An Interview with a One Hit Wonder of the 1990s

Does the name White Town – or even Jyoti Mishra – ring a bell? Probably not, right? Yet they both belong to the man responsible for one of the biggest hits of the 90s – 'Your Woman'. Older generations will remember for topping the UK Singles Chart in 1997, while it's impossible for the younger of us not to feel a flutter of displaced nostalgia at the sound of Lew Stone's trumpet.

Its creator on the other hand never enjoyed the same fame. So how does the one-man-band feel about creating a one hit wonder? “I feel great! Every time someone tells me they like my song I am filled with pride. I never expected to make it as a musician and so 'Your Woman' will always be a 'gift'," he told me the other day over the phone. Here's the song and the rest of that conversation:

Many people are still struggling to grasp the meaning of the lyrics in 'Your Woman'. Some people argue that you are telling the story from the perspective of a gay man who is in love with a straight man, while there is also the theory that it is written from the perspective of a woman. Which is it?
Essentially it’s a conglomerate of different perspectives: Firstly, it's written from the point of view of someone who is a member of an Orthodox Trotskyist Marxist movement – like I was for three years during the 1980s. Secondly, from the perspective of a straight man who is in love with a lesbian – so spot on – that of a gay man who is in love with a straight man – which I haven’t tried yet – and finally, that of a straight girl who is in love with a lying, cheating pseudo-Marxist.

It tells the story of the general hypocrisy that exists when love and passion get mixed up with intellectuality and ideologies.

It’s been said that you had no desire to take part in the music video for the song or show up on TV shows. Is this true?
Yes, it's true. EMI, which was my label at the time, wanted me to appear on Top Of The Pops and have me be more involved in my videos, but I refused. I never intended to become famous or recognisable. I just wanted to make music and ultimately that was the right choice.

Shortly after the release of your album Women in Technology, EMI dropped you. Why did this happen?
The answer is quite simple really – they didn’t like my music! Basically, the only track they liked was 'Your Woman'. I don’t think they understood how indie music could be combined with electronic sounds, which is now the case everywhere. But back then, this was a weird concept for some people to get their head around.

What are you up to right now?
I just finished mixing a new song. I will be getting into the process of mastering this week, after I get a chance to rest up a bit. It is a pop song essentially, so I’ll be releasing it as a single.

Are you still making good money from 'Your Woman'?
You know, I’m not doing badly! Now I produce my music through my own label, so I also have an income from my post-EMI albums. I am also writing and taking photographs for music technology magazines.

What are the basic "ingredients" of an hit song?
I do have a theory about this. In my opinion an awesome pop song MUST:

1. Make you want to sing it

2. Make you want to dance

3. Make you think/feel strong emotions.

Most pop songs do none of the above. A good pop song may achieve one or two of these, however, only an amazing pop song will do all three. The key to a great pop song is it "pierces" the soul and changes something in you. That's why pop music is so important; it can change the world by changing each of us individually. It is the most democratic, affordable and truly social art form. It is not controlled by bourgeois elitist asses, as is the world of fine art, for instance, where you have to kiss somebody’s ass to become great.

When it comes to pop music all you need is one catchy song. No one cares what colour you are, what your age is, whether you’re gay or straight. If it’s catchy, people will sing along in the car and whistle the tune on their way to work.

Did anything really strange ever happen during the prime of your popularity?
It wasn’t something that happened to me, but something I found out. My partner back then had said that he’d looked over some stats in the US that showed that the weekly audience that listened to my song, reached 90 million. 90 million people listened to my song every week – how weird is that shit?

Since White Town is considered a one hit wonder, would you like to make up a top 5 playlist of your favourite one hit wonders?
Perfect, I love one hit wonders!

1) The Knack - My Sharona

2) Tubeway Army - Are 'Friends' Electric? (I know Numan had loads of hits but this is the only Tubeway single!)

3) Birkin & Gainsbourg - Je T'aime (Moi Non Plus)

4) OMC - How Bizarre

…and the best track for the end…

5) M - Pop Muzik (one of the best pop songs ever written!)

More music:

Getting Fruity with Juce

We Asked a Psychologist How Fame Fucked Over Robin Thicke

Is Avril Lavigne's New Video Really the Worst Video of All Time?