"50ft Queenie" is the third single by the
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
singer-songwriter
PJ Harvey, and the first from her second studio album ''
Rid of Me
''Rid of Me'' is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter and musician PJ Harvey. It was released by Island Records in May 1993, approximately one year after the release of her critically acclaimed debut album '' Dry''. It marked ...
''. It is performed by Harvey's trio, consisting of Harvey on vocals and guitar,
Rob Ellis on drums and Steve Vaughan on bass. Released in April 1993, the song charted in the United Kingdom and was a Top 30 hit, but failed to chart in the United States. A promotional music video directed by
Maria Mochnacz was also filmed.
Background and history
The song was recorded at
Pachyderm Studios
Pachyderm Recording Studio is a residential music recording studio located in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, United States, 35.8 mi (57.6 km) southeast of Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport. It is located in a secluded old-growth f ...
with
Steve Albini
Steve Albini (pronounced ; born July 22, 1962) is an American musician, record producer, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman and Flour, and is a member of Shellac. He is the founder, owner and principal ...
, who had previously produced albums for
Pixies
A pixie (also pisky, pixy, pixi, pizkie, and piskie in Cornwall and Devon, and pigsie or puggsy in the New Forest) is a mythical creature of British folklore. Pixies are considered to be particularly concentrated in the high moorland areas aro ...
and
The Breeders
The Breeders are an American alternative rock band based in Dayton, Ohio, consisting of members Kim Deal (rhythm guitar, lead vocals), her twin sister Kelley Deal (lead guitar, vocals), Josephine Wiggs (bass guitar, vocals) and Jim Macpherso ...
. Harvey praised Albini's work because she thought "the instruments on the album sound like they're breathing and real".
Track listing
All songs written by PJ Harvey.
UK CD and European 12" single
(Island Records, CID 538, 862 037–2 / 12IS 538, 862 037–1)
# 50 ft Queenie – 2:26
# Reeling – 2:39
# Man-Size (demo) – 3:24
# Hook (demo) – 4:33
Tracks 1 and 2 recorded by Steve Albini. Tracks 3 and 4 recorded by PJ Harvey.
The demo version of "Hook" later appeared on ''
4-Track Demos.''
UK 7" single
(Island Records, IS 538, 862 037–7)PJ Harvey – 50ft Queenie (7")"
''discogs.com''. Retrieved from 30 April 2010.
# 50 ft Queenie – 2:26
# Reeling – 2:39
# Man-Size (demo) – 3:24
Music video
Directed by Maria Mochnacz, the music video for the song shows PJ Harvey performing the song, with the small leopard skin coat as seen in the single's inlay artwork. The backdrop of the video reads "HEY I'M ONE BIG QUEEN". It was later used on '' Beavis and Butt-Head''.
Chart positions
References
{{authority control
1993 singles
PJ Harvey songs
Song recordings produced by Steve Albini
Songs written by PJ Harvey
1993 songs
Island Records singles