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)
Here On The Eerie
Prefab Sprout Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The mind meets dilemma, with a heart in decay.
How they reconcile art with
What was I going to say?
I called because you're in a position to help.
With a limited talent, but impossible wealth.
How they reconcile love with
It sure is a problem
Cool critique of new Gomorrah,
Or schoolboy crush on Che Guevara,
Face yourself or
Give it away.
Hearts grow numb and conscience weary,
Mutiny here on Eerie,
Face yourself or
Give it away
Don't start pretending,
You've feelings anguish,
If you'd prefer to dance.
Please stop talking,
Of things you know nothing.
The truth well will make you ill.
So chew on the safest,
The blandest of food.
And avoid the specifics,
That might ruin the mood.
A universal prescription
Continues to elude.
Love becomes you, a happy burden.
But other lives stay neatly curtained.
Recognize that,
It won't go away.
Hearts grow numb and conscience weary,
Mutiny here on the Eerie.
Face yourself or
Give it away.
This star crossed lovers business, astrologeewhizzness,
Go rhyme your runes in June.
Don't turn tearful, or mystical on me,
I'm not your seventh son.
The lyrics to Prefab Sprout's song "Here On The Eerie" describe the challenge of reconciling the complexities of life - art and creativity, love and relationships, morality and conscience. The first verse sets the tone by comparing the allure of these complexities to "children at play," but acknowledges the difficulty in reconciling them with the decay of the heart and mind. The second verse describes the singer's call to someone with "limited talent, but impossible wealth" - perhaps a reference to someone with influence but little artistic or creative ability - to help navigate these challenges. The chorus repeats the urgent call to "face yourself or give it away," a plea to confront these complexities rather than avoiding them.
The third verse introduces a critique of modern society ("new Gomorrah") or a more romanticized revolutionary figure ("schoolboy crush on Che Guevara") as potential distractions from facing oneself. The fourth verse continues the theme of avoiding difficult truths by settling for the "safest, blandest" options and avoiding "specifics." The bridge employs astrological language to mock the avoidance of reality and the "tearful, mystical" tendencies of some in favor of a more grounded approach. The final chorus repeats the plea to face oneself rather than turning away and joining the "mutiny here on the Eerie."
Overall, the song presents a challenge to confront the complexity and messiness of life, rather than avoiding it through distractions or simplistic solutions. While it acknowledges the difficulty of this task and the weariness it can cause, it ultimately urges listeners to "face yourself" rather than "give it away."
Line by Line Meaning
It's much more beguiling, than children at play.
This situation is more complicated and captivating than innocent childhood activities.
The mind meets dilemma, with a heart in decay.
The situation creates a conflict for the mind while the heart is experiencing decay.
How they reconcile art with
What was I going to say?
How do creative individuals resolve the conflict between their artistic expression and their words failing them?
I called because you're in a position to help.
With a limited talent, but impossible wealth.
How they reconcile love with
It sure is a problem
But don't go away.
I reached out to you because you have the means to assist, despite your limited abilities but vast resources. How do we reconcile love with the challenges it presents? It's certainly a problem, but please don't abandon me.
Cool critique of new Gomorrah,
Or schoolboy crush on Che Guevara,
Face yourself or
Give it away.
We can offer a sophisticated critique of society or cling to childhood idols, but ultimately we must introspect or relinquish our beliefs.
Hearts grow numb and conscience weary,
Mutiny here on Eerie,
Face yourself or
Give it away
We become emotionally desensitized and morally fatigued in this unsettling place. We must confront ourselves or abandon our values.
Don't start pretending,
You've feelings anguish,
If you'd prefer to dance.
Do not feign emotional distress if you would rather just dance.
Please stop talking,
Of things you know nothing.
The truth well will make you ill.
Cease discussing subjects in which you are uninformed. The truth may be difficult to hear.
So chew on the safest,
The blandest of food.
And avoid the specifics,
That might ruin the mood.
Stick to the most neutral and inoffensive topics of conversation and avoid discussing potentially controversial or polarizing issues that may dampen the atmosphere.
A universal prescription
Continues to elude.
Love becomes you, a happy burden.
But other lives stay neatly curtained.
Recognize that,
It won't go away.
There is no universally applicable solution to our problems. Love may bring happiness but also comes with responsibilities. The lives of others remain veiled. We must acknowledge this reality as it is unlikely to change.
Hearts grow numb and conscience weary,
Mutiny here on the Eerie.
Face yourself or
Give it away.
We become emotionally desensitized and morally fatigued in this unsettling place. We must confront ourselves or abandon our values.
This star-crossed lovers business, astrologeewhizzness,
Go rhyme your runes in June.
Don't turn tearful, or mystical on me,
I'm not your seventh son.
All this talk about fate and destiny is nonsense. Engage in your superstitious rituals if you must, but do not expect me to indulge them.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dennis Hobersonson
As well as his colossal songwriting prowess how come nobody ever mentions Paddy's guitar playing? He's a freak as a guitarist.
ghandr11
Yes he is … but so is the bass & keyboard players… even the drums on this album
HarryFlowers56
Absolutely 👌💕❤️
Stuart McGarrick
Aah! What a brilliant songwriter Paddy is, bought this album soon after my daughter was born , very underrated.
HarryFlowers56
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Edward Thomas
'Cool critique of new Gomorrah / Schoolboy crush on Che Guevara'. What the fuck, Paddy!
Frickin' love the song, all the same. 'Swoon' is a severely overlooked record.
Membrane Potential
The only comment that means anything this morning. Cheers.
Rich B
Pure Paddy Poetry!! Great typo in the lyrics here though! - 'Other liver stay neatly curtained!' :-)) - now, I don't really think we need to 'beef' up the lyrics too much here lol
_mynewcareer
Can someone please explain the lyrics to me
058
that guitar solo at the end is so fuckn good