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)
Wild Card in the Pack
Prefab Sprout Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was losing
She took a long look
At my hand, at my hand
And said, There's one card you're not using.
She said,
King, queen or jack
King, queen or jack
Love's the wild card in the pack.
I said, sit down,
I'm pleased to meet you
Where'd you learn to
Play this game, play this game?
She said Thank you, this game is not new.
You see, King, Queen or jack
Love's the wild card in the pack
King, Queen or jack
Love's the wild card in the pack.
Luck comes and goes
Well, it's a tumbleweed
The wild wind blows
Love's constant flame
Well, it's the card that keeps you in the game
Now I'll fortune
May pursue you
Still here's how to
Beat the odds, beat the odds.
You seat someone smart beside you
If they're watching your back,
Love's the wild card in the pack
Luck comes and goes
Well, it's a tumbleweed
The wild wind blows
Love's constant flame
Well, it's the card that
Keeps you in the game
You need someone smart beside you
If they're watching your back,
Love's the wild card in the pack.
King, Queen or jack
Love's the wild card in the pack
King, Queen or jack
Love's the wild card in the pack
King, Queen or jack
Love's the wild card in the pack
In the song "Wild Card in the Pack," Prefab Sprout frontman Paddy McAloon describes a chance meeting with a woman who teaches him about the importance of love in relationships. When she enters the room, he feels defeated, but she quickly changes his mood. She notices that he doesn't seem to be fully invested in the game they're playing, and suggests that he hasn't been using "love" as a wild card. She explains that love is the one card that can keep you in the game, even when luck is against you. As their conversation goes on, McAloon becomes increasingly interested in this woman, who seems to know a lot about love and relationships.
The lyrics of "Wild Card in the Pack" suggest that McAloon is questioning the role of luck versus the role of love in romantic relationships. He's struggling to win the game (perhaps a metaphor for love), and as he converses with the woman, he realizes that love is the one card he's not playing. In essence, he's been relying on luck and chance instead of investing in something more substantial. The woman reminds him that love has the power to keep you in the game even when luck isn't on your side.
Overall, the song is a reminder that relationships require more than just luck or chance. To win the game, one must be willing to put in the time, effort, and emotional energy required to make a relationship work. Love is the one card that can help us stay in the game and weather the ups and downs of life with our partners.
Line by Line Meaning
When she walked in
I was losing
The singer was in a bad situation before the arrival of this person
She took a long look
At my hand, at my hand
The person scrutinized the singer's situation
And said, There's one card you're not using.
The person found the problem with the singer's situation
She said,
King, queen or jack
Love's the wild card in the pack.
Love is the solution to the artist's problem
I said, sit down,
I'm pleased to meet you
Where'd you learn to
Play this game, play this game?
The artist becomes intrigued with the person's insight
She said Thank you, this game is not new.
You see, King, Queen or jack
Love's the wild card in the pack
King, Queen or jack
Love's the wild card in the pack.
The person reiterates that love is the key to success in the situation
Luck comes and goes
Well, it's a tumbleweed
The wild wind blows
Love's constant flame
Well, it's the card that keeps you in the game
Luck is not a dependable factor in the situation, but love is the force that sustains you
Now I'll fortune
May pursue you
Still here's how to
Beat the odds, beat the odds.
Even when luck is not on your side, you can still win by following the person's advice
You seat someone smart beside you
If they're watching your back,
Love's the wild card in the pack
Having someone who cares about you and supports you is important, and love is the key ingredient to success
You need someone smart beside you
If they're watching your back,
Love's the wild card in the pack.
King, Queen or jack
Love's the wild card in the pack
King, Queen or jack
Love's the wild card in the pack
King, Queen or jack
Love's the wild card in the pack
Love is emphasized as the solution throughout the entire song
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rob Whitehead
When she walked in, I was losing. She took a long look, at my hand, at my hand. She said there's one card you're not using. She said, King, Queen or Jack, Love's the wild card in the pack. ~ That's pure poetry in a song right there. Love this song.
ENLIGHTENMENTING
It's a very fantastic song that inspire goodness and hope in this difficult times so diferent from the 80's and 70's. Thanks for all.
michel muller
un album extraordinaire produit par tony visconti une perle...
Raphael Charroux
album extraordinaire d'une cohérence rare même si l'album précédent "Andromeda Heights" est lui est pour moi encore supérieur.
inverterville
great song great band ...no one writes songs like paddy
Quique Buxeda
Un albun fabuloso pero como siempre infravalorado. Ellos se lo pierden
william198888
Thanks for uploading! Can't find this song anywhere but it rocks!
renato martinez
Magnificent song
Sean Gilchrist
I don't know what it is about this song. I love the recording, the vocals, even the cheezy sax in it. It's just a beautiful song.
Kirk Ericson
I've enjoyed this since it came out. It always reminded me of late Steely Dan, albeit less sardonic.