Everything But The Girl
Founded in 1982 by Hull University students Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt, the duo took their name from a sign placed in the window of a local furniture shop, which claimed "for your bedroom needs, we sell everything but the girl." At the time of their formation, both vocalist Thorn and songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Watt were already signed independently to the Cherry Red label - Thorn was a member of the sublime Marine Girls, while Watt had issued several solo singles and also collaborated with Robert Wyatt.

Everything But The Girl debuted in 1982 with a samba interpretation of Cole Porter's "Night and Day". The single was a success in the UK independent charts, but the duo nonetheless went on hiatus as Thorn recorded a solo EP, A Distant Shore and in 1983 Watt checked in with the full-length North Marine Drive. EBTG soon reunited to record a cover of the Jam's "English Rose" for an NME sampler, the track so impressed former Jam frontman Paul Weller that he invited the duo to contribute to the 1984 LP Cafe Bleu, the debut from his new project, the Style Council.

Everything But The Girl's own beguiling 1984 debut Eden, followed on the heels of the top 40 single "Each and Every One". The jazz-pop confections of the group's early work gave way to shimmering jangle rock by the time of 1985's Love Not Money, while a subtle country influence crept into the mix for 1986's lush, orchestral Baby, the Stars Shine Bright. The beautifully spare Idlewild followed in 1988, spawning the top 5 single "I Don't Want to Talk About It" - a poignant cover of a song by the late Crazy Horse guitarist Danny Whitten.

Watt and Thorn travelled to Los Angeles to record 1990's The Language of Life, produced by Tommy LiPuma and featuring a guest appearance by jazz legend Stan Getz. After a return to pop textures with 1991's Worldwide, Everything But The Girl mounted a series of club performances which resulted in 1992's Acoustic. 1993 saw the release of Home Movies – The Best Of Everything But The Girl which charted in the top 5.

In 1994, EBTG collaborated with trip-hop innovators Massive Attack on their LP Protection - Thorn's vocal turn highlighted the hit title track. The cinematic Massive Attack sound clearly influenced Everything But The Girl's 1994 album, Amplified Heart - another strong and eclectic outing featuring an appearance by guitar great Richard Thompson. In 1995 the soulful single "Missing" was innovatively remixed by Todd Terry. After first becoming a club sensation "Missing" blossomed as a major international hit, reaching the #2 position on the US pop charts and #3 in the UK single charts. More importantly, Terry's remix combined with the lessons of the Massive Attack sessions launched the duo into an entirely new - and equally satisfying - musical direction with 1996's brilliant Walking Wounded. Everything But The Girl dove headfirst into electronica, crafting sophisticated, assured excursions into trip-hop and drum'n'bass. In 1999, the duo released the top 20 album Temperamental, and in 2001 they released a compilation of their favourite songs as part of the Back To Mine series.

Songs