3 (Shakespears Sister album)

The correct title of this article is #3. The substitution or omission of the # is because of technical restrictions.
#3
Studio album by Shakespears Sister
Released September 2004 (2004-09)
Recorded 1993–1996[1]
Genre Alternative rock
Label SF
Producer Siobhan Fahey, David A. Stewart, Alan Moulder, Flood, Andy Wright
Shakespears Sister chronology
The Best of Shakespear's Sister
(2004)		 #3
(2004)		 Long Live the Queens!
(2005)
Singles from #3
  1. "I Can Drive"
    Released: June 1996
  2. "Do I Scare You?"
    Released: 22 September 2011

#3 is the third studio album released by British pop music act Shakespears Sister. This is the first record by Shakespears Sister after Marcella Detroit left the band in 1993. The album was originally scheduled for release in 1996 but their record label London Records dropped the act and pulled the album's release and was shelved. In 2004 London Records gave the full rights of the album to Siobhan Fahey, the act's only full member and the album was released through Fahey's label. The album artwork was designed by Sarah Lucas.[2] In 2011 a 3-Disc expanded edition of #3 was released through major retailers. Fahey stated that the album was dropped due to London Records thinking that the album was "too alternative for a women [my] age". The album spawned only two singles, "I Can Drive" in 1996 and "Do I Scare You?" in 2011, dedicated to Billy MacKenzie who died in 1997.

Background

After the departure of Marcella Detroit in 1993, Fahey continued as the act's sole member and began work on #3 in the same year with Robert Hodgens and Dave Stewart.[1] After the mediocre performance of the album's lead single, Shakespears Sister were dropped from London Records in 1997.[1] #3 was not released until September 2004, independently through Fahey's website. Fahey spoke on the circumstances surrounding the album's release in an interview:[3]

"I tried to fight for [#3] but you cannot win against the giants. I managed to get it through the back door and somehow, miraculously, they put pen to paper and gave it back. It was just sitting there on the shelf and someone said: 'Oh, give her back her record. She just wants to release it to the fans.' It's now out in its original form and features a duet with Billy Mackenzie [of The Associates]. That was the last thing he recorded before he died."

Fahey has stated she was dropped not because of "I Can Drive"'s commercial performance, but due to her label thinking the album "too alternative for a woman of [my] age".[3] The album was released through major retailers for the first time in November 2012, in a new "Expanded Edition" of the album, featuring unreleased tracks, B-sides, and remixes.[2] The album cover, featuring a cut-out of Fahey sitting in a room with a tiled carpet and a wall made of newspaper articles, differed slightly between releases. The physical edition featured the artist and album titles written on the wall behind her, whilst the digital edition did not. Both the physical and digital editions of the Expanded Edition had the original titles and "Expanded Edition" written on the wall.

Singles

The album's lead single, "I Can Drive" was released in June 1996 to a modest commercial reception, peaking at No. 30 on the UK Singles Chart.[4] The single was not released internationally.[1] Following this, Shakespears Sister were dropped from London Records, making it their last release with the label. In September 2011, "Do I Scare You?" was released as the second single from the album which was originally meant to be released soon after "I Can Drive" in 1996, exclusively through Shakespears Sister's website.[5] "Can U Wait That Long?" and "Excuse Me John" where initially going to be singles released off the record but where withdrawn due to the label dropping the act in 1996.

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Go"  Siobhan Fahey, David A. Stewart, Robert Hodgens 3:40
2. "I Can Drive"  Fahey, Stewart, Hodgens 4:05
3. "Do I Scare You?" (with Billy Mackenzie)Fahey, Hodgens 4:57
4. "Opportunity Knockers"  Fahey, Sophie Muller 4:49
5. "Can U Wait That Long?"  Fahey, Stewart 4:20
6. "Oh Dear"  Fahey, Muller 4:03
7. "Excuse Me John"  Fahey, Hodgens 4:44
8. "The Older Sister"  Fahey, Muller 2:59
9. "Singles Party"  Fahey, Hodgens 3:58
10. "I Never Could Sing Anyway"  Fahey, Hodgens 4:10
Total length:
 41:45

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Shakespears Sister – About
  2. 1 2 Shakespears Sister – Order New Albums
  3. 1 2 "Siobhan Fahey, Metro Interview". Metro.co.uk. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  4. ↑ "Charstats – Shakespear's Sister". chartstats.com. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
  5. ↑ Siobhan Fahey & Shakespears Sister on Facebook (Blocked URL)
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