Hobart Paving

"Hobart Paving" is a single by British pop group Saint Etienne. It was released by Heavenly Records on 11 May 1993 as a double A-side with the band's cover of "Who Do You Think You Are", originally released in 1974 by Jigsaw and a hit for Candlewick Green. It reached number 23 in the UK Singles Chart.

"Hobart Paving"
Single by Saint Etienne
from the album So Tough
A-side"Who Do You Think You Are"
B-side"Your Head My Voice (Voix Revirement)"
Released11 May 1993[1]
Recorded1993
GenreIndie pop
Length4:55
LabelHeavenly – HVN 29
Warner – 9 40910
Songwriter(s)Stanley/Wiggs
Saint Etienne singles chronology
"You're in a Bad Way"
(1993)		 "Hobart Paving"
(1993)		 "Xmas 93"
(1993)

Lyrics

The song describes an unhappy woman, using characteristically surreal images such as "Rain falls like Elvis tears" and "Just like a harpsichordist she moves". The apparently meaningless title appears in the song's chorus: "Hobart paving, don't you think that's it's time, / On this platform with the drizzle in my eyes?" The title may derive from a construction firm called Hobart Paving Company Limited [2] in the town of Croydon, where two of the band members grew up.[3]

Critical reception

Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic picked the song as one of the stand outs from the So Tough album.[4]

Mixes

"Hobart Paving" was slightly remixed for single release, adding subtle overdubs and extra instrumentation.

"Your Head My Voice (Voix Revirement)" is a remix of "Who Do You Think You Are", though the source material is unrecognisable in the mix, hence the different title. However, if one reverses the audio, the lyrics "Every day sees another scar, tell me who do you..." are audible. Also of note is the writing credits for "Your Head My Voice (Voix Revirement)" which list Stanley/Wiggs/James as composers, none of whom composed "Who Do You Think You Are" and marking the only time Richard David James/Aphex Twin would be listed as a co-writer of a Saint Etienne track.

An alternative mix of "Hobart Paving", created for the single but ultimately not used, was eventually released on the Nice Price outtakes collection in 2006.

Track listing

All tracks written and composed by Dyer and Scott, except where indicated.

European release
7" - Heavenly / HVN 29 (UK) (also available on MC (HVN 29C))
  1. "Hobart Paving" (Stanley, Wiggs) – 4:54
  2. "Who Do You Think You Are" – 3:53
12" - Heavenly / HVN 29-12 (UK)
  1. "Hobart Paving" (Stanley, Wiggs) – 4:54
  2. "Your Head My Voice (Voix Revirement)" (Stanley, Wiggs, James) – 4:12
  3. "Who Do You Think You Are" – 3:53
  4. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Quex-Rd) – 8:08
12" - Heavenly / HVN 29-12P (UK) (UK promo. Labelled "Aphex Twin Remixes")
  1. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Quex-Rd) – 8:08
  2. "Your Head My Voice" (Voix Revirement) (Stanley, Wiggs, James) – 4:12
CD - Heavenly / HVN 29CD (UK)
  1. "Hobart Paving" (Stanley, Wiggs) – 4:54
  2. "Who Do You Think You Are" – 3:53
  3. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Quex-Rd) – 8:08
  4. "Your Head My Voice (Voix Revirement)" (Stanley, Wiggs, James) – 4:12

US release
12" - Warner / 0-40910 (US)
  1. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Strobelights & Platform Shoes Mix) – 7:00
  2. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Saturday Night Fever Dub) – 6:59
  3. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Tilt Dub) – 6:00
  4. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Quex-Rd) – 8:08
  5. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Nu Solution Mix) – 7:46
  6. "Hobart Paving" (UK single version) (Stanley, Wiggs) – 4:54
2x12" - Warner / PRO-A-6254 (US) (US 2x12" promo)
  1. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Strobelights & Platform Shoes Mix) – 7:00
  2. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Saturday Night Fever Dub) – 6:59
  3. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Nu Solution Mix) – 7:46
  4. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Tilt Dub) – 6:00
  1. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Quex-Rd) – 8:08
  2. "Your Head My Voice (Voix Revirement)" (Stanley, Wiggs, James) – 4:12
  3. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Radio Remix) – 4:39
  4. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Bonus Beats Down) – 4:55
CD - Warner / 9 40910-2 (US)
  1. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Album Version) – 3:52
  2. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Strobelights & Platform Shoes Mix) – 7:00
  3. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Quex-Rd) – 8:08
  4. "Hobart Paving" (UK single version) (Stanley, Wiggs) – 4:54
  5. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Nu Solution Mix) – 7:46
  6. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Saturday Night Fever Dub) – 6:59
  7. "Your Head My Voice (Voix Revirement)" (Stanley, Wiggs, James) – 4:12
  8. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Radio Remix) (Stanley, Wiggs) – 4:39

Aphex Twin
  1. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Quex-Rd) – 8:08
  2. "Your Head My Voice" (Voix Revirement) – 4:12

Roger Sanchez
  1. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Strobelights & Platform Shoes Mix) – 7:00
  2. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Nu Solution Mix) – 7:46
  3. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Saturday Night Fever Dub) – 6:59
  4. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Radio Remix) – 4:39
  5. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Tilt Dub) – 6:00
  6. "Who Do You Think You Are" (Bonus Beats Down) – 4:55

Cover versions

The 1997 German movie Bandits featured a cover version of the song called "Catch Me" (possibly to better match the movie's prison break story), released under the band name "Bandits". The "Hobart Paving" in the chorus was replaced by "Hold on, princess". "Catch Me" peaked at #42 on the German Media Control Singles chart[5]

References
  1. http://www.saintetiennedisco.com/ep/ihobart/hobart.html
  2. See Hobart Paving website
  3. "Saintetienne.net". Archived from the original on 10 October 2009. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  4. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Saint Etienne – So Tough". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  5. "Single, Bandits, Catch Me". 2014 GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
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