So Tough


So Tough is the second studio album by British band Saint Etienne, released in 1993. It is their highest-charting album to date, reaching No. 7 on the UK Albums Chart.
So Tough is the first Saint Etienne album to feature Sarah Cracknell as an official member of the band. It was originally intended as a concept album which starts at "Mario's Cafe" in London then travels around the world, but it ultimately came to be viewed as a solely London album.

Samples and references

One of the distinctive features of the album is the use of samples between the songs. The band were keen to use linking dialogue, similar to that used on some of their favourite albums – particularly The Who Sell Out by the Who and Head by the Monkees – as well as contemporary hip-hop albums that featured recurring skits. They are taken from a variety of sources, including the films Peeping Tom, Billy Liar, The [Picture of Dorian Gray |The Picture of Dorian Gray], Lord of the Flies and That'll Be the Day, as well as the television series The Family and the 1958 stereo demonstration album A Journey into Stereophonic Sound. The band had intended to use a number of samples from American films, but the cost of clearing these samples led them to using primarily British samples.
So Tough takes its title from the Beach Boys album Carl and the Passions – "So Tough". "Conchita Martinez" is named after the Grand Slam-winning Spanish tennis player Conchita Martínez, who later went on to win the Wimbledon singles title. The song "Mario's Cafe" was inspired by a real Kentish Town restaurant of that name.

Cover

The album cover features a picture of lead singer Sarah Cracknell aged six, taken by her father Derek Cracknell.

Releases

The initial album release was a limited edition 2-CD set including You Need a Mess of Help to [Stand Alone |You Need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone].
The US release added "Join Our Club", which had been a UK single in 1992. "Who Do [You Think You Are |Who Do You Think You Are]" is included on some US versions between "Here Come Clown Feet" and "Junk the Morgue". "You're in a Bad Way" and "Hobart Paving" are presented in their single versions, including extra instrumentation. The former is longer, while the latter features a drum pattern not present on the original version.
The album was reissued on 31 August 2009, as part of the ongoing Deluxe Editions of the band's recordings. The new release features B-sides, rare and unreleased tracks.

Track listing

1993 release

2009 reissue

Sample credits
  • "Conchita Martinez" contains samples of "The Spirit of Radio" by Rush, sampled under licence from PolyGram Special.

    Personnel

The liner notes list the album's personnel as follows:

B-sides

;from "Avenue"
  • "Some Place Else"
  • "Paper"
  • "Johnny in the Echo Cafe"
  • "Avenue "
  • "Avenue "
  • "Avenue "
  • "Avenue "
;from "You're in a Bad Way"
  • "Archway People"
  • "California Snow Story"
  • "Duke Duvet"
  • "St. Etienne Speaks..."
;from "Hobart Paving" / "Who Do You Think You Are"
  • "Who Do You Think You Are"
  • "Who Do You Think You Are "
  • "Your Head My Voice "
  • "Who Do You Think You Are
  • "Who Do You Think You Are
  • "Who Do You Think You Are
  • "Who Do You Think You Are