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)
Tiffanys
Prefab Sprout Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The bus stopped at tiffany's
So i went to hear the band
I saw Cinderella, then the curtain dropped
Time hung heavy on my hands but today
The clock just stopped
I heard the music saw those pictures on the wall
Soothed by your saxophones i thought you'd understand
I'd love to sing my songs for you but i don't know if i can
Said don't know if i can, don't know if i can
Midnight is striking there's a pumpkin by the door
It's five o'clock and the streets are clear am i alone once more ?
I watched the dawn in an electric storm my compass blew haywire
There she stands with a slipper in her hand
And her eyes were the colour of fire
I saw you crying from that doorway for sometime
It's no use drying your eyes ''cause i see those tell tale signs
I saw you crying from that doorway for sometime
It's no use drying your eyes ''cause i see those tell tale signs
I see those tell tale signs, i see those tell tale signs
Time is no healer in truth she plays no part
When money's got you in your pocket where can she put your heart ?
She led a charmed life so i believe
Before she left she wrote a note and this is how it reads
I saw you crying from that doorway for sometime
It's no use drying your eyes ''cause i see those tell tale signs
I saw you crying from that doorway for sometime
It's no use drying your eyes ''cause i see those tell tale signs
I see those tell tale signs, i see those tell tale signs
The song "Tiffany's" by Prefab Sprout tells a story of a man who finds comfort in the jazz music played at Tiffany's nightclub. He goes there after a bus stop, and he is soothed by the saxophone music playing in the background. The singer falls in love with Tiffany's, and he longs to sing his songs to the audience there. The song represents a time in the singer's life when he was searching for meaning, and Tiffany's represented his safe haven.
The line "Time is the healer, time was on my hands" represents how the singer had time to spend at Tiffany's Club, and it was healing to him. The line "Midnight is striking there's a pumpkin by the door" is a reference to Cinderella's tale, and it suggests that the singer has not yet found his true love. The line "It's no use drying your eyes cause I see those tell-tale signs" suggests that the singer has a keen sense of emotional intelligence and can see that someone is in pain.
Line by Line Meaning
Time is the healer, time was on my hands
Although time is thought to heal all wounds, I had too much free time on my hands.
The bus stopped at tiffany's
The bus stopped at Tiffany's, which was a popular nightclub or bar.
So i went to hear the band
I decided to go inside and listen to the live music.
I saw Cinderella, then the curtain dropped
I saw a beautiful woman, but then she disappeared when the show ended.
Time hung heavy on my hands but today
I used to have too much free time on my hands, but today is different.
The clock just stopped
I am so captivated by the place that I didn't notice time flying by.
I heard the music saw those pictures on the wall
I enjoyed the music and admired the pictures on the wall.
I fell in love with tiffany's i thought it said it all
I fell in love with Tiffany's because I thought it had everything I was looking for.
Soothed by your saxophones i thought you'd understand
I found comfort in the sound of the saxophones and thought Tiffany's would understand my emotions.
I'd love to sing my songs for you but i don't know if i can
I wish I could express my feelings through music, but I am unsure of my ability to do so.
Said don't know if i can, don't know if i can
I kept repeating that I am not sure if I can sing my songs for Tiffany's.
Midnight is striking there's a pumpkin by the door
It is midnight, and I notice a pumpkin left outside the door.
It's five o'clock and the streets are clear am i alone once more ?
It's 5 am, the streets are empty, and I am wondering if I am alone again.
I watched the dawn in an electric storm my compass blew haywire
I witnessed the sunrise during an electric storm, and my compass stopped working.
There she stands with a slipper in her hand
I see a woman holding a slipper in her hand.
And her eyes were the colour of fire
The woman's eyes were bright and fiery in color.
I saw you crying from that doorway for sometime
I observed you crying from that doorway for a while.
It's no use drying your eyes ''cause i see those tell tale signs
There's no point in trying to hide your true feelings because I can see the signs of your sadness.
I see those tell tale signs, i see those tell tale signs
I can see the obvious clues that you are upset, and I understand how you feel.
Time is no healer in truth she plays no part
Time cannot heal emotional wounds, nor can it fix the damage caused by materialism.
When money's got you in your pocket where can she put your heart ?
When you are consumed by greed and materialism, you lose your ability to empathize and care for others.
She led a charmed life so i believe
She appeared to have a privileged and fortunate life, at least that's what I thought.
Before she left she wrote a note and this is how it reads
Before she left, she wrote a note, and this is what it said.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PADDY MCALOON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind