Saint Etienne - He's On the Phone

Are YOU feeling flash in Leicester Square?

  • 10

    Votes: 13 92.9%

  • 09

    Votes: 1 7.1%

  • 08

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • 07

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  • 06

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  • 01

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • 00

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  • Total voters
    14
Hard Rock Ag-elujah

Hard Rock Ag-elujah

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I've been a bit of a Saint Etienne loop this morning, will specifically solo Sarah Cracknell (which is patchy, please advise otherwise @Sheena) and came across the Etienne Daho original:



Which is kinda irrelevant except to say wasn't he a lovely young thing? (@jivafox familiar at all?)

Obviously He's On the Phone has never been off my radar since I first heard it back in '95. I've now come to the conclusion it's the BEST POP SONG of the 1990s (specifically the infamously gay Motiv 8 remix)

 
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It's obviously a 10 but overplay has meant it feels like so much less to me nowadays. I wish they'd stop finishing PRETTY MUCH EVERY SINGLE GIG EVER with it.

As for solo Sarah, I like it all muchly. The first album, Lipslide, came out in a plethora of formats/ versions/ tracklistings according to territory, but nothing will beat the disco joy of "Penthouse Girl, Basement Boy" for me (later covered by Donna Air's Crush), but she hates it so much it didn't even get featured on the Lipslide reissue.



Whilst on an Etienne Daho tip, I also love "Ready Or Not", which is the original English language version of his French hit "Le Premier Jour (Du Reste De Ta Vie)"



Her last album "Red Kite" is her most "complete" work, but it's also less Etienne-esque than Lipslide, having more of a folk influence. Still some great stuff on it for me, though, not least Underneath the Stars.

 
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Ag said:
Christ DJ pops, I don't recognise it!
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DJ is magnificent. About date rape, somewhat strangely for a jaunty tune unless you listen closely to the lyrics!

Do you not know Words and Music by Saint Etienne? Top notch!
 
Words and Music is my favourite of their albums. They've had perhaps better runs of singles in the past and more anthemic songs, but as an album I love listening to this from start to finish.

"When I was ten I wanted to explore the world..." :disco:
 
It’s just behind Good Humor for me, but second place can’t be sniffed at. Heading to the Fair remains the standout for me.
 
I love DJ but agree that Heading to the Fair is the cream of the crop. It is so dreamy and nostalgic. Peak St Et.
 
This song is practically orgasmic, Motiv8 really excelled himself on this. I have never heard it played out before which is a shame.
 
My favourite five uptempo from them:

A Good Thing
He’s On The Phone
Sylvie (Trouser Enthusiasts Edit)
DJ
Hug My Soul

If Hug My Soul is disqualified from uptempo status then it’s I’ve Got Your Music. Oh I like the Mr Joshua (aka Chicane) remix edit of Action too, I should’ve thought more closely about this.
 
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Good Humor is definitely my favourite St. Etienne album. I'm no aficionado but I've got most of their studio albums..


My St. Etienne top 10:

1. Pale Movie
2. Like A Motorway
3. Hobart Paving
4. Shower Scene
5. He's On The Phone
6. Heart Failed In The Back Of A Taxi
7. Lose That Girl
8. Sylvie
9. Side Streets
10. The Bad Photographer
 
Oh if we’re going TOP TEN then, currently (and by fuck does it change):

1. Avenue
2. Hobart Paving
3. Like A Motorway
4. Pale Movie
5. Madeleine
6. Lose That Girl
7. Heading For The Fair
8. DJ
9. Lover Plays The Bass
10. Slow Down At The Castle

God that was off the tip of my head and fuck me I’m going to have missed lots
 
I recently nabbed some of the 2CDs for the earlier albums because they were on the cheap at £7 a pop. Two of them I had on ye olde vinyl from back in the day (FBA and So Tough), the one whose title I can never remember that no-one liked at the time but loves now (which I had on cassette) and Good Humor, which I didn;t buy at the time but scored some low-priced download for in the early days of such matters. They made quite the job of these; gems strewn everywhere.
 
octophone said:
I recently nabbed some of the 2CDs for the earlier albums because they were on the cheap at £7 a pop. Two of them I had on ye olde vinyl from back in the day (FBA and So Tough), the one whose title I can never remember that no-one liked at the time but loves now (which I had on cassette) and Good Humor, which I didn;t buy at the time but scored some low-priced download for in the early days of such matters. They made quite the job of these; gems strewn everywhere.
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Tiger Bay one presumes. They're all TOP NOTCH but, yes, the gems really are EVERYWHERE.

SAINT ETIENNE ALBUM RANK (if it's ok with @BoysForSeles)

1. Good Humor
2. Words and Music By Saint Etienne
3. Tales From Turnpike House
4. Tiger Bay
5. So Tough
6. Finisterre
7. Foxbase Alpha
8. Sound of Water
9. Home Counties
 
Sheena said:
Tiger Bay one presumes. They're all TOP NOTCH but, yes, the gems really are EVERYWHERE.
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That's it. I could never remember that title at the time and I still can't remember it now. I have no idea why I have such a mental block on an album I've bought twice!
 
octophone said:
That's it. I could never remember that title at the time and I still can't remember it now. I have no idea why I have such a mental block on an album I've bought twice!
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You shouldn't. It's TOP NOTCH. And that expanded version is even better. Pale Movie, Hug My Soul, Like A Motorway, I Buy American Records, The Boy Scouts of America, Urban Clearway, Sushi Rider, You Know You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone ETC. ETC. ETC. Although it's not my personal favourite, I always felt it was the band at the point they should have gone properly big. There's some great stuff there. Was just never meant to happen I guess...
 
1. Good Humor
2. Tiger Bay
3. Finisterre
4. Tales From Turnpike House
5. Words and Music By Saint Etienne
6. So Tough
7. Foxbase Alpha
8. Sound of Water

Haven't heard their most recent one..
 
Yes, Tiger Bay felt like it was now or never in terms of timing to move onto the next level commercially, it felt set to do so and when it didn’t it was inevitable being truly “big” was not going to happen for them though a #8 album was still a decent result.
 
Sheena said:
You shouldn't. It's TOP NOTCH. And that expanded version is even better. Pale Movie, Hug My Soul, Like A Motorway, I Buy American Records, The Boy Scouts of America, Urban Clearway, Sushi Rider, You Know You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone ETC. ETC. ETC. Although it's not my personal favourite, I always felt it was the band at the point they should have gone properly big. There's some great stuff there. Was just never meant to happen I guess...
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Oh no, it's not the actual album, it's just the title! I can envisage it, pick out songs but I'll be buggered if I can ever remember what the bloody thing is called. I have a similar block on Autechre's "Untilted" but I always put that down to the years I thought it was called "Untitled".
 
BoysForSeles said:
Yes, Tiger Bay felt like it was now or never in terms of timing to move onto the next level commercially, it felt set to do so and when it didn’t it was inevitable being truly “big” was not going to happen for them though a #8 album was still a decent result.
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Absolutely timing but I also maintain the sleeve didn't help.
 
BoysForSeles said:
Yes, Tiger Bay felt like it was now or never in terms of timing to move onto the next level commercially, it felt set to do so and when it didn’t it was inevitable being truly “big” was not going to happen for them though a #8 album was still a decent result.
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Albeit that Good Humor really felt like a comeback. Had Sylvie snuck into the top ten and had they chosen a different follow up single, it might have set them up nicely. Instead they limped out with The Bad Photographer (which I love, but killed the album) and that was that.
 
It was issued on cd to those who bought “More Words and Music” but, in a deliciously Saint Etienne twist, were shipped a copy without an inner sleeve due to a printing issue. It was an apology to the 40 who got it in such a state, with 60 left over.

Thankfully, one has ended up in my hands as it becomes one of the rarest Saint Etienne collectibles instantly, probably alongside “Now 4”, which was 72 copies if I remember, and “Match Day”, which was a compilation given away with a very limited number of Foxbase Alpha Subbuteo figures.
 
Now 4 is amazing. Japanese version of ‘Like a motorway’ and a version of ‘Soft like me’ that is actually listenable (I think)

I really used to loon up over them
 
Yes, Now 4 is lovely. I haven't dug it out in an AGE. I like that none of the tracks have been included anywhere else, including the reissues. I got mine in exchange for Now 17 on CD! And another one I forget- cheeky Bob took two and then only sent one CD back.
 
I love both, but I think Alpha over Beta. Though Beta was a genius idea and revitalised the live performances for quite some time. Alpha has never been my favourite (see above), though, anyway. So Tough is where they properly became Saint Etienne for me. Alpha is still just a disparate mishmash of ideas.
 
jyxz said:
Possibly controversial, but I much prefer Foxbase beta to Foxbase alpha too
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I cannot fathom why I did not buy that at the time when I have everything else. I can only find it on iTunes so might have to download it from there.
 
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