Goodbye Mr A
Encyclopedia
"Goodbye Mr A" is the second single by UK
pop rock
band
The Hoosiers
from their debut album The Trick to Life
. The song, released on 8 October 2007, has been noted by Digital Spy
’s Alex Fletcher for its similarities to Electric Light Orchestra
's single "Mr. Blue Sky
". The song is part of the soundtrack for the video game FIFA 08
.
The song is in memory of frontman
Irwin Sparkes' secondary school English teacher, Jonathan "Mr. A" Anderton. Sparkes said he was inspired to write the song upon hearing of Anderton's death in 2006. Many of the lyrics such as: "So busy showing me where I'm wrong - you forgot to switch your feelings on...", were reflective of Anderton's personality as a teacher, but Sparkes has described him as being a "really cool guy" in interviews with the media. Sparkes also says that Anderton requested his students call him "Mr. A", as he disliked being called "Mr. Anderton". It is from this that the song's title stems.
.
On 28 September 2007, The Hoosiers performed "Goodbye Mr A" on GMTV
's Entertainment Today segment.
The song marked the band's second UK Top 5 single, entering the UK Singles Chart
at #5 on Sunday 14 October 2007 and it climbed to #4 the following week. On Sunday 30 December 2007, it rose up the chart from #29 to #10.
It was used in the 18 March 2009 episode of Waterloo Road
.
The instrumental for this song has also been recently used in the second teaser trailer for Toy Story 3
, which was released on 11 October 2009.
It also appeared in the film Juno
.
comics
and popular culture
, such as the 1960s Batman
TV series. In the video, The Hoosiers kidnap Mr. A
, a comic-book character and the world's greatest superhero. They then take his place fighting crime as incompetent anti-heroes. Despite being fired into space at the end, Mr. A. survives and opens his eyes; this is a reference to the film Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
. "Goodbye Mr A" is included in the soundtrack for the football video game FIFA 08
, and the game can also be seen in the "Goodbye Mr A" music video
. Lead singer Irwin Sparkes, who is from Reading, Berkshire
, is playing as Reading F.C.
against Manchester United
. The song also appears in a trailer for the 2007 film, 'Juno'. The video was broadcast on Channel 4
at 12:10pm on 22 March 2008.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
The Hoosiers
The Hoosiers
The Hoosiers are an English pop/rock band, consisting of members Irwin Sparkes , Martin Skarendahl and Alan Sharland ....
from their debut album The Trick to Life
The Trick to Life
The Trick to Life is the debut album by London indie pop band The Hoosiers. It was released in the UK on October 22, 2007. Four singles were released from the album - "Worried About Ray", "Goodbye Mr A", "Worst Case Scenario" and "Cops and Robbers". The album was released with four different...
. The song, released on 8 October 2007, has been noted by Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
’s Alex Fletcher for its similarities to Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
's single "Mr. Blue Sky
Mr. Blue Sky
"Mr. Blue Sky" is a song by English rock group Electric Light Orchestra, featured on the band's seventh studio album Out of the Blue . Written and produced by frontman Jeff Lynne, the song forms the fourth and final track of the "Concerto for a Rainy Day" suite, on side three of the original double...
". The song is part of the soundtrack for the video game FIFA 08
FIFA 08
FIFA 08 is the 2008 installment of EA Sports' series of football video games. Developed by EA Canada, it is published by Electronic Arts worldwide under the EA Sports label. It was released on all popular gaming formats in September 2007 in Europe, Australia, and Asia, and in October 2007 in North...
.
The song is in memory of frontman
Lead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
Irwin Sparkes' secondary school English teacher, Jonathan "Mr. A" Anderton. Sparkes said he was inspired to write the song upon hearing of Anderton's death in 2006. Many of the lyrics such as: "So busy showing me where I'm wrong - you forgot to switch your feelings on...", were reflective of Anderton's personality as a teacher, but Sparkes has described him as being a "really cool guy" in interviews with the media. Sparkes also says that Anderton requested his students call him "Mr. A", as he disliked being called "Mr. Anderton". It is from this that the song's title stems.
History
The song was released on 8 October, its video having debuted on 2 September on Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
.
On 28 September 2007, The Hoosiers performed "Goodbye Mr A" on GMTV
GMTV
GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
's Entertainment Today segment.
The song marked the band's second UK Top 5 single, entering the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
at #5 on Sunday 14 October 2007 and it climbed to #4 the following week. On Sunday 30 December 2007, it rose up the chart from #29 to #10.
It was used in the 18 March 2009 episode of Waterloo Road
Waterloo Road (TV series)
Waterloo Road is an award-winning British television drama series, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 9 March 2006. Set in a troubled comprehensive school in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, the series focuses on the lives of the school's teacher and students, and confronts social...
.
The instrumental for this song has also been recently used in the second teaser trailer for Toy Story 3
Toy Story 3
Toy Story 3 is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated comedy-adventure film, and the third installment in the Toy Story series. It was produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was directed by Lee Unkrich. The film was released worldwide from June through October in Disney Digital...
, which was released on 11 October 2009.
It also appeared in the film Juno
Juno
- Astronomy and space exploration :* 3 Juno, an asteroid** Juno clump, a probable asteroid family in the vicinity of 3 Juno* Juno , a NASA mission to Jupiter* Juno I, a satellite launch vehicle* Project Juno, a private British space programme...
.
Track listing
- "Goodbye Mr A" [Single Edit]
- "Worried About Ray" [Piano Version, Live On Virgin Radio]
Chart positions
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
23 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
4 |
| UK Downloads UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
4 |
Music video
The music video to "Goodbye Mr A" is reminiscent of superheroSuperhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
comics
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
and popular culture
Popular culture
Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...
, such as the 1960s Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
TV series. In the video, The Hoosiers kidnap Mr. A
Mr. A
Mr. A is a fictional comic book hero created by Steve Ditko. Unlike most of his work, the character of Mr. A and the Mr. A stories remain the property of Ditko, all of which were written and illustrated by himself. The character first appeared in Witzend #3, 1967. Mr. A's name comes from "A is A",...
, a comic-book character and the world's greatest superhero. They then take his place fighting crime as incompetent anti-heroes. Despite being fired into space at the end, Mr. A. survives and opens his eyes; this is a reference to the film Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer is a 2007 American superhero film, and the sequel to the 2005 film Fantastic Four. Both films are based on the Fantastic Four comic book and were directed by Tim Story...
. "Goodbye Mr A" is included in the soundtrack for the football video game FIFA 08
FIFA 08
FIFA 08 is the 2008 installment of EA Sports' series of football video games. Developed by EA Canada, it is published by Electronic Arts worldwide under the EA Sports label. It was released on all popular gaming formats in September 2007 in Europe, Australia, and Asia, and in October 2007 in North...
, and the game can also be seen in the "Goodbye Mr A" music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
. Lead singer Irwin Sparkes, who is from Reading, Berkshire
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, is playing as Reading F.C.
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
. The song also appears in a trailer for the 2007 film, 'Juno'. The video was broadcast on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
at 12:10pm on 22 March 2008.