“Stutter” by Elastica for Best of Britpop Tuesday
Elastica is this Week’s Band in the Best Britpop Music Tuesday Spotlight. We are featuring their Hit Song “Stutter”, which we briefly mentioned in the Blur Spotlight. The Song was written by Justine Frishmann, Elastica’s Lead Singer. It was originally Released as a Single in 1993 and then included on the band’s 1995 Self-Titled Debut Album.
So, let’s take a seat, shall we? We’ll adjust our Speakers together, or throw on a pair of Headphones and Turn the Volume way Up. We can have a Listen together, learning a bit as we go about one of the Best Britpop Bands, and Songs, with this week’s, Featured Artist, Elastica, and their Top Hit Single, “Stutter”.
“STUTTER” BY ELASTICA
“Is there something you lack,
when I’m flat on my back?
Is there something that I can do for you?
It’s always something you ate,
or it’s something you hate.
Tell me is it the way that I touch you?
Have you found a new mate,
and is she really great?
Is it just that I’m much too much for you?”
“Stutter”, from the Self-Titled Debut Album by Elastica, is a little over two minutes long and contains just two verses and two choruses because of Lead Singer, and Songwriter, Justine Frischmann thinking that any more would be unnecessary.
The lyrics are basically about “the occasional problem of drunken male impotence” (quote from John Harris’ book The Last Party) and are also said to be directly about Justine’s then on-again/off-again boyfriend, Damon Albarn, the Lead Singer of Blur.
“Stutter” was Elastica’s Debut Single and was first released in November 1993 for the independent Deceptive label. It sold out within one day!
The Single was re-released the following year, and according to SoundScan, it had sold over 6,000 copies by May 1995. The song was not worked into radio until later in 1995, after which it charted in the US and Canada.
“Stutter” was included as the 14th track on Elastica’s 1995 Self-Titled Debut Album, and it was also included in the 2002 20th Century Masters collection, Best of Brit Pop.
“Stutter” received positive reviews from Music Critics. Spin wrote that “[The Single] Stutter delivers four brilliant pop songs.” According to Douglas Walk of CMJ New Music Monthly, “Elastica’s best moments are all on its own, especially the astonishing single ‘Stutter'”.
The Single peaked at # 80 in the UK in November 1993. In the US, “Stutter” stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 9 weeks, peaking at # 67 on August 26, 1995. It also went to # 10 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart on August 12. In Canada, the song peaked at #4 on the Alternative chart on August 14.
The Song’s Music Video (see above), which was directed by David Mould, aired regularly on MTV in 1995 It features shots of the band members walking down crowded streets and performing at concerts.
Here is a Live Version of “Stutter”:
“Stutter” by Elastica
Live in 1995
Justine was part of the Band Suede before breaking off and starting Elastica. She was fed-up when she left her stint with Suede and felt like she was “the token girl Playing Guitar in the back”. Brett Anderson of Suede was her then boyfriend at the time, and the frustration grew to uncomfortableness and agitation when Justine started dating his arch-rival Damon Albarn, of Blur.
In 1992 Justine formed Elastica with Drummer Justin Welch, a fellow early Suede dropout, Bassist Annie Holland, and Guitarist Donna Matthews.
The popularity of early Singles “Line Up”, “Connection”, and of course “Stutter” got the attention of many in the Music Business, including Steve Lamacq, who began championing Justine and the Band on his BBC Radio 1 Show, and later signed them to his Label, Deceptive Records.
Thank you for joining us for another Best of Britpop Music Tuesday, this Week Featuring Elastica, and their Hit Song, “Stutter”, a Definitive Best of Britpop Song from Elastica, in 1995.
What did you think of the Song?
We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
