by Line Meaning
The devil came a calling
The dark overlord made an unexpected visit
He took a midnight stroll
He came at an ungodly hour
I asked him what he wanted,
I inquired about what he was after
He said, "your immortal soul"
He desired to possess my eternal spirit
For fifty years I'll spoil you
He offered me temporary pleasures for five decades
Like the only man alive
As if I were the only person alive
With power, wealth,
He promised me influence and riches
A mansion on Fellatio Drive
A lavish home on a street with a suggestive name
All smiles and flattery
The devil was friendly and complimentary
In his hands a contract
He had a legal agreement prepared
Exclusively for me
Reserved only for me
When the fifty years are over,
At the conclusion of the 50 year period
I asked "what happens then?"
I inquired about what comes next
He pretended not to hear me,
He acted as if he didn't hear
But he offered me his pen
However, he suggested I sign the contract
It was as big as a star
The house was massive like a celestial object
He said to me "Patrick, Whad'ya thinks so far?"
He asked me for my thoughts on everything so far
Charisma all the way
The devil was very charming
Imagine being master of all that you survey
Consider the possibility of complete control over everything in sight
He showed me his world,
He gave me a glimpse of his realm
Hell, he threw me the keys
In fact, he even let me have access to it by giving me the keys
Introduced me to women –
He acquainted me with females
They went down on their knees
They knelt before me in a submissive manner
In his hands were papers
The devil held some documents
He told me they were signed
He informed me that they had already been signed
My memory is hazy
I have trouble recalling clearly
I'm sure that I declined
However, I am confident I refused
No brimstone, fire, no rain
There were no traditional signs of evil, such as fire or brimstone
The devil came a calling
The demon visited unexpectedly
Contributed by Olivia T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
nordinemed
De la pure poésie !
Merci Paddy, Merci Prefab Sprout !
A nouveau, une indicible joie musicale pour notre coeur et à l'intérieur de notre tête.
TheKikogomez
this song has caught me close my eyes and float of the best I've heard in a long time and the end of the song it is I have no words love ittttt
edgardo gregorini
This song soothe my soul
francais958
Another great song
Live M. Eriksen
I just heard this on my favourite radioshow.
Juanchi Baleiron
Sos grande Paddy !!!!
Claudio Gonzalez
leyendo esto mas respeto al gran músico argento.
Nano 10
Grande Paddy y Juanchi también!
SWEET WILLIAM
great one !
calmdeepwater
Von Crimson / Red ist das mein absoluter Favorit!