Emma (song)

"Emma", also known as "Emma, Emmaline" or "Emmeline", is a song by Errol Brown and Tony Wilson released as a single by British soul band Hot Chocolate in 1974. It reached number 3 in the UK Singles Chart and number 8 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. After being asked by producer Mickie Most to add "depth and darkness" to his compositions, Brown wrote the song about the death of his mother.^[1]

Plot

The song details the love of the (nameless) singer and a girl called Emmaline from the age of five, through a wedding at 17 until her suicide at an unspecified later date. Emma it seems wanted to be a "movie queen" but could never find the breaks and eventually kills herself because "I just can't keep on living on dreams no more."

Cover versions

• Earth Quake recorded a cover version for their 1977 album, Leveled.
• The Sisters of Mercy started performing the song live in 1983. The studio version was released on the b-side of the 12" version of their 1988 single, "Dominion", and on the 2006 re-release of the album, Floodland.
• Urge Overkill recorded a version for 1990 Touch and Go Records release, The Supersonic Storybook.
• The Oil Tasters released a version of the song on a 1982 album.

References