True story: at the time the song first appeared, the conventional wisdom was that the girl in question doesn't go for the singer because of her, er, sexual orientation, if I may use that phrase.
I, on the other hand, was convinced that it wasn't anything so specific, and that the salient line in the lyric is actually...
"I don't have my finger on the pulse of my generation/ I just got my hand on my heart, I know no better location."
...rather than the more frequently cited...
"But the one girl that I want/ she wants that one bit of geography I lack."
That said, I hadn't heard the song in ages, and when I chanced upon that video the other day, all I could do is smack my forehead and scream "What was I thinking?"
I mean, OF COURSE, it's about her sexuality.
In any case, what a great freaking song and performance.
9 comments:
I'd never given Del Amitri much notice. Then one afternoon I was driving home to coach soccer practice or something when this came on the local radio station.
They get into heaven just for this.
It might be The Great Lost Badfinger Song.
Well put.
I heard "Keepers" off their first album on the radio back in the '80s. When it was over, the DJ did that annoying thing where they don't tell you who the artist is. Mind you, this was before the internet, so I actually called the radio station and asked who did the song, then ran out and bought the LP. Simpler times.
Their album that the song “The Last to Know” comes from is one of my all time favorites. Almost every song is killer good.
Unfortunately, I can’t remember the title of the album right now. Maybe someone else can?
I heard “The Last to Know” on the radio, and was so impressed, I bought the album (cassette, actually). I was rewarded with a “where have these guys been all my life?” moment. The arrangements, the melodies and harmony, and the SOUND OF THE GUITARS are all just stunning.
Maybe it didn’t hurt that I had just experienced a “last to know” moment of my own at the time.
But I got over that. I’ve never gotten over that album.
Always The Last To Know was on Change Everything from 1992
Yes!! Thank you.
And I just remembered another gorgeous track from that album: “Be My Downfall”.
They played Always The Last To Know on the local LA alternative radio station in decent rotation. Many good songs on that album. When they went off the air the last song they played was "Kiss This Thing Goodbye" from an earlier DA album, Waking Hours.
You may have heard they are putting out their first new album in 20 years - Fatal Mistakes - in the spring!
Lead singer songwriter Justin Currie has put out several good solo albums in the meantime.
I can't help but think that 'Dea Matrona' triggered the memory of 'Del Amitri' in you.
One of the best records few listened to. Change Everything is nearly a perfect album. Heartfelt and soulful. great production and some wit in the vocals.
While it isn't completely obscure, it deserved to ba a huge record at least as big as Hootie and Counting Crows from the same era. The rest of the catalog is good as well, but not quite this transcendant.
Thanks for the reminder.
Vince
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