Prefab Sprout are an English pop band from Witton Gilbert, County Durham fo… Read Full Bio ↴Prefab Sprout are an English pop band from Witton Gilbert, County Durham formed in 1976, who rose to fame during the 1980s. Though critically acclaimed, and considered by many to have released some of the best pop albums of the decade, the band never matched this acclaim with commercial success. The band's best known lineup comprised Paddy McAloon (vocals, guitar, keyboard), Wendy Smith (vocals, guitar, keyboard), Martin McAloon (bass), and Neil Conti (drums).

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)

Nancy
Prefab Sprout Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Weekday mornings find me moody
I kiss my wife goodbye,
I drive the boss to work each day.

At the office, no one's watching
Can I catch her eye?
The hours squeeze by, the boss works late
Still I'll always wait and drive her home with me and say...

Nancy let your hair down for me
Nancy leave the office behind, then
Nancy let that fall off your shoulders
I'll be your husband once again
Nancy

Nancy I don't mind I'm happy working overtime
Nancy let your hair down for me
Nancy leave the office behind, then
Nancy let that fall off your shoulders
I'll be your husband once again

Nancy let your hair down for me
Nancy leave the office behind, then

Nancy let that fall off your shoulders
I'll be your husband once again

Overall Meaning

The song "Nancy" by Prefab Sprout is a poignant exploration of a man's longing for his wife. The first stanza sets the stage for the singer's daily grind, with weekday mornings being characterized by his moody disposition. He kisses his wife goodbye before driving his boss to work, a routine that repeats itself each day. The second stanza reveals that the singer works in an office, where he yearns to catch his wife's eye. Although time passes slowly, he waits for her patiently and drives her home at night. The chorus, which is sung several times throughout the song, expresses the singer's desire to see his wife in a different light. He wants her to let her hair down, leave the office behind, and fall into his arms once more.

The lyrics are simple yet profound, capturing the essence of a struggling relationship. The singer is stuck in a rut, occupied with work and devoid of passion. The repeated mention of Nancy highlights his fixation on his wife, who seems to have lost interest in him. The song's melancholic melody and the lead singer's emotive vocals complement the lyrics perfectly, conveying the singer's despair and longing. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the singer expressing his willingness to work overtime and his eagerness to rekindle his relationship with Nancy.

Line by Line Meaning

Weekday mornings find me moody
I wake up feeling down and gloomy on regular workdays

I kiss my wife goodbye,
Before leaving for work, I bid farewell to my spouse

I drive the boss to work each day.
My job is driving my employer to the office on a regular basis

At the office, no one's watching
In the workplace, nobody observes my actions

Can I catch her eye?
Can I get my co-worker's attention?

The hours squeeze by, the boss works late
The time passes by slowly while my supervisor works later than usual

Still I'll always wait and drive her home with me and say...
Despite this, I still await a moment to drive her home and express my affection

Nancy let your hair down for me
Relax and be yourself around me, Nancy

Nancy leave the office behind, then
Forget about work and its responsibilities

Nancy let that fall off your shoulders
Let go of your worries and loosen up

I'll be your husband once again
We can be together as we once were