| "A&E" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Goldfrapp | ||||
| from the album Seventh Tree | ||||
| Released | 11 February 2008 | |||
| Recorded | 2006–2007 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:19 | |||
| Label | Mute | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) |
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| Goldfrapp singles chronology | ||||
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"A&E" is a song by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp from their fourth studio album, Seventh Tree (2008). The song was written and produced by Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory, with co-production handled by Flood. It was released as the album's lead single on 11 February 2008. [4]
"A&E" was composed as a collaborative effort between Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory in 2007 in a recording studio near Somerset, England. [5] [6] Its lyrics were inspired by Goldfrapp's visit to the emergency department of a hospital on a Saturday afternoon. The doctors "pumped [her] up with loads of painkillers" and she described the situation as a "bit surreal."[ citation needed ]
Writing for Pitchfork , Matthew Perpetua interpreted the song's storyline as "showcase for both her lyrical and vocal strengths...from the perspective of an incredibly lonely woman driven to a suicide attempt while waiting around for a phone call from a man she's not even sure she likes." [7]
In 2023, Goldfrapp commented "it’s so autobiographical. It’s not fantastical at all, it’s kind of [about] what happened. You know, I was in A&E in a hospital gown having a bit of a meltdown. So it does feel slightly odd now when I sing it." [8]
"A&E" received positive reviews from music critics. John Murphy of musicOMH called the song "a beautifully paced ballad, with a memorable hook [...] which buries its way into your head after just a couple of listens". [9] Digital Spy reviewer Nick Levine described "A&E" as "lush, folky and [...] organic" and wrote that Goldfrapp's vocals were "full of longing and slow-burning sexuality". [10] Popjustice described the song as "fucking brilliant". [11] Alex Denney of Drowned in Sound was less impressed, writing that "the sparks [...] fail to fly". [12]
The song appeared at number 73 on Pitchfork 's "The 100 Best Tracks of 2008" list. [13]
"A&E" debuted at number 18 on the UK Singles Chart for the week ending 16 February 2008. [14] The following week the song reached its peak position at number 10 and spent nine weeks on the chart. [15] Elsewhere, the track saw modest chart success. "A&E" debuted and peaked at number 33 on the Irish Singles Chart, [16] while reaching number 38 in Belgium, number 85 in Australia number 98 in Germany. [17] [18]
The single reached number 65 on the European Hot 100 Singles chart. [19] It also reached number 12 on the Euro Digital Tracks chart and number 14 on the Euro Digital Songs chart. [20] [21] In the United States, "A&E" reached number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales chart and number two on Hot Singles Sales chart. [22] [23]
The music video for "A&E" was directed by Dougal Wilson which, in sharp contrast to the song's hospital theming, is more nature-themed. [24] The video is set in a forest and opens with Goldfrapp in a white dress lying in a clearing, looking up at the camera. She is soon joined by several leaf-men who dance around her as she sings. Midway through the video, day turns into night and Goldfrapp is joined by several woodland creatures. The video concludes with Gregory playing a guitar and making tea beside an orange tent.
The video premiered on 12 January 2008 on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom. [25] In a review for Drowned in Sound, Alex Denney described the video as "weird" and compared it to music videos by Kate Bush and The Mighty Boosh. [12] Pitchfork reviewer Marc Hogan wrote that the video was a "good fit for Goldfrapp's bright, folksy turn" and praised its "twist ending". [24]
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Credits adapted from the liner notes of Seventh Tree . [26]
Goldfrapp
Additional personnel
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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Goldfrapp are an English electronic music duo from London, formed in 1999. The duo consists of Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory (synthesiser).
Felt Mountain is the debut studio album by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp. It was released on 11 September 2000 by Mute Records. The album takes influence from a variety of music styles such as 1960s pop, cabaret, folk and electronica.
Black Cherry is the second studio album by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp, released on 23 April 2003 by Mute Records. It marked a departure from the ambient sound of their debut album, Felt Mountain (2000), incorporating glam rock and synth-pop music; inspirations were Spanish disco group Baccara and Swedish techno artist Håkan Lidbo. The album was met with positive reviews, with many critics complimenting its blend of retro and modern electropop music.
Supernature is the third studio album by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp, released on 17 August 2005 by Mute Records. The album received generally favourable reviews, with most critics complimenting its blend of pop and electronic music. It debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart with first-week sales of 52,976 copies, and has been certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Supernature has sold one million copies worldwide.
Alison Elizabeth Margaret Goldfrapp is an English musician and record producer, known as the vocalist of English electronic music duo Goldfrapp.
English electronic music duo Goldfrapp have released seven studio albums, two live albums, two compilation albums, four extended plays, 25 singles, eight promotional singles, one video album and 29 music videos. The band was formed in 1999 in London, and consists of Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory (synthesiser).
"Number 1" is a song by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp from their third studio album, Supernature (2005). Written and produced by Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory, the song features a synthesiser and bass guitar arrangement and was written about the importance and meaningfulness that somebody shares with another, despite that it might not necessarily last.
"Ooh La La" is a song by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp from their third studio album, Supernature (2005). Written and produced by Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory, the song consists largely of a synthesiser and guitar arrangement, and has been described as "a dirty, decadent homage to Marc Bolan".
"Ride a White Horse" is a song by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp. The song was written by Alison Goldfrapp, Will Gregory and Nick Batt for Goldfrapp's third album Supernature (2005). The song was inspired by the disco era nightclub Studio 54.
"Black Cherry" is a song by British electronic music duo Goldfrapp. The song was written and produced by Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory for their second studio album, Black Cherry (2003). The song was released as the album's fourth single in March 2004 to positive reviews from music critics. It was a modest commercial success, reaching the top thirty in the United Kingdom and on the United States Hot Dance Singles Sales chart.
"Strict Machine" is an electronic dance song written by British electronic music duo Goldfrapp and Nick Batt for Goldfrapp's second studio album, Black Cherry (2003). It was produced by Goldfrapp and describes laboratory rats in neuroscience experiments. Alison Goldfrapp read in a newspaper about experiments in which scientists stimulated rats' brains so that the rats would feel joy when following commands. She was inspired to write "Strict Machine" based on images of the experiment and "more human aspects of machines and sex and control". Actress Gwendoline Christie features on the record sleeve disguised in a rabbit mask.
"Fly Me Away" is an electronic song performed by British group Goldfrapp. The song was written and produced by Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory for the duo's third album Supernature (2005). The song features a synthesizer and orchestral arrangement and was written about the need to escape from the troubles of daily life.
Seventh Tree is the fourth studio album by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp, released on 22 February 2008 by Mute Records. It was named after a dream Alison Goldfrapp had about a "very large tree". Taking inspiration from paganism and surreal English children's books, Goldfrapp described the album as a "sensual counterpoint to the glitterball glamour of Supernature", their previous studio album from 2005.
"Happiness" is a song by the English duo Goldfrapp from their fourth studio album, Seventh Tree (2008). Written and produced by Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory, the song was released as the album's second single on 14 April 2008. It was featured in advertisements for the newly rebranded SyFy network. It reached number 25 on the UK Singles Chart and remains their last top 40 hit. In Scotland, the single peaked at number 6.
"Caravan Girl" is a song by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp from their fourth studio album, Seventh Tree (2008). Written and produced by Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory, the song was released as the album's third single on 30 June 2008 and peaked at number 54 on the UK Singles Chart. In Scotland, the song reached number 6, becoming the third single from Seventh Tree to reach the top 10.
"Rocket" is a song by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp from their fifth studio album, Head First (2010). It was written and produced by Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory, with additional production by Pascal Gabriel. The song was released on 8 March 2010 as the album's lead single. To promote the single, the duo performed the song on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross on 26 March 2010. The accompanying music video features Alison driving a truck hauling a rocket with someone entirely wrapped in duct tape who is then taped to the rocket when it is launched at the end.
"Alive" is a song by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp from their fifth studio album, Head First (2010). It was written and produced by Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory, with additional production by Richard X. The song was released on 7 June 2010 as the album's second single. The single failed to chart on the UK Singles Chart, while becoming Goldfrapp's fifth single to top the Hot Dance Club Songs chart in the United States.
"Believer" is a song by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp from their fifth studio album, Head First (2010). The song was written and produced by Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory, with additional production by Pascal Gabriel. It was released on 6 September 2010 as the album's third and final single.
Silver Eye is the seventh studio album by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp, released on 31 March 2017 by Mute Records. The album's first single, "Anymore", was released to digital music retailers on 23 January 2017 after its premiere on Lauren Laverne's BBC Radio 6 show.
"Everything Is Never Enough" is a song performed by English group Goldfrapp, taken from their seventh studio album, Silver Eye (2017). It was released as the album's third single on 22 September 2017 by Mute Records. The song was written and produced by Alison Goldfrapp and William Owen Gregory, with additional production coming from Andy Savours. The song's lyrics encourage the listener to live in the present instead of the future. Critics drew comparisons between "Everything Is Never Enough" and Goldfrapp's prior work on their album Head First (2010).
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