A&E (song)
2008 single by Goldfrapp
"A&E" | |||
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Single by Goldfrapp | |||
from the album Seventh Tree | |||
Released | 11 February 2008 ( 2008-02-11 ) | ||
Recorded | 2006–2007 | ||
Genre | |||
Length | 3 : 19 | ||
Label | Mute | ||
Songwriter(s) | |||
Producer(s) |
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Goldfrapp singles chronology | |||
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" A&E " is a song by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp from their fourth studio album, Seventh Tree (2008). The song was written and produced by Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory , with co-production handled by Flood . It was released as the album's lead single on 11 February 2008. [3]
Background and writing
"A&E" was composed as a collaborative effort between Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory in 2007 in a recording studio near Somerset , England. [4] [5] Its lyrics were inspired by Goldfrapp's visit to the emergency department of a hospital on a Saturday afternoon. The doctors "pumped [her] up with loads of painkillers" and she described the situation as a "bit surreal." [ citation needed ]
Wriing for Pitchfork , Matthew Perpetua interpreted the song's storyline as "showcase for both her lyrical and vocal strengths...from the perspective of an incredibly lonely woman driven to a suicide attempt while waiting around for a phone call from a man she's not even sure she likes." [6]
In 2023, Goldfrapp commented "it’s so autobiographical. It’s not fantastical at all, it’s kind of [about] what happened. You know, I was in A&E in a hospital gown having a bit of a meltdown. So it does feel slightly odd now when I sing it." [7]
Critical reception
"A&E" received positive reviews from music critics. John Murphy of musicOMH called the song "a beautifully paced ballad, with a memorable hook [...] which buries its way into your head after just a couple of listens". [8] Digital Spy reviewer Nick Levine described "A&E" as "lush, folky and [...] organic" and wrote that Goldfrapp's vocals were "full of longing and slow-burning sexuality". [9] Popjustice described the song as "fucking brilliant". [10] Alex Denney of Drowned in Sound was less impressed, writing that "the sparks [...] fail to fly". [11]
The song appeared at number 73 on Pitchfork ' s "The 100 Best Tracks of 2008" list. [12]
Commercial performance
"A&E" debuted at number 18 on the UK Singles Chart for the week ending 16 February 2008. [13] The following week the song reached its peak position at number 10 and spent nine weeks on the chart. [14] Elsewhere, the track saw modest chart success. "A&E" debuted and peaked at number 33 on the Irish Singles Chart , [15] while reaching number 38 in Belgium, number 85 in Australia number 98 in Germany. [16] [17]
The single reached number 65 on the European Hot 100 Singles chart. [18] It also reached number 12 on the Euro Digital Tracks chart and number 14 on the Euro Digital Songs chart. [19] [20] In the United States, "A&E" reached number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales chart and number two on Hot Singles Sales chart. [21] [22]
Music video
The music video for "A&E" was directed by Dougal Wilson which, in sharp contrast to the song's hospital theming, is more nature-themed than the song. [23] The video is set in a forest and opens with Goldfrapp in a white dress lying in a clearing , looking up at the camera. She is soon joined by several leaf-men who dance around her as she sings. Midway through the video, day turns into night and Goldfrapp is joined by several woodland creatures. The video concludes with Gregory playing a guitar and making tea beside an orange tent.
The video premiered on 12 January 2008 on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom. [24] In a review for Drowned in Sound , Alex Denney described the video as "weird" and compared it to music videos by Kate Bush and The Mighty Boosh . [11] Pitchfork reviewer Marc Hogan wrote that the video was a "good fit for Goldfrapp's bright, folksy turn" and praised its "twist ending". [23]
Track listings
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Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Seventh Tree . [25]
Goldfrapp
- Alison Goldfrapp – production, recording, vocals
- Will Gregory – production, recording
Additional personnel
- Nick Batt – additional drum programming
- Steve Evans – acoustic guitar
- Flood – co-production, guitar, keyboards, mixing
- Tony Hoffer – overdub engineering
- Serge Leblon – photography
- Stephen Marcussen – mastering
- Justin Meldal-Johnsen – bass
- Bill Mims – overdub engineering
- Ruth Wall – harp samples
- Denny Weston, Jr. – drums
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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References
- ↑ Young, Martyn (5 February 2012). "Goldfrapp – The Singles" . DIY . Retrieved 4 December 2017 .
- ↑ Gittins, Ian (27 November 2011). "Goldfrapp – review" . The Guardian . Retrieved 4 December 2017 .
- ↑ "Goldfrapp Seventh Tree (Mute)" . Music Week . 5 November 2007. Archived from the original on 1 December 2007 . Retrieved 10 November 2007 .
- ↑ Kleinfeld, Justin (1 February 2008). "Countryside Manner" . Electronic Musician . Retrieved 4 December 2017 .
- ↑ Timmermans, Arjan (27 December 2007). "Goldfrapp's New Single "A&E" + Remixes" . ArjanWrites.com . Retrieved 24 April 2009 .
- ↑ Perpetua, Matthew. "The Singles" . Pitchfork . Retrieved 19 June 2023 .
- ↑ Levine, Nick. "50 Questions With Alison Goldfrapp" . AnOther . Retrieved 19 June 2023 .
- ↑ Murphy, John (2008). "Goldfrapp – A&E (Mute)" . musicOMH . Archived from the original on 20 June 2013 . Retrieved 12 February 2008 .
- ↑ Levine, Nick (25 January 2008). "Goldfrapp: 'A&E' " . Digital Spy . Retrieved 4 December 2017 .
- ↑ "Goldfrapp – 'A&E' " . Popjustice . 18 January 2008 . Retrieved 4 December 2017 .
- 1 2 Denney, Alex (11 February 2008). "Single Review: Goldfrapp – A&E" . Drowned in Sound . Archived from the original on 26 July 2008 . Retrieved 23 April 2009 .
- ↑ Orme, Mike (15 December 2008). "The 100 Best Tracks of 2008" . Pitchfork . Retrieved 4 December 2017 .
- ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100" . Official Charts Company . 10–16 February 2008 . Retrieved 4 December 2017 .
- 1 2 "Goldfrapp: Artist Chart History" . Official Charts Company . Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- 1 2 "Irish-charts.com – Discography Goldfrapp" . Irish Singles Chart . Retrieved 15 January 2020.
- 1 2 " Issue 937" ARIA Top 100 Singles . National Library of Australia. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
- 1 2 " Goldfrapp – A&E" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50 . Retrieved 4 December 2017.
- 1 2 "Hits of the World". Billboard . Vol. 120, no. 8. 23 February 2008. ISSN 0006-2510 .
- ↑ "A&E (Single Version) – Goldfrapp: Euro Digital Tracks" . Billboard . Retrieved 4 December 2017 . [ permanent dead link ]
- ↑ "A&E (Single Version) – Goldfrapp: Euro Digital Songs" . Billboard . Retrieved 4 December 2017 . [ permanent dead link ]
- 1 2 "Goldfrapp Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)" . Billboard . Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- 1 2 "Hot Singles Sales". Billboard . Vol. 120, no. 9. 1 March 2008. p. 42.
- 1 2 Hogan, Marc (8 January 2008). "Video: Goldfrapp: "A & E" " . Pitchfork . Archived from the original on 16 May 2008 . Retrieved 23 April 2009 .
- ↑ "Goldfrapp – AandE, Seventh Tree" . Berlinista. 9 January 2008. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011 . Retrieved 13 January 2008 .
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↑
Seventh Tree
(liner notes).
Goldfrapp
.
Mute Records
. 2008. CDSTUMM280.
{{ cite AV media notes }}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) ( link ) - ↑ " Goldfrapp – A&E" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts . Retrieved 4 December 2017.
- ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100" . Official Charts Company . Retrieved 4 December 2017.
- ↑ "Goldfrapp Chart History (Dance Club Songs)" . Billboard . Retrieved 4 December 2017.
- ↑ "UK Year-end Charts 2008" (PDF) . UKChartsPlus . p. 3 . Retrieved 15 September 2011 .
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