Second 2 None

Album: Mura Masa (2017)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song features the voice of Héloïse Letissier, aka French singer-songwriter Christine and the Queens. The track came about right as Mura Masa was finishing his debut eponymous album:

    "She'd written a whole song to this sample loop that I sent to her, recorded it all in one take then asked if I wanted to do it again – which was even better," he recalled to The Independent. "I took it away and made it into what it is on the album. I guess for me that was about bringing her French sensibilities onto the music."
  • It took just an hour to record Christine and The Queen's vocals. "We got into the studio," Mura Masa recalled to Noisey. "And she sings the whole thing through from start to finish. One take; it's amazing. She was like, ''You wanna do it again?' And I was like, 'Yeah, I guess, while we're here, just in case.'"

    "So she did it again, exactly the same - just as good, so consistent," he continued. "And I was like, 'I think we got it.' And she was like, 'Maybe there are some harmonies, we can put in?' And I was like, 'You're right, there probably are.' So we went back. Two more takes, just two harmonies. It was an hour. And I was like, 'Well, s--t.' To come in and one-take it - she's an amazing singer, amazing performer, very important cultural character as well."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

American Hits With Foreign Titles

American Hits With Foreign TitlesSong Writing

What are the biggest US hits with French, Spanish (not "Rico Suave"), Italian, Scottish, Greek, and Japanese titles?

La La Brooks of The Crystals

La La Brooks of The CrystalsSong Writing

The lead singer on "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Then He Kissed Me," La La explains how and why Phil Spector replaced The Crystals with Darlene Love on "He's A Rebel."

Jackie DeShannon - "Put a Little Love in Your Heart"

Jackie DeShannon - "Put a Little Love in Your Heart"They're Playing My Song

It wasn't her biggest hit as a songwriter (that would be "Bette Davis Eyes"), but "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" had a family connection for Jackie.

David Gray

David GraySongwriter Interviews

David Gray explains the significance of the word "Babylon," and talks about how songs are a form of active imagination, with lyrics that reveal what's inside us.

Loudon Wainwright III

Loudon Wainwright IIISongwriter Interviews

"Dead Skunk" became a stinker for Loudon when he felt pressure to make another hit - his latest songs deal with mortality, his son Rufus, and picking up poop.

Jim McCarty of The Yardbirds

Jim McCarty of The YardbirdsSongwriter Interviews

The Yardbirds drummer explains how they created their sound and talks about working with their famous guitarists.