Little Fluffy Clouds
Encyclopedia
"Little Fluffy Clouds" is a single released by the English ambient house
group The Orb
. It was originally released in July 1990 on the record label
Big Life
and peaked at #87 on the UK Singles Chart
. The Orb also included it on their 1991 double album The Orb's Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld
. "Little Fluffy Clouds" was re-released several times with different b-sides, with its 1993 re-release reaching #10 in the UK.
had previously worked with Jimmy Cauty
as The Orb
. Upon Cauty's departure from The Orb, Paterson began work on "Little Fluffy Clouds" with ex-Killing Joke
member Martin "Youth" Glover
. However, because of other production obligations, Glover did not become a permanent member of The Orb. Kris "Thrash" Weston
joined The Orb soon after. Weston mixed and engineered several versions of "Little Fluffy Clouds", including the version on The Orb's Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld
.
in which she recalls picturesque images of her childhood. Critics and fans sometimes attribute the odd nasal tonality of Jones' voice to drug use, though Jones later claimed that it was the result of a heavy cold. The samples are widely believed to have come from a conversation between Jones and Levar Burton
on the children's television programme Reading Rainbow
., but in fact originated from an interview disc that was issued with some promotional boxed copies of her album Flying Cowboys
. The interview was not actually conducted by Burton at all.
Jones was upset at the unauthorized use of her voice and pursued the issue in the legal system. Big Life chose to settle
out of court for an undisclosed sum of money for use of her voice on The Orb's recording.
The song also uses a harmonica sample from Ennio Morricone
's The Man With The Harmonica (from the film Once Upon a Time in the West
) and parts of Electric Counterpoint
, a piece for multitracked guitars composed by Steve Reich
and recorded by Pat Metheny
. Reich, unlike Jones, was "genuinely flattered" by The Orb's use of his work and instructed his record company not to sue. Alex Paterson also suggested that the drum track is sampled: “If anyone actually knew where the drums on ‘Little Fluffy Clouds’ came from, they'd all just die, but I'm not at liberty to tell. Record companies have always warned me, ‘Don't tell anyone where you got your samples until we get them cleared!’”
and was a dancefloor success. After the popularity of following Orb albums, "Little Fluffy Clouds" was re-released several times, including a 1993 edition which peaked at #10 on the UK charts.
In addition, a version arranged for strings was released by the group Instrumental on their 1999 album Acoustek.
Ambient house
Ambient house, a music genre that first emerged in the late 1980s, is a sub-genre of house music, combining elements of acid house and ambient music...
group The Orb
The Orb
Throughout 1989, the Orb, along with Martin Glover, developed the musical genre of ambient house through the use of a diverse array of samples and recordings. The culmination of its musical work came toward the end of the year when the group recorded a session for John Peel on BBC Radio 1...
. It was originally released in July 1990 on the record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
Big Life
Big Life
Big Life was a record label established in 1987 by Jazz Summers and Tim Parry. It featured hundreds of releases from artists such as The Orb, Stare, Yazz, Junior Reid, Coldcut, and De La Soul....
and peaked at #87 on 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 ...
. The Orb also included it on their 1991 double album The Orb's Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld
The Orb's Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld
The Orb's Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld is the seminal 1991 ambient house-concept debut album by the electronic music collective The Orb. The album's framework is of a two-hour psychedelic trip through music genres and studio electronics, produced to "push the threshold" of live stage performance...
. "Little Fluffy Clouds" was re-released several times with different b-sides, with its 1993 re-release reaching #10 in the UK.
Production
Alex PatersonAlex Paterson
Alex Paterson is an English musician and co-founder of the ambient group The Orb, in which he has worked since its inception....
had previously worked with Jimmy Cauty
Jimmy Cauty
James Francis Cauty is a British artist and musician born in Liverpool, England, in 1956...
as The Orb
The Orb
Throughout 1989, the Orb, along with Martin Glover, developed the musical genre of ambient house through the use of a diverse array of samples and recordings. The culmination of its musical work came toward the end of the year when the group recorded a session for John Peel on BBC Radio 1...
. Upon Cauty's departure from The Orb, Paterson began work on "Little Fluffy Clouds" with ex-Killing Joke
Killing Joke
Killing Joke are an English post-punk band formed in October 1978 in Notting Hill, London, England; other sources report the band formed in early 1979.Related news articles: Founding members Jaz Coleman and Geordie Walker have been the only constant members.A key influence on industrial rock,...
member Martin "Youth" Glover
Martin Glover
Martin Glover, also known as Youth, is a record producer and a founding member and bassist of the UK band Killing Joke. He is a member of The Fireman along with Paul McCartney. Glover was born in Africa.-Early career:...
. However, because of other production obligations, Glover did not become a permanent member of The Orb. Kris "Thrash" Weston
Kris Weston
Kris Weston is a British electronic musician, record producer and remixer best known for his work as a member of The Orb....
joined The Orb soon after. Weston mixed and engineered several versions of "Little Fluffy Clouds", including the version on The Orb's Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld
The Orb's Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld
The Orb's Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld is the seminal 1991 ambient house-concept debut album by the electronic music collective The Orb. The album's framework is of a two-hour psychedelic trip through music genres and studio electronics, produced to "push the threshold" of live stage performance...
.
Samples
"Little Fluffy Clouds" is centred on clips from an interview with Rickie Lee JonesRickie Lee Jones
Rickie Lee Jones is an American vocalist, musician, songwriter, and producer. Over the course of a three-decade career, Jones has recorded in various musical styles including rock, R&B, blues, pop, soul, and jazz standards.-Childhood:...
in which she recalls picturesque images of her childhood. Critics and fans sometimes attribute the odd nasal tonality of Jones' voice to drug use, though Jones later claimed that it was the result of a heavy cold. The samples are widely believed to have come from a conversation between Jones and Levar Burton
LeVar Burton
Levardis Robert Martyn Burton, Jr. , professionally known as LeVar Burton, is an American actor, director, producer and author who first came to prominence portraying Kunta Kinte in the 1977 award-winning ABC television miniseries Roots, based on the novel by Alex Haley...
on the children's television programme Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow is an American children's television series aired by PBS from June 6, 1983 until November 10, 2006 that encouraged reading among children. The award-winning public television series garnered over 200 broadcast awards, including scores of Emmy Awards, many for "Outstanding Children's...
., but in fact originated from an interview disc that was issued with some promotional boxed copies of her album Flying Cowboys
Flying Cowboys
Flying Cowboys is an album by Rickie Lee Jones, released in September 1989 and produced by Walter Becker of Steely Dan.- Genesis :After the release of The Magazine in 1984, Jones retreated from the limelight...
. The interview was not actually conducted by Burton at all.
- Interviewer: "What were the skies like when you were young?"
- Jones: "They went on forever – They - When I w- We lived in Arizona, and the skies always had little fluffy clouds in 'em, and, uh... they were long... and clear and... there were lots of stars at night. And, uh, when it would rain, it would all turn - it- They were beautiful, the most beautiful skies as a matter of fact. Um, the sunsets were purple and red and yellow and on fire, and the clouds would catch the colours everywhere. That's uh, neat 'cause I used to look at them all the time, when I was little. You don't see that. You might still see them in the desert."
Jones was upset at the unauthorized use of her voice and pursued the issue in the legal system. Big Life chose to settle
Settlement (law)
In law, a settlement is a resolution between disputing parties about a legal case, reached either before or after court action begins. The term "settlement" also has other meanings in the context of law.-Basis:...
out of court for an undisclosed sum of money for use of her voice on The Orb's recording.
The song also uses a harmonica sample from Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone, Grand Officer OMRI, , is an Italian composer and conductor, who wrote music to more than 500 motion pictures and television series, in a career lasting over 50 years. His scores have been included in over 20 award-winning films as well as several symphonic and choral pieces...
's The Man With The Harmonica (from the film Once Upon a Time in the West
Once Upon a Time in the West
Once Upon a Time in the West is a 1968 Italian epic spaghetti western film directed by Sergio Leone for Paramount Pictures. It stars Henry Fonda cast against type as the villain, Charles Bronson as his nemesis, Jason Robards as a bandit, and Claudia Cardinale as a newly widowed homesteader with a...
) and parts of Electric Counterpoint
Electric Counterpoint
Electric Counterpoint is a minimalist composition written by American composer Steve Reich. The piece consists of three movements, "Fast", "Slow", and "Fast"...
, a piece for multitracked guitars composed by Steve Reich
Steve Reich
Stephen Michael "Steve" Reich is an American composer who together with La Monte Young, Terry Riley, and Philip Glass is a pioneering composer of minimal music...
and recorded by Pat Metheny
Pat Metheny
Patrick Bruce "Pat" Metheny is an American jazz guitarist and composer.One of the most successful and critically acclaimed jazz musicians to come to prominence in the 1970s and '80s, he is the leader of the Pat Metheny Group and is also involved in duets, solo works and other side projects...
. Reich, unlike Jones, was "genuinely flattered" by The Orb's use of his work and instructed his record company not to sue. Alex Paterson also suggested that the drum track is sampled: “If anyone actually knew where the drums on ‘Little Fluffy Clouds’ came from, they'd all just die, but I'm not at liberty to tell. Record companies have always warned me, ‘Don't tell anyone where you got your samples until we get them cleared!’”
Commercial reception
"Little Fluffy Clouds" reached #87 on the UK Singles ChartUK 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 ...
and was a dancefloor success. After the popularity of following Orb albums, "Little Fluffy Clouds" was re-released several times, including a 1993 edition which peaked at #10 on the UK charts.
7": Big Life / BLR 33 (UK)
- "Little Fluffy Clouds [seven inch mk 1]" (4:05)
- "Little Fluffy Clounds [ambient mk 1]" (4:29)
- Released November 1990
12": Big Life / BLR 33T (UK)
- "Little Fluffy Clouds [dance mk 2]" (8:26)
- "Into The Fourth Dimension [edit]" (7:03)
- "Little Fluffy Clounds [ambient mk 1]" (4:29)
- Released November 1990
- Into The Fourth Dimension mix also called "essenes beyond control" version
- also released on CD - BLR 33CD
12": Big Life / BLR 33R (UK)
- "Little Fluffy Clouds (drum & vox version)" (7:10)
- "Little Fluffy Clouds [seven inch mk 1]" (4:05)
- "Into The Fourth Extension" (9:05)
- Released November 1990
- Remix 12"
- Reissued November 1993
CD: Big Life / BLRD 98 (UK)
- "Little Fluffy Clouds [seven inch mk 1]" (4:05)
- "Little Fluffy Clouds [dance mk 2]" (8:26)
- "Into The Fourth Dimension [edit]" (7:03)
- "Little Fluffy Clounds [ambient mk 1]" (4:29)
- Re-released 1 November 1993
12": Mercury / 865139-1 (US)
- "Little Fluffy Clouds [Cumulonimbus Mix]" (6:10)
- "Little Fluffy Clouds [Dis joint don't argue mix]" (6:38)
- "Little Fluffy Clouds [Seven Inch MK 1]" (4:05)
- "Little Fluffy Clouds [Inner Master Mix]" (3:58)
- "Outlands [Fountain of Elisha]" (8:00)
- Released November 1991
CD: Mercury / 865139-2 (US)
- "Little Fluffy Clouds [Seven Inch MK 1]" (4:05)
- "Little Fluffy Clouds [Inner Master Mix]" (3:58)
- "Little Fluffy Clouds [Cumulonimbus Mix]" (6:10)
- "Little Fluffy Clouds [Dance MK 2]" (8:26)
- "Little Fluffy Clouds [Heavyweight Dub]" (6:30)
- "Outlands [Fountain of Elisha]" (8:00)
- Released November 1991
Remixes
There have been an extensive number of remixes of "Little Fluffy Clouds" due to its popularity. Many mixes were created by both The Orb and other artists. Most of these have appeared as B-sides on Little Fluffy Clouds or other singles by The Orb. All remixes listed are by The Orb unless otherwise noted.- YouthMartin GloverMartin Glover, also known as Youth, is a record producer and a founding member and bassist of the UK band Killing Joke. He is a member of The Fireman along with Paul McCartney. Glover was born in Africa.-Early career:...
& ThrashKris WestonKris Weston is a British electronic musician, record producer and remixer best known for his work as a member of The Orb....
- Dance MK II (8:26) - Ambient MK I (4:28)
- Pal Joey - Cumulonimbus Mix (6:10)
- ColdcutColdcutColdcut are an English dance music duo, comprising Matt Black and Jonathan More. Their signature style is electronic dance music, featuring cut up samples of hip hop, breaks, jazz, spoken word and various other types of music, as well as video and multimedia.-1980s:In 1986, computer programmer Matt...
- Dis Joint Don't Argue Mix (6:38) - Coldcut - Inner Master Mix (3:58)
- Coldcut - Heavyweight Dub (6:30)
- Youth - Drum & Vox Version
- Thrash - seven inch mk 1
- Tokyo 2.7.93 - From Live 93
- Danny TenagliaDanny TenagliaDanny Tenaglia is a New York-based DJ and Grammy nominated record producer.-Early life:At the age of ten, Tenaglia first started to collect records. In 1979 he began going to nightclub Paradise Garage, where DJ Larry Levan's genre-less blend of music appealed to him...
- Downtempo Groove (8:35) - Danny Tenaglia - Detour Mix (10:15)
- Adam FreelandAdam FreelandAdam Freeland is an English DJ and producer associated with breakbeat based electronic music. He was a resident of Brighton, moved to Los Angeles where he recorded second album Cope™ but is now based back in Brighton...
& Kevin Beber - Tsunami One Remix (7:57) - Jutta Jaw, OTP - One True Parker Mix (5:52)
- Hellpass - Little Cheeky Clouds
In addition, a version arranged for strings was released by the group Instrumental on their 1999 album Acoustek.
Trivia
- "Little Fluffy Clouds" was used as the music to a VolkswagenVolkswagenVolkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
commercial for the New BeetleVolkswagen New Beetle-Specifications:*Dimension:**Length: **Width: **Height: **Wheelbase: **Curb weight: *Max speed: 177–210 km/h *Acceleration : 6.5-13.2 sec-Body styles:-Engine choices:-Safety:...
in the late 1990s, accompanied by video of the New Beetle rotating and changing colour to the beat of the music.
- Simon MunnerySimon MunnerySimon Munnery, also known by his stagenames of Alan Parker: Urban Warrior and The League Against Tedium, is an English comedy writer and experimental standup comedian...
as his character Alan Parker created a comic parody version of "Little Fluffy Clouds" (titled "Grey Clouds"), featuring his voice instead of Rickie Lee Jones' dubbed over the instrumental of the track and describing the weather in Watford, England.
- "Little Fluffy Clouds" was sampled by OsymysoOsymysoOsymyso is a musician and DJ from the United Kingdom who specializes in the genres of bastard pop and breakbeat. He has been making music since 1994, but he released his first album, Welcome to the Pailindrome, in 1999...
for his work "Intro-Inspection"
- "Little Fluffy Clouds" was used by the snowboarding company Absinthe Films in its 2009 release, "Neverland" for Sylvain Bourbousson & Phil Damianakes' part.