You're in a Bad Way
Encyclopedia
"You're in a Bad Way" is a song by British pop group Saint Etienne
. It appears on their 1992 album So Tough
and was released as a single in 1993.
The song is a deliberately old-fashioned throwback to 1960s pop music. In an interview with Melody Maker
magazine, Bob Stanley
claims that it was written in ten minutes as a simple imitation of Herman's Hermits
, and was only intended to be a B-side to "Everlasting", but the record company decided that it should be a single. "Everlasting" was dropped as a single and remained unreleased until it was eventually included on disc 2 on the deluxe edition of So Tough in 2009.
The album version of the song begins with a sample from the film Billy Liar
(1963): "A man could lose himself in London. Lose himself. Lose himself. Lose himself in London!" The lyrics describe a man who is depressed and has ceased to care for himself - the singer tells him "jeans are old and your hair's all wrong / Don't you know that crewcuts and trainers are out again?" The singer invites him to "just dial my number or call my name". It also makes reference to "watching Bruce
on the old Generation Game
", which led to the song being self-mockingly described as "the one about Bruce Forsyth" in the sleevenotes to the compilation Too Young to Die - The Singles.
On the single, between this track and "Archway People", there is a sample of dialogue from the film Brighton Rock (1947) spoken by Richard Attenborough
. The third b-side, "Duke Duvet" is based on a drum break from "Enjoy the Silence
" by Depeche Mode
, and concludes with a comic false-advert called "Spong-Bake" written by Christopher Morris
.
. The single, produced by Alan Tarney
, is different from the version on the UK edition of So Tough, with a "brighter" arrangement featuring chimes and an alternate vocal for the last chorus. The US edition of "So Tough" uses the single version of the track.
There are two videos for the song. One is a low-budget production featuring split-screen
photography of the band performing in a blank space and wearing restrained 60s attire. The other is more spectacular: the band performs in a stylized, garishly-coloured version of a 1960s TV show, with a scantily-clad dancers and a backdrop of retro home furnishing.
Saint Etienne (band)
Saint Etienne are an English Pop group comprising Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs. They are named after the French football team AS Saint-Étienne.-History:Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs were childhood friends and former music journalists...
. It appears on their 1992 album So Tough
So Tough
- CD: Warner Bros. / 9 45166-2 :- CD: Warner Bros. / WPCP-5209 :- CD: Heavenly / HVNLP6CDDE :- Personnel :The liner notes list the album's personnel as follows:...
and was released as a single in 1993.
The song is a deliberately old-fashioned throwback to 1960s pop music. In an interview with Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
magazine, Bob Stanley
Bob Stanley
Robert William "Bob" Stanley is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher who played with the Boston Red Sox.Over his 13-year career, Stanley played only for the Red Sox from 1977-89...
claims that it was written in ten minutes as a simple imitation of Herman's Hermits
Herman's Hermits
Herman's Hermits are an English beat band, formed in Manchester in 1963 as Herman & The Hermits. The group's record producer, Mickie Most , emphasized a simple, non-threatening, clean-cut image, although the band originally played R&B numbers...
, and was only intended to be a B-side to "Everlasting", but the record company decided that it should be a single. "Everlasting" was dropped as a single and remained unreleased until it was eventually included on disc 2 on the deluxe edition of So Tough in 2009.
The album version of the song begins with a sample from the film Billy Liar
Billy Liar (film)
Billy Liar is a 1963 film based on the novel by Keith Waterhouse. It was directed by John Schlesinger and stars Tom Courtenay as Billy and Julie Christie as Liz, one of his three girlfriends. Mona Washbourne plays Mrs. Fisher, and Wilfred Pickles played Mr. Fisher...
(1963): "A man could lose himself in London. Lose himself. Lose himself. Lose himself in London!" The lyrics describe a man who is depressed and has ceased to care for himself - the singer tells him "jeans are old and your hair's all wrong / Don't you know that crewcuts and trainers are out again?" The singer invites him to "just dial my number or call my name". It also makes reference to "watching Bruce
Bruce Forsyth
Sir Bruce Joseph Forsyth-Johnson, CBE , commonly known as Bruce Forsyth, or Brucie, is an English TV personality...
on the old Generation Game
The Generation Game
The Generation Game was a British gameshow produced by the BBC in which four teams of two competed to win prizes...
", which led to the song being self-mockingly described as "the one about Bruce Forsyth" in the sleevenotes to the compilation Too Young to Die - The Singles.
On the single, between this track and "Archway People", there is a sample of dialogue from the film Brighton Rock (1947) spoken by Richard Attenborough
Richard Attenborough
Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough , CBE is a British actor, director, producer and entrepreneur. As director and producer he won two Academy Awards for the 1982 film Gandhi...
. The third b-side, "Duke Duvet" is based on a drum break from "Enjoy the Silence
Enjoy the Silence
"Enjoy the Silence" is Depeche Mode's twenty-fourth UK single, released on 16 January 1990, and the second single from the then upcoming album Violator....
" by Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
, and concludes with a comic false-advert called "Spong-Bake" written by Christopher Morris
Chris Morris (satirist)
Christopher Morris is an English satirist, writer, director and actor. A former radio DJ, he is best known for anchoring the spoof news and current affairs television programmes The Day Today and Brass Eye, as well as his frequent engagement with controversial subject matter.In 2010 Morris...
.
Release
"You're in a Bad Way" was one of the group's biggest hits, reaching #12 on the UK Singles ChartUK 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 ...
. The single, produced by Alan Tarney
Alan Tarney
Alan Tarney is an English songwriter, record producer and bass guitarist. He was born in Workington, Cumberland, England, but spent his teenage years in Adelaide, Australia where he met his songwriting and musical partner Trevor Spencer.- Career :Tarney was part of the huge influx of British...
, is different from the version on the UK edition of So Tough, with a "brighter" arrangement featuring chimes and an alternate vocal for the last chorus. The US edition of "So Tough" uses the single version of the track.
There are two videos for the song. One is a low-budget production featuring split-screen
Split screen (film)
In film and video production, split screen is the visible division of the screen, traditionally in half, but also in several simultaneous images, rupturing the illusion that the screen's frame is a seamless view of reality, similar to that of the human eye...
photography of the band performing in a blank space and wearing restrained 60s attire. The other is more spectacular: the band performs in a stylized, garishly-coloured version of a 1960s TV show, with a scantily-clad dancers and a backdrop of retro home furnishing.
7": Heavenly / HVN 25
- "You're In A Bad Way" - 3:20
- "Archway People" - 3:26
- also available on Cassette (HVN 25 CS)
12: Heavenly / HVN 25-12
- "You're In A Bad Way" - 3:20
- "Archway People" - 3:26
- "California Snow Story" - 4:20
- "Duke Duvet" - 3:31
- also available on CD (HVN 25CD)
CD: Warner / PRO-CD-5948
- "You're In A Bad Way" - 3:08
- "You're In A Bad Way" (Alternative Mix) - 2:43
- "St. Etienne Speaks..." - 9:17
- Track 3: "St. Etienne Speaks... The truth and trauma in their own words behind England's dukes and duchess of pop!"