that David McAlmont & Bernard Butler released a song that stands as the I Will Survive of the 1990’s. It stares down the spectre of loneliness, rejection and heartbreak with a strength of spirit that warms the soul. It is jubilant, arrogant, triumphant and glorious as all great pop music should be. Those Spector-ish drums, those soaring strings reaching the heady heights of David’s extraordinary voice as Bernard’s guitar wails underneath. Turning something bad into something life affirming is what melds it to people’s hearts.
“I feel well enough to tell you what you can do with what you got to offer ” is a mantra to everyone who lied, did you down, broke your heart, made you cry, wanted you to crawl away. It gives you strength and a way to articulate your pain. Most importantly it puts a smile on your face where there were tears and sadness.
They did it again with the space love song ‘Falling’ but no -one noticed – the idiots!
Can I be (possibly) the first to endorse this? BRILLIANT tune.
One of my favourite singles ever. It’s pure joy.
3rd-ed from me. Definitely my favourite single of the 90s.
Brilliant song. Sorely undervalued is David McAlmont.
And that Butler fella needs to get out from behind the production desk too!
Well M&B are touring in November – I’m off to Dublin with the Irish Massive and also the Roundhouse
And I urge anyone with ears to check out David’s Fingersnap project with Guy Davies. the live shows are a wonderful mix of originals, covers and M&B songs. His take on ‘Kitchen Man’ is suitably outrageous and ‘Grapefruit Moon’ with Guy’s exquisite piano is an absolute heart stopper .
Blackbird
Grapfruit
I Wanna Rise
Been listening to this a lot lately. Probably the greatest song of the 90s. Has there even been a song more perfect for a specific vocalist?
Lovely OP. Have a big up.
Wonderful song (and post).
Everyone loves Yes. My dad – not a big music fan – used to play it on a constant loop in his car.
A song guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Ace tune.
One of those songs with which it is impossible to find fault.
Christ, this is, I think, unparallelled. Has nobody a bad word to say about this tune?
I certainly don’t. And I agree with the OP that the remake of it, Falling, was almost as bloody good…
Falling with riffs to die for
Came up on my iPod only this morning.
Tried to sing along.
Couldn’t.
Fantastic song.
This song gets a 5 star difficulty rating for karaoke.
It’s right up there with Stand By Me and It’s Oh So Quiet.
And Grace Kelly.
Which is also difficult to sing because when you try to people thrown chairs at you.
I’ve found.
Throw. THROW.
Let he who is without typos cast the first bar-stool.
Oh yes, thwow him to the floor, please . . .
And Take On Me. Which is also impossible to dance you.
Dance to! Crumbs, it’s catching…
Because a) it keeps slowing down and b) you find yourself turning into a pencil-sketch cartoon half-way through. Most disconcerting.
Thanks for the reminder, a brilliant song and listening to it again now, spine-tingling. Agree, Falling is as good in my humble opinion.
There’s also the extended version on the album which grinds to a wonderfully shambolic finish underpinned by Makoto Sakamoto’s driving drums.
Is the Live from Leicester Square album worth having?
My fave song of McAlmont’s – apart from Yes, natch – is ‘Who Loves You?’ written with Boo Hewerdine & Gary Clark from Danny Wilson.
Twenty years?!!
Awesome tune.
Spotifying it NOW!
YES!!
That reminds me, the live performance is on the Later… Cool Britannia 2 DVD. I’m going to go and watch it again.
PS *This* is what we’re here for.
Speak for yourself – I come here for James Blast’s gallery of glamour..
Thank you, I think?
Top tune. I haven’t played that in ages.
I also have the Later…DVD in the loft so will go and dig it out.
Agree with all of the above. And I can’t believe it’s the first time I noticed the flute in the mix.
I think so. Its obvs more stripped back sound but if just for the cover of Isn’t It A Pity it’s a must. I just adore his voice. I went to a Bowie night and his Lady Grinning Soul was as spinechilling as you’d imagine it would be
It’s ok. No more than that though. The adulation expressed for this very ordinary pop song leaves me slightly bemused but good luck to all those who like it.
Phew!
Being a massive Suede fan then and now I’ve been waiting twenty years for this record to “strike” me as it has clearly struck others. That kettle has yet to boil. Never mind.
20 years and yet still ASTONISHING.
Groundbreaking, retro, modern, sublime.
I pity those not touched by it.
It is truly that good.
For all the reasons stated the OP – a very uplifting song. It came at a good time for me too.
I’m no hater but I have to say I’m unmoved by that tune.
It’s his wobbly singing & the hugely overblown string section I think.
Exactly my sentiments too.
I pity the fools.
But those are the BEST BITS.
Lovely post DFB.
Honourable mention to Bernard Butler’s You’re Not Alone. Cut from the same cloth as Yes, but I never totally got used to him singing.
http://youtu.be/uSuQBoYQ6XU