Product Description

After the commercial success of 1988's FROM LANGLEY PARK TOMEMPHIS and the universal critical huzzahs following 1990'sJORDAN: THE COMEBACK, Prefab Sprout could take its time crafting a follow-up, which is why the exemplary ANDROMEDA HEIGHTS wasn't released until 1997. In the meantime, CBS/Sony released the 16-track hits compilation A LIFE OF SURPRISES. Named after a track from 1989's previously U.K.-only PROTEST SONGS, the compilation includes classic Prefab Sprout singleslike "The King of Rock and Roll", "When Love Breaks Down", "Faron Young", "Goodbye Lucille #1", and "Cars and Girls", along with a number of tracks from Prefab Sprout's five previous albums. There is also one new track, "The Sound of Crying". As brilliant as Prefab Sprout's individual albums are, this excellent compilation is the definitive introduction to Paddy McAloon's unique, Gershwin- and Porter-influenced songwriting.

Track Listing

1. King Of Rock 'n' Roll
2. When Love Breaks Down
3. Sound Of Crying
4. Faron Young
5. Carnival 2000
6. Goodbye Lucille
7. Cruel
8. I Remember That
9. Cars And Girls
10. We Let The Stars Go
11. Life Of Surprises
12. Appetite
13. If You Don't Love Me
14. Wild Horses
15. Hey Manhattan
16. All The World Loves Lovers

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5938 in Music
• Released on: 1998-01-12
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Though each of their studio albums is worth seeking out, this "best of" collection is a neat shorthand way of experiencing the technologically perfect, intellectually stimulating pop music Paddy McAloon and his cronies from Newcastle, England created during the second half of the 1980s. Two tracks, "The Sound of Crying" and "If You Don't Love Me" are previously unreleased. Since they have had little chart success, the rest are somebody's idea of what makes a great Prefab Sprout song. "The King of Rock 'n' Roll" has a lilting bounce; "Wild Horses" benefits from producer Thomas Dolby's computer wizardry as sounds pop up and out of the mix instantaneously; "We Let the Stars Go" is McAloon at his most emotionally sincere. --Rob O'Connor

From Amazon.com
Though each of their studio albums is worth seeking out, this "best of" collection is a neat shorthand way of experiencing the technologically perfect, intellectually stimulating pop music Paddy McAloon and his cronies from Newcastle, England created during the second half of the 1980s. Two tracks, "The Sound of Crying" and "If You Don't Love Me" are previously unreleased. Since they have had little chart success, the rest are somebody's idea of what makes a great Prefab Sprout song. "The King of Rock 'n' Roll" has a lilting bounce; "Wild Horses" benefits from producer Thomas Dolby's computer wizardry as sounds pop up and out of the mix instantaneously; "We Let the Stars Go" is McAloon at his most emotionally sincere. --Rob O'Connor

Customer Reviews

The King Of Rock 'n' Roll Completely.
In this factory I worked in from 1981 to 1993, there was a staff restaurant with the social club bar adjacent to it. After eating, people would play darts or pool, or just sit and relax and talk. And every weekday for 6 months or more, this young kid would walk in, stick a 50 pence piece in the jukebox and the first record he'd play would be Prefab Sprout's 'The King Of Rock 'n' Roll.'
With it's laughably nursery rhyme / clever but throw-away lyrics, the track gradually became embedded into everyone's psyche, and it wasn't a bad tune, really. Feet would start tapping, I noticed, and it seemed to cheer people up. So, when the factory closed down, I happened to bump into this CD somewhere, (maybe here?), and I bought it just for track one on this compilation.
The balance of tracks are OK, easy listening and pleasant and ideal to have on as background music after the bombast and quirkiness when 'The King Of Rock 'n' Roll' has ended, of course.
Paddy McAloon may be remembered by his fans for many of the other tracks on here, as they are decent pop songs from the era, but for me, 'The King Of Rock 'n' Roll' will always be their 'Stairway To Heaven,' so that has to be a fair old doff of the cap, hasn't it. A corker!

a must have
"A Life Of Surprises" is the greatest hits album by one of the most underrated British bands of the eighties. With a style that was somewhere in the middle of the styles of the Smiths and the Style Council, the band had a few medium sized hits, but never really got the credit that their true brilliance deserved. Generally the album has two halves the first half featuring the more upbeat tracks they released in the eighties and the second half featuring the more mellow, dark and moody tracks they have released in the nineties. Overall the album is spectacular and includes their two biggest hits from their brilliant 1988 album "From Langley Park To Memphis", namely "Cars And Girls" and "The King Of Rock And Roll". The other highlights on this album include the brilliant "Life Of Surprises", "When Love Breaks Down" and "All The World Loves Lovers". Overall it's an excellent album and is highly recommended.

Hot Dogs are top of the menu.
This album comprises all the originality produced by Prefab Sprout over their long and successful career. Lyrics such as 'Hot dogs jumping frogs' remain, to this day, a great achievement in songwriting. This album also includes such greats as Hey Manhattan, Carnival 2000 and Ice Maiden. The variety is both exciting and inspiring.