ordinary pop songs and why they're great.

Thursday, February 08, 2007

 
Hovering around the same period in time here (as Labi Siffre), a year later perhaps, 1972. Time to rediscover Slade. Daft, loud, hairy and easily dismissed aged 9. But I always, even back then, had a soft spot for Coz I Luv You even though we only had it on one of those awful cover compilations of the era. It's great and totally nostalgic from the minute it opens - double tracked vocal and not remotely shouty. It's a totally compelling stompy old beat but then there's the quirk of the electric violin. Having seen this on TOTP2 I realise that Jim Lea (fiddle/bass/tunesmith) was a wasted crush opportunity - obviously eclipsed by what I perceived as the sheer physical hideousness of the other three at the time. How shallow - and this from the child with a thing for the one from Sweet who looked like a girl, well if you squinted!

And so, musically, they passed me by entirely which is why I have absolutely no recollection of the equally fantastic Look Wot You Dun (way ahead of their time - titles in textspeak and all). It's just an incredibly well crafted song, what more can you ask?!

Labels: slade jim lea