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You Need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone
Compilation album by
Saint Etienne
Released6 December 1993
Recorded1990–1993
Length49:02
LabelHeavenly
ProducerSaint Etienne
Saint Etienne chronology
So Tough
(1993) 		You Need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone
(1993) 		Tiger Bay
(1994)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
NME6/10[2]

You Need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone is the first compilation album by English band Saint Etienne, released on 6 December 1993 by Heavenly Recordings.[3] It compiles singles and B-sides released by the group during the period between 1990 and 1993, most notably the non-album singles "Kiss and Make Up" (1990), "Speedwell" (1991), "Join Our Club/People Get Real" (1992) and "Who Do You Think You Are" (1993). The compilation's title is derived from the song of the same name by the Beach Boys.

Receiving good reviews, the compilation was released on CD, cassette and LP formats. Artwork was designed by Anthony Sweeney with photography by Aude Prieur and James Fry. Before its release as a standalone compilation album, the disc was originally packaged in a 2CD limited edition reissue of So Tough.

All tracks have since been released on other compilations and deluxe editions of the group's studio albums rendering the compilation technically obsolete.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs, except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Who Do You Think You Are"Des Dyer, Clive Scott3:55
2."Archway People" 3:21
3."California Snow Story" 4:20
4."Kiss and Make Up" (extended version) (featuring Donna Savage)Robert Wratten, Michael Hiscock6:19
5."Duke Duvet" 3:12
6."Filthy" (featuring Q-Tee)Stanley, Wiggs, Tatiana Mais5:31
7."Join Our Club" 3:17
8."Paper"Sarah Cracknell, Maurice Deebank4:09
9."People Get Real" 4:45
10."Some Place Else" 3:42
11."Speedwell" 6:31

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of You Need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone.

Charts

Chart performance for You Need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone
Chart (1993) Peak
position
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[4] 2

References

  1. ^ https://www.allmusic.com/album/r478568
  2. ^ Harris, John (11 December 1993). "Long Play". NME. p. 31. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Album Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 4 December 1993. p. 20. ISSN 0265-1548 – via World Radio History.
  4. ^ "Independent Albums" (PDF). Music Week. 11 December 1993. p. 16. ISSN 0265-1548 – via World Radio History.


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