Like a Motorway
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| "Like a Motorway" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Saint Etienne | ||||
| from the album Tiger Bay | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | 16 May 1994[1] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:38 | |||
| Label | Heavenly (HVN 40) | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Saint Etienne | |||
| Saint Etienne singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Like a Motorway" on YouTube | ||||
"Like a Motorway" is a 1994 song by the British pop group Saint Etienne. The song combines the melody from the nineteenth century folk song "Silver Dagger" with a driving techno beat influenced by Kraftwerk and Snap!.[citation needed] It describes a friend whose lover has mysteriously vanished.[2]
"Like a Motorway" appears on the album Tiger Bay. It was released as a single in May 1994,[3] and reached #47 on the UK Singles Chart. The US release of Tiger Bay also features an "alternate version" with more complex percussion and electric guitar stings. It also appears on the original soundtrack for the 1994 film, Speed, although the single is never heard in the actual film itself.[4]
The cover art for the single features an abandoned car overgrown with foliage. The video consists of a long, slow zoom in Sarah Cracknell as she sings against a black background, intercut with occasional rapid shots of Pete Wiggs and Bob Stanley in a car.
Critical reception
Dave Thompson from AllMusic described the song as "mysteriously Kraftwerk-ian".[5] Another editor, Tim Sendra said it is "one of Saint Etienne's best songs".[6] Larry Flick from Billboard commented that it "has a nice sing-along chorus. Sarah Cracknell uses her girlish, light voice well, and has grown into a polished front person..."[7] Jim Wirth from NME called it "teutonic".[8]
Track listing
All tracks written and composed by Stanley and Wiggs; except where indicated.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Like a Motorway (Radio Edit)" | 3:38 | |
| 2. | "You Know I'll Miss You When You're Gone" | Cracknell, Bund | 2:57 |
| 3. | "Sushi Rider" | Cracknell, Bund | 2:57 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Like a Motorway (Radio Edit)" (mixed by Rick Smith from Underworld) | 3:38 |
| 2. | "Like a Motorway (Chekhov Warp Dub)" (mixed by Dust Brothers) | 9:18 |
| 3. | "Like a Motorway (The David Holmes Mix)" | 13:01 |
| 4. | "Like a Motorway (Skin Up, You're Already Dead)" (mixed by Autechre) | 8:47 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Like a Motorway (Chekhov Warp Dub)" (mixed by Dust Brothers) | 9:18 |
| 2. | "Like a Motorway (Chekhov Warp Mix)" (mixed by Dust Brothers) | 9:03 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Like a Motorway (Alternate Version)" (mixed by Daniel Abraham) | 5:26 |
| 2. | "Like a Motorway (Alternate Version Edit)" (mixed by Daniel Abraham) | 3:06 |
| 3. | "Like a Motorway" | 5:43 |
| 4. | "Like a Motorway (Radio Edit)" | 3:38 |
Charts
| Chart (1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (Official Charts Company) | 47 |
References
- ^ [1]
- ^ Plagenhoef, Scott; Schreiber, Ryan, eds. (November 2008). The Pitchfork 500. Simon & Schuster. p. 128. ISBN 978-1-4165-6202-3.
- ^ "Like A Motorway UK 1994 Heavenly Records". www.saintetiennedisco.com. Retrieved 2020-01-11.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ http://www.allmusic.com/song/like-a-motorway-mt0009829833
- ^ Thompson, Dave. "Saint Etienne – Tiger Bay". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
- ^ Sendra, Tim. "Saint Etienne – Like a Motorway". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
- ^ Flick, Larry (14 May 1994). "Dance Trax: Jacqueline Won't Let Go; Denise Johnson On Rise" (PDF). Billboard. p. 38. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- ^ Wirth, Jim. "ST ETIENNE – London Kentish Town Forum". NME. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
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