"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 Malcolm Messiter (born 1949) is a British oboist, particularly known for his recording of the virtuosic "La Favorita" concerto by Antonio Pasculli. He is the son of Ian Messiter, the creator of the BBC panel show '' Just a Minute'', and his wife E ...

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. A ...

on the song, which is featured prominently on the song's

chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in which all verse ...

, 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 Maya Angelou ( ; born Marguerite Annie Johnson; April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014) was an American memoirist, popular poet, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and ...

. 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 ''

'', 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 Record chart, 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 ...

'', 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 Alternative Airplay (formerly known as Modern Rock Tracks (1988–2009) and Alternative Songs (2009–2020)) is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in ''Billboard'' magazine since September 10, 1988. It ranks the 40 most-played ...

chart.

Critical reception

Graeme Kay from ''

Smash Hits ''Smash Hits'' was a British music magazine aimed at young adults, originally published by EMAP. It ran from 1978 to 2006, and, after initially appearing monthly, was issued fortnightly during most of that time. The name survived as a brand fo ...

'' 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 promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...

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 Liza May Minnelli ( ; born March 12, 1946) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and choreographer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli is among a rare group of performers awarded an Emmy, Grammy ...

for her album ''

Results A result is the outcome of an event. Result or Results may also refer to: Music * ''Results'' (album), a 1989 album by Liza Minnelli * ''Results'', a 2012 album by Murder Construct * "The Result", a single by The Upsetters * "The Result", a song ...

'' (produced by

Pet Shop Boys The Pet Shop Boys are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1981. Consisting of primary vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, they have sold more than 50 million records worldwide, and were listed as the most successful duo i ...

). 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 winni ...

and Shem McCauley) with a much faster tempo was included on the compilation ''

The Best of Tanita Tikaram ''The Best of Tanita Tikaram'' is the first compilation by pop singer Tanita Tikaram, released in 1996 by East West Records. Containing fifteen songs from 1988 to 1995, it also included one new track " And I Think of You - E penso a te" which ...

'' 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 Banditry is a type of organized crime committed by outlaws typically involving the threat or use of violence. A person who engages in banditry is known as a bandit and primarily commits crimes such as extortion, robbery, and murder, either as an ...

''. 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 the ...

symphonic metal Symphonic metal is a cross-generic style designation for the symphonic subsets of heavy metal music subgenres. It is used to denote any metal band that makes use of symphonic or orchestral elements. The style features the heavy drums and guitar ...

band

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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