Thursday, May 14, 2009

The iPod Shuffle (An Occasional Series)

So I've never turned on my iPod's shuffle function before -- swear to god -- but when I did it today this is the first thing that came up.

From 1993, and their 30th Anniversary Collection, please enjoy The Hollies and "The Woman I Love."


This is pretty much the last memorable record they made with something resembling their classic lineup, and if truth be told I resisted it when it first came out -- the lyric is a little sniggering, I think, and the production is awfully late 80s, in the Richard Marx sense. Nonetheless, it's got a chorus to die for and the group harmonies are as stellar as ever, so the damn thing gets to me against my better judgement; in fact, by the time the last "me-yeah-e-yeah" thing happens on the fadeout, I'm pretty much a goner.

Hey, I'm a Hollies fan down to my DNA, what can I tell you?

BTW, it's written by 80s New Wave teen idol Nik Kershaw, who was briefly a comer.

You can download it HERE; as always, if you get to it after the authorization has expired, just e-mail me blah blah blah.

6 comments:

Dave said...

Good catch, Steve. I've never heard this song before. Was it recorded FOR this collection? It's not the world's greatest song, but it is irresistible. I remember becoming obsessed with "Do the Best You Can." Despite the Hollies' unmistakable sound, they were surprisingly versatile.

steve simels said...

No, it was an actual hit single in the UK in 93.

The anthology itself was the first with credible remixes of the band's classic stuff. Previously, the American stereo versions were all but unlistenable...

Unknown said...

Although I hadn't heard it before, I wondered why "The Woman I Love" had a familiar ring to it until you mentioned that it was written by Nik Kershaw.

As soon as I read that, I thought of "Wide Boy" and the similarities between the two songs (e.g., key change for the chorus).

Thanks for digging up those tuneful rarities.

Sal Nunziato said...

I don't think I have ever NOT used iPod Shuffle. What a killer track. I've owned this Hollies collection since day one and I don't think I have ever played Disc Three...at least not the last three songs.

steve simels said...

Peter (possibly Australia's only Sugarbomb fan:


Just wanted to say thank you a thousand times thank you for finding that single version of "natural man." That is indeed the one that I owned back in the day and it knocked me flat hearing it again...

Now if I could only figure out how to get the mp3....

Seriously though -- thanks!!!

Unknown said...

No problem at all, Steve.

I'm still looking for the single version, but in my electronic travels I did manage to find an album of rarities entitled Albert Archives. It includes "Natural Man," but unfortunately it's the album version.

However, Albert Archives itself is a ripper, as it's chock full o' stuff that's rare, rare, rare - and a lot of it is worth listening to (the live version of "She's So Fine" is amazing).

Unfortunately, Albert Archives doesn't contain AC/DC's very first single, "Can I Sit Next To You Girl", with original singer Dave Evans. (A version with Bon Scott singing was recorded later after they'd developed their patented AC/DC sound, but I much prefer this version.) It's a rarity that I think definitely deserved to be on the album. And I'm extremely pleased that the video of it (dig those flared trousers!) has turned up on YouTube.

Incidentally, I've stopped adding "possibly Australia's only Sugarbomb fan" to my name because: a) it makes my moniker way too long; and b) I'm an optimist and hope that there's at least one more person in Australia who likes Sugarbomb (or has even heard of them).