hypersongs

Ping Pong

The Mars Audiac Quintet single about the business cycle, their biggest UK hit.
Stereolab, from Mars Audiac Quintet (1994)

"Ping Pong" is credited to Tim Gane and Laetitia Sadier, track five of Mars Audiac Quintet at 3:02. The Ping Pong EP came out on July 11, 1994 by its article and July 18 by the album's, on Duophonic in the UK and Elektra in the US, 15:49, recorded in April 1994 with "Moogie Wonderland", "Pain et Spectacles" and a live "Transona Five". Limited 7-inch runs came in green, black and pink. It reached 45 in the UK, their biggest hit there, and ninth in the Festive Fifty of 1994.

Wikipedia describes an upbeat, satirical, synth- and brass-led song about the business cycle, and the band rejected the Marxist pop label. Sadier told Red Bull Music Academy in 2015, as New Frame reported, that the song is basically about the cycle of destruction within the capitalist cycle of eating its own crap, and that the crisis has persisted all her life, so it no longer leads to change; she cites Castoriadis rather than Marx. Clash's Wilf Skinner pairs the gorgeous, radiant melody with economic cycles, slumps and wars. We found no music video, covers or samples and no setlist.fm count.

More songs by Stereolab

Metronomic Underground

Sources

  1. Ping Pong (EP), Wikipedia
  2. Political songs: Ping Pong, New Frame (2019-05-31)
  3. Where to start: Stereolab, Clash (2019-06-19)