The Beat

[daddytodd]

The postman brought me my latest order from Amazon.uk: the reissues of The (English) Beat's three albums, in double CD+DVD "Deluxe" editions.

I don't know what Dave Wakeling thought "Save it For Later" was about, but it was about Coming Out for me ("Cry cry but I don't need my mother. Just hold my hand while I come to a decision on it" in particular) (You have to remember that my coming out was basically coming to a decision: come out, or kill myself. There were no longer any other options.)

One of the greatest songs ever recorded. Just amazing. Anyone who makes fun of "80's music" needs to be strapped to a chair and forced to listen to this stuff. The '80's was more than just Duran Duran and Flock of Seagulls.

Comments

[soundbear69.livejournal.com]

First off, I'm a huge fan of 80's music and "Save It For Later" is an amazing song. But please don't be dismissive Duran Duran and Flock of Seagulls. "Planet Earth," "Please, Please, Tell Me Now," "Spaced Aged Love Songs," and "Wishing" were not their biggest hits, but I would argue are some very fine songs in their own right. Still I'm right with you on strapping those to a chair that make fun of "80's music."

[furr-a-bruin.livejournal.com]

This. (I'd also mention "Wild Boys" and "Save a Prayer" for Duran Duran.) Just because a band was popular does not necessarily mean they were bad.

(My usual problem is running into people who have no idea that a-ha released 9 studio albums over their career and were extremely popular almost everywhere but North America; generally all they know is "Take on Me" and maybe "The Living Daylights" or "The Sun Always Shines on TV". AARRG!)

[soundbear69.livejournal.com]

a-ha has been sadly overlooked, but so have a lot of bands from across the pond. The Beat should have been bigger here than they were.

[daddytodd.livejournal.com]

Well, I could've used Culture Club and Adam and the Ants as examples -- or Bow Wow Wow and Men at Work -- but whoever I selected would've been controversial with someone.

I picked Duran Duran and Flock of Seagulls because they are both remembered (if remembered at all) for some pretty silly songs, and for their "look" rather than for the overall quality of their music.

OK, how about Journey and REO Speedwagon? I'd be surprised to find many partisans of those bands around here. In my mind, they might as well have been the same band -- along with Styx and Toto -- utterly generic arena-rock, utterly devoid of soul or passion or anything even vaguely interesting.

[soundbear69.livejournal.com]

Yes, someone would have been upset, even with the arena rock. It is very interesting to listen to stuff now and see what holds up. So much from The Beat holds up, because you still have the fusion of ska/reggae and pop in music today. A lot of the bands that are out now, that I like, have a certain "80's" sound to them. I have to ask myself constantly, "Do I like them for what they are, or because they remind me of Band X, Y or Z?" Enjoy the box set!