Prefab Sprout

Prefab Sprout? Daft name, and aren't they adult contemporary-smooth-semi-sophisti-pop? Yes! and No. For starters, I've yet to give into the allure of The Blue Nile, a group I've dismissed for years, so please go easy on me (addressing myself here, mostly. I'm sure all you reading are cooler than me and know the group well). I must of given Prefab Sprout at least one half assed chance in the distant past and obviously wasn't hooked by their enchanting sound. Today I'm handing myself over to Prefab Sprout and am fully prepared to make lofty statements about them. They wrote two of the best pop songs I've ever heard. One being their self released debut single, and the other the opening song off their second LP.

They debuted in 1982 with their self-released single, "Lions In My Own Garden: Exit Someone" - songwriter Paddy McAloon wanted a song title where the first letters of the words spelled out "LIMOGES" (the French city where his former girlfriend was staying at the time).
see, isn't that nice? now listen to the song and see how many times you'll play it over and over again.

Faron Young, if i recall correctly, was written in response to people who listen to country-western in the north, or more generally in cities, as it isn't relevant. Later on Paddy McAloon (Prefab's singer/songwriter) rebuked this sentiment by saying that people listened to Country Western because it's honest music. Glad he wised up. oh, found the quote: “This shows you how stupid I am - it’s a song wondering why people like country & western music when they live in the industrial north. I thought, ‘Why do they listen to all these things about cowboys and farmers and grain?’ and then 20 years later, I suddenly think, ‘It’s because C&W deals with real emotions.’ Take that!” - NME, June 20, 1992

Lions In My Own Garden (Exit Someone)
Faron Young (my favorite pop song as it stands)
as a bonus Radio Love (B-side to "Lions")


cover of "Lions In My Own Garden (Exit Someone)" single

their 2nd LP retitled as "Two Wheels Good" in the USA