Album Focus: Squeeze - Argybargy
- Jackson Monk
- Posts: 1919
- Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2003 4:33 pm
- Location: At the other end of the telescope
Album Focus: Squeeze - Argybargy
I'd always liked the Squeeze singles, but the first album I could afford to buy was East Side Story (another true classic). I went back to get Argybargy several years after it was released (1980) and I had the same feeling I had when I bought TYM in 1983......what have I been missing all these years?
1979's 'Cool for Cats' was vastly superior to their epoymously titled debut album. However, ArgyBargy improved even more on it's predecessor. Although they retained their distinctly British sound, Squeeze put together an astonishly catchy set of tunes that, despite the bleak landscapes, embodied lively, effervescent pop music, that was truly endearing to most fans of 'honest' music and melody.
Difford's sharp and penetrating reflections of day-to-day living in Thatcherite Britain was as rich and intense as Tilbrook's melodies were gorgeous. The double entendre of the plaintive classic single "Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)," which describes details of the characters on a typical English seaside holiday. The highlight (of which there are many) is the often forgotten "Vicky Verky," which is in the same league as "Up the Junction" for it's simple magnificent tale of breaking up and young heartbreak.
ArgyBargy is full to the brim with perfect, ageless pop music and is probably the band's finest moment and most astounding achievement. Although a landmark recording of the early 80s, it is by no mean dated and is as refreshing today as it ever was. What makes it so special is the economy of the lyrics and the 'pocket rocket' length of the songs. In each song, the 'story' is told very quickly but with precise descriptions-and a full-speed- ahead performance that is bona fide rock-and-roll. It is bulging with humour and very,very clever lyrical gems.
Squeeze released three more classic albums;the aforementioned East Side Story in 1981 (produced by another very cool lyricist!) and two of the best albums of the 90s - 'Play' and 'Some Fantastic Place'. They were great records, but Argybargy was and is their greatest hour.
Running Order:
1. Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)
2. Another Nail in My Heart
3. Separate Beds
4. Misadventure
5. I Think I'm Gonna Go
6. If I Didn't Love You
7. Farfisa Beat
8. Here Comes That Feeling
9. Vicky Verky
10. Wrong Side of the Moon
11. There at the Top
1979's 'Cool for Cats' was vastly superior to their epoymously titled debut album. However, ArgyBargy improved even more on it's predecessor. Although they retained their distinctly British sound, Squeeze put together an astonishly catchy set of tunes that, despite the bleak landscapes, embodied lively, effervescent pop music, that was truly endearing to most fans of 'honest' music and melody.
Difford's sharp and penetrating reflections of day-to-day living in Thatcherite Britain was as rich and intense as Tilbrook's melodies were gorgeous. The double entendre of the plaintive classic single "Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)," which describes details of the characters on a typical English seaside holiday. The highlight (of which there are many) is the often forgotten "Vicky Verky," which is in the same league as "Up the Junction" for it's simple magnificent tale of breaking up and young heartbreak.
ArgyBargy is full to the brim with perfect, ageless pop music and is probably the band's finest moment and most astounding achievement. Although a landmark recording of the early 80s, it is by no mean dated and is as refreshing today as it ever was. What makes it so special is the economy of the lyrics and the 'pocket rocket' length of the songs. In each song, the 'story' is told very quickly but with precise descriptions-and a full-speed- ahead performance that is bona fide rock-and-roll. It is bulging with humour and very,very clever lyrical gems.
Squeeze released three more classic albums;the aforementioned East Side Story in 1981 (produced by another very cool lyricist!) and two of the best albums of the 90s - 'Play' and 'Some Fantastic Place'. They were great records, but Argybargy was and is their greatest hour.
Running Order:
1. Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)
2. Another Nail in My Heart
3. Separate Beds
4. Misadventure
5. I Think I'm Gonna Go
6. If I Didn't Love You
7. Farfisa Beat
8. Here Comes That Feeling
9. Vicky Verky
10. Wrong Side of the Moon
11. There at the Top
corruptio optimi pessima
When I first heard Glen Tilbrook's voice on Trust, I knew I had to investigate Squeeze. I only own two of their albums: East Side Story and Argybargy, both on vinyl. And honestly, I feel like these two albums provide me with enough Squeeze, though I'm sure at some point I'll expand a bit.
Argybargy is simply a great album with great singing and great songwriting. "Seperate Beds" is a song which describes young relationships brilliantly. "Wrong Side Of The Moon" is a great vehicle for Jools Holland to take the microphone. The highpoint for me though, is "Pulling Mussels (From A Shell)." The lyrics are fantastically unique:
"Squinting faces at the sky
A Harold Robbins paperback
Surfers drop their boards and dry
And everybody wants a hat"
Argybargy is simply a great album with great singing and great songwriting. "Seperate Beds" is a song which describes young relationships brilliantly. "Wrong Side Of The Moon" is a great vehicle for Jools Holland to take the microphone. The highpoint for me though, is "Pulling Mussels (From A Shell)." The lyrics are fantastically unique:
"Squinting faces at the sky
A Harold Robbins paperback
Surfers drop their boards and dry
And everybody wants a hat"
This morning you've got time for a hot, home-cooked breakfast! Delicious and piping hot in only 3 microwave minutes.
- Jackson Monk
- Posts: 1919
- Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2003 4:33 pm
- Location: At the other end of the telescope
You should buy or borrow 'Play' BC.
If only for the fact that it contains the best breaking up tune ever - 'Letting Go' -
She plaits her hair, I bite my nails
We balance love on the scales
I wind the clock and go to bed
Our love is hanging on a thread
She gets undressed, I undress too
The draft is cold in my bedroom
We cuddle up and say goodnight
It's all the love there is tonight.
I can't be brave enough
She cannot say what we're feeling
Day after day
We're going through the motions
We find it hard to let each other go
She boils the eggs, I make the tea
Outside the sun shines on the street
We're at that point here love has gone
The fuse is lit, it won't be long
I take a walk, she cleans the house
This is the end, I'm in no doubt
But neither one of us can show
The slightest sign of letting go
I can't be brave enough
She cannot say what we're feeling
Day after day
We're going through the motions
We find it hard to let each other go
If only for the fact that it contains the best breaking up tune ever - 'Letting Go' -
She plaits her hair, I bite my nails
We balance love on the scales
I wind the clock and go to bed
Our love is hanging on a thread
She gets undressed, I undress too
The draft is cold in my bedroom
We cuddle up and say goodnight
It's all the love there is tonight.
I can't be brave enough
She cannot say what we're feeling
Day after day
We're going through the motions
We find it hard to let each other go
She boils the eggs, I make the tea
Outside the sun shines on the street
We're at that point here love has gone
The fuse is lit, it won't be long
I take a walk, she cleans the house
This is the end, I'm in no doubt
But neither one of us can show
The slightest sign of letting go
I can't be brave enough
She cannot say what we're feeling
Day after day
We're going through the motions
We find it hard to let each other go
corruptio optimi pessima
-
- Posts: 96
- Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2003 7:34 pm
- Location: Greenville, NC USA
ARGYBARGY is my favorite hour by Squeeze, too! Pure pop from start to finish. I have a fondness for COOL FOR CATS and EAST SIDE STORY as well. I own every LP through SWEETS FROM A STRANGER, and there's good songs to be found on all of 'em.
After that, I've only heard FRANK, which wasn't bad. I need to go back and fill in the holes in that collection. They're definitely worth it.
After that, I've only heard FRANK, which wasn't bad. I need to go back and fill in the holes in that collection. They're definitely worth it.
-
- Posts: 1752
- Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:14 pm
- Location: Las Vegas, NV
- Contact:
- Jackson Monk
- Posts: 1919
- Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2003 4:33 pm
- Location: At the other end of the telescope
WHAR
Elvis produced 'East Side Story', which is also great. Very poppy and more slickly produced than Argybargy. East Side Story has a superb collection of songs.
The 'dated' stuff you refer to is probably the stuff from 'Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti' and 'Babylon and On' - some good stuff on those records, but with a distinctly 80s in sound, that I only occasionally revisit.
Elvis produced 'East Side Story', which is also great. Very poppy and more slickly produced than Argybargy. East Side Story has a superb collection of songs.
The 'dated' stuff you refer to is probably the stuff from 'Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti' and 'Babylon and On' - some good stuff on those records, but with a distinctly 80s in sound, that I only occasionally revisit.
corruptio optimi pessima
- verbal gymnastics
- Posts: 13662
- Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2003 6:44 am
- Location: Magic lantern land
Personally my favourite album is Play. Wicked and Cruel, Walk A Straight Line and Glenn's singing on Third Rail. Marvellous.
I think Squeeze and Elvis are very similar in that they never really got the recognitions they deserved. They were also more in tune with success on their own terms rather than commercially. Squeeze could bang out pop stuff like Cool for Cats in the same way Elvis could have banged out Oliver's Army. It's no surprise they were the same bedfellows.
Blue - invest in Play and Some Fantastic Place. You won't be disappointed.
I think Squeeze and Elvis are very similar in that they never really got the recognitions they deserved. They were also more in tune with success on their own terms rather than commercially. Squeeze could bang out pop stuff like Cool for Cats in the same way Elvis could have banged out Oliver's Army. It's no surprise they were the same bedfellows.
Blue - invest in Play and Some Fantastic Place. You won't be disappointed.
Who’s this kid with his mumbo jumbo?
-
- Posts: 71
- Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2003 11:45 am
- Location: Salisbury,England
buy excess moderation, thats all you'll ever need! oh and sweets from a stranger, babylon and on and ridiculus and get the DVD too it rocks!
"Do you remember rick astley? he had a big fat hit it was ghastly, he said i'm never gonna give you up or let you down, well i'm here to tell you that dick's a clown"
- Jackson Monk
- Posts: 1919
- Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2003 4:33 pm
- Location: At the other end of the telescope
-
- Posts: 959
- Joined: Wed Jun 04, 2003 9:42 am
I've been humming the song Glenn played on last week's Later... all week. V. good. Ok, so out of all of them, which is the one to get first? I'm afraid I've only ever got as far as the recent Best Of.
Useless info alert! I was watching my brother's 'Girls on Top' DVD recently and noticed Glenn and Chris wrote the theme tune. Very 80s-sounding, which = crap.
Useless info alert! I was watching my brother's 'Girls on Top' DVD recently and noticed Glenn and Chris wrote the theme tune. Very 80s-sounding, which = crap.
-
- Posts: 1752
- Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:14 pm
- Location: Las Vegas, NV
- Contact:
-
- Posts: 1752
- Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:14 pm
- Location: Las Vegas, NV
- Contact:
- Jackson Monk
- Posts: 1919
- Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2003 4:33 pm
- Location: At the other end of the telescope
- verbal gymnastics
- Posts: 13662
- Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2003 6:44 am
- Location: Magic lantern land
-
- Posts: 1752
- Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:14 pm
- Location: Las Vegas, NV
- Contact:
Hah, Jackson, I downloaded "argybargy", "east side story", "sweets from a stranger", "difford and tilbrook", and a lot of acoustic/radio shows.
No worries, I'll definitly buy "argybargy", and I believe they have a live cd out as well.
"Argybargy" is pure genius. I haven't given "Eastside Story" a real chance yet, but "In Quintessence" is damn good.
No worries, I'll definitly buy "argybargy", and I believe they have a live cd out as well.
"Argybargy" is pure genius. I haven't given "Eastside Story" a real chance yet, but "In Quintessence" is damn good.
- Jackson Monk
- Posts: 1919
- Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2003 4:33 pm
- Location: At the other end of the telescope
Great to see a convert. I'm impressed at your willingness to move on from your apparent entrenched view. Shows a degree of character and reminds me of when I finally realised the genius of Springsteen and Van the Man after years of denial.
Give the 90s stuff a listen too. 'Some Fantastic Place' and 'Play' are right up there....as is the Tilbrook solo album released a couple of years back.
Give the 90s stuff a listen too. 'Some Fantastic Place' and 'Play' are right up there....as is the Tilbrook solo album released a couple of years back.
corruptio optimi pessima
-
- Posts: 1752
- Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:14 pm
- Location: Las Vegas, NV
- Contact:
- Jackson Monk
- Posts: 1919
- Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2003 4:33 pm
- Location: At the other end of the telescope
I own Argybargy on vinyl.... go get a record player!wehitandrun wrote:I can't believe how good this album is. I'm trying to not listen to it until I buy the album.
I hear "Argybargy" is out of print in the USA. Is this true? I'm screwed if so.
I hear good things about "Babylon and On" and "Frank", those two are coming in now.
This morning you've got time for a hot, home-cooked breakfast! Delicious and piping hot in only 3 microwave minutes.
-
- Posts: 1752
- Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:14 pm
- Location: Las Vegas, NV
- Contact:
My copy of "Argy-Bargy" was one of the many records lost in the great Peace March Bobster vinyl rip-off of 1985, nevertheless, my second favorite Squeeze album (well, I only owned three and the third one I didn't care for much, making my favorite, you guessed it, "East Side Story" -- but I really, really love that album). I have very fond memories of it as I actually won a promo copy as a door prize during my student orientation at UCLA. I was already a big EC fan, but hadn't heard them. Liked it right away and it made total sense when they all got together a couple of years later. My favorite cuts: "Pulling Mussels" and the piano-centric "Dark Side of the Moon".
An interesting, more recent moment -- hearing "Mussel" while playing craps at the El Cortez Casino in Reno, Nevada. I was convinced this would be a good sign, butm sadly, Glen, Chris and the gang had no apparent positive influence on the dice. Good music, sadly, does not automatically bring good luck.
An interesting, more recent moment -- hearing "Mussel" while playing craps at the El Cortez Casino in Reno, Nevada. I was convinced this would be a good sign, butm sadly, Glen, Chris and the gang had no apparent positive influence on the dice. Good music, sadly, does not automatically bring good luck.
http://www.forwardtoyesterday.com -- Where "hopelessly dated" is a compliment!
-
- Posts: 1752
- Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:14 pm
- Location: Las Vegas, NV
- Contact:
-
- Posts: 46
- Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2003 6:58 pm
- Location: CT