I Say I Say I Say | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 16 May 1994[1] | |||
Recorded | 1993 | |||
Studio | Studio 142, The Church (London), Windmill Lane (Dublin), 37B (Chertsey, Surrey)[2][3] | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 44:08 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | Martyn Ware | |||
Erasure chronology | ||||
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Singles from I Say I Say I Say | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | B[5] |
Los Angeles Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
NME | 7/10[7] |
The Observer | (favorable)[8] |
I Say I Say I Say is the sixth studio album by English synth-pop duo Erasure, released in 1994 by Mute Records in the UK and Elektra Records in the US. The album was produced by Martyn Ware, who was a founding member of veteran synthpop groups the Human League and Heaven 17.
Upon its release it became Erasure's fourth consecutive studio album to hit No. 1 in the UK, and fifth overall,[9] generating three top-20 singles. In the US, I Say I Say I Say debuted and peaked at number 18 on the Billboard 200, easily beating their previous highest chart placing. In Germany, the album climbed to number six.
Although Erasure always maintained popularity in the US dance club community, with the rise of grunge rock Erasure saw their exposure on college radio, mainstream stations and MTV become mostly non-existent by 1994.[citation needed] This made it even more of a surprise when the ballad "Always" gave them their third top-20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in September.
The album saw keyboardist/programmer Vince Clarke continue with his by-then trademark exclusive usage of pre-MIDI analog synthesizers and sequencers, with the additional self-imposed constraint that no drum machines were to be used either.[citation needed] Instead, Clarke used synthesizers to create the album's drum and percussion sounds.