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)

Wicked Things
Prefab Sprout Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Your Mother's got bags of good advice
The don'ts exceed the do's
But she's not you
All it takes is a little nerve
As I close in for the kill
Just stand still

What could make a girl believe

The wicked things he'd say?
What could make a girl believe
The wicked things he'd say?
Like by the grace of God

He'll be the bugle boy on judgment day
All the jokers running wild,
Their politics are street,
But still elite

The revolution's underway
The dream is coming true
But not for you

All it takes is a little nerve
As they close in for the kill
You just stand still

What could make a girl believe
The wicked things he'd say?
What could make a girl believe
The wicked things he'd say?
Like by the grace of God

He'll be the bugle boy on judgment day
Why must honest Joe reap
The wicked seed they sow?
Maybe honest Joe hides

From things he hates to know

If Joe goes on this way
An honest wind will surely come and blow

Overall Meaning

The song "Wicked Things" by Prefab Sprout is a contemplation of the impact of wickedness in human relationships. The opening verse speaks of a character's mother and her good advice, which has a lot more don'ts than dos. However, this advice can't prepare one to deal with wickedness in their relationships. The lyrics suggest that all that is needed to confront this wickedness is a little courage. The line "Just stand still" emphasizes the need to confront the wrong or wickedness to stop it from continuing.

The chorus, "What could make a girl believe the wicked things he'd say? Like by the grace of God, he'll be the bugle boy on judgment day," is a reflection of how wicked words can manipulate minds and make one believe in things that lead to a path of destruction. The bugle boy reference may be speaking to how wickedness can only last for so long before those involved face the consequences of their actions.

The second verse highlights the ongoing revolution that's happening and how it might not be for everyone. It speaks to a sense of inequality, where only a certain elite group of individuals can benefit from the revolution. The chorus repeats, highlighting how wickedness can deceive and cause people to ultimately reap what they sow. The final line, "Maybe honest Joe hides from things he hates to know, If Joe goes on this way, an honest wind will surely come and blow," suggests that even if people ignore wickedness, eventually, their actions will bring consequences.

Line by Line Meaning

Your Mother's got bags of good advice
Your Mother has a lot of good advice

The don'ts exceed the do's
Her advice is mostly negative

But she's not you
However, her advice doesn't always apply to you

All it takes is a little nerve
You just need some courage

As I close in for the kill
As I make my move

Just stand still
Just don't move

What could make a girl believe
What could make a girl trust

The wicked things he'd say?
The evil things he says?

Like by the grace of God
As if it was meant to be

He'll be the bugle boy on judgment day
He'll face the consequences of his actions on Judgment Day

All the jokers running wild,
All the fools running around,