Song of the Day: ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart’ by Saint Etienne

Today marks the 35th anniversary of Saint Etienne's first single, "Only Love Can Break Your Heart." I remember I was driving through my West L.A. neighborhood in my convertible VW Rabbit when I first heard it on KROQ and being blown away, like I'd never heard anything that sounded like this before. That 4/4 arrangement and piano-bass-drum-section -- a dance cover of an old Neil Young song my brother Bill used to play in basement in Detroit. Who could come up with something so good and so completely unexpected? 

I immediately headed over to MobyDisc on Wilshire Boulevard to see if they had it -- and sure enough there was a copy of "Foxbase Alpha" in the used bin, the perfect price for a recent college grad making $23,500 a year as a research assistant at a newspaper. I was immediately taken by the entire album -- albeit confused why the vocalist on "Only Love" was different from the glamorous blonde pictured on the back cover (The booklet said Moira Lambert sings "Only Love").  

Fans would later figure out that Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs had envisioned Saint Etienne to be a collective, with guest singers (Donna Savage sang their second single, "Kiss and Make Up"), before hitting off so well with Sarah Cracknell (who sang the group's third single, "Nothing Can Stop Us Now") that they decided to keep her around for good. And thank God they did! 

The band would go on to become one of my all-time favorites, whom I've seen in concert more than any other and shelled out more money for re-releases, maxi singles and the lot. 

Although Sarah always sings "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" at their shows, the band has never done a proper recording with her at the mic -- which they did do for "Kiss and Make Up" for inclusion on the U.S. release of the album. They've always had plenty of tricks up its sleeve, so here's hoping my idea is a farewell gift to come. 

If they can make a new video with Sarah in it, they can make a new version of the song!

Bob Stanley:

Today marks exactly 35 years since the release of our first single on 28th May 1990. It's so long ago it feels like the days before electricity. I can still remember clear as day working in Ian Catt's bedroom studio after six -- after six! We hardly ever did that again! -- with Harvey Williams playing that ground-shaking bassline and Ian splicing the quarter inch tape. Getting a finished copy felt like we’d built a bridge, then crossed it.

Pete Wiggs:

When the elements of "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" came together it genuinely felt like some kind of magic had taken place, it had been a dream to make a record and this sounded like one.

Note: "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" ranks fifth on my list of covers that are better than the originals. See the other four HERE.

Ironically, the singer Moira Lambert refused to appear in the original video so Lucy Gillie from early '90s pop trio Golden stepped in to mime the vocals! 

Celina Nash, one of Gillie's bandmate, was the woman featured on "Foxbase Alpha" cover. 

Read why Bob Stanley thinks it's their worst album HERE.