The Macca thread from @mousey made me revisit a great song of his, Wanderlust – and a particular aspect of it.

There’s a bit at 3:42 where he sings two vocal lines with different lyrics but they combine very sweetly. I find the new, second line overlapping the first deeply clever as it seems to convey a private frustration to counter the straightforward joyfulness of the main melody. A nice square meal.

“Oh where did I…go wrong, my love? What petty crime am I found guilty of?”

Nearly the same trick is in She’s Leaving Home – the words of regret from the parents. Without that part, the song would still be good but those counter melodies and lines turn into the classic song that it is.

Bringing us bang up to date with Soft Cell, Besdsitter has this too. The plaintive new line and melody overlapping the established chorus :

“I’m waiting .., for something…I’m only passing time.”

I hope I’m making myself clear on this but I’m aware I might not be (wouldn’t be the first time). Basically, I’m not just after good vocal harmonies – the songs I am on about are » Continue Reading.