Early punk from Irland . The vocals sounds as much sixties as they sound punk-ish , a nasal enthusiastic whine that is just bound to put u in a good mood . It also sounds very naive and its full of energy , usually that can be quite irritating (newer bands like The Offspring comes to mind ) but this is just impossible to not like.
18 Aug 03 ·chris kane: wow. impossible not to like. that's just made me think, i've never met anyone who doesn't love that song! 13 Jul 04 ·mattypenny: A great song, rightly highly rated. But does anybody else prefer the follow-up, '(I just can't) Get over you'? 04 Feb 05 ·shakeahand: John Peel said it was like being on a roller coaster... and I know what he means. This pure energy, pure pop, simply marvelous.
While I am quite fond of the original version written and recorded by Morrissey, I have to admit that I prefer the cover version that the Pretenders recorded. Chrissie Hynde's voice and style are perfectly suited to the task of singing this movingly sad song about life "in a seaside town that they forgot to close down" and the use of slide-guitar is absolutely perfect on this track.
from Boys On The Side - Soundtrack, available on CD (Arista 18748)
14 Jul 04 ·mattypenny: I'll have to try to find this. The Pretenders also did a cover of Radiohead's Creep - I think its a B-side (can CD singles have B-sides?) which is cracking - I much prefer it to Radiohead's versh. 09 Nov 06 ·FlyingDutchman1971: The Pretenders cover of 'Creep' is included on the 4-CD/1-DVD box set "Pirate Radio". I couldn't agree more, mattypenny, it is better than the original...
Stunning late seventies reggae. maybe it's Blood and Fire's tasty design that makes the whole album feel like it was released for the first time yesterday, but I suspect it has more to do with the amazingly clean and timeless production. At any rate this song in particular brings me a feeling of great happiness and well-being.
Sublime lead and backing vocals with a bass line worthy of deep praise and adoration and lead guitar by the peerless Ernest Ranglin. A beautiful song.
20 May 04 ·pleasepleaseme: I don't own this record, but the album "Heart of the Congos" by the Congos from 1977 is a must have session! Some of the most uplifting Jamaican Soul. 13 Jan 05 ·mattypenny: SLightly OT - their Row, Fisherman, from the Heart of the Congos was really good for getting our nipper off to sleep. A combination of the high voices, bass sounds and reggae rhythms, I guess. Cracking song in any case 14 Jan 05 ·james: Am going to listen to Row, Fisherman Row - thanks for reminding me! must be something about falsetto reggae artists, our second boy was always mightily calmed by the Minstrel by Cornell Campbell - not really in the same league as the congos but check him out if you don't know him.
A rock-y love song. Shane in good voice - maybe the last time he has been in such good voice, I dunno. The voices go together brilliantly.
Its a nice contrast with 'Fairytale of New York'. Sample lyric 'you were so cool you could have put out Vietnam'
It was originally recorded with original Pogues bass player Cait O'Riordan (forgive the spelling - I'm crap at Irish names) which I heard at the time but not since - it was on the soundtrack to Sid and Nancy
from Not on an album
03 Mar 05 ·tonyharte: How right you are Matt - tis a mighty fine nugget from 10 years ago. Should've been top 5 - instead of the lower reaches of the chart (if anybody cares these days). The voice of an angel meets devilish genius in a smokey tap room near Wardour St.
Sunlight and pathos in equal measures. 03 Mar 05 ·mattypenny: Many Thanks for the comment Tony.
I dunno how many people would feel the same way, but I really love some of the songs that Sinead O'Connor has been involved with, although I'm not as keen on all of her own stuff.
The collaborations I've paticularly enjoyed:
Marxman - Ship Ahoy
Damien dempsey - Negative Vibes
Something by Jah Wobble I forget the name of
Terry Hall and Sinead - All Kinds of Everything
I'll type some of these up as recommendations when I get the chance
This is partly a recommendation, partly a request for information if anybody has it. (hope thats not an abuse of the website)
I recorded this by accident off of a John Peel show in the late 70s/early 80s. Its a dance-y dub-by version of a old American square dance song I believe. Its not unlike Malcolm Maclarens stuff of the same time in concept, but its al lot more taste.
So does anybody else know it?
03 Mar 05 ·n-jeff: Hmmm, Sounds like the sort of thing the Suns of Arqa were up to at that time, the early stuff tended to mix uptempo dubby backings with guitar and or fiddle, and then do something daft like phase the hell out of it. I should say it would be worth eliminating, I'll try and find te hname of the LP I have thats like that.
Suns of Arqa - Sounds like thunder ? could be... 04 Mar 05 ·mattypenny: Jeff - judging by the website, that's a really good call. I shall investigate...Thanks, Matt 19 Dec 05 ·n-jeff: Glad to be of assistance.
Suns of Arqa are well worth checking out anyway, I saw them live a couple of times in their Indian phase, Tabla's, Sitar, drums and Wadada on deep bass. At the time there was no-one like it. Nice.
