Fingers & Thumbs (Cold Summer's Day)
Encyclopedia
"Fingers & Thumbs" is a song by British synth pop duo Erasure
. The track originally appeared on the soundtrack
to the documentary film Wigstock: the Movie
as the track titled "Cold Summer's Day". Erasure re-recorded the track for their album Erasure
with new lyrics. It was released as the second single from the album by Mute Records
in the UK and Elektra Records
in the United States. The album version is over six minutes long; the single edit removes an extended instrumental section between the second and third choruses.
The song was composed by Vince Clarke
and Andy Bell
and is an uptempo dance music
track. The music video
features Bell singing the song as he walks through an amusement park
(the actual filming was done in the London Docklandshttp://www.erasureinfo.com/features/privateear_14.html). Upon its release, the song became Erasure's twenty-second consecutive Top 20 hit in the UK singles chart
. In Germany
the song stopped at number sixty-nine. It was a hit on the U.S. dance charts, peaking at number ten on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in Billboard magazine.
The single's B-side is a cover version
of "High Energy
" (retitled "Hi NRG"), a 1984 number-one U.S. dance chart
hit by Evelyn Thomas
.
Erasure
Erasure are an English synthpop duo, consisting of songwriter and keyboardist Vince Clarke and singer Andy Bell. Erasure entered the music scene in 1985 with their debut single "Who Needs Love Like That"...
. The track originally appeared on the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
to the documentary film Wigstock: the Movie
Wigstock
Wigstock was an annual outdoor drag festival that began in the 1980s in New York's East Village that took place on Labor Day. Traditionally the festival would act as the unofficial end to the summer for the gay community of New York City...
as the track titled "Cold Summer's Day". Erasure re-recorded the track for their album Erasure
Erasure (album)
Erasure was the seventh studio album by Erasure, released in 1995. It was produced by Thomas Fehlmann and Gareth Jones.An overtly experimental and introspective album, Erasure contains eleven, mostly mid-tempo tracks that differed from their past output of shiny, three-minute pop songs...
with new lyrics. It was released as the second single from the album by Mute Records
Mute Records
Mute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...
in the UK and Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
in the United States. The album version is over six minutes long; the single edit removes an extended instrumental section between the second and third choruses.
The song was composed by Vince Clarke
Vince Clarke
Vince Clarke is an English synthpop musician and songwriter. Clarke has been involved with a number of successful groups, including Depeche Mode, Yazoo, The Assembly and Erasure....
and Andy Bell
Andy Bell (singer)
Andrew Ivan "Andy" Bell is the lead singer of the English synthpop duo Erasure. He also has a solo career, with the albums Non-Stop and Electric Blue.-Early life:Andy Bell originates from the Dogsthorpe area in Peterborough...
and is an uptempo dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
track. The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
features Bell singing the song as he walks through an amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
(the actual filming was done in the London Docklandshttp://www.erasureinfo.com/features/privateear_14.html). Upon its release, the song became Erasure's twenty-second consecutive Top 20 hit in the UK singles chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. In Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
the song stopped at number sixty-nine. It was a hit on the U.S. dance charts, peaking at number ten on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in Billboard magazine.
The single's B-side is a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "High Energy
High Energy (Evelyn Thomas song)
"High Energy" is the title of a 1984 song by American dance singer Evelyn Thomas. The song was very popular in dance clubs around the world, and it topped the American dance chart in September of that year. It also spent four weeks atop the pop chart in Germany, and peaked at #5 on the UK singles...
" (retitled "Hi NRG"), a 1984 number-one U.S. dance chart
Hot Dance Club Play
The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
hit by Evelyn Thomas
Evelyn Thomas
Evelyn Thomas is an American singer from Chicago, Illinois, best known for the dance hits "High Energy", "Masquerade", "Standing At The Crossroads", "Reflections", and "WeakSpot"....
.
12" single (12MUTE178)
- "Fingers & Thumbs (Cold Summer's Day)" (Tin Tin OutTin Tin OutTin Tin Out is a UK electronic dance music duo comprising Darren Stokes and Lindsay Edwards.-Career:They are well known as active remixers, working on increasingly higher-profile songs as the 1990s progressed, however also have their own recording careers...
Remix) - "Fingers & Thumbs (Cold Summer's Day)" (Tin Tin Out Instrumental)
- "Fingers & Thumbs (Cold Summer's Day)" (Dub on the Moon)
- "Fingers & Thumbs (Cold Summer's Day)" (Twilight Plus)
CD single #1 (CDMUTE178)
- "Fingers & Thumbs (Cold Summer's Day)" (Single Mix)
- "Hi NRG"
- "Fingers & Thumbs (Cold Summer's Day)" (Twilight 0.2)
- "Fingers & Thumbs (Cold Summer's Day)" (Figures In Crumbs)
CD single #2 (LCDMUTE178)
- "Fingers & Thumbs (Cold Summer's Day)" (Tin Tin Out Remix)
- "Fingers & Thumbs (Cold Summer's Day)" (Dub on the Moon)
- "Fingers & Thumbs (Cold Summer's Day)" (Electrofinger)
- "Fingers & Thumbs (Cold Summer's Day)" (Twilight Plus)
Chart performance
| Chart (1995/1996) | Peak position |
Total weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Dance/Urban Chart | 17 | 6 |
| German Singles Chart | 69 | 5 |
| UK Singles Chart | 20 | 3 |
| US Dance/Club Play Singles | 10 | 13 |
| US Hot Dance Music Sales | 27 | |