Fur (Jane Wiedlin album)
Encyclopedia
Fur is the second album by Jane Wiedlin
, released in 1988. The songs "Rush Hour
" and "Inside a Dream
" were released as singles
and both charted on the Billboard Hot 100
. The album has a slick, contemporary production, with mainly programmed
music complemented by electric guitar
and some horns
.
The album was written over a period of two years, following the lukewarm response to previous album Jane Wiedlin
and her subsequent foray into acting.
("I don't wear fur/Won't do it/Fur's for fools"), most of the songs deal with fidelity ("Homeboy"), blossoming love ("One Heart One Way", "Lover's Night") and the fulfilment of ambitions ("Inside a Dream").
"Song of the Factory" differs from these themes with insistent synth lines and a more abstract lyric ("It is cold/But it is warm/It is one/But not alone"). Wiedlin's favourite song from the album, it includes a dig at producer Shep Pettibone
in morse code
, in reference to a feud between the renowned remixer and Fur producer Stephen Hague
.
Both sides of the original vinyl record were bookmarked by slower love songs: "The End of Love" (which was the B-side to "Rush Hour") and "Whatever It Takes". "Rush Hour" was the first single from the album and reached #9 in the United States
and #12 in Britain
. Fur and the next single "Inside a Dream" were more modest successes, reaching #105 and #57 respectively in the USA. Fur spent 21 weeks on The Billboard 200
.
, Steve Hochman wrote: "'Fur' is the perfect title for [Wiedlin's] second solo release: like a teddy bear it's warm and cuddly, but with no teeth or claws. Part of the blame goes to producer Stephen Hague, whose synth-pop is all fluff and no character". The album was described as "shimmering mainstream pop [...] that is sometimes reminiscent of Madonna" in the Daily News of Los Angeles
.
The review on allmusic states that "'Rush Hour' and the haunting ballad 'The End of Love' are the best of the lot, with 'Song of the Factory' close behind, but many of the other tracks are filler, and a couple just don't work at all", concluding that "Fur largely sounds like Wiedlin was being led by EMI's A&R team instead of thinking for herself".
Co-produced by David Jacob
Backing vocals - Simon Climie
, Tessa Niles
Guitar - Neil Taylor
Horns - The Kick Horns
Keyboards - Robert Fisher
Percussion - Bruce Smith
Jane Wiedlin
Jane Marie Genevieve Wiedlin is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and actress. She is best known as the rhythm guitarist of the all-female New Wave band The Go-Go's.-Early life:...
, released in 1988. The songs "Rush Hour
Rush Hour (song)
"Rush Hour" is a pop song by Go Go's guitarist Jane Wiedlin, taken from her second album Fur. It was backed by a fellow album track, the percussive, melancholy "End of Love". The 12-inch single featured an extended remix by Rusty Garner and an instrumental version."Rush Hour" was Wiedlin's most...
" and "Inside a Dream
Inside a Dream
"Inside a Dream" is a pop song by Go Go's guitarist Jane Wiedlin. It was the second single from her album Fur. Its predecessor "Rush Hour" fared better commercially. The track "Song of the Factory", also from Fur, was the B-side to "Inside a Dream", while remixed versions by Mark S. Berry augmented...
" were released as singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
and both charted 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...
. The album has a slick, contemporary production, with mainly programmed
Programming (music)
Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
music complemented by electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
and some horns
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
.
The album was written over a period of two years, following the lukewarm response to previous album Jane Wiedlin
Jane Wiedlin (album)
Jane Wiedlin is the debut album by Jane Wiedlin, released in 1985 on I.R.S. Records. It was her first solo album after leaving New Wave group The Go-Go's. The track "My Traveling Heart" dealt with Wiedlin's feelings about the breakup of the band....
and her subsequent foray into acting.
Songs
Despite the title track addressing the fur tradeFur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
("I don't wear fur/Won't do it/Fur's for fools"), most of the songs deal with fidelity ("Homeboy"), blossoming love ("One Heart One Way", "Lover's Night") and the fulfilment of ambitions ("Inside a Dream").
"Song of the Factory" differs from these themes with insistent synth lines and a more abstract lyric ("It is cold/But it is warm/It is one/But not alone"). Wiedlin's favourite song from the album, it includes a dig at producer Shep Pettibone
Shep Pettibone
Robert E. Pettibone, Jr. is a record producer, remixer, songwriter and club DJ, one of the most prolific of the 1980s. His earliest work known to the public was for one of New York City's top disco/dance radio stations, WRKS 98.7 "Kiss" FM, and later as remixer/producer for the disco label Salsoul...
in morse code
Morse code
Morse code is a method of transmitting textual information as a series of on-off tones, lights, or clicks that can be directly understood by a skilled listener or observer without special equipment...
, in reference to a feud between the renowned remixer and Fur producer Stephen Hague
Stephen Hague
Stephen Hague is an American music producer most active with various British acts in the 1980s. He was an influential figure in the synthpop movement.-Early career:...
.
Both sides of the original vinyl record were bookmarked by slower love songs: "The End of Love" (which was the B-side to "Rush Hour") and "Whatever It Takes". "Rush Hour" was the first single from the album and reached #9 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and #12 in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Fur and the next single "Inside a Dream" were more modest successes, reaching #105 and #57 respectively in the USA. Fur spent 21 weeks 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...
.
Reception
Fur received mixed reviews upon release. In the Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, Steve Hochman wrote: "'Fur' is the perfect title for [Wiedlin's] second solo release: like a teddy bear it's warm and cuddly, but with no teeth or claws. Part of the blame goes to producer Stephen Hague, whose synth-pop is all fluff and no character". The album was described as "shimmering mainstream pop [...] that is sometimes reminiscent of Madonna" in the Daily News of Los Angeles
Los Angeles Daily News
The Los Angeles Daily News is the second-largest circulating daily newspaper of Los Angeles, California. It is the flagship of the Los Angeles Newspaper Group, a branch of Colorado-based MediaNews Group....
.
The review on allmusic states that "'Rush Hour' and the haunting ballad 'The End of Love' are the best of the lot, with 'Song of the Factory' close behind, but many of the other tracks are filler, and a couple just don't work at all", concluding that "Fur largely sounds like Wiedlin was being led by EMI's A&R team instead of thinking for herself".
Track listing
- "Inside a DreamInside a Dream"Inside a Dream" is a pop song by Go Go's guitarist Jane Wiedlin. It was the second single from her album Fur. Its predecessor "Rush Hour" fared better commercially. The track "Song of the Factory", also from Fur, was the B-side to "Inside a Dream", while remixed versions by Mark S. Berry augmented...
" - 3:36 (Wiedlin, Gardner Cole) - "Rush HourRush Hour (song)"Rush Hour" is a pop song by Go Go's guitarist Jane Wiedlin, taken from her second album Fur. It was backed by a fellow album track, the percussive, melancholy "End of Love". The 12-inch single featured an extended remix by Rusty Garner and an instrumental version."Rush Hour" was Wiedlin's most...
" - 4:03 (Wiedlin, Peter Rafelson) - "One Heart One Way" - 3:49 (Wiedlin, Peter Rafelson)
- "Homeboy" - 3:58 (Wiedlin, Lundt, Swirsky)
- "The End of Love" - 3:17 (Wiedlin, Stephen Hague)
- "Lover's Night" - 3:26 (Wiedlin, Peter Rafelson)
- "Fur" 3:12 - (Wiedlin, Gardner Cole)
- "Give!" - 3:13 (Wiedlin, Rafelson)
- "Song of the Factory" - 4:54 (Wiedlin, Hague, Woolley)
- "Whatever It Takes" - 3:55 (Wiedlin, Kessler, Simms)
Personnel
Produced by Stephen HagueCo-produced by David Jacob
Backing vocals - Simon Climie
Simon Climie
Simon Climie is a songwriter/producer and the former lead singer of the UK pop duo Climie Fisher, who had hits with "Love Changes " and "Rise to the Occasion"....
, Tessa Niles
Tessa Niles
Tessa Niles is an English singer, best known as a backing singer for a wide variety of artists.-Early life and career:Born in Kent, Niles began her professional singing career, as both a lead and a backing vocalist, in 1979...
Guitar - Neil Taylor
Neil Taylor (guitarist)
Neil Taylor is a guitarist best known for his long-time affiliation with Robbie Williams and for formerly being a member of the backing band of Tears for Fears.-Career:...
Horns - The Kick Horns
Keyboards - Robert Fisher
Percussion - Bruce Smith