Wreckless Eric
Eric Goulden (born 18 May 1954), known as Wreckless Eric, is an English rock/new wave singer-songwriter, best known for his 1977 single "Whole Wide World" on Stiff Records. More than two decades after its release, the song was included in Mojo magazine's list of the best punk rock singles of all time. It was also acclaimed as one of the "top 40 singles of the alternative era 1975–2000".
Early history
Wreckless Eric was born in Newhaven, East Sussex. He is a cousin of actress Gemma Arterton through her mother. He is best known as one of the original members of the late 1970s Stiff Records artist roster, along with Ian Dury, Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe. Eric's first appearance on record was "Whole Wide World" on the Stiff label sampler A Bunch of Stiff Records in April 1977. The single version of that song was finally released in August. The song was produced by, and featured bass guitar (and most of the other instruments) by Nick Lowe, with Steve Goulding on drums. The following month, the song was one of five tracks broadcast for the first of two sessions Eric recorded for DJ John Peel at BBC Radio 1. The song went on to make number 47 in John Peel's 'Festive Fifty', the so-called 'lost list' of 1977; it was number 8 in the Sounds critics' singles of the year; and it received an 'honourable mention' in the NME critics' chart. The song's reputation has grown over the years and numerous bands have covered "Whole Wide World", such as the Lightning Seeds, Mental As Anything, The Monkees (who covered the song on their Pool It! album in 1987), The Proclaimers (who covered it on their 2007 album Life With You), and Paul Westerberg.
Wreckless Eric (album)
Wreckless Eric which was Wreckless Eric's debut album, was released on 1 June 1978. It reached number 46 on the UK Albums Chart.
A 10" version of the LP was issued on both brown and purple vinyl in the UK. These versions omitted the tracks "Whole Wide World" and "Telephoning Home." The full-length version of the LP was also issued on green vinyl in Germany.
It was reissued on CD for a limited time in 1994 by Disky Communications and included three bonus tracks: the "Whole Wide World" single B-side "Semaphore Signals" and two versions of Devo's "Be Stiff," a song that many artists on the Stiff Records label had covered as a promotional vehicle.
According to Eric's website, most versions of this LP feature speeded-up versions of the tracks in which the songs are a semitone higher than recorded. Some of these versions have also appeared on various compilations throughout the years.
In a 1995 interview with Peter Doggett (found on the limited edition Rykodisc release An Overview Disc), former Stiff Records label-mate Elvis Costello mentions that, due to their unusual vocal styles, Stiff had originally envisioned a split LP between himself and Eric, with each artist taking one side of the record.
Podcasts:
Wreckless Eric
ALBUMS
- Almost a Jubilee: 25 Years at the BBC (With Gaps) released: 2003
- Greatest Stiffs released: 2001
- Big Smash released: 1993
- The Donovan of Trash released: 1993
- At the Shop released: 1990
- Le Beat Group Electrique released: 1989
- Wreckless Eric released: 1978
- The Wonderful World of Wreckless Eric released: 1978
- Wreckless Eric Presents The Len Bright Combo released:
- Bungalow Hi released:
Almost a Jubilee: 25 Years at the BBC (With Gaps)
Released 2003- Whole Wide World
- Semaphore Signals
- Personal Hygiene
- Reconnez Cherie
- Waxworks
- Grown Ups
- Brain Thieves
- You're Gonna Screw My Head Off
- The House Burned Down
- Comedy Time
- Selina Though the Windshield
- Palace of Tears
- The Girl With the Wandering Eye
- Can't See the Woods
- Bone Marrow
- Take the Cash
- Sign of the Chicken
- Joe Meek
Greatest Stiffs
Released 2001- Whole Wide World
- Reconnez Cherie
- Semaphore Signals
- Take the Cash (K.A.S.H.)
- A Pop Song
- Personal Hygiene
- Tonight (Is My Night)
- Hit and Miss Judy
- Walking on the Surface of the Moon
- Veronica
- Let's Go to the Pictures
- Waxworks
- Broken Doll
- Excuse Me
- It'll Soon Be the Weekend
- Strange Towns
- I Wish It Would Rain
- Out of the Blue
- Grown Ups
- The Final Taxi
Big Smash
Released 1993- A Popsong
- Tonight (Is My Night)
- Too Busy
- Broken Doll
- Can I Be Your Hero?
- Back in My Hometown
- It'll Be Soon Be the Weekend
- Strange Towns
- Excuse Me
- Break My Mind
- Good Conversation
- Out of the Blue
- Take the Cash (K.A.S.H.)
- Let's Go to the Pictures
- Walking on the Surface of the Moon
- Hit and Miss Judy
- I Wish It Would Rain
- Veronica
- The Final Taxi
- I Need a Situation
Wreckless Eric Presents The Len Bright Combo
- You're Gonna Screw My Head Off
- Selina Through The Windshield
- Young, Upwardly Mobile...And Stupid
- Someone Must've Nailed Us Together
- Sophie (The Dream Of Edmund Hirondelle Barnes)
- The Golden Hour Of Harry Secombe
- Lureland
- Shirt Without A Heart
- Comedy Time
- Pleasant Valley Wednesday
- (Swimming Against) The Tide Of Reason
- Cut Off My Head
- The House Burned Down
- The Awakening Of Edmund Hirondelle Barnes
- Phasers On Stun
- All Charm
- Club 18-30
- Ticking In My Corner
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Reconnez Cherie
by: Wreckless EricOn a convenient seat by the lavatories
In the sodium glare
We used to wait for the bus in a passionate clutch
And go as far as we dared
Do you remember
When I passed my driving test
Took you to the pictures
Forget the rest
Do you remember
All those nights in my Zodiac
Playing with your dress
Underneath your Pac-a-Mac
refrain: (3x)
Reconnez Cherie
Quand nous avons vive en ecstasy
And then a voice from afar in the back of my car
Whispered "Gay Paris"
And looking ever so French the bohemian dream
You said "bonjour mon ami"
Do you remember
When I moved into my studio flat
Hot sticky nights
In the summertime in bedsitland
Do you remember
When you sold your paintings in the gallery
And they said 'mais oui ce soir,
'C'est la vie c'est le tricolor'
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