"Twist in My Sobriety" is a song written and performed by British singer-songwriter
Tanita Tikaram
Tanita Tikaram (born 12 August 1969) is a British pop/ folk singer-songwriter. She achieved chart success with the singles "Twist in My Sobriety" and " Good Tradition" from her 1988 debut album, ''Ancient Heart''.
Background
Tikaram was born i ...
. Released as a single in October 1988 from her debut album, ''
Ancient Heart
''Ancient Heart'' is the debut studio album by British pop/ folk singer-songwriter Tanita Tikaram, initially released by Warner Music Group on 13 September 1988. The album had huge success and was a hit globally, launching 19-year-old Tikaram's ...
'' (1988), it was Tikaram's biggest international success, achieving top-10 placings in several European countries. The song reached number two in both Austria and West Germany. Its music video was directed by Gerard de Thame and filmed in Bolivia.
Composition
Malcolm Messiter plays the
oboe
The oboe ( ) is a type of double reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common oboe plays in the treble or soprano range.
...
on the song, which is featured prominently on the song's
chorus, as well as being used on instrumental solos throughout the song. The lyrics are written in three stanzas answered by the same refrain, with the refrain repeated twice at the end of the song. The refrain states: "Look my eyes are just holograms / Look your love has drawn red from my hands / From my hands you know you'll never be / More than twist in my sobriety". The first line of the song, "All God's children need travelling shoes", is the
title of a book by writer and poet
Maya Angelou.
Speaking about the somewhat obscure and enigmatic lyrics, Tikaram has offered different views on their meaning, but said it's mostly about the particular relationship with the world one feels when entering adulthood. "The song is really about not understanding - when you're 18, you've got a very particular emotional relationship with the world, you feel very isolated, and everybody else is so distant and cold. And I think I was singing about not feeling anything or not being moved by things around. I think this is a strong feeling when you're just after adolescence."
Release and performance
Released as the second single from her debut album ''
Ancient Heart
''Ancient Heart'' is the debut studio album by British pop/ folk singer-songwriter Tanita Tikaram, initially released by Warner Music Group on 13 September 1988. The album had huge success and was a hit globally, launching 19-year-old Tikaram's ...
'', the song was edited for its single release, eliminating the last verse of the song. Despite heavy promotion, including two performances of the song on the BBC's ''
Top of the Pops
''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show. For most o ...
'', the single was only a moderate hit in the UK, peaking at number 22, and is Tikaram's last top-40 hit in her home country.
The song was a bigger success when released in Europe, becoming a top-10 hit in several countries, including Ireland (number 10), France (number six), Norway (number six), West Germany (number two), and Austria (number two). The single was Tikaram's only chart hit on the US charts, peaking at number 25 on the
Modern Rock Tracks chart.
Critical reception
Graeme Kay from ''
Smash Hits'' wrote, "However this "newie" is not in the slightest bit similar
o "Good Tradition" for it's a moody, slow moving tale of emotional turmoil that Tanita rasps out to the sound of her gently plucked guitar. It probably won't be ''quite'' as big a hit as her last one, but I suspect we shall be hearing a lot more from Ms Tikaram in years to come."
Music video
The sepia-colored
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...
for "Twist in My Sobriety" was directed by Gerard de Thame and premiered in the autumn of 1988. Shot on location on the Altiplano Plateau in Bolivia, the video shows various residents of a destitute village interacting with each other amidst their daily struggles. Interspersed throughout these scenes are shots of Tanita Tikaram singing in a darkened room with only one light shining on her face.
Remixes
In 1998, Tikaram issued another version of the song as a B-side to her single ''
Stop Listening''.
Track listings
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Legacy
In 1989, the song was covered by
Liza Minnelli for her album ''
Results
A result is the outcome of an event.
Result or Results may also refer to: Music
* Results (album), ''Results'' (album), a 1989 album by Liza Minnelli
* ''Results'', a 2012 album by Murder Construct
* "The Result", a single by The Upsetters
* "The ...
'' (produced by
Pet Shop Boys). In 1996, a remixed house version by Ramp (
Simon Rogers
Simon Rogers is an English musician, record producer and composer who has been a member of The Fall, and The Lightning Seeds.
Biography
In 1976, Rogers entered the Royal College of Music, London, later becoming an associate (ARCM) and winn ...
and
Shem McCauley) with a much faster tempo was included on the compilation ''
The Best of Tanita Tikaram'' and was released as a single to promote the album. The single peaked at number 82 in the UK. In 2001, the song appeared on the soundtrack of the film ''
Bandits''. The song has been covered by such artists as
Diana Ankudinova from Russia.
On March 22, 2023, the
Norwegian
Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to:
*Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe
* Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway
* Demographics of Norway
*The Norwegian language, including ...
symphonic metal band
Sirenia
The Sirenia (), commonly referred to as sea-cows or sirenians, are an order of fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals that inhabit swamps, rivers, estuaries, marine wetlands, and coastal marine waters. The Sirenia currently comprise two distinct ...
released a performance video of their cover version of the song.
References
{{Authority control
1988 singles
1988 songs
Song recordings produced by Rod Argent
Songs written by Tanita Tikaram
Tanita Tikaram songs
Warner Records singles