Sugar Mice
Encyclopedia
Sugar Mice is the second single from Marillion
's fourth studio album
, Clutching at Straws
. Released on 13 July 1987, it peaked at number 22 in the UK Singles Chart
, becoming the band's 8th top-thirty hit in a row. Outside the UK, it was released in France
, Ireland
, the Netherlands
, Portugal
, West Germany
and (on Capitol Records
) in the USA and Canada
. A number of formats were available: 7" single, 7" picture disc
(containing a fold-out sleeve with a poster), 12" single, 12" picture disc. 3,000 copies of a 5" CD single were produced that were exclusively sold at concerts.
The title track is a melancholic rock ballad with lyrics from the perspective of a British worker who emigrates to the USA to escape unemployment, leaving behind his family, and ends up drinking in a hotel bar in Milwaukee. Fish described the background as follows:
The first-person narrator
sums up his feelings with the metaphor "We're just sugar mice
in the rain", which lends the title to the song.
The 12" and 5" CD single featured an extended version of the title track, containing a some extra music between the first and second verse.
The B-side, "Tux On", is a rock song that tells the story of a rising rock star who gradually loses touch with reality and finally ends up abusing drugs.
"Sugar Mice" was featured on the compilation Now That's What I Call Music 10.
. Unlike the covers of the album Clutching at Straws and the first single off it, "Incommunicado
", which had been collages based on photographs, this one again featured Wilkinson's signature airbrush
style. It shows sugar mice
around a cocktail glass
, melting from spilled liquid, with a male face in the background.
Total Time 16:26
All tracks written by Dick/Rothery/Kelly/Trewavas/Mosley.
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...
's fourth studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, Clutching at Straws
Clutching at Straws
Clutching at Straws is the fourth studio album by neo-progressive rock band Marillion, and is a concept album. Released in 1987, it was the last album with lead singer Fish who left the band in 1988...
. Released on 13 July 1987, it peaked at number 22 in 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 ...
, becoming the band's 8th top-thirty hit in a row. Outside the UK, it was released in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
and (on Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
) in the USA and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. A number of formats were available: 7" single, 7" picture disc
Picture disc
Picture discs are gramophone records that show images on their playing surface, rather than being of plain black or coloured vinyl.-Development:...
(containing a fold-out sleeve with a poster), 12" single, 12" picture disc. 3,000 copies of a 5" CD single were produced that were exclusively sold at concerts.
The title track is a melancholic rock ballad with lyrics from the perspective of a British worker who emigrates to the USA to escape unemployment, leaving behind his family, and ends up drinking in a hotel bar in Milwaukee. Fish described the background as follows:
- "I was laying in bed in the Holiday InnHoliday InnHoliday Inn is a brand of hotels, formally a economy motel chain, forming part of the British InterContinental Hotels Group . It is one of the world's largest hotel chains with 238,440 bedrooms and 1,301 hotels globally. There are currently 5 hotels in the pipeline...
and looking up at the ceiling at some hearts 'n' stuff that some lovers had carved, and I was feeling really down. So I rang my old lady but it was a bad phone call; lots of long silences. I felt even more depressed."
The first-person narrator
First-person narrative
First-person point of view is a narrative mode where a story is narrated by one character at a time, speaking for and about themselves. First-person narrative may be singular, plural or multiple as well as being an authoritative, reliable or deceptive "voice" and represents point of view in the...
sums up his feelings with the metaphor "We're just sugar mice
Sugar mice
Sugar mice are a traditional confection popular in the United Kingdom, especially during the Christmas season. They consist of a mass typically containing icing sugar, egg whites and golden syrup. Various flavours and matching food dyes can be added...
in the rain", which lends the title to the song.
The 12" and 5" CD single featured an extended version of the title track, containing a some extra music between the first and second verse.
The B-side, "Tux On", is a rock song that tells the story of a rising rock star who gradually loses touch with reality and finally ends up abusing drugs.
"Sugar Mice" was featured on the compilation Now That's What I Call Music 10.
Cover art
The cover was again designed by Mark WilkinsonMark Wilkinson
Mark Wilkinson is best known for his detailed cover art that he created for a number of British bands, most prominently the progressive rock band, Marillion...
. Unlike the covers of the album Clutching at Straws and the first single off it, "Incommunicado
Incommunicado (song)
Incommunicado is the lead single of Marillion's fourth studio album, Clutching at Straws. Released 11 May 1987, it reached number six in the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's third top-ten hit, the last until 2004. It became a minor hit on the Dutch Top 40 reaching number 31...
", which had been collages based on photographs, this one again featured Wilkinson's signature airbrush
Airbrush
An airbrush is a small, air-operated tool that sprays various media including ink and dye, but most often paint by a process of nebulization. Spray guns developed from the airbrush and are still considered a type of airbrush.-History:...
style. It shows sugar mice
Sugar mice
Sugar mice are a traditional confection popular in the United Kingdom, especially during the Christmas season. They consist of a mass typically containing icing sugar, egg whites and golden syrup. Various flavours and matching food dyes can be added...
around a cocktail glass
Cocktail glass
A cocktail glass is a stemmed glass which has a cone-shaped bowl placed upon a stem above a flat base. It is mainly used to serve cocktails. Its form derives from the fact that all cocktails are traditionally served chilled and contain an aromatic element...
, melting from spilled liquid, with a male face in the background.
5" CD Single
- "Sugar Mice" (Radio Edit)—05:00
- "Tux On"—05:09
- "Sugar Mice" (Extended Version)—06:09
Total Time 16:26
All tracks written by Dick/Rothery/Kelly/Trewavas/Mosley.
Personnel
- FishFish (singer)Derek William Dick, better known as Fish, is a Scottish progressive rock singer, lyricist and occasional actor, best known as the former lead singer of Marillion.-Biography:...
– vocals - Steve RotherySteve RotherySteve Rothery is the guitarist of the English rock band Marillion. He was born in Brampton, South Yorkshire, England. From the age of six he lived in Whitby, North Yorkshire.-Biography:...
- guitars - Mark Kelly - keyboards
- Pete TrewavasPete TrewavasPete Trewavas is an English musician. He joined Marillion in 1982, taking over the role of bassist, from Diz Minnett, while acting occasionally as a backing vocalist and acoustic guitarist.Although he was born in Middlesbrough, Trewavas spent much of his childhood in the Buckinghamshire town of...
- bass - Ian MosleyIan MosleyIan F. Mosley is a drummer in the progressive rock band, Marillion.Mosley joined the band in 1984 after a long search for a replacement of Mick Pointer, who had been left the band in 1983. Mosley had previously, among others, played with former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett, both on two of his...
- drums