White Town
Encyclopedia
White Town is a musical act from the United Kingdom
, and is the work of one man, Jyoti Prakash Mishra.
, Orissa
, India
on 30 July 1966 and has lived in England
since the age of three. White Town is often regarded as a one-hit wonder
for its 1997 song "Your Woman
", which reached #1
in the UK Singles Chart
in January of that year, and #23 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
.
"Your Woman" is a reworking of the 1932 Bing Crosby
song
"My Woman", composed
by Crosby (lyrics
), Irving Wallman, and Max Wartell (music
and lyrics). Al Bowlly
, who was a vocalist
in the Ray Noble
Orchestra, recorded
a version of "My Woman" on 29 November 1932 with the Lew Stone
and the Monseigneur Band in London
. The Bowlly version was featured in the Pennies from Heaven
film
and soundtrack
, and it was this version that White Town sampled for "Your Woman".
White Town was formed by Mishra in 1989 after he saw Pixies play. Initially there were other members on guitar, bass and drums playing support gigs for various bands including Primal Scream
. In 1990 he released his first self financed record, White Town EP, on 7" vinyl. This featured Nick Glyn-Davis on drums and Sean Deegan on bass with Mishra on guitar and vocals. Glyn-Davis left and was replaced live by a drum machine and Leon Wilson on guitar. The rest of the band drifted away in Autumn 1990 and from then on Mishra mainly worked on his own, using other musicians to record with, including Gary Thatcher on guitar of the Derby
band The Beekeepers
.
Mishra, a straight edge
r and ex-Marxist, often incorporates political concerns in his songs veiled in terms of personal relationships. After a troubled working relationship with EMI, Mishra was dropped from the label
in 1997. Since then, he has gone back to working with indie labels such as Parasol Records. His album, 2000's Peek & Poke, received moderately enthusiastic reviews but sold poorly compared to his major label work.
In 2005, White Town contributed the song "The PNAC Cabal" to the charity
album
, Voyces United for UNHCR
.
The "A New Surprise" EP
was released in September 2006 by the Swedish
indie label Heavenly Pop Hits, and was followed up by the album Don't Mention the War, which launched Mishra's own Bzangy Records label. Mishra currently lives in Derby.
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...
, and is the work of one man, Jyoti Prakash Mishra.
Career
Mishra was born in RourkelaRourkela
Rourkela is located in the northwestern tip of the Indian state of Orissa at the heart of a rich mineral belt. It is situated about north of state capital Bhubaneswar.It is surrounded by a range of hills and encircled by rivers. One of the largest steel plants of the Steel Authority of India...
, Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
on 30 July 1966 and has lived in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
since the age of three. White Town is often regarded as a one-hit wonder
One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
for its 1997 song "Your Woman
Your Woman
"Your Woman" is a single released in 1997 by British one-man band White Town, also known as Jyoti Mishra. It features a muted trumpet line taken from "My Woman" by Al Bowlly and it reached number one in the UK Singles Chart in 1997. It also hit number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100...
", which reached #1
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
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 ...
in January of that year, and #23 in the U.S. 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...
.
"Your Woman" is a reworking of the 1932 Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
"My Woman", composed
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
by Crosby (lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
), Irving Wallman, and Max Wartell (music
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
and lyrics). Al Bowlly
Al Bowlly
Albert Allick Bowlly was a Southern-African singer, songwriter, composer and band leader, who became a popular Jazz crooner during the 1930s in the United Kingdom and later, in the United States of America. He recorded more than 1,000 records between 1927 and 1941...
, who was a vocalist
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
in the Ray Noble
Ray Noble (musician)
Ray Noble was an English bandleader, composer, arranger and actor. Noble studied music at the Royal Academy of Music and became leader of the HMV Records studio band in 1929. The band, known as the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra, featured members of many of the top hotel orchestras of the day...
Orchestra, recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
a version of "My Woman" on 29 November 1932 with the Lew Stone
Lew Stone
Lew Stone was a British dance band leader and arranger. He was well known in Britain during the 1930s.Stone learned music at an early age and became an accomplished pianist. In the 1920s, he worked with many important dance bands...
and the Monseigneur Band in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The Bowlly version was featured in the Pennies from Heaven
Pennies from Heaven (1936 film)
Pennies from Heaven is a 1936 musical comedy film starring Bing Crosby and featuring Louis Armstrong in a supporting role. The movie was directed by Norman Z. McLeod and the screenplay was written by Jo Swerling from a story by William Rankin based on the novel The Peacock Feather by Katherine...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
, and it was this version that White Town sampled for "Your Woman".
White Town was formed by Mishra in 1989 after he saw Pixies play. Initially there were other members on guitar, bass and drums playing support gigs for various bands including Primal Scream
Primal Scream
Primal Scream are a Scottish alternative rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie and Jim Beattie and now based in London. The current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes , Martin Duffy , and Darrin Mooney...
. In 1990 he released his first self financed record, White Town EP, on 7" vinyl. This featured Nick Glyn-Davis on drums and Sean Deegan on bass with Mishra on guitar and vocals. Glyn-Davis left and was replaced live by a drum machine and Leon Wilson on guitar. The rest of the band drifted away in Autumn 1990 and from then on Mishra mainly worked on his own, using other musicians to record with, including Gary Thatcher on guitar of the Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
band The Beekeepers
The Beekeepers
The Beekeepers were an English rock band from Derby, signed to the Beggars Banquet Records label. Their releases included the mini-album Third Party, Fear and Theft and the single, "Do You Behave Like That at Home?"-History:...
.
Mishra, a straight edge
Straight edge
Straight edge is a subculture of hardcore punk whose adherents refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs. It was a direct reaction to the sexual revolution, hedonism, and excess associated with punk rock. For some, this extends to not engaging in promiscuous sex, following a...
r and ex-Marxist, often incorporates political concerns in his songs veiled in terms of personal relationships. After a troubled working relationship with EMI, Mishra was dropped from the label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
in 1997. Since then, he has gone back to working with indie labels such as Parasol Records. His album, 2000's Peek & Poke, received moderately enthusiastic reviews but sold poorly compared to his major label work.
In 2005, White Town contributed the song "The PNAC Cabal" to the charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Voyces United for UNHCR
Voyces United for UNHCR
"Voyces United for UNHCR" is a charity album for the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , an agency which protects and supports refugees at the request of a government or the United Nations and assists in their return or resettlement.The album was initiated by Joalby Lopez...
.
The "A New Surprise" EP
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
was released in September 2006 by the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
indie label Heavenly Pop Hits, and was followed up by the album Don't Mention the War, which launched Mishra's own Bzangy Records label. Mishra currently lives in Derby.
Albums
| Year | Information | Chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.K. UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
U.S. 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... |
U.S. Heat seekers Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
||
| 1994 | Socialism, Sexism & Sexuality
|
— | — | — |
| 1997 | Women in Technology Women in Technology Women in Technology is an album by the British recording artist White Town. It was released on 25 February 1997 and is the second full studio album by White Town. The album is most famous for the song "Your Woman" which was its only top 40 single. The song received much acclaim and reached #1 in... Chrysalis Records Chrysalis Records was a British record label that was created in 1969. The name was both a reference to the pupal stage of a butterfly and a combination of its founders names, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis... / EMI UK EMI The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major... |
— | 84 | 4 |
| 2000 | Peek & Poke
|
— | — | — |
| 2006 | Don't Mention the War
|
— | — | — |
| 2011 | Monopole
|
— | — | — |
Extended Plays
| Year | Information |
|---|---|
| 1990 | White Town
|
| 1991 | Alain Delon
|
| 1992 | Bewitched
|
| Fairweather Friend
|
|
| 1996 | >Abort, Retry, Fail?
Parasol Records Parasol Records is an American independent record label based out of Urbana, Illinois. The label was founded by Geoff Merritt as an outgrowth of the catalogue Parasol Mail Order .... / Chrysalis Records Chrysalis Records Chrysalis Records was a British record label that was created in 1969. The name was both a reference to the pupal stage of a butterfly and a combination of its founders names, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis... |
Singles
| Year | Title | Label | Chart positions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
AUS ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
CAN RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... |
IRL Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
NZ Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
U.S. 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... |
|||
| 1990 | "Darley Abbey" | Biscuit | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1991 | "All She Said" | Parasol | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1997 | "Your Woman Your Woman "Your Woman" is a single released in 1997 by British one-man band White Town, also known as Jyoti Mishra. It features a muted trumpet line taken from "My Woman" by Al Bowlly and it reached number one in the UK Singles Chart in 1997. It also hit number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100... " |
Chrysalis/EMI | 1 | 2 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 23 |
| "Undressed" | 57 | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1998 | "Another Lover" | Parasol | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2006 | "A New Surprise" | Heavenly Pop Hits | – | – | – | – | – | – |