I Say I Say I Say

I Say I Say I Say
Studio album by
Erasure
Released16 May 1994[1]
Recorded1993
StudioStudio 142, The Church (London), Windmill Lane (Dublin), 37B (Chertsey, Surrey)[2][3]
Genre
Length44:08
Label
ProducerMartyn Ware
Erasure chronology
Chorus
(1991) 		I Say I Say I Say
(1994) 		Erasure
(1995)
Singles from I Say I Say I Say
  1. "Always"
    Released: 11 April 1994
  2. "Run to the Sun"
    Released: 18 July 1994
  3. "I Love Saturday"
    Released: 18 November 1994
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Entertainment WeeklyB[5]
Los Angeles Times[6]
NME7/10[7]
The Observer(favorable)[8]
Smash Hits4/5[9]

I Say I Say I Say is the sixth studio album by English synth-pop duo Erasure, released in 1994 by Mute Records in the UK and Elektra Records in the US. The album was produced by Martyn Ware, who was a founding member of veteran synth-pop groups the Human League and Heaven 17.

Upon its release it became Erasure's fourth consecutive studio album to hit No. 1 in the UK, and fifth overall,[10] generating three top-20 singles. In the US, I Say I Say I Say debuted and peaked at number 18 on the Billboard 200, easily beating their previous highest chart placing. In Germany, the album climbed to number six.

Although Erasure always maintained popularity in the US dance club community, with the rise of grunge rock Erasure saw their exposure on college radio, mainstream stations and MTV become mostly non-existent by 1994.[citation needed] This made it even more of a surprise when the ballad "Always" gave them their third top-20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in September.

The album saw keyboardist/programmer Vince Clarke continue with his by-then trademark exclusive usage of pre-MIDI analog synthesizers and sequencers, with the additional self-imposed constraint that no drum machines were to be used either.[citation needed] Instead, Clarke used synthesizers to create the album's drum and percussion sounds.

  1. ^ "News". Melody Maker. 19 March 1994. p. 3.
  2. ^ Miller, Jonathan. "Erasure – Under Cover". Garethjones.com. Archived from the original on 23 January 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  3. ^ Masterson, Ian (1995). "Dome Sweet Dome". ErasureInfo.com. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  4. ^ AllMusic review
  5. ^ Romero, Michele (20 May 1994). "I Say, I Say, I Say". Entertainment Weekly.
  6. ^ Willman, Chris (22 May 1994). "Organic Love for Space Age Swooners". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  7. ^ Wells, Steven (21 May 1994). "Long Play". New Musical Express. p. 39.
  8. ^ Spencer, Neil (15 May 1994). "Pop Releases". The Observer.
  9. ^ Cochrane, Emma (11 May 1994). "New Albums". Smash Hits. p. 48. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  10. ^ "Erasure | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". OfficialCharts.com.