Memories Of The Night Before

Once or twice a month when I’ve amassed bits and bobs in mp3 form from various blogs (most to be found int he links to the right) I burn them onto cd, mainly to soundtrack my journey to and from work for a few days. Hence my car is full of cds with titles like ‘Oct 2016 comp’ or ’07/18′. I used to write out tracklists but that happens less soften now so sometimes I pull out a homemade various artists cd and stick it in and see what happens. Last week I was struck by how brilliant a Soft Cell song sounded- this didn’t come as a surprise and it won’t surprise some of you either, I’m sure most of the bloggers who read this will have posted some Soft Cell at some point, but they just caught me and slapped me round the face a bit. The song in question was the 12″ mix of Say Hello, Wave Goodbye, a hit from 1982. That’s been posted somewhere recently though so I’m going with this one instead, from 1981 which is just as brilliant, just as innovative- just listen to those synths for proof- and just as evocative of a life lived in bedsitland.

Bedsitter (12″ mix)

The Return Of Friday Night Is Rockabilly Night 63

Some modern rockabilly tonight, just for a change from all the older 50s stuff I’ve posted recently- rockabilly revivalist Imelda May has a great voice, an authentic sounding rockabilly band and is much better than you might think. This is her rip-roaring cover version of Tainted Love, originally by Gloria Jones and famously covered by Soft Cell.

Tainted Love

I’ve Got This Burning, Burning, Yearning

Soft Cell’s 1981 hit Tainted Love has so many hooks- that beat, Marc Almond’s delivery, its marriage of the new (electro-pop) and the old (Northern Soul), those handclaps, and all the sleaze that went with their image. A massive hit and a groundbreaking record that sold in millions. Those people that bought it on 12″ got an added treat- an eight minute plus version with a hissing drum machine segueway and a drop-dead cover of The Supremes hit Where Did Our Love Go? to go with the Gloria Jones cover of the 7″. Utter brilliance.

Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go?

Gloria Jones ‘Tainted Love’

This 1965 northern soul stomper by Gloria Jones is known for two reasons. It was famously covered by Soft Cell (and the 12″ mix of their version is segues into Where Did Our Love Go by The Supremes, and now I think of it needs posting), and Gloria Jones was driving the car that hit a tree in Barnes, London causing the death of Marc Bolan. She was badly injured herself in the crash, and wasn’t told he’d died until the day of the funeral. When she got out of hospital she returned home to find T-Rex fans had looted her and Marc’s flat, and she received little from his will due to being unmarried. All of which is pretty grim. So let’s enjoy this life affirming slice of dancefloor action.

Tainted_Love.mp3