The Best Prefab Sprout B-Sides
PREFAB SPROUT B-SIDES
Paddy Mcaloon and his band Prefab Sprout are one of the finest Rock/Pop/Indie crossover bands of the 80's & 90's and beyond With varying degrees of commercial success over the years, they have certainly earned their place in music history.
But there is another story to hot dogs and jumping frogs.
There is a side to the groups legacy that generally only the die hard fans and collectors usually know. A world where Mcaloon wrote and recorded some of his finest lyrics, that were crafted into beautifully structured compositions. In my opinion some of these were better than the groups singles over the years. From the end of love affairs to his beloved home town, Prefab have put together a fine back catalogue of music, even if Paddy Mcaloon is not fond of many of his own B-side works, I think its safe to say that most of his fans are. So below are 5 of the best B-Side singles they released.
There is a side to the groups legacy that generally only the die hard fans and collectors usually know. A world where Mcaloon wrote and recorded some of his finest lyrics, that were crafted into beautifully structured compositions. In my opinion some of these were better than the groups singles over the years. From the end of love affairs to his beloved home town, Prefab have put together a fine back catalogue of music, even if Paddy Mcaloon is not fond of many of his own B-side works, I think its safe to say that most of his fans are. So below are 5 of the best B-Side singles they released.
BEAR PARK
A song inspired by his home towns place of recreation called Bear Park. The song has a very up beat drum machine playing a swing beat style with a smooth layer of electric pianos on top playing a perfect set of flowing chords. The harmonies on Paddy's vocals are a perfect companion to the music, which makes for a haunting but very creative piece of music. I mean what other band could write a perfect melancholy but uplifting song about a small village? Only Mcaloon can, and he did it so well.
REAL LIFE JUST AROUND THE CORNER
Originally released on the flip side of When Love Breaks Down in 1985, but re-released on the flip side of Cars & Girls three years later for some strange reason..What begins like a live performance jamming session with the crowd effects on top of the music, the song soon takes on a new lease of life when it rolls into a synth driven track that is leading up to a rather big chorus with backing vocals from the other members of the band. It is a song that hints at never giving up on something, even though reality is right around the corner. That is just my interpretation, but overall its a great uplifting song, and has all the elements of a great record that could have been a main single for them.
THE END OF THE AFFAIR
The story of two married people having a secret love affair in hotels and meeting up at certain rendezvous. The detail that Mcaloon writes about here is very accurate in his view point. He seems to be a careful observer of human behaviour and this reflects in his song writing. The song has a very powerful chorus and some very Rock & Roll guitar solos, that make this even more powerful. The end of the affair it may have been for the protagonist as the final lyrics state its over. But this song has continued to be a firm favourite amongst fans since it was released in 1997 on the back of their Electric Guitars single. A song that captures all of the things people go through when living a double life, and it captures it accurately.
He'll Have To Go
Written by Joe & Audrey Allison way back in 1959. Originally for Jim Reeves, but also covered by Elvis Presley. Maybe the Elvis rendition was where the idea for Paddy to record his own version came into effect?
Released on the back of the 1984 "Dont Sing" single, but also reissued as a b-side 4 years later on their huge hit "The King of Rock n Roll". ironically an Elvis themed single. This track is lush in harmonies and has that eerie Country and Western twangy guitar effect at the start of each chorus paying homage to the original no doubt.
Wendy's vocals are as smooth as silk, and sit perfect within this song proving that no matter who covers it, it will still sound good.
Just Because I Can
Taken from the CD Single of A Prisoner of the Past in 1997, this track has all of the smooth production qualities that we have become accustomed to with the Sprouts. The guitars flow, the synths blossom, the piano tinkers along and Paddys lyrics are powerful and at times raw in their deliverance. You can tell these tracks were from the Andromeda Heights sessions as they have that incredible production glazed over them from that era. The songs lyrics are positive and are delivered in such a convincing way that they leap out of the song across the backdrop of the music, which is excellent in production and arrangement.
Five B-sides from one of the worlds finest acts ever. #prefabsprout
Pretty good selection, although I'd have Nero the Zero and Dragons over Bearpark & He'll Have To Go (as good as HHTG is, it's on the US Two Wheels Good CD, so probably isn't as unknown). One point re Real Life, it first appeared on an EP given away by the NME, then subsequently appeared (in slightly different versions) on later singles.
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