Crackers International is a Christmas EP released by English synth-pop duo Erasure in November 1988, in between the albums The Innocents (1988) and Wild! (1989). The EP reached number-one in Denmark and Argentina, and peaked at number two in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

History

The EP appeared in several different versions. The original UK release by Mute Records consisted of four original, self-produced tracks. In the UK, where at the time EPs were eligible for the singles chart, it became one of Erasure's most successful releases, matching the number two peak of 1986's "Sometimes". It was promoted with a simple music video for the lead track "Stop!", showing Clarke and Bell performing the song on a stage surrounded by "stop", "no entry", "give way" and similar road signs. In the US, Crackers International was still considered an EP, although two remixes were added (bringing the track list count to six) when Sire Records released it. In the US, where EPs chart on the Billboard 200, it hit number seventy-three. The song "Stop!" was also released as its own stand-alone single in the US, just barely making an appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 (number 97). On the US Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart "Stop!" / "Knocking on Your Door" peaked at number four as a double-sided entry. Additionally, a version of the EP was released in the UK by Mute Records in a very limited-edition, seasonal pressing, titled Crackers International Part 2. Released originally in 12" vinyl with extended versions of "Stop!" and "Knocking on Your Door", both remixed by Mark Saunders, it also added the Christmas standard "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". It was subsequently released as a compact disc containing the original 7" versions of "Stop!" and "Knocking on Your Door" (also of note is the fact that there were two different versions of the single mix of "Stop!", one with a fade, and a slightly longer one with a 'cold' ending). Sire Records commissioned some mixes for the song by Justin Strauss, who previously had remixed "A Little Respect" for the US market, but the mixes remain unreleased. Twenty-five years after Crackers International, in 2013, Erasure would finally release a proper Christmas album, titled Snow Globe.

Critical reception

All Music gave the EP a 3-star rating.

Stop reviews

Track listing

Note: There was also a 2 track 7" produced mainly for jukeboxes (Mute 93) with the same versions of "Stop!" and "Knocking on Your Door" as the 4 track version. Note: "7-inch version" same as "fade ending", also released on MC (22879-4) Note: also released on CD (CD Mute 93) Note: Released as "Crackers International part II", also released on CD (LCD Mute 93) Note: also released on CD (25904-2) and MC (25904-4), 12" mixes by Mark Saunders Note: Part of the CD single box set

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Personnel

Remixers

Mark Saunders

Mark Saunders and Phil Legg

Phil Legg