super groovy delicious bite: foxbase alpha

Nothing could stop this band named after a French football team when they released the bittersweet sparkling sampladelic dance nostalgia of their debut album. Saint Etienne was the brainchild of childhood friends and music writers Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs. They originally wanted to use lots of different singers; but after working with Sarah Cracknell, they decided to make her a permanent part of the group. The music mixes ambient house rhythms with girl-group vocals stylings from the sixties and borrows liberally from such eclectic sources as dialogue from David Mamet's 'House of Games' and sports announcements in French. 'Foxbase Alpha' made it to number thirty four on the British album chart and made London swing again.

http://www.saintetienne.com/

'Only Love Can Break Your Heart' is a cover of the song by Neil Young, sung by Moira Lambert. It reached number one on the US dance play chart and number four on the US dance sales chart.

"When you were young and on your own,

How did it feel to be alone?

I was always thinking, games that I was playing,

Trying to make the best of my time."

'Nothing Can Stop Us Now' samples Dusty Springfield's 'I Can't Wait Until I See My Baby's Face' It went to number one on the US dance play chart; but only fifteen on the dance sales chart. After Stanley and Wiggs worked with Sarah Cracknell on this track, they decided to make her a permanent part of the band.

"[sung:] I've heard some people say.

[spoken:] Yeah, nothing can stop us now. I've heard people say that a man who needs a woman is weak,

[sung:] So wrong, oh so wrong.

[spoken:] but they're so wrong, because nobody can hide from love.

[sung:] Do, do you want to know?

[spoken:] Do you want to know, do you want to know something else that's true?

[sung:] It's true, it's true, the touch of your hand, oh.

[spoken:] Just the touch of your hand, and I know we can make it."

The band's second single 'Kiss and Make Up' is a cover of the song by the Field Mice. This version features vocals by Donna Savage of Dead Famous People.

"Without beforehand thinking,

Sometimes I say things.

I could never hate you."