Kiss and Make Up (Saint Etienne song)

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"Let's Kiss and Make Up" is a song by The Field Mice from their 1989 album, Snowball. It is better known in the form of Saint Etienne's cover version of 1990, which retitled it "Kiss and Make Up" and was released as a single.

Saint Etienne version[]

"Kiss and Make Up"
Saint etienne - kiss and make up.jpg
Single by Saint Etienne
from the album Foxbase Alpha
A-side"Kiss and Make Up"
B-side"Sky's Dead"
ReleasedSeptember 1990 (1990-09)
GenreIndie pop
LabelHeavenly - HVN4
Songwriter(s)A side: Wratten/Hiscock
B side: Stanley/Wiggs
Saint Etienne singles chronology
"Only Love Can Break Your Heart"
(1990) 		"Kiss and Make Up"
(1990) 		"Nothing Can Stop Us"
(1991)
Music video
"Kiss And Make Up" on YouTube

Saint Etienne were "drinking buddies" with Michael Hiscock from The Field Mice.[1] The group recorded two demos of this song in their first studio session in January 1990, with Moira Lambert on lead vocals. Notably, they would go on to record with her what would become their first hit single, "Only Love Can Break Your Heart," in that same session. The first demo of "Kiss And Make Up" was released as a bonus track on the group's 2009 release, Foxbase Beta, a remix of their 1991 debut album, Foxbase Alpha, the second demo was released on the 25th anniversary vinyl boxset of same album.

A re-recorded version of "Kiss And Make Up," with New Zealand singer of Dead Famous People on vocals, was released in 1990 by Heavenly Records as the band's follow-up single to "Only Love Can Break Your Heart." This version can be found on several compilation albums.

"Kiss and Make Up" does not feature on the original UK version of Foxbase Alpha, but does feature on the US release. The US release contains a fourth version of the song, re-recorded with Sarah Cracknell on vocals. Cracknell had recently joined Saint Etienne as the group's full-time vocalist.

Critical reception[]

Justin Chadwick from Albumism described "Kiss and Make Up" as a "piano-driven House number".[2] Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic noted its "irresistible girl group pop".[3] Selina Webb from Music Week stated that Donna Savage "lends her husky tones to this moody swayer", adding that "this, despite its only footshuffling dance appeal, should take them closer to crossover success."[4] A reviewer from Smash Hits commented, "These are the people who brought us the brilliant dance version of old hippy Neil Young's "Only Love Will Break Your Heart" tune. This, their second single, is a House reggae cover of a tune written by some weedy indie group called The Field Mice (!). Incredibly girlie and irritating, but there's something quite "appealing" about it."[5]

Track listing[]

All tracks written and composed by Robert Wratten and Michael Hiscock; except where indicated.

7" - Heavenly / HVN4
  1. "Kiss and Make Up" – 4:09
  2. "Sky's Dead" (Stanley, Wiggs) – 3:02
12" - Heavenly / HVN4 12
  1. "Kiss and Make Up (Extended Version)" – 6:19
  2. "Sky's Dead" (Stanley, Wiggs) – 7:32
12" - Heavenly / HVN4 12R
  1. "Kiss and Make Up (Midsummer Madness Mix)" – 8:19
  2. "Kiss and Make (Midsummer Dubness Mix)" – 7:10
  • Pete Heller - Producer, Additional Keyboards, Additional Programming
CD - Heavenly / HVN4CD
  1. "Kiss and Make Up" – 4:09
  2. "Kiss and Make (Extended Version)" – 6:19
  3. "Sky's Dead" (Stanley, Wiggs) – 7:32

Charts[]

Chart (1990) Peak
position
UK Singles (OCC) 80

References[]

  1. ^ "Saint Etienne official site: Kiss and Make Up". Saintetienne.com. 2012-05-28. Retrieved 2012-06-13.
  2. ^ Chadwick, Justin (14 October 2016). "Saint Etienne's Debut Album 'Foxbase Alpha' Turns 25: Anniversary Retrospective". Albumism. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  3. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Saint Etienne – Foxbase Alpha". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  4. ^ Webb, Selina (6 October 1990). "Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 25. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Down the Rave-up!". Smash Hits. 3 October 1990. p. 63. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
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