Saint Etienne - Hug My Soul

About "Hug My Soul"

"Hug My Soul" is a song by British band Saint Etienne. It was the third single from their third album, Tiger Bay (1994), and was released in September 1994 (1994-09) by Heavenly Records. It was written by vocalist Sarah Cracknell along with songwriting partners Guy Batson and Johnny Male (Male and Batson would help co-write a number of tracks on Cracknell's solo debut Lipslide).

The single was released with three B-sides: two written by Saint Etienne's songwriting partnership of Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs, "I Buy American Records" and "Hate Your Drug", and a cover version of La Poupée Qui Fait Non (No, No, No)", a live recording produced by the band's friend (and future Heavenly label mate) Edwyn Collins. A second CD featured remixes by Motiv8, Secret Knowledge, Juan "Kinky" Hernandez and Sure Is Pure. It reached number 32 on the UK Singles Chart and was their first single not to be released on 7-inch vinyl. The music video for the song was directed by Steven Wells.

This would be Saint Etienne's final release for Warner Bros. Follow up single "He's on the Phone" would be released on MCA Records, lifted from a dance compilation album called Life is a Dance. The US releases included a number of exclusive remixes - including an alternate album version (which was released as a bonus track on the US version of Tiger Bay), a Motiv-8 dub, and the On Tour In '94 dub.

The song bears a resemblance to the 70s disco hit More, More, More by Andrea True Connection. In particular, the phrasing of the "More More More" lyric "Ooh, how do you like your love?" is identical to the "Hug My Soul" lyric "Ooh, what are you dreaming of?", and both lyrics are the opening to each of their representative songs.