Everything But The Girl - All Albums

Pre-EBTGs:

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Albums by Marine Girls:

  • Beach Party (1981) -LP
    Songs:
    1. In Love
    2. Fridays
    3. Tonight
    4. Times We Used To Spend
    5. Flying Over Russia
    6. Tutti Lo Sanno
    7. All Dressed Up
    8. Honey
    9. Holiday Song
    10. He Got The Girl
    11. Day Night Dreams
    12. Promises
    13. Silent Red
    14. Dishonesty
    15. 20,000 Leagues
    16. Marine Girls
    Labels: UK-Wham!/In Phaze

    Originally album is available with "board game" insert.
    The album tracks, Honey and Tonight?, also appear on the soundtrack album of School Disco (1999).

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  • Lazy Ways (1983) -LP
    Songs:
    1. A Place In The Sun
    2. Leave Me With The Boy
    3. Falling Again
    4. Love To Know
    5. A Different Light
    6. Sunshine Blue
    7. Don't Come Back
    8. That Fink Jazz-Me-Blues Boy
    9. Fever
    10. Shell Island
    11. Lazy Ways
    12. Such A Thing
    13. You Must Be Mad
    Labels: UK-Cherry Red

    These two album also released in one album which is now available in stores.

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  • On My Mind (1981 and 1982) –7"
    Songs:
    1. On My Mind
    2. The Lure Of The Rockpools
    Labels: in 1981 UK-In Phaze and in 1982 UK-Cherry Red

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  • Don't Come Back (1983) –7"
    Songs:
    1. Don't Come Back
    2. You Must Be Mad
    Labels: UK-Cherry Red
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Albums by Tracey Thorn (solo):

  • Plain Sailing (1982) –7"
    Songs:
    1. Plain Sailing
    2. Goodbye Joe
    Labels: UK-Cherry Red

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  • A Distant Shore (1982) -LP
    Songs:
    1. Small Town Girl
    2. Simply Couldn't Care
    3. Seascape
    4. Femme Fatale
    5. Dreamy
    6. Plain Sailing
    7. New Opened Eyes
    8. Too Happy
    Labels: UK-Cherry Red

    Jane Fox, who was the member of Marine Girls, made the drawing for the album cover of this album, A Distant Shore.

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  • Out of the Woods (March 5, 2007)
    Songs:
    1. Here It Comes Again
    2. A-Z
    3. It's All True
    4. Get Around to It
    5. Hands Up to the Ceiling
    6. Easy
    7. Falling off a Log
    8. Nowhere Near
    9. Grand Canyon
    10. By Piccadilly Station I Sat Down and Wept
    11. Raise the Roof
    12. King's Cross (iTunes Store bonus track)
    13. Smoke and Mirrors (B-side cover on "Raise the Roof")
    14. Book of Love (B-side cover on "Raise the Roof")
    Labels: Virgin Records / Astralwerks

    Out of the Woods is the second solo album from Everything but the Girl singer Tracey Thorn, released March 5, 2007 on Virgin Records. The majority of the album's production was produced by Ewan Pearson who also produced the first single, "It's All True". Other collaborators include Cagedbaby, Charles Webster, Klas Lindblad and Martin Wheeler.
    Out of the Woods marks Thorn's full-time return to the music scene in over six years. It was released on March 20, 2007 in the U.S. on Astralwerks.
    Thorn told Billboard magazine about the recording of the album:
    "When I started this album, I was thinking, 'Well, alright, I want to make a quirky little record, a little bit acoustic, a little bit dance... I also thought I was going to do a lot of covers, because I hadn't written anything in a long time. But once I started, I found myself writing more songs and collaborating with people. When the record was finished, I was quite startled. I thought, 'Wow, I made a pop record without really meaning to.'"
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  • Tracey Thorn also appears on:
    Songs:
    1. "Take a Chance" at Vocals and Guitar at album "An Hour Of Eloquent Sounds" as "Marine Girls" (1982)
    2. "The Paris Match" at Vocals at album "Cafe Bleu" by "The Style Council" (1984)
    3. "Head Full of Steam" at Back Vocals at album "Liberty Belle And The Black Diamond Express" by "The Go-Betweens" (1986)
    4. "Apology Accepted" at Back Vocals at album "Liberty Belle And The Black Diamond Express" by "The Go-Betweens" (1986)
    5. "Big Snake" at Vocals at album "Mainstream" by "Lloyd Cole and The Commotions" (1987)
    6. "Love to Know" lyrics at album "Unrest" EP by "Isabel Bishop" (1993)
    7. "Over the Rainbow" at Vocals at album "Makin' Changes" by "James McMillan" (1993)
    8. "Protection" at Vocals and lyrics at album "Protection" by "Massive Attack" (1994)
    9. "Better Things" at Vocals at album "Protection" by "Massive Attack" (1994)
    10. "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game" at Vocals at album "Batman Forever (Music From The Motion Picture)" by "Massive Attack" (1995)
    11. "The Tree Knows Everything" at Vocals at album "Colours" by "Adam F" (1997)
    12. "Seascape" lyrics at album "Shelf Life" by "For Against" (1997)
    13. "Damage" at Vocals and lyrics at album "Eat Books" by "Tiefschwarz" (2005)
    14. "Overture" at Vocals at album "Chemically Happy Is the New Sad" by "The Unbending Trees" (2008)
    15. Check out here for detailed list
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Albums by Ben Watt (solo):

  • Cant (1981) –7"
    Songs:
    1. Cant
    2. Aubade
    3. Tower Of Silence
    Labels: UK-Cherry Red

    All produced by Kevin Coyne.

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  • Summer Into Winter (1983) –12" EP
    Songs:
    1. Walter And John
    2. Aquamarine
    3. Slipping Slowly
    4. Another Conversation With Myself
    5. A Girl In Winter
    Labels: UK-Cherry Red

    In this album Ben was with Robert Wyatt.

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  • Some Things Don't Matter (1983) –7"
    Songs:
    1. Some Things Don't Matter
    2. On Box Hill
    Labels: UK-Cherry Red

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  • North Marine Drive (1983) –LP
    Songs:
    1. On Box Hill
    2. Some Things Don't Matter
    3. Lucky One
    4. Empty Bottles
    5. North Marine Drive
    6. Waiting Like Mad
    7. Thirst For Knowledge
    8. Long Time No Sea
    9. You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go
    Labels: UK-Cherry Red

    CD version also includes Summer Into Winter.

    There is also a Ben Watt track called Departure on a Cherry Red 1981 compilation album called Perspectives & Distortion. A few of the above tracks from Marine Girls, Tracey Thorn, Ben Watt, and Everything But The Girl appear on the now legendary Cherry Red compilation LP from 1983, Pillows & Prayers once on sale for only 99p and now still available as a mid-price CD. There are also a few early rarities - an early cassette album by Marine Girls called A Day By The Sea (only 50 hand-made copies) and a Dutch 7" flexi single made by Muziekblad Vinyl, which came free with Holland's Vinyl magazine (1983, No. 20) featuring Ben Watt's On Box Hill.

    Ben plays the guitar on The Apartments' The Evening Visits… album. The Apartments is the alias of Australian songwriter, Peter Walsh. Ben also plays the guitar on Craig Davies' Like Narcissus album (both Rough Trade).
    In 1989 Ben produced a jazz album for English alto saxophonist, Peter King, entitled Crusade. King has been one of the UK's top jazz soloist for many years and has also featured on numerous EBTG tracks e.g. I Always Was Your Girl (Idlewild), I Must Confess (Eden), and Ben's Some Things Don't Matter (North Marine Drive)
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  • Ben Watt also appears on:
    Songs:
    1. "The Paris Match" on Guitar at album "Cafe Bleu" by "The Style Council" (1984)
    2. Credited on Guitar at album "The Evening Visits" by "The Apartments" (1985)
    3. Credited on Guitar at album "Jennifer Holliday" by "Craig Davies" (1988)
    4. "In + Out" on Guitar at album "In The Mode" by "Roni Size / Reprazent" (2000)
    5. "Carmella (Four Tet Remix)" on Piano at album "Daybreaker" by "Beth Orton" (2002)
    6. "Departure" at Vocals and lyrics at album "Ambition - The History of Cherry Red Records 1978 - 1988" (2005)
    7. Many number of Productions and Remixes... Check out here for detailed list
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Albums by EBTG:

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Eden (May 1984)

Credits:
Tracey Thorn - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Ben Watt - Guitars, Vocals, Hammond Organ, Piano, Horn Arrangements
Simon Booth - Guitar
Bosco De Oliveira - Percussion
Charles Hayward - Drums
Chucho Merchán - Double Bass
Peter King - Alto Saxophone
Nigel Nash - Tenor Saxophone
Dick Pearce - Trumpet, Flugel Horn

Robin Millar - Producer
Mike Pela - Engineer

Caryn Gough - Package Design
Jane Fox - Cover Design (Jane was one of the members of Marine Girls)

Songs:
  1. Each and Everyone
  2. Bittersweet
  3. Tender Blue
  4. Another Bridge
  5. The Spice of Life
  6. The Dustbowl
  7. Crabwalk
  8. Even So
  9. Frost and Fire
  10. Fascination
  11. I Must Confess
  12. Soft Touch
Labels:
UK-Blanco Y Negro/WEA, US-no release, Japan-VAP/Toy's Factory, Others-WEA

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Everything But The Girl (1984)

Credits:
Tracey Thorn - Vocals
Ben Watt - Guitars, Organ, Piano, Vocals
Simon Booth - Guitar
Bosco De Oliveira - Percussion
Charles Hayward - Drums
Peter King - Alto
Bill Le Sage - Vibraphone
Johnny Marr - Harmonica
Chucho Merchán - Double Bass
June Miles-Kingston - Drums, Vocals (appears courtesy of go! discs)
Phil Moxham - Bass
Nigel Nash - Tenor
Dick Pearce - Flugel, Trumpet
David Smith - Double Bass
Bob Sydor - Tenor

Robin Millar - Producer
Mike Pela - Production Engineer
Lee Herschberg - Digital Mastering

Albert Rockeall - Cover Painting
Colin Gray - Photograph
Colin Burns: Crunch - Design

Songs:
  1. Each And Everyone
  2. Tender Blue
  3. Another Bridge
  4. Frost And Fire
  5. Fascination
  6. Crabwalk
  7. Never Could Have Been Worse
  8. Laugh You Out The House
  9. Mine
  10. Easy As Sin
  11. Native Land
  12. Riverbed Dry
Labels:
US only-Sire/Warner

Expert Review:
The music fad of the moment in 1984 in England was a revival of the early-'60s Brazilian pop sound of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Astrud Gilberto, and Stan Getz, updated to current sensibilities, and the two main practitioners were Sade and Everything But the Girl. On this revised version of their U.K. debut album, Eden, altered for U.S. consumption, the duo of Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt performed their three U.K. chart singles, "Each and Every One," "Mine," and "Native Land," in a calm, unruffled style keyed to Thorn's warm, if slightly unfocused, vocal style. If the music had a flaw, it was that the sound, with its light sambas and steady ballads, spare instrumentation and careful sax solos, impressed more than individual songs did, perhaps because Thorn's way of phrasing meant you could listen to "Mine", for example, several times before catching on to its feminist theme. Still, Everything But the Girl was more direct and had less of the exotic affectation of Sade (which, however, may help explain why it was she, and not they, who succeeded in America). — William Ruhlmann

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Love Not Money (April 1985)

Credits:
Tracey Thorn - Vocals
Ben Watt - Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Piano, Organ, Vocals, Horn Arrangements
June Miles-Kingston - Drums, Vocals
Phil Moxham - Bass
Neil Scott - Electric Guitar
Peter King - Alto
Nigel Nash - Tenor
Dick Pearce - Flugel, Trumpet
Chris Thompson - Banjo
B.J. Cole - Pedal Steel
David Golding - Tin Whistle
Robin Millar - Piano on Angel

Robin Millar - Producer
Ben Rogan - Producer, Engineer
Everything But The Girl - Producer
Mike Pela - Engineer
Tim Young - Mastering
Lee Herschberg - Digital Mastering

Humphrey Spender - Cover Photograph (taken from "Worktown People: Photographs from Northern England 1937-38". Originally taken for famous British sociological document, Mass Observation.)
Caryn Gough - Cover Design
Richard Haughton - Photographs
Jean-Louis Gregoire - Photographs

Songs:
  1. When All's Well
  2. Ugly Little Dreams
  3. Shoot Me Down
  4. Are You Trying To Be Funny?
  5. Sean
  6. Ballad Of The Times
  7. Anytown
  8. This Love (Not For Sale)
  9. Trouble And Strife
  10. Angel
    Warner Archives, re-release 1995 include these songs:
  11. Heaven Help Me (Chrissie Hynde remake)
  12. Kid
Labels:
UK-Blanco Y Negro/WEA, US-Sire/Warner, Japan-VAP/Toy's Factory, Others-WEA
Expert Review:
On their second album, Everything But the Girl took a more contemporary pop approach while retaining the spareness of their debut. They also upped the ante in their songwriting, tackling a range of issues from the Irish Troubles to the troubles of movie star Frances Farmer, with lots of criticism of the stratification and sexism of the current social and economic system thrown in. Tracey Thorn's careworn voice proved an excellent vehicle for such essentially pessimistic sentiments, and even if Love Not Money made for a dour listening experience, it was nevertheless compelling. (The "special U.S. edition" of the album, released by Sire Records, differed from the Blanco Y Negro version from the U.K. in that it featured the pop-sounding "Heaven Help Me" and a cover of the Pretenders' "Kid". Neither enhanced the album's commercial appeal; it made the Top Ten back home, but did not chart stateside.) — William Ruhlmann

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Baby, The Stars Shine Bright (August 1986)

Credits:
Tracey Thorn - Vocals
Ben Watt - Guitars
Micky Harris - Bass
Robert Peters - Drums
Cara Tivey - Piano, Organ

Gavyn Wright, Bill Benham, Jimmy Archer, Tim Good, David Woodcock, Peter Oxer, Wilf Gibson, John Wilson, Roger Garland, Basil Smart, Richard Studt, Levene Andrade
- Violins
Ken Essex, George Robertson, Cathy Stevens, David Emmanuel
- Violas
Clive Anstee, Paul Kegg, Helen Liebmann, Chris Green
- Cellos
Derek Watkins, Alan Downey, Stuart Brooks, Martin Dover, Luke Tunney
- Trumpets
Chris Pyne, Peter Thoms, Alan Hutt, Andy Fawbert
- Trombones
Jim Handy, John Pigneguy
- French Horns
Ray Swinfield, Peter King, Nigel Nash, Jeff Daly, Phil Todd
- Saxophones
Frank Ricotti, Steve Henderson, Bosco De Oliveira, Martin Ditcham
- Percussion
Linda Allen, Victy Silva, Clare Torry, Tessa Niles, Gary Taylor, Lance Ellington, Tony Burrows, Bob Saker
- Vocal Choir
Nick Ingman - Orchestra Conductor and Director

Mike Hedges - Producer
Everything But the Girl - Producer

Mike Hedges - Engineer
Haydn Bendall - Assistant Engineer
Ian Grimble - Assistant Engineer
John Kurlander - Assistant Engineer
Lee Herschberg - Digital Mastering

Songs:
  1. Come on Home
  2. Don't Leave Me Behind
  3. A Country Mile
  4. Cross My Heart
  5. Don't Let The Teardrops Rust Your Shining Heart
  6. Careless
  7. Sugar Finney
  8. Come Hell Or High Water
  9. Fighting Talk
  10. Little Hitler
Labels:
UK-Blanco Y Negro/WEA, US-Sire/Warner, Japan-VAP/Toy's Factory, Others-WEA

Expert Review:
On their third album, Everything But the Girl tries another departure on their craftsman like ballad style, hiring a full orchestra to give a lush backing to songs usually concerned more with sexual than national politics. Their last album, Love Not Money, may have boasted a considerable social agenda, but here Tracey Thorn sings of romantic disappointment and illicit liaisons, only occasionally bowing to such favourite themes as the lure of fame ("Country Mile"), fantasies about American movie stars ("Sugar Finney," which is "for Marilyn Monroe," and has the chorus, "America is free, cheap and easy"), and fears of fascism ("Little Hitler"). Thorn's throbbing voice is well-suited to the emotional concerns of the lyrics, and Ben Watt creates attractive, string- and horn-filled backings for them. So, Everything But the Girl has found yet another way effectively to vary what would have seemed to be a limited musical style. — William Ruhlmann

It has many similarities to Swing Out Sister's "Kaleidoscope World" (1989), their second album.
First, the physical CDs have a similar "look and feel", down to the lettering and the band's haircuts. I think Tracey and Corrine are both very cute in their blunt cut/pageboys.
Second, certain songs sound like they could have been done by either band. While Baby, The Stars Shine Bright has country leanings (esp. on "Come Hell or High Water" - Tracey sounding like Patsy Cline) and Kaleidoscope World more of a jazz/latin feel (esp. on "Masquerade"), the song "Cross My Heart" sounds as if it is a Swing Out Sister's song. In fact, the vibes intro and trumpet sounded strangely familiar.
It turns out that no less than 17 musicians worked on both Baby, The Stars Shine Bright and Kaleidoscope World. The unmistakable percussion (esp. the vibes) of Frank Ricotti is a presence on both albums. Luke Tunney's trumpet can also be heard throughout. The other common musicians include:
Violins: Gavyn Wright, Wilf Gibson, Peter Oxer, Jimmy Archer, Roger Garland, Bill Benham, Tim Good
Violas: George Robertson, Levene Andrade, David Emmanuel
Cellos: Paul Kegg, Helen Liebmann
French Horn: John Pigneguy
Vocals: Lance Ellington, Clare Torry

Especially intriguing is that Clare Torry sings in the "vocal choir" on Baby, The Stars Shine Bright, but is also listed as providing backing vocals on Swing Out Sister's "You On My Mind", the first track on Kaleidoscope World. She had the distinction of singing with the two best female vocalists of 1980s British pop/jazz: Tracey Thorn and Corrine Drewery.
It's been hinted that Tracey had something to do with "Working Week", a mid-80s jazz band that I believe Corrine sang with (it's mentioned in her bio).

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Idlewild (February 1988)

Credits:
Tracey Thorn - Vocals
Ben Watt - Guitars, Vocals
Damon Butcher - Piano, Synthesizers
Steve Pearce - Bass Guitar
Chucho Merchán - Bass Guitar on only Lonesome For A Place I Know
Peter King - Alto Saxophone
Ian Fraser - Tenor Saxophone
James McMillan - Trumpet

Ben Watt - Producer
Jerry Boys - Engineer

Richard Haughton - Cover Photograph
Caryn Gough - Cover Design

Songs:
  1. I Don't Want to Talk About It
  2. Love Is Here Where I Live
  3. These Early Days
  4. I Always Was Your Girl
  5. Oxford Street
  6. The Night I Heard Caruso Sing
  7. Goodbye Sunday
  8. Shadow on a Harvest Moon
  9. Blue Moon Rose
  10. Tears All Over Town
  11. Lonesome for a Place I Know
  12. Apron Strings
Labels:
UK-Blanco Y Negro/WEA, US-Sire/Warner, Japan-VAP/Toy's Factry, Others-WEA

Expert Review:
Thorn and Watt made a couple of albums with a cocktail-jazz backup and one with strings before trying a small unit for the intimate songs of their most accessible recording. The setting is perfect for such moving compositions as "Love Is Here Where I Live" and "Apron Strings." Start here, then go on to the rest of this remarkable group's catalogue. — William Ruhlmann

Early copies do not include I Don't Want To Talk About It.

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The Language Of Life (February 20, 1990)

Credits:
Tracey Thorn - Vocals, Background Vocals
Ben Watt - Vocals, Background Vocals, Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Piano on The Road
Omar Hakim - Drums (appears courtesy of GRP Records)
Vinnie Colaiuta - Drums on Imagining America
John Patitucci - Bass Guitar (appears courtesy of GRP Records)
Larry Williams - Synthesizers, Programming, Piano
Joe Sample - Piano on The Language Of Life
Russell Ferrante - Piano on Meet Me In The Morning and Take Me (appears courtesy of MCA Records)
Lenny Castro - Percussion
Michael Landau - Electric Guitar on Get Back Together, Me And Bobby D, Take Me, Imagining America, Letting Love Go and My Baby Don't Love Me
Stan Getz - Tenor Saxophone on The Road (appears courtesy of A & M Records)
Michael Brecker - Tenor Saxophone on Driving and Letting Love Go (appears courtesy of MCA Records)
Kirk Whalum - Tenor Saxophone on Me And Bobby D, Take Me and Imagining America (appears courtesy of CBS Records)
Jerry Hey - Flugel on Meet Me In The Morning and The Road

Tracey Thorn, Ben Watt - Vocal Arrangements
Ben Watt, Larry Williams - Rhythm Arrangements
Ben Watt, Russell Ferrante - Rhythm Arrangement on only Take Me
Larry Williams - Synthesizer Arrangements, Horn Arrangement on only Take Me
Jerry Hey - Synthesizer Arrangements on only Get Back Together, The Road, Letting Love Go, My Baby Don't Love Me and The Language Of Life, Horn Arrangements
Jerry Hey, Larry Williams, Marc Russo (appears courtesy of MCA Records) - Horn Section Comprised of Trumpet/Flugel, Tenor Saxophone and Alto Saxophone respectively

Tommy LiPuma - Producer
Al Schmitt - Engineer
Joey Wolpert - Additional Engineering
Jim Scheffler - Additional Engineering
Ken Allardyce - Assistant Engineer
Luis Chi-Sing - Assistant Engineer
Neal Avron - Assistant Engineer
Mike Ross - Assistant Engineer
Bill Schnee - Mixing
Doug Sax - Mastering
Sonny Abelardo - Production Co-ordinator

Dirk Van Dooren - Illustrations
Nick Knight - Cover Shot
The Senate - Design

Songs:
  1. Driving
  2. Get Back Together
  3. Meet Me In The Morning
  4. Me and Bobby D
  5. The Language Of Life
  6. Take Me
  7. Imagining America
  8. Letting Love Go
  9. My Baby Don't Love Me
  10. The Road
Labels:
UK-Blanco Y Negro/WEA, US-Atlantic, Japan-VAP/Toy's Factry, Others-WEA

Expert Review:
It may have been the logical extension of Everything But the Girl's ersatz cool-jazz approach to finally go all the way by hiring veteran producer Tommy LiPuma and a studio full of fusion stars like Joe Sample (the Crusaders), Russell Ferrante (the Yellow jackets), Michael Brecker, and, finally, Stan Getz, whose early-'60s albums of Brazilian jazz are a main touchstone for the group. With such firepower, The Language of Life, at least musically, may be the album that Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn have been trying to make from the beginning. But it falls down in its songwriting, largely because of the near-disappearance of Thorn and her edgy lyrics; Watt takes over for a series of so-so love songs. And the bottom of the barrel is hit with a cover of Womack and Womack's "Take Me," intended as an erotic come-on and sounding more like a lullaby. — William Ruhlmann

This is the first album carrying a name of one of the album songs. And also US label has turned to Atlantic

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Worldwide (October 1, 1991)

Credits:
Tracey Thorn - Vocals
Ben Watt - Digital and Acoustic Pianos, Synthesizer, Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Backing Vocals, Fingerclicks, Drum and Percussion Programming, Organ, Vocals on Talk To Me Like The Sea, Synth Bass, Synth Vibes, Sampled Percussion
Ralph Salmins - Cymbals, Percussion, Drums
Geoff Gascoyne - Bass Guitar
Dick Oatts - Alto and Soprano Saxophones
Damon "The Doctor" Butcher – Acoustic Piano
Peter Murray - Organ
Martin Ditcham - Congas, Tambourine, Perussion
James McMillan - Trumpet, Flugel
Pete Whyman - Tenor Saxophone
Steve Pearce - Bass Guitar
Greg Lester - Electric Guitar
Vinnie Colaiuta - Drums

Tracey Thorn - Vocal Arrangements
Ben Watt - Vocal Arrangements, Rhythm and Overdub Arrangements, Horn Arrangements on Twin Cities, Sound Programming
James McMillan - Horn Arrangements on Twin Cities

Everything But the Girl - Producer
Ben Watt - Mixing
J.J. Boys - Mixing, Engineer
Jon Mallison - Assistant Engineer
Gordon Vicary - Mastering
Crispin Murray - Compilation Engineer

Richard Haughton - Cover Photograph
Senate - Design

Songs:
  1. Old Friends
  2. Understanding
  3. You Lift Me Up
  4. Talk to Me Like the Sea
  5. British Summertime
  6. Love Is Strange
  7. Twin Cities
  8. Frozen River
  9. One Place
  10. Politics Aside
  11. Boxing and Pop Music
  12. Feel Alright
Labels:
UK-Blanco Y Negro/WEA, US-Atlantic, Japan-VAP/Toy's Factory, Others-WEA

Expert Review:
Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn returned to the direct record-making style of their first two albums on Worldwide. Here, the music was carried largely by Watt's bank of keyboards. But the duo's lyrical concerns reflected their recent frenetic lifestyle. Sooner or later, every group that lasts makes a road album, and this was the one for Everything But the Girl, its songs nostalgically reminiscing about childhood back in England, along with reflections on the big-time touring life in America. Happily, there was still room for a few of Everything But the Girl's complicated adult love songs, notably Thorn's "Understanding," though even that one talked about how love "depends on geography." The breezy subject matter contrasted with the more contemplative music. — William Ruhlmann

Early copies do not include Love Is Strange.
Digipak gatefold CD album promo was with fold-out map. Track listing is identical to early copies of the commercial release.

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Acoustic (June 2, 1992)

Credits:
Tracey Thorn - Vocals
Ben Watt - Guitar, Piano, Vocals, String Arrangements on Love Is Strange
Nick Ingman - String Arrangements on Love Is Strange
Steve Pearce - Bass Guitar
Damon Butcher - Additional Keyboards on Downtown Train
Martin Ditcham - Percussion on One Place and Me And My Bobby D
Dick Oatts - Soprano Saxophone on Fascination (appears courtesy of Warner Brothers Records and DMP Records)

Everything But The Girl – Producer, Mixing
Jerry Boys - Engineer
Tony Harris - Engineer
Cameron Jenkins - Assistant Engineer
Bruce Davies - Assistant Engineer
Roger Lindsay - Live Recording's Engineer
Nick Atckins - Live Recording's Engineer

Senate - The Sleeve Symbols Design
Richard Haughton - Photographs

Songs:
  1. Love Is Strange
  2. Tougher Than the Rest
  3. Time After Time
  4. Alison
  5. Downtown Train
  6. Driving
  7. One Place
  8. Apron Strings (Live)
  9. Me and Bobby D
  10. Come On Home
  11. Fascination (Live)
Labels:
UK-no release, US/Canada-Atlantic, Japan-Toy's Factory, Others-WEA

Expert Review:
Acoustic presents two side projects in one. The first half of it consists of Everything But the Girl's covers of six songs by other contemporary performers. The second half contains two live recordings and four re-recordings of songs from Everything But the Girl's repertoire. All of the songs are performed with spare, acoustic instrumentation. The group's favorites are predictable — Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, and Tom Waits at their quietest — and while the choices are indisputably good ones — "Alison", "Downtown Train", Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" — they are also familiar, and Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn don't bring anything new to them. Their own material is calm and contemplative anyway, so stripping away the synthesizers doesn't affect the arrangements much. Acoustic is a pleasant-sounding, inessential Everything But the Girl album. — William Ruhlmann

In October 1991 Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn began a series of live shows celebrating what has now become one of the most enduring aspects of their work together as Everything But The Girl – the unaccompanied performances – they became known simply, as the "acoustic concerts".
For ninety minutes, with no band – just two voices, a guitar and a piano – they mixed interpretations of other people's songs with their own from their ten years together – the popularity of the shows led to the studio recordings of the first four tracks on this album – released in UK as the "Covers –EP", it was a top 15 hit.
Those tracks are gathered here, along with Tom Waits' Downtown Train and six originals, reflecting the mood and spirit of the "acoustic concerts". –From the album booklet

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Essence And Rare 82-92 (1992)

Credits:
Tracey Thorn - Vocals
Ben Watt - Guitars, Keyboards, Vocals, Producer
Everything But The Girl - Producer
Tommy LiPuma - Producer
Robin Millar - Producer

Songs:
  1. Meet Me in the Morning
  2. These Early Days [Remix]
  3. Come on Home [Acoustic Version]
  4. Downtown Train
  5. Living on Honeycomb
  6. Each and Everyone
  7. Night and Day
  8. Almost Blue
  9. Native Land
  10. Draining the Bar
  11. Oxford Street
  12. I Don't Want to Talk About It
  13. Driving [Acoustic Version]
  14. Take Me [Love Mix]
  15. Twin Cities [the Green Plains a Cappella Mix]
  16. No Place Like Home
  17. Old Friends
Labels:
Japan only-VAP/Toy's Factory

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Home Movies: Best Of Everything But The Girl (1993)

Credits:
Tracey Thorn - Vocals
Ben Watt - Organ, Guitar, Percussion, Vocals, Horn Arrangements, String Arrangements, Orchestral Arrangements
Michael Brecker - Tenor Saxophone

Everything But the Girl - Producer
Omar Hakim - Drums
John Patitucci - Bass
Haydn Bendall - Engineer
Jerry Boys - Engineer
Damon Butcher - Piano, Keyboards
Lenny Castro - Percussion
Martin Ditcham - Conga, Tambourine, Triangle
Ian Fraser - Sax (Tenor)
Steve Gadd - Drums
Ian Grimble - Engineer
Charles Hayward - Drums
Nick Ingman - String Arrangements, Orchestral Arrangements
Cameron Jenkins - Assistant Engineer
Peter King - Sax (Alto)
June Miles-Kingston - Drums, Tambourine, Vocals (bckgr)
John Kurlander - Engineer
Tommy LiPuma - Producer
Johnny Marr - Harmonica
James McMillan - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Horn Arrangements
Chucho Merchán - Bass
Robin Millar - Producer
Philip Moxham - Bass
Nigel Nash - Sax (Tenor)
Dick Pearce - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Mike Pela - Engineer
Rob Peters - Drums
Phil Ramone - Producer, Engineer
Ralph Salmins - Drums
Al Schmitt - Engineer
Bill Schnee - Mixing
Cara Tivey - Piano, Vocals (bckgr)
Peter Whyman - Sax (Tenor)
Mike Hedges - Producer
Micky Harris - Bass
Peter Murray - Organ
Joey Wolpert - Engineer
Richard Haughton - Cover Photo
Geoff Gascoyne - Bass

Songs:
  1. Each and Every One
  2. Another Bridge
  3. Fascination
  4. Native Land
  5. Come On Home
  6. Cross My Heart
  7. Apron Strings
  8. I Don't Want to Talk About It
  9. The Night I Heard Caruso Sing
  10. Driving
  11. Imagining America
  12. Understanding
  13. Twin Cities
  14. Love Is Strange
  15. I Didn't Know I Was Looking For Love
  16. The Only Living Boy in New York
Labels:
UK-Blanco Y Negro/WEA, US-no release, Japan-VAP/Toy's Factory

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Amplified Heart (July 19, 1994)

Credits:
Tracey Thorn - Vocals
Ben Watt - Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Acoustic and Electric Piano, Mini Moog, Vocals, Rhythm and Keyboards Arrangements on Missing, Get Me, Troubled Mind
Danny Thompson - Double Bass
Dave Mattacks - Drums
Martin Ditcham - Percussion
Harry Robinson - String Arrangements and Conductor on I Don't Understand Anything, Two Star
John Coxon - Rhythm and Keyboards Arrangements on Missing, Get Me, Troubled Mind
Richard Thompson - Lead Electric Guitar on 25th December (appears courtesy of Capitol Records)
Peter King - Alto saxophone on Disenchanted
Kate St. John - Additional Cor Anglais on Two Star

Everything But The Girl – Producer
John Coxon - Producer
Jerry Boys - Engineer, Mixing
Jon Mallison - Assistant Engineer
Mads Bjerke - Assistant Engineer
Ben Watt - Mixing
Bruce Davies - Assistant Mixing

Senate - Sleeve Design
Everything But The Girl – Sleeve Design
Richard Haughton - Cover and Guitar Pictures
Corinne Day - Inner Portraits (She is most remembered for putting fashion model, Kate Moss, on the map.)
Ponyboy Wildwood - Traffic Picture

Songs:
  1. Rollercoaster
  2. Troubled Mind
  3. I Don't Understand Anything
  4. Walking to You
  5. Get Me
  6. Missing
  7. Two Star
  8. Walk the Same Line
  9. 25th December
  10. Disenchanted
  11. Missing (Todd Terry remix)
Labels:
UK-Blanco Y Negro/WEA, US-Atlantic, Japan-VAP/Toy's Factory, Others-WEA

Expert Review:
Despite its title, Amplified Heart is one of Everything But the Girl's more acoustic works. A simple instrumentation of guitars and keyboards, augmented here and there by British folk-rock veterans like Richard Thompson, Danny Thompson, and Dave Mattacks, serves to set up a series of songs of romantic disillusionment. Declaring "My life is just an image of a roller coaster, anyway" and "I don't understand anything," among other things, over and over the songs speak of confusion and disappointment deriving from failed love affairs. The approach is much more introspective than that taken on the group's last new original album, Worldwide, but Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt's musical restraint supports it well. This is an album to listen to when you've just broken up with your lover, or even when you're just in the mood to think about lost lovers from long ago — self-pity set to music. — William Ruhlmann

Album was re-released in 1995 with Todd Terry's Club Mix of Missing as an additional eleventh track.
Amplified Heart has gone gold, topping 500,000 sales. It became the biggest selling UK single for over a decade not to reach number 1 (it only peaked at #3).

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The Best Of Everything But The Girl (1996)

Credits:
Tracey Thorn - Performer
Ben Watt - Producer
Everything But the Girl - Producer
Massive Attack - Producer, Performer
Todd Terry - Producer, Remixing
The Underdog - Producer, Remixing
John Coxon - Producer
Nellee Hooper - Producer
Tommy LiPuma - Producer
Robin Millar - Producer
Phil Ramone - Producer, Engineer
Mike Pela - Engineer
Jerry Boys - Engineer
Ben Rogan - Engineer
Al Schmitt - Engineer
Mads Bjerke - Engineer
Cameron Jenkins - Assistant Engineer

Songs:
  1. Missing (Todd Terry Remix)
  2. Driving (Todd Terry Remix)
  3. Old Friends
  4. One Place
  5. I Don't Want To Talk About It
  6. Love Is Strange
  7. The Only Living Boy In New York
  8. Apron Strings
  9. When All's Well
  10. Another Bridge
  11. Each And Every One
  12. Rollercoaster
  13. Driving (The Underdog Remix)
  14. Better Things
  15. Protection
Labels:
Blanco Y Negro, WEA

Expert Review:
The Best of Everything But the Girl is divided between selections from their early records and remixes of '90s hits, such as "Missing." Consequently, the album draws a slightly misleading portrait of their career, yet it still functions as an excellent introduction to the band, since it features many of their best songs, including "Apron Strings." — Stephen Thomas Erlewine

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Walking Wounded (May 21, 1996)

Credits:
Tracey Thorn - Vocals
Ben Watt - Synthesizers, Beats, Abstract Sounds, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, Programming

Ben Watt - Producer
Andy Bradfield - Mixing
Spring Heel Jack - Programming, Producer, Mixing on only Walking Wounded
Mads Bjerke - Engineer on only Walking Wounded
Howie B - Programming, Co-Producer, Additional Scratches on only Flipside
Johnny Rockstar - Programming Assistant on only Flipside
Jeremy Shaw - Programming Assistant on only Flipside
Todd Terry - Producer, Remixing on Wrong
Matthius H. - Engineer on Wrong
Omni Trio - Remixing on Walking Wounded
Rob Haigh - Engineer on Walking Wounded

Marcelo Krasilcic - Cover Pictures (NYC, December 1995)
Jim Friedman - Inner Picture of Walking People
Everything But The Girl – Design
Form - Design

Songs:
  1. Before Today
  2. Wrong
  3. Single
  4. The Heart Remains a Child
  5. Walking Wounded
  6. Flipside
  7. Big Deal
  8. Mirrorball
  9. Good Cop Bad Cop
  10. Wrong [Todd Terry Remix]
  11. Walking Wounded [Omni Trio mix]
Labels:
US/Canada-Atlantic, UK/Others-Virgin

Expert Review:
With Walking Wounded, Everything but the Girl puts an acceptable face on trip-hop, jungle, and techno, opening up the world of experimental dance music to a new audience. At its core, Everything But The Girl is a pop group, which means they automatically abandon the free-form song structures that characterize most of trip-hop and techno. In a sense, that dilutes the impact of the music, but the duo found a way around that by seamlessly incorporating the rhythms into carefully crafted songs. They work the same ground as Massive Attack, but their songwriting is more accessible and less adventurous than the groundbreaking Bristol group. Furthermore, Everything But The Girl never approaches the tarnished glamour of Portishead, the kineticism of Björk, or the brilliantly evocative soundscapes of Tricky. Essentially, the beats are used as window dressing — the group's music hasn't changed that much. — Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The second album which has the name of one song from the album tracks.

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Temperamental (September 28, 1999)

Credits:
Tracey Thorn - Vocals
Ben Watt - Beats, Bass, Keyboards, Guitars, Strings, Scratches, Sound Editing, Programming

Ben Watt - Producer, Mixing
Andy Bradfield - Mixing
Ricky Graham - Assistant Mixer
J Majik - Additional Production for Blame
Danny Jay - Additional Production for Blame
Geoff Pesche - Mastering

Songs:
  1. Five Fathoms
  2. Low Tide of the Night
  3. Blame
  4. Hatfield 1980
  5. Temperamental
  6. Compression
  7. Downhill Racer
  8. Lullaby of Clubland
  9. No Difference
  10. The Future of the Future (Stay Gold)
The Future Of The Future:
Deep Dish - Performer and Programmer, Producer, Mixing
Ben Watt - Editing and Vocal Production, Vocal Mixing
Andy Bradfield - Editing and Vocal Production, Vocal Mixing

Dolphin Trax - Cover Design
Graham Rounthwaite – Illustrations (He is art director of UK magazine, The Face)
CJ Field - Artwork Coordination

Labels:
US/Canada-Atlantic, UK/Others-Virgin

Expert Review:
Everything But The Girl's resurrection as a sophisticated electronica outfit may have been unpredictable, but it certainly revitalized the duo's music. Prior to 1996's Walking Wounded, the duo had taken their charming, jazzy acoustic pop as far as it could go. Adding electronica, primarily drum'n'bass and trip-hop, to the equation broke their potential wide open, as the captivating, seductive Walking Wounded proved. It was such a drastic, fulfilling departure that it did raise the question of where they go from here; its 1999 sequel, Temperamental, answers that by offering more of the same, except just a little different. Temperamental tempers the lightly skittering drum'n'bass and eliminates trip-hop, yet retains the same feel as Walking Wounded. House music — everything from classic '80s house to contemporary house — serves as the musical foundation, which actually opens the doors for slight jazzy inflections, along with long, hypnotizing instrumental passages (most notably on "Compression"). Weirdly, it also serves as a good setting for a batch of songs that are essentially in the singer/songwriter vein. In fact, there aren't as many clear pop hooks here as there were on Walking Wounded. "Five Fathoms", "Tempermental", and a couple of other tracks work as singles, but the album is a more of a meditative, reflective piece, like a singer/songwriter album — except it's dressed in sultry, evocative electronic dance music. That means, of course, that Temperamental isn't all that different than it's predecessor, but its blend of house, electronica, pop, jazz, and folk is equally satisfying as that landmark album. — Stephen Thomas Erlewine

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Back To Mine (May 29, 2001)

Credits:
Tracey Thorn - Liner Notes, Compilation, Selection
Ben Watt - Producer, Liner Notes, Compilation, Mixing, Selection
Juan Atkins - Remixing
Michael Brook - Producer
Pete Evans - Editing, Editing Engineer
M. Jones - Producer
Arif Mardin - Producer
Yianni Papadopoulos - Engineer
Vance Wright - Producer
Carl Craig - Producer
Mary Margaret O'Hara - Producer
Mike Glowik - Assistant Engineer, Assistant
J. Saul Kane - Executive Producer
Chris Brann - Producer
Damon Baxter - Producer

Songs:
  1. Friends and Enemies performed by DJ Cam
  2. All Alone (No One to Be With) performed by Slick Rick
  3. The Bayou performed by Deadly Avenger
  4. Stars All Seem to Weep performed by Orton, Beth
  5. The Flow performed by Model 500
  6. Cascades of Colour [Wamdue Black Mix] performed by Ananda Project
  7. Do It Now performed by Dubtribe Sound System
  8. A Wonderful Life performed by Craig, Carl
  9. To Cry About performed by O'Hara, Mary Margaret
  10. Silent Treatment performed by Roots
  11. Funky for You [Spacehopper Mix] performed by Deadbeats
  12. Someday We'll All Be Free performed by Hathaway, Donny
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Like the Deserts Miss the Rain (2003)

Credits:
Tracey Thorn - Liner Notes, Compilation, Selection
Ben Watt - Producer, Liner Notes, Compilation, Mixing, Selection

Songs:
  1. My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains
  2. Rollercoaster
  3. Corcovado
  4. Each and Every One
  5. Before Today (Chicane Remix)
  6. Mine
  7. Protection
  8. Single (Photek Remix)
  9. Tracey in My Room (Lazy Dog Bootleg Vocal Mix)
  10. Missing (Todd Terry Remix)
  11. Almost Blue (Costello)
  12. No Difference
  13. Cross My Heart
  14. Mirrorball
  15. A Piece of My Mind
  16. Walking Wounded
Labels:
US/Canada-Atlantic, UK/Others-Virgin

Review
This album also came with a DVD version which has some of the group's videos.


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Adapt or Die: Ten Years of Remixes (2005)

Credits:
Tracey Thorn - Liner Notes, Compilation, Selection
Ben Watt - Producer, Liner Notes, Compilation, Mixing, Selection

Songs:
  1. Mirrorball (DJ Jazzy Jeff Sole Full Remix)
  2. Before Today (Adam F Remix)
  3. Missing (McSpadden Unreleased Powerhouse Mix)
  4. Corcovado (Ben Watt Vocal Re-Edit/Knee Deep Remix)
  5. Rollercoaster (King Britt Scuba Mix)
  6. Downhill Racer (Kenny Dope Remix)
  7. Single (Brad Wood Memphis Remix)
  8. Walking Wounded (Dave Wallace Remix)
  9. Five Fathoms (Ben Watt Edit)
  10. Lullaby of Clubland (Jay "Sinister" Sealee Remix)
  11. Temperamental (Pull Timewarp Remix)
  12. Blame (Fabio Remix)
  13. Wrong (Todd Terry Unreleased Freeze Mix)
  14. Driving (Acoustic Mix)
Labels:
US/Canada-Atlantic, UK/Others-Virgin
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Other Contributions

  1. "Better Things" lyrics at album "Protection" by "Massive Attack" (1994)
  2. "Destination" lyrics at album "New Forms" by "Roni Size / Reprazent" (1997)
  3. "A New Star Is Born" lyrics at album "Supernova" by "Lisa Left Eye Lopes" (2001)
  4. Many number of Productions and Remixes... Check out here for detailed list
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