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)
Nightingales
Prefab Sprout Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That we're too busy living through, too busy to see.
What is it that we do makes us what we are
If we sing are we nightingales, shine are we stars?
Who are we? what we got? are we a firework show?
Growing pale like a star that burnt out years ago
Stranger things have been, stranger things have gone,
Tell me do something true and drop the fairytales.
If singin' birds must sing, with no question of choice
Then livin' is our song, indeed our voice
Best agree you and me we're probably nightingales
[Instrumental verse]
Who are we? what we got? are we a firework show?
Growing pale like a star that burnt out years ago
Stranger things have been, stranger things have gone,
I find it hard right now to name you one
Tell me do something true and drop the fairytales.
If singin' birds must sing, with no question of choice
Then livin' is our song, indeed our voice
Best agree you and me we're probably nightingales
God's a proud thundercloud we are cartoon cats
With a fear that is biblical under our hats
Who are we? what we got? are we a firework show?
Growing pale like a star that burnt out years ago
Stranger things have been, stranger things have gone,
I find it hard right now to name you one
Tell me do something true and drop the fairytales.
If singin' birds must sing, with no question of choice
Then livin' is our song, indeed our voice
Best agree you and me we're probably nightingales
The song "Nightingales" by Prefab Sprout is a reflective and contemplative take on life, and the ever-present challenge of understanding who we truly are. The song questions the nature of existence and how we are defined by our actions and circumstances, rather than our desires or intentions.
The lyrics suggest that we are so busy living our lives that we often fail to see the bigger picture. We are consumed by the daily grind, and we lose sight of the things that really matter in life. The song asks us to think about what makes us who we are and questions whether we are truly living up to our potential.
The use of the metaphor "are we nightingales, shine we stars?" creates a sense of enigma and symbolically represents the mystery of our own existence. The lyrics encourage us to uncover what is true about ourselves, rather than relying on the fairy tales we tell ourselves to make life more bearable.
Overall, "Nightingales" is a song that inspires introspection and a deeper understanding of self. It encourages us to be more mindful of our actions and challenges us to live an authentic life.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell me do, something true, true of you and me
Can you be honest with me and tell me something that is true about us?
That we're too busy living through, too busy to see.
We are too preoccupied with living our lives that we are unable to see the truth.
What is it that we do makes us what we are
Our actions define who we are as individuals.
If we sing are we nightingales, shine are we stars?
Are we defined by our talents and abilities, such as singing and shining brightly?
Who are we? what we got? are we a firework show?
Who are we really? Do we have substance, or are we just putting on a flashy display?
Growing pale like a star that burnt out years ago
Our true selves are fading away like a star that has lost its brightness over time.
Stranger things have been, stranger things have gone,
Many weird and unexpected events have occurred in the past and will continue to happen in the future.
I find it hard right now to name you one
It's difficult to think of a single strange event because there are so many.
Tell me do something true and drop the fairytales.
Please be honest with me and stop telling me stories.
If singin' birds must sing, with no question of choice
If birds must sing, without the ability to choose otherwise.
Then livin' is our song, indeed our voice
Living life is our purpose and our way of expressing ourselves.
Best agree you and me we're probably nightingales
It's likely that we are like nightingales, singing and expressing ourselves through our talents.
God's a proud thundercloud we are cartoon cats
God is a powerful and intimidating force, and we are unable to compare to it, like cartoon cats in comparison to a thundercloud.
With a fear that is biblical under our hats
We are filled with a deep sense of fear that is comparable to the intense stories present in the Bible.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PADDY MCALOON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind