Life in Mono (song)

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For the Emma Bunton album, see Life in Mono.

"Life in Mono" is a song by UK alternative jazz band Mono, which consisted of singer Siobhan de Maré and musician Martin Virgo. It was released on the band's first EP in 1996 which contained various remixes, most notably two by the Propellerheads. It was released again in 1997 on the band's only album, Formica Blues.

The song was used as the theme to the 1998 version of the movie Great Expectations (reportedly chosen by actor Robert De Niro),[1] as well as being used in various TV commercials. It was covered by Emma Bunton in 2006 for her third album, also titled Life in Mono.

Billboard called the song's usage in Great Expectations an example of film music that "works", citing its "anguished" lyrics as complementary to Ethan Hawke's character's predicaments, and comparing de Maré's voice to those of Roberta Flack and Billie Holiday.[2]

The chorus consisted of "ingenue, I just don't know what to do" repeated, and was noted for using the American/British pronunciation (and not the French pronunciation) of "ingenue"; the word was a late addition in songwriting, to rhyme with "I just don't know what do do".[3]

In the U.S., Mercury Records marketed the single in a campaign aimed to "build awareness at both the radio and club levels", shipping promotional singles to modern rock-format radio stations on February 10, and to nightclubs at about the same time.[4] Promotion to Top 40 stations followed later on.[5] The single's sales only allowed it to chart in the lower echelons of the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 70 (though it did reach at least 19 on the Top Heatseekers chart),[6] but radio airplay and requests allowed it to reach 26 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.[7]

[edit] References

  1. ^ James, Martin (October 11, 1997), "Mono double-edged, low-phat pop", Melody Maker 74 (41): 12, ISSN 0025-9012
  2. ^ Bell, Carrie (April 25, 1998), "The modern age", Billboard 110 (17): 77, ISSN 0006-2510
  3. ^ Anderson, Jason (April 16, 1998). Getting Back to Mono. Eye Weekly. Retrieved on 2007-01-19.
  4. ^ Paoletta, Michael (February 28, 1998), "Mercury's Mono evades pop stereotypes with 'Blues'", Billboard 110 (9): 36-37, ISSN 0006-2510
  5. ^ Mono - Restarting the UK Attack - And This Time Taking No Prisoners. Dotmusic (April 1998). Retrieved on 2007-01-27.
  6. ^ Latest News. Official Mono website (retrieved from the Internet Archive) (1998). Retrieved on 2007-01-26.
  7. ^ Billboard.com - Artist Chart History - Mono. Billboard.com. Retrieved on 2006-10-08.
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