Start a Family

Album: Texas 25 (2015)
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Songfacts®:

  • Written by Texas' Sharleen Spiteri and Johnny McElhone with newcomers Karen-Anne and Jack Townes, this song was recorded in Glasgow and New York. It is one of four new tracks included on the Scottish group's 25th anniversary release, Texas 25.
  • The song includes a spoken-word performance by Alan Rickman. The actor memorably danced the tango with Sharleen Spiteri in the video for Texas' 2000 "In Demand" single. Spiteri told Digital Spy why they hooked up with Rickman again. "We did the original in New York and then we came back and we were like, it would be really interesting to do something... I mean, it's such a delicate song and it's quite emotional," she explained. "The song is all about roads and paths and choices and to know that there's someone who's always got your back although some people don't ever want to accept that, so it would probably be stronger if a man sang the second verse. I was like, 'What about if we got Alan to sing it?' I have always been mesmerized by Alan's voice. We did the 'In Demand' video in 2000 and we've remained friends ever since. So I phoned him up and was like, 'Do you fancy singing on a record?' He just burst out laughing and said, 'Darling, what do you mean? Sing? I could try.'"

    "Originally he started singing it and it sounded great, but we had a singing version and spoken version," Spiteri continued. "When he spoke the lyrics it just seemed woah, and that's why we went with that. He's such a cool man. He's just an interesting, kind, lovely person and I'm very fond of him. He's never any hassle - he's either going to say yes or no."

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