Crackers International is an EP

Extended play

An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...

 released by Erasure

Erasure

Erasure are an English synthpop duo, consisting of songwriter and keyboardist Vince Clarke and singer Andy Bell. Erasure entered the music scene in 1985 with their debut single "Who Needs Love Like That"...

 in 1988, in between the albums The Innocents

The Innocents (album)

After releasing The Two Ring Circus, a remix album in 1987, The Innocents was the third proper studio release from Erasure, released in 1988...

and Wild!

Wild!

Wild! is the fourth studio album by British band Erasure. Released in 1989, it was the follow-up album to their 1988 breakthrough The Innocents...

.

History

The EP appeared in several different versions. The original UK release by Mute Records

Mute Records

Mute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...

 consisted of four original, self-produced tracks. In the UK, where at the time EPs were eligible for the singles chart, it became one of Erasure's most successful releases, matching the number two peak of 1986's "Sometimes

Sometimes (Erasure song)

"Sometimes" is a song by British synthpop duo Erasure, released in October 1986 as their fourth single overall.After three commercial flops from their debut album Wonderland, "Sometimes" became Erasure's first bonafide hit, peaking at number one in South Africa, number two in their native United...

."

In the U.S., Crackers International was still considered an EP, although two remix

Remix

A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....

es were added (bringing the tracklist count to six) when Sire Records

Sire Records

Sire Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehrer, each investing ten thousand dollars into the new company. Its early releases as a...

 released it. In the U.S., where EPs chart on the Billboard 200

Billboard 200

The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...

, it hit number seventy-three. The song "Stop!" was also released as its own stand-alone single in the U.S., just barely making an appearance on the Billboard Hot 100

Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

 (number ninety-seven). On the U.S. Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart "Stop!" / "Knocking On Your Door" peaked at number four as a double-sided entry.

Additionally, a version of the EP was released in the UK by Mute Records

Mute Records

Mute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...

 in a very limited-edition, seasonal pressing, titled Crackers International Part 2. Released originally in 12" vinyl with extended versions of "Stop!" and "Knocking On Your Door", both remixed by Mark Saunders, it also added the Christmas

Christmas

Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...

 standard "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen is an English traditional Christmas carol. The melody is in Aeolian mode. It was published by William B...

". It was subsequently released as a 3-inch compact disc

Compact Disc

The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...

 containing the original 7" versions of "Stop!" and "Knocking On Your Door" (also of note is the fact that there were two different versions of the single mix of "Stop!", one with a fade, and a slightly longer one with a 'cold' ending).

7": Mute / E Mute 93 (UK)

1. "Stop!" (fade ending) - 2:55
2. "The Hardest Part" - 3:40
3. "Knocking on Your Door" - 2:57
4. "She Won't Be Home" - 3:28

• There was also a 2 track 7" produced mainly for jukebox
  Jukebox
  A jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device, usually a coin-operated machine, that will play a patron's selection from self-contained media...
  
  es (Mute 93) with the same versions of "Stop!" and "Knocking on Your Door" as the 4 track version.

7": Sire-Reprise / 22879-7 (US)

1. "Stop!" (7-inch version) - 2:55
2. "Ship of Fools" - 4:01

• "7-inch version" same as "fade ending"
• also released on MC (22879-4)

12": Mute / 12 Mute 93 (UK)

1. "Stop!" (cold ending) - 3:03
2. "The Hardest Part" (12" version) - 5:07
3. "Knocking on Your Door" (12" version) - 3:59
4. "She Won't Be Home" - 3:28

• also released on 3" CD (CD Mute 93)

12": Mute / L12 Mute 93 (UK)

1. "Stop!" (mark saunders remix) - 5:47
2. "Knocking on Your Door" (mark saunders remix) - 6:07
3. "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" - 3:12

• released as "Crackers International part II"
• also released on 3" CD (LCD Mute 93)

12": Sire-Reprise / 25904-1 (US)

1. "Stop!" (7-inch version) - 2:55
2. "The Hardest Part" - 3:40
3. "Stop!" (12" remix) - 5:47
4. "Knocking on Your Door" - 2:57
5. "She Won't Be Home" - 3:28
6. "Knocking on Your Door" (12" remix) - 6:07

• also released on CD (25904-2) and MC (25904-4)
• 12" mixes by Mark Saunders
  Mark Saunders
  Mark Saunders, is a British record producer who has worked on a number of albums. He relocated to New York City in 1996 and currently works from his facility in Manhattan - Beat360 Studios....
  
  

CD: Mute / EBX 3.1 (UK)

1. "Stop!" (Cold Ending) - 3:03
2. "The Hardest Part" - 3:40
3. "Knocking On Your Door" - 2:57
4. "She Won't Be Home" - 3:28
5. "The Hardest Part" (12" version) - 5:06
6. "Knocking On Your Door" (12" version) - 3:59
7. "Stop!" (Mark Saunders Remix) - 5:47
8. "Knocking on Your Door" (Mark Saunders Remix) - 6:07
9. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" - 3:10

• part of the CD single box set

Chart performance

Chart (1988)	Peak position
Austrian Singles Chart	16
Dutch Singles Chart	49
German Singles Chart	18
Irish Singles Chart	2
New Zealand Singles Chart	40
Swiss Singles Chart	15
UK Singles Chart	2
U.S. Billboard 200	73

Personnel

• Erasure – Producer
• Cameron Jenkins – Assistant Engineer
• Phil Legg – Mixing
• Jock Loveband – Assistant Engineer
• Alan Moulder – Engineer
• Mark Saunders – Remixing, Mixing

Mark Saunders

1. "Stop!" (mark saunders remix) - 5:47
2. "Knocking on Your Door" (12" version) - 3:59
3. "Knocking on Your Door" (mark saunders remix) - 6:07