THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

718-Prefab Sprout-Cars and Girls.

1988-Number 44 single.

Best Bit-At 0.49. The only sprout I ever enjoyed.

Prefab Sprout were formed in Witton Gilbert, County Durham, England, in 1978, by the brothers Paddy McAloon, (vocals, guitars, keyboards, programming, piano, harmonica, and bass guitar) and Martin McAloon, (bass guitar) the classic line up, and the four who played on this track were completed by Wendy Smith, (vocals and guitar) who joined the group in 1982, and Neil Conti, (drums and percussion) who became a member in 1984. In total there have been nine different members come and go, with Paddy McAloon being the groups one constant. Paddy McAloon used to get bored with people continuously asking him where the band got it’s name. He would often make up different tall tales, including saying that he had misheard lyrics from the song ‘Jackson,’ (see also best songs 124) ‘We got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout.’ In 1984 Paddy McAloon said,’I was asked about the name so many times I used to invent stories about it. The truth of the matter is that I made it up. Around that time all the groups were supposed to mean something, and when you are 13 you think it’s profound, that there must be some secrecy. I liked the idea, and so thought of two odd words, put them together and have kept it, basically because it reminds me of how I used to look at things.’

Paddy McAloon was born Patrick Joseph McAloon, on June 7th, 1957, in County Durham, England, since 2003 he has recorded as a solo artist, but still uses the Prefab Sprout name. As Prefab Sprout he has released 10 studio Albums between 1984-2013, and 28 singles between 1982-2013, there are also four official box sets, and three compilation Albums available. In the UK, six of the groups singles have reached the top 40, with ‘The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll,’ from 1988, peaking the highest at Number 7. It is probably fair to say that Paddy McAloon has never fully received the acclaim his talent has merited, possibly due to his preference for staying at home in the recording studio, rather than going out on tour, although he is critically acclaimed by many music critics. Prefab Sprout are best remembered for their 1988 UK Number 7 single ‘The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll,’ of which McAloon has described himself as ‘Reconciled to being remembered for that song,’ and ‘Aware that it’s a bit like being known for ‘Yellow Submarine,’ rather than ‘Hey Jude,’ in reference to many of his other more overlooked, and in his opinion, better songs. In recent years Paddy McAloon has suffered with health issues, including a detached retina, and tinnitus, which significantly limited his ability to work in the studio.

‘Cars and Girls’ was the first of five singles released from Prefab Sprout’s third studio Album ‘From Langley Park to Memphis,’ from March 1988, the song was written by Paddy McAloon, and produced by Jon Kelly, who also produced three of the other 10 tracks on the Album. Such was the confidence that ‘Cars and Girls’ would be a hit, it was released ahead of ‘The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll,’ and it was a major surprise when it stalled at Number 44. ‘From Langley Park to Memphis,’ which was the peak of Prefab Sprout’s commercial success, had four different producers over the 10 tracks, including Thomas Dolby, who produced and played keyboards on four of them. Other significant names who played on the Album were Stevie Wonder, who provided the harmonica solo on ‘Nightingales,’ and Pete Townshend, who played acoustic guitar on ‘Hey Manhattan!’

‘Cars and Girls’ is lyrically a dig at the American singer/songwriter Bruce Springsteen’s (see also best songs 1040 and 549) perceived limited song subject matter. Paddy McAloon is suggesting that Springsteen’s worldview is too restricted, because, ‘Somethings hurt much more than cars and girls.’ McAloon who has denied that the song indicates a personal distaste for Springsteen, has said, ‘I think a lot of his audience get into him on a patriotic level that he doesn’t intend. They misinterpret him, their enjoyment of him is inaccurate, all very imperialist American. I wanted to write a song about someone who was thick white trash, listening to Springsteen, and saying ‘But our lives aren’t like that.”

‘Little boy got a hot rod, thinks it makes him some kind of new God, well this is one race he won’t win. ‘Cause life’s no cruise with a cool chick, too many folks feelin’ car sick, but it never pulls in. Brucie’s thoughts, pretty streamers, guess this world needs its dreamers, may they never wake up, okay.’