Blue Savannah

Last updated

"Blue Savannah"
Erasure single bluesavannah.jpg
Single by Erasure
from the album Wild!
B-side
  • "Runaround on the Underground"
  • "No G.D.M."
Released25 January 1990 (1990-01-25)
Length4:23
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Erasure singles chronology
"You Surround Me"
(1989)		"Blue Savannah"
(1990)		"Star"
(1990)
Music video
"Blue Savannah" on YouTube

"Blue Savannah" is a song by English synth-pop duo Erasure from their fourth studio album, Wild! (1989). Written by members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, the song was released as a single in Japan on 25 January 1990 and was issued in the United Kingdom the following month. Alfa Records released it in Japan as the album's lead single, Mute Records released it in Europe as the album's third single, and Sire Records released it in the United States as the album's second single. Considered one of the band's signature songs, the duo still perform it regularly in concerts. It has been described as an uplifting love song; the instrumentation is crisp and heavily synthesized, accented with sweeping, programmed piano.

Contents

Release

"Blue Savannah" peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart. It also returned the band to the top 20 in West Germany, where the song peaked at number 13. In Israel, it hit number-one. The release of the single brought about the usual array of remixes and B-sides. In 2004, HiBias Records of Canada started their Retro:Active – Rare & Remixed CD series and the 'Out of the Blue' mix received its first official release, on volume one. In 2016, the remix was included on the Erasure 30th-anniversary anthology From Moscow to Mars , making its first-ever official release on an Erasure album.

Critical reception

Ned Raggett from AllMusic declared the song as a "strong number", remarking its "relatively low key pulse, which sounds like a light motorik/Kraftwerk number given the appropriate Erasure sparkle." [1] Bill Coleman from Billboard described it as a "NRG-etic number" [2] and a "lilting, easy-paced gem." [3] Ernest Hardy from Cashbox commented, "Here, Erasure completely shake off their old drag for some Kraftwerk attire, then a Kraftwerk-meets-hip-hop groove thang. It's better than the original." [4] Scottish Dundee Courier complimented the song as "such sterling work". [5]

In a retrospective review, Chris Gerard from Metro Weekly felt that it is "perhaps Erasure's best sounding track—put it on now and its so fresh that is sounds like it could have been recorded yesterday." He described it as "audio daydream; a sublimely beautiful melody, sung with real feeling by Andy Bell, over some of Vince Clarke's loveliest keyboard work. That amazingly vibrant piano part just pops out of the speakers. This is what great pop music is all about—it makes you feel warm just listening to it." [6] Darren Lee from The Quietus noted "the lush electro-splendour" of "Blue Savannah", stating that it is one of "the most gloriously effervescent pop anthems ever recorded." [7] Christopher Smith from Talk About Pop Music called it "joyous" and "Erasure at its very best." He noted that Bell's voice across the first verses and chorus "are both haunting and sensual in equal measure." [8]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Blue Savannah" was directed by English singer, songwriter, musician and music video director Kevin Godley. It shows Clarke and Bell performing the song in a large, white room, which gets painted blue as the video progresses. A mysterious blue hand is coming down from above. Reaching the room, it holds a paint brush in view. The camera follows the hand as it paints Clarke and a shirtless Bell until they both are completely blue. Eventually gold-coloured leaves, similar to those shown on the Wild! album cover, blow in and cover the duo as they perform.

Track listings

Charts

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.
Japan25 January 1990Mini-CD Alfa [35]
United Kingdom26 February 1990
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
 Mute [36]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Policy of Truth</span> 1990 single by Depeche Mode

"Policy of Truth" is a song by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 7 May 1990 as the third single from their seventh studio album Violator (1990). It is the only Depeche Mode single to chart higher on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart than on the UK Singles Chart, and it became the band's second chart-topper on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World in My Eyes</span> 1990 single by Depeche Mode

"World in My Eyes" is a song by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was released on 17 September 1990 as the fourth and final single from their seventh studio album, Violator (1990). The song peaked at number two in Denmark and Spain, number 17 on the UK Singles Chart, and number 52 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Feel You</span> 1993 single by Depeche Mode

"I Feel You" is a song by English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 15 February 1993 by Mute as the first single from their eighth studio album, Songs of Faith and Devotion (1993). The song peaked at number eight on the UK Singles Chart and also made number one and number three on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. It is one of the band's highest-charting singles worldwide. The accompanying music video was directed by Anton Corbijn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walking in My Shoes</span> 1993 single by Depeche Mode

"Walking in My Shoes" is a song by English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was released on 26 April 1993 by Mute and Sire as the second single from their eighth studio album, Songs of Faith and Devotion (1993). The song reached number 14 on the UK Singles Chart and matched the success of the previous single "I Feel You" on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, where it reached one. The B-side is "My Joy", the only exclusive B-side from the Songs of Faith and Devotion album, and is a rock track in the vein of "I Feel You".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Condemnation (song)</span> 1993 single by Depeche Mode

"Condemnation" is a song by English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 13 September 1993 by Mute Records as the third single from the band eighth studio album, Songs of Faith and Devotion (1993). The song reached No. 9 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 3 in Sweden, and No. 1 in Portugal. Its music video was directed by Anton Corbijn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">In Your Room (Depeche Mode song)</span> 1993 Depeche Mode song

"In Your Room" is a song by English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 10 January 1994 as the fourth and final single from their eighth studio album, Songs of Faith and Devotion (1993). The song reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart and peaked at number two in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden. It is the last single to feature Alan Wilder as a member before his departure in 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barrel of a Gun</span> 1997 single by Depeche Mode

"Barrel of a Gun" is a song by English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released as the first single from their ninth studio album, Ultra (1997), on 3 February 1997. The song reached number one in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Spain and Sweden while reaching the top 10 in several other countries, including Finland, Germany, Norway and the United Kingdom. In North America, the song reached number 47 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the Canadian Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Only When I Lose Myself</span> 1998 single by Depeche Mode

"Only When I Lose Myself" is a song by English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was made exclusively for their 1998 compilation The Singles 86>98 and released as a single on 7 September 1998. It is the first non-album studio single since "It's Called a Heart" in 1985 and is also one of the rare singles to have two limited editions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Little Respect</span> 1988 single by Erasure

"A Little Respect" is a song written and recorded by British synth-pop duo Erasure, released in September 1988 by Mute. It was written by Vince Clarke and Andy Bell. The lyrics are a plea to a lover to show compassion and respect. The heavily synthesized instrumentation is accentuated by acoustic guitar and Bell's vocal falsetto in the chorus. It was their tenth single and was taken from their third studio album, The Innocents (1988). Known as one of their signature songs, the single reached number four on the UK Singles Chart and was Erasure's second consecutive top-20 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, where it made number 14, and reached number two on the US Billboard Dance Club Play chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drama!</span> 1989 single by Erasure

"Drama!" is the first single released from English synth-pop duo Erasure's fourth studio album, Wild! (1989). Written by Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, the song begins with a low-key keyboard line and a subdued vocal from Bell. As the song progresses, the instrumentation and vocals become more hectic, ultimately ending as a full-blown dance track. "Drama!" contains a "Guilty!" exclamation throughout, provided by Scottish band the Jesus and Mary Chain, who were recording in the studio next door. The song was met with critical acclaim from both music critics and fans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chorus (Erasure song)</span> 1991 single by Erasure

"Chorus" is a song by English synth-pop duo Erasure, released in June 1991 as the first single from their fifth studio album of the same name (1991). Produced by Martyn Phillips and written by Erasure members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, the song features Clarke's electronic soundscapes and Phillips' computerised production. The single was released by Mute Records in the United Kingdom and Sire Records in the United States. It peaked at number three in both Denmark and the UK while reaching number four in Ireland. In the US, it peaked at number 83 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love to Hate You</span> 1991 single by Erasure

"Love to Hate You" is a song by English synth-pop duo Erasure, released in September 1991 as the second single from their fifth studio album, Chorus (1991). Written by band members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, it is an electronic dance track inspired by disco music. The synthesizer melody in the chorus is an interpolation of the string break from American singer Gloria Gaynor's disco-era classic "I Will Survive". The duo also recorded a Spanish version of the song, called "Amor y Odio", and one in Italian called "Amo Odiarti". The single was released by Mute Records in the UK and Sire Records in the US. It peaked at number one in Israel as well as number four on the UK Singles Chart and became a top-10 hit in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, and Sweden. Its music video was directed by David Mallet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breath of Life (Erasure song)</span> 1992 single by Erasure

"Breath of Life" is a song by English synth-pop duo Erasure, released as the fourth and final single from their fifth studio album, Chorus (1991), in March 1992. It was written by Erasure members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell with additional input from Pat O'Brien. An uptempo synth-pop song, its dance music elements were strongly accentuated for the club remixes. For the single release, it was remixed slightly, including a shortened intro. In the United States, it was the third single released from the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Always (Erasure song)</span> 1994 single by Erasure

"Always" is a song by English synth-pop duo Erasure. The ballad was released on 11 April 1994 as the first single from their sixth studio album, I Say I Say I Say (1994). Written by Erasure members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, it was produced by Martyn Ware. Mute Records issued the single in the United Kingdom, and Elektra Records released it in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Run to the Sun</span> 1994 single by Erasure

"Run to the Sun" is a song by English synth-pop duo Erasure, released in July 1994 by Mute and Elektra as the second single from the duo's sixth studio album, I Say I Say I Say (1994). The song is written by Vince Clarke with fellow Erasure member Andy Bell and is an uptempo dance music track that displays signature synthesizer programming by Clarke. The UK 7-inch single of "Run to the Sun" was issued on yellow-coloured vinyl and featured a fold-out poster of the single's cover artwork. The single's B-side, a ballad entitled "Tenderest Moments", was later re-recorded by Erasure in an acoustic version for their 2006 album Union Street.

<i>I Love Saturday</i> 1994 single by Erasure

"I Love Saturday" is an EP and song by English synth-pop duo Erasure, released as the third single from their sixth studio album, I Say I Say I Say (1994), on 18 November 1994 in Japan. The track was written by Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, and produced by Martyn Ware. In the United Kingdom, Mute credited the first CD single as the I Love Saturday EP, which contains several new tracks; it was released on 21 November 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breathe (Erasure song)</span> 2005 single by Erasure

"Breathe" is a song by English synth-pop duo Erasure. It was released by Mute Records in the UK and the US as the first single from the band's 11th studio album, Nightbird (2005). Written and produced by Erasure members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, the song was remixed slightly for its radio version. The UK CD single includes CD-ROM information that allowed buyers to download the Digipro software package and use isolated musical tracks of "Breathe" to create their own remixes. For a short time, fans were able to upload their finished "Breathe" remixes to Erasure's website to share with others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deeper Shade of Blue</span> 2000 single by Steps

"Deeper Shade of Blue" is a song by British dance-pop group Steps, released as the fourth single from their second studio album, Steptacular (1999), on 3 April 2000. The song was originally recorded by English singer-songwriter Tina Cousins, but aside from a few promotional 12-inch vinyl discs pressed in 1998, her version remains unreleased. "Deeper Shade of Blue" entered the UK Singles Chart at number four and spent one more week in the top 10 before falling down the charts. After a total of nine weeks, it left the top 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York City Boy</span> 1999 single by Pet Shop Boys

"New York City Boy" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 22 September 1999 as the second single from their seventh studio album, Nightlife (1999). In the UK, the single peaked at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart. It also reached the charts in numerous European countries, peaking at number three in Spain, and number four in Finland and Hungary. In the US, the song hit number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart and number 53 on the Billboard Hot Singles Sales chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Only One I Know</span> 1990 single by The Charlatans

"The Only One I Know" is the second single by English rock band the Charlatans. It was their first top-10 hit, reaching No. 9 on the UK Singles Chart. In the UK, it was the highest-charting single from the Some Friendly album. Its best showing in the United States was on the Modern Rock Chart, where it reached No. 5 in September 1990.

References

  1. ↑ Raggett, Ned. "Erasure – Wild!". AllMusic . Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  2. ↑ Coleman, Bill (21 April 1990). "Dance Trax: R&B Tracks Provide A Slice Of 'Ghetto Heaven'" (PDF). Billboard . p. 25. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  3. ↑ Coleman, Bill (31 March 1990). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard . p. 78. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  4. ↑ Hardy, Ernest (7 April 1990). "On The Dancefloor: New Grooves - Pick O' the Week" (PDF). Cashbox . p. 14. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  5. ↑ Dundee Courier . 27 June 1991. p. 12.
  6. ↑ Gerard, Chris (17 September 2014). "Erasure's 40 Greatest Tracks". Metro Weekly . Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  7. ↑ Lee, Darren (27 February 2009). "Erasure – Total Pop! Erasure's First 40 Hits". The Quietus . Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  8. ↑ Smith, Christopher (16 October 2019). "Review: 'Wild!' – Erasure". Talk About Pop Music. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  9. ↑ Blue Savannah (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Erasure. Mute Records. 1990. MUTE 109.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ↑ Blue Savannah (UK cassette single sleeve). Erasure. Mute Records. 1990. C MUTE 109.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ↑ Blue Savannah (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Erasure. Mute Records. 1990. 12 MUTE 109.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ↑ Blue Savannah (UK CD liner notes). Erasure. Mute Records. 1990. CD MUTE 109.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ↑ Blue Savannah (UK limited 12-inch single vinyl disc). Erasure. Mute Records. 1990. L12 MUTE 109.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ↑ Blue Savannah (UK limited 12-inch single vinyl disc). Erasure. Mute Records. 1990. XL12 MUTE 109.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ↑ Blue Savannah (UK limited CD single liner notes). Erasure. Mute Records. 1990. LCD MUTE 109.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ↑ Blue Savannah (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). Erasure. Alfa Records. 1990. ALDB-9.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ↑ Blue Savannah (US maxi-CD single liner notes). Erasure. Sire Records, Reprise Records. 1990. 9 21428-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ↑ Blue Savannah (US & Canadian 12-inch single vinyl disc). Erasure. Sire Records, Reprise Records. 1990. 9 21428-0; 92 14280.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ↑ Blue Savannah (US & Canadian maxi-cassette single cassette notes). Erasure. Sire Records, Reprise Records. 1990. 9 21428-4; 92 14284.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ↑ Blue Savannah (US cassette single cassette notes). Erasure. Sire Records, Reprise Records. 1990. 9 22721-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. ↑ "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received June 5, 2012". Archived from the original on 5 June 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2015– via Imgur.
  22. ↑ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 9132." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  23. ↑ Danish Singles Chart. 27 April 1990.
  24. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 7, no. 13. 31 March 1990. p. IV. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  25. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Blue Savannah". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  26. ↑ "Erasure — Blue Savannah". Top40.nl. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  27. ↑ "Erasure – Blue Savannah" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  28. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  29. ↑ "Erasure Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  30. ↑ "Erasure Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  31. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Erasure – Blue Savannah" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  32. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1990" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 7, no. 51. 22 December 1990. p. 36. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  33. ↑ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1990" (in German). GfK Entertainment . Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  34. ↑ "1990 Top 100 Singles". Music Week . London, England: Spotlight Publications. 2 March 1991. p. 41.
  35. ↑ "ブルー・サバンナ | イレイジャー" [Blue Savannah | Erasure] (in Japanese). Oricon . Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  36. ↑ "New Singles" (PDF). Music Week . 24 February 1990. p. 39. Retrieved 26 July 2021.Misprinted as 23 February. The New Albums section uses the correct date.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.