Blue Savannah Explained

Blue Savannah
Cover:Erasure single bluesavannah.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Erasure
Album:Wild!
B-Side:
  • "Runaround on the Underground"
  • "No G.D.M."
Length:4:23
Label:
Producer:
Prev Title:You Surround Me
Prev Year:1989
Next Title:Star
Next Year:1990

"Blue Savannah" is a song by English synth-pop duo Erasure from their fourth studio album, Wild! (1989). Written by members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, the song was released as a single in Japan on 25 January 1990 and was issued in the United Kingdom the following month. Alfa Records released it in Japan as the album's lead single, Mute Records released it in Europe as the album's third single, and Sire Records released it in the United States as the album's second single. Considered one of the band's signature songs, the duo still perform it regularly in concerts. It has been described as an uplifting love song; the instrumentation is crisp and heavily synthesized, accented with sweeping, programmed piano.

Release

"Blue Savannah" peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart. It also returned the band to the top 20 in West Germany, where the song peaked at number 13. In Israel, it hit number-one. The release of the single brought about the usual array of remixes and B-sides. In 2004, HiBias Records of Canada started their Retro:Active – Rare & Remixed CD series and the 'Out of the Blue' mix received its first official release, on volume one. In 2016, the remix was included on the Erasure 30th-anniversary anthology From Moscow to Mars, making its first-ever official release on an Erasure album.

Critical reception

Ned Raggett from AllMusic declared the song as a "strong number", remarking its "relatively low key pulse, which sounds like a light motorik/Kraftwerk number given the appropriate Erasure sparkle."[1] Bill Coleman from Billboard described it as a "NRG-etic number"[2] and a "lilting, easy-paced gem."[3] Ernest Hardy from Cashbox commented, "Here, Erasure completely shake off their old drag for some Kraftwerk attire, then a Kraftwerk-meets-hip-hop groove thang. It's better than the original."[4] Scottish Dundee Courier complimented the song as "such sterling work".[5]

In an retrospective review, Chris Gerard from Metro Weekly felt that it is "perhaps Erasure's best sounding track—put it on now and its so fresh that is sounds like it could have been recorded yesterday." He described it as "audio daydream; a sublimely beautiful melody, sung with real feeling by Andy Bell, over some of Vince Clarke's loveliest keyboard work. That amazingly vibrant piano part just pops out of the speakers. This is what great pop music is all about—it makes you feel warm just listening to it."[6] Darren Lee from The Quietus noted "the lush electro-splendour" of "Blue Savannah", stating that it is one of "the most gloriously effervescent pop anthems ever recorded."[7] Christopher Smith from Talk About Pop Music called it "joyous" and "Erasure at its very best." He noted that Bell's voice across the first verses and chorus "are both haunting and sensual in equal measure."[8]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Blue Savannah" was directed by English singer, songwriter, musician and music video director Kevin Godley. It shows Clarke and Bell performing the song in a large, white room, which gets painted blue as the video progresses. A mysterious blue hand is coming down from above. Reaching the room, it holds a paint brush in view. The camera follows the hand as it paints Clarke and a shirtless Bell until they both are completely blue. Eventually gold-colored leaves, similar to those shown on the Wild! album cover, blow in and cover the duo as they perform.

Track listings

  1. "Blue Savannah"
  2. "Runaround on the Underground"
  1. "Blue Savannah"
  2. "Runaround on the Underground"
  3. "No G.D.M."

A1. "Blue Savannah" (Der Deutsche mix II)

B1. "No G.D.M." (Unfinished mix)

B2. "Runaround on the Underground"

  1. "Blue Savannah" (Der Deutsche mix II)
  2. "Blue Savannah" (Der Deutsche mix I)
  1. "Blue Savannah" (Der Deutsche mix I)
  2. "Blue Savannah" (Der Deutsche mix II)
  3. "Runaround on the Underground"
  1. "Blue Savannah"
  2. "You Surround Me"
  1. "Blue Savannah" (single version) – 3:51
  2. "Blue Savannah" (Der Deutsche mix I) – 7:04
  3. "Blue Savannah" (Der Deutsche mix II) – 6:13
  4. "Runaround on the Underground" (12-inch mix) – 6:41
  5. "Blue Savannah" (Mark Saunders remix) – 6:51
  6. "Supernature" (William Orbit's mix) – 6:59
  7. "No G.D.M." (Zeus B. Held mix) – 4:24

A1. "Blue Savannah" (Der Deutsche mix I) – 7:04

A2. "Blue Savannah" (Der Deutsche mix II) – 6:13

A3. "Runaround on the Underground" (12-inch mix) – 6:41

B1. "Blue Savannah" (Mark Saunders remix) – 6:51

B2. "Supernature" (William Orbit's mix) – 6:59

B3. "No G.D.M." (Zeus B. Held mix) – 4:24

  1. "Blue Savannah" (7-inch edit) – 3:45
  2. "91 Steps" – 5:33

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1990)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[21] 159
Denmark (IFPI)[22] 7
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[23] 6
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[24] 14

Year-end charts

Chart (1990)Position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[25] 88
Germany (Official German Charts)[26] 85
UK Singles (OCC)[27] 42

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)
Japan25 January 1990Mini-CDAlfa[28]
United Kingdom26 February 1990Mute[29]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ned . Raggett . Erasure – Wild! . . 4 November 2020 .
  2. Bill . Coleman . Dance Trax: R&B Tracks Provide A Slice Of 'Ghetto Heaven' . . 21 April 1990 . 25 . 14 October 2020 .
  3. Bill. Coleman. Single Reviews . . 31 March 1990 . 14 February 2020 . 78.
  4. Ernest . Hardy . On The Dancefloor: New Grooves - Pick O' the Week . . 7 April 1990 . 14 . 27 October 2020 .
  5. Dundee Courier. 27 June 1991. p. 12.
  6. Chris . Gerard . Erasure's 40 Greatest Tracks . . 17 September 2014 . 21 November 2020 .
  7. Darren . Lee . Erasure – Total Pop! Erasure's First 40 Hits . . 27 February 2009 . 21 November 2020 .
  8. Web site: Christopher . Smith . Review: 'Wild!' – Erasure . Talk About Pop Music . 16 October 2019 . 21 November 2020 .
  9. Blue Savannah. Erasure. 1990. UK 7-inch single sleeve. Mute Records. MUTE 109.
  10. Blue Savannah. Erasure. 1990. UK cassette single sleeve. Mute Records. C MUTE 109.
  11. Blue Savannah. Erasure. 1990. UK 12-inch single sleeve. Mute Records. 12 MUTE 109.
  12. Blue Savannah. Erasure. 1990. UK CD liner notes. Mute Records. CD MUTE 109.
  13. Blue Savannah. Erasure. 1990. UK limited 12-inch single vinyl disc. Mute Records. L12 MUTE 109.
  14. Blue Savannah. Erasure. 1990. UK limited 12-inch single vinyl disc. Mute Records. XL12 MUTE 109.
  15. Blue Savannah. Erasure. 1990. UK limited CD single liner notes. Mute Records. LCD MUTE 109.
  16. Blue Savannah. Erasure. 1990. Japanese mini-CD single liner notes. Alfa Records. ALDB-9.
  17. Blue Savannah. Erasure. 1990. US maxi-CD single liner notes. Sire Records, Reprise Records. 9 21428-2.
  18. Blue Savannah. Erasure. 1990. US & Canadian 12-inch single vinyl disc. Sire Records, Reprise Records. 9 21428-0; 92 14280.
  19. Blue Savannah. Erasure. 1990. US & Canadian maxi-cassette single cassette notes. Sire Records, Reprise Records. 9 21428-4; 92 14284.
  20. Blue Savannah. Erasure. 1990. US cassette single cassette notes. Sire Records, Reprise Records. 9 22721-4.
  21. Web site: Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received June 5, 2012 . 9 September 2015 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150605213523/http://i.imgur.com/DkGCr8v.jpg . 5 June 2015.
  22. Danish Singles Chart. 27 April 1990.
  23. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 7. 13. IV. 31 March 1990. 11 February 2021.
  24. Web site: Erasure — Blue Savannah. Top40.nl. 24 August 2021.
  25. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1990. Music & Media. 7. 51. 36. 22 December 1990. 11 February 2021.
  26. Web site: Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1990. GfK Entertainment. de. 22 June 2020.
  27. 1990 Top 100 Singles. Music Week. Spotlight Publications. London, England. 41. 2 March 1991.
  28. Web site: ブルー・サバンナ イレイジャー. Blue Savannah Erasure. Oricon. ja. 6 September 2023.
  29. New Singles. Music Week. 39. 24 February 1990. 26 July 2021. Misprinted as 23 February. The New Albums section uses the correct date.

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