Pale Movie

"Pale Movie" is a song by British pop group Saint Etienne from the album Tiger Bay. It was released as a single in February 1994,[1] and reached #28 in the UK Singles Charts. It also became a hit in other countries, reaching number 1 in Lebanon and number 24 in Iceland.[2]

"Pale Movie"
Single by Saint Etienne
from the album Tiger Bay
B-side"Highgate Road Incident"
ReleasedFebruary 1994 (1994-02)
Recorded1993-1994
GenreFolk, Eurodance
Length3:51
LabelHeavenly - HVN 37
Songwriter(s)Stanley/Wiggs
Producer(s)Saint Etienne
Saint Etienne singles chronology
"Xmas 93"
(1993)		 "Pale Movie"
(1994)		 "Like a Motorway"
(1994)
Music video
"Pale Movie" on YouTube

In common with the folk music theme of the Tiger Bay album, "Pale Movie" combines a Eurodance beat with Spanish folk-style guitars. The lyrics use surreal imagery to describe a man's love for a mysterious woman. Although the title is not sung, some of the words refer to cinema: "In the bed where they make love / She's in a film on the sheets. / He shows dreams like a movie, / She's the softness of cinema seats." Other lines are stranger: "her skin as white as the milk, / Just like a Sherpa Tenzing / under a Manila silk."

In an interview with Melody Maker magazine, keyboard player Pete Wiggs said that he considers the song "potentially brilliant" but "a bit of a failure"; he feels that the band "stuck too rigidly to our folk idea". He also adds that they only chose Spanish guitar so that they could go to Spain for the video (the video for the song features the band riding around the countryside of Nerja, Spain on scooters).

The cover art for the single features photographs of swimming tigers, presumably in reference to the album title.

Critical reception

Tim Sendra from AllMusic called it "one of their "strongest, most emotional songs." He added that "the melancholy fairly oozes from the aching strings, the very sad chords, and Sarah Cracknell's unusually emotional vocals."[3] Rob Sheffield from Rolling Stone said it is a "perfect" U.K. hit.[4]

Track listing

All tracks written and composed by Stanley and Wiggs.

7", Heavenly / HVN 37 (UK)
  1. "Pale Movie" - 3:51
  2. "Highgate Road Incident" - 2:06
  • also available on MC (HVN 37 C)
12", Heavenly / HVN 37 12 (UK)
  1. "Pale Movie" - 3:51
  2. "Pale Movie" (stentorian dub)- 6:46
  3. "Pale Movie" (secret knowledge trouser assassin mix)- 10:16
  4. "Pale Movie" (lemonentry mix) - 4:05
  • also available on CD (HVN 37 CD)

Charts
Chart (1993) Peak
position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[5] 83
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) 24
Lebanon 1
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 28

References
  1. http://www.45cat.com/record/hvn37
  2. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (28.04.1994-04.05.1994)" (PDF). Dagblaðið Vísir - Tónlist. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  3. Sendra, Tim. "Saint Etienne – Pale Movie". AllMusic. Retrieved 2020-11-06.
  4. Sheffield, Rob (4 September 1998). "Saint Etienne – Good Humor". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  5. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. February 26, 1994. Retrieved March 29, 2018.


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