Crackers International

Crackers International
EP by Erasure
Released	28 November 1988 (1988-11-28)
Recorded	1988
Genre	Synthpop
Length	24:55
Label	Mute - MUTE 93 Sire - 25904
Producer	Erasure
Erasure chronology
The Innocents (1988) Crackers International (1988) Wild! (1989)
Erasure singles chronology
"A Little Respect" (1988) "Stop!" (1989) "Drama!" (1989)
Alternative cover
Crackers International Part 2 cover

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Crackers International is an EP released by Erasure in 1988, in between the albums The Innocents and Wild!.

History

The EP appeared in several different versions. The original UK release by Mute Records consisted of four original, self-produced tracks. In the UK, where at the time EPs were eligible for the singles chart, it became one of Erasure's most successful releases, matching the number two peak of 1986's "Sometimes."

In the U.S., Crackers International was still considered an EP, although two remixes were added (bringing the tracklist count to six) when Sire Records released it. In the U.S., where EPs chart on the Billboard 200, it hit number seventy-three. The song "Stop!" was also released as its own stand-alone single in the U.S., just barely making an appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 (number ninety-seven). On the U.S. Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart "Stop!" / "Knocking On Your Door" peaked at number four as a double-sided entry.

Additionally, a version of the EP was released in the UK by Mute Records in a very limited-edition, seasonal pressing, titled Crackers International Part 2. Released originally in 12" vinyl with extended versions of "Stop!" and "Knocking On Your Door", both remixed by Mark Saunders, it also added the Christmas standard "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". It was subsequently released as a 3-inch compact disc containing the original 7" versions of "Stop!" and "Knocking On Your Door" (also of note is the fact that there were two different versions of the single mix of "Stop!", one with a fade, and a slightly longer one with a 'cold' ending).

Track listing

• all tracks written by Clarke/Bell

7": Mute / E Mute 93 (UK)

1. "Stop!" (fade ending) - 2:55
2. "The Hardest Part" - 3:40
3. "Knocking on Your Door" - 2:57
4. "She Won't Be Home" - 3:28

• There was also a 2 track 7" produced mainly for jukeboxes (Mute 93) with the same versions of "Stop!" and "Knocking on Your Door" as the 4 track version.

7": Sire-Reprise / 22879-7 (US)

1. "Stop!" (7-inch version) - 2:55
2. "Ship of Fools" - 4:01

• "7-inch version" same as "fade ending"
• also released on MC (22879-4)

12": Mute / 12 Mute 93 (UK)

1. "Stop!" (cold ending) - 3:03
2. "The Hardest Part" (12" version) - 5:07
3. "Knocking on Your Door" (12" version) - 3:59
4. "She Won't Be Home" - 3:28

• also released on 3" CD (CD Mute 93)

12": Mute / L12 Mute 93 (UK)

1. "Stop!" (mark saunders remix) - 5:47
2. "Knocking on Your Door" (mark saunders remix) - 6:07
3. "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" - 3:12

• released as "Crackers International part II"
• also released on 3" CD (LCD Mute 93)

12": Sire-Reprise / 25904-1 (US)

1. "Stop!" (7-inch version) - 2:55
2. "The Hardest Part" - 3:40
3. "Stop!" (12" remix) - 5:47
4. "Knocking on Your Door" - 2:57
5. "She Won't Be Home" - 3:28
6. "Knocking on Your Door" (12" remix) - 6:07

• also released on CD (25904-2) and MC (25904-4)
• 12" mixes by Mark Saunders

CD: Mute / EBX 3.1 (UK)

1. "Stop!" (Cold Ending) - 3:03
2. "The Hardest Part" - 3:40
3. "Knocking On Your Door" - 2:57
4. "She Won't Be Home" - 3:28
5. "The Hardest Part" (12" version) - 5:06
6. "Knocking On Your Door" (12" version) - 3:59
7. "Stop!" (Mark Saunders Remix) - 5:47
8. "Knocking on Your Door" (Mark Saunders Remix) - 6:07
9. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" - 3:10

• part of the CD single box set

Chart performance

Chart (1988)	Peak position
Austrian Singles Chart[2]	16
Dutch Singles Chart[3]	49
German Singles Chart[4]	18
Irish Singles Chart[5]	2
New Zealand Singles Chart[6]	40
Swiss Singles Chart[7]	15
UK Singles Chart[8]	2
U.S. Billboard 200[9]	73

Personnel

• Erasure – Producer
• Cameron Jenkins – Assistant Engineer
• Phil Legg – Mixing
• Jock Loveband – Assistant Engineer
• Alan Moulder – Engineer
• Mark Saunders – Remixing, Mixing

Remixers

Mark Saunders

1. "Stop!" (mark saunders remix) - 5:47
2. "Knocking on Your Door" (12" version) - 3:59
3. "Knocking on Your Door" (mark saunders remix) - 6:07

Mark Saunders and Phil Legg

1. "Stop!" (cold ending) - 3:03
2. "Stop!" (fade ending) - 2:55

Phil Legg

1. "She Won't Be Home" - 3:28
2. "The Hardest Part" (12" version) - 5:07

References

1. ^ Allmusic review
2. ^ http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Erasure&titel=Crackers+International&cat=s
3. ^ http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Erasure&titel=Crackers+International&cat=s
4. ^ http://musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/Erasure/?type=single
5. ^ http://www.irishcharts.ie/
6. ^ http://charts.org.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Erasure&titel=Crackers+International&cat=s
7. ^ http://www.swisscharts.com/
8. ^ http://www.chartstats.com/
9. ^ http://www.billboard.com/