Tuesday Tunes 215: Clothes

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As is my habit I was watching a video of a song I really like on YouTube the other evening, and it prompted the thought for this week’s theme. I did one of these on fashion nearly three years ago, but have never concentrated on clothes per se. I thought about it for a while and have come up with a set of tunes about various items of clothing, and in keeping with my usual backwards-looking style only one of these is from the 21st century!

And that is where I’m beginning. This is the song I was listening to which prompted this theme:

I love this song, with its tale of unrequited love and the wonderful image of mittens not being as tight a fit for a relationship as gloves. Frank Turner released Mittens on his sixth album, Positive Songs for Negative People, in August 2015. It peaked at #2 in the UK Albums chart and at #69 in the US. Wikipedia says that only one single was taken from it, The Next Storm, but then lists four, including this one, on their discography page. The existence of a bespoke video suggests to me that this was a single, though none of the four made the charts. The song is autobiographical, as Frank has said:

“Mittens is a song about taking a risk for someone, letting your guard down. It’s based on a real experience – I was bothered about not getting a reply from someone so I got obsessed with used postcards on a visit to a thrift store in New York. In the end she never did write back, but I like to think the risk was worth it, and I learned from the experience. With all that in mind, I thought it would be cool to set up a website where people can send (virtual) postcards to each other, and use the opportunity to say something meaningful, to take a risk, and see what comes back. The video ties in with all of this – and my Elvis obsession – sometimes it’s still worth it, even if you lose.”

A great song has, not for the first time, come out of an unfortunate experience, though he did say later that they had subsequently met up for dinner and that after she had called him a twat they made their peace. I’m not 100% certain but I’m pretty sure that the lady in the video is Jessica Guise, an actress and singer who became Frank’s wife in 2019.

 

Today’s second tune is one from the vaults. You’ve heard of Rod Stewart, right? But do you know the title track of his first solo album? This is it, though it has to be an audio-only clip, I’m afraid:

An Old Raincoat Won’t Ever Let You Down was first released in the US in November 1969 as The Rod Stewart Album, and got to #139 on the US Billboard 200 album chart. It was then released in the UK with the modified title in February 1970, but didn’t make the charts, despite my buying it! It did reach #31 in Australia though. Rod wrote four of the eight tracks, including this one, and his bandmates from The Faces played on it – this track has a real Faces feel to it. [This one might not work for you in the States, but Pete kindly found one that does, here]

This next one might be more familiar. A great video too – just look at those…cars:

The Hollies released Long Cool Woman (in a Black Dress) as a single in April 1972, and it peaked at #32 in the UK though it reached #2 in the US. It sold more than 2m copies worldwide, 1.5m of those in the US where it went Platinum. It also got to #2 in Australia, and made #1 in Canada and South Africa. The song was co-written by lead vocalist Allan Clarke, who had actually left the band by the time it became a hit, though he rejoined them the following year. He admits to having been influenced by Creedence Clearwater Revival in writing this, particularly their song Green River, and you can hear that, can’t you? The song had originally been a track on The Hollies’ album Distant Light, released in October 1971, which made #21 in the US but wasn’t a UK hit.

One of the tracks on that debut Rod Stewart album was written by Mike d’Abo, by then the lead singer of Manfred Mann. Mike played on Rod’s record, but the version I’m sharing is the one I knew first and still prefer:

Much though I liked Rod Stewart’s early albums I think Chris Farlowe knocked spots off his version of Handbags And Gladrags, and don’t even get me started on The Stereophonics! Chris had enjoyed a UK #1 in 1966 with his version of the Rolling Stones’ song Out Of Time, which was superb, and this was a single for him in November 1967 – the first recording of the song. It only made #33 here but I think we really short-changed him. His vocals really bring out the emotion of a song which is telling a girl not to be swayed by the trappings of fame, as he is afraid of losing her. Wikipedia lists around twenty recordings of this, including three by Rod Stewart (original album, acoustic and live) and even one by Engelbert Humperdinck. I’m not going there!

To close this set, how about this from one of those who was taken far too young:

I played Raspberry Beret by Prince as a lead for a Song Lyric Sunday post early this year, but I think it deserves another airing. It is a great song, which I’ve always loved, and the video is great too – so much fun and energy and some clever animations. This is actually an extended version of the track – that intro wasn’t part of the version which was released as a single in May 1985, reaching #2 in the US and #25 in the UK. It was the lead single from Prince and the Revolution’s album Around The World In A Day, which had been released the previous month and made #1 in the US and #5 in the UK. I found a nice little story about the video, which was filmed in early June 1985 and was directed by Prince. Guitarist Pat Smear of the Foo Fighters appeared as one of the background dancers, not that I could pick him out! According to Dave Grohl, he was nearly fired. In the 2010 book I Want My MTV, Grohl said: “everyone had to do a synchronised dance. Pat couldn’t dance so they sent him home. Then Prince whispered in the bodyguard’s ear, and the bodyguard said to Pat, “You can stay. He likes your hair.” I imagine he still would.

That’s all for today, and I hope you’ve enjoyed these. I have several more that I could have played, and will be doing a second set next week, with a bit of a twist. If you want to know what that will be there is only one way for you to find out, isn’t there …

Have a great week 😊

 

53 thoughts on “Tuesday Tunes 215: Clothes”

  1. Pingback: My September | Take It Easy

  2. Maybe it’s the pain or the poignancy of Frank Turner’s Mittens … which I’m hearing/seeing today for the first time … but I have been reduced to a puddle of tears. What a brilliant concept and such a terribly sad and haunting song; I had to watch a second time despite the tears. I love this song!

    Of course the other songs were familiar ones to me and it was great to hear them again, especially Long Tall Woman which is really a hot little number, isn’t it?

    Great idea to feature songs about clothes and a wonderful way to spend some time this afternoon. Terrific post, Clive. 💫

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      • I wanted to listen to Be More Kind first before replying to your comment. It was a good decision; what a stunning song … utterly inspiring … and now I have a new artist to add to my list of favorites. If the crazy notion of ever getting a tattoo entered my head, this is what it would say:


        Be more kind, my friends
        Try to be more kind

        Thank you 😊

        PS – totally unrelated … did I ever recommend a movie called About Time with Bill Nighy? If you haven’t seen it, you should try to catch it. Wonderful viewing!

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      • It’s a wonderful song, isn’t it. Another that I’ve loved since the first time I played it. He has loads more videos if you want to look further.

        Anything with Bill Nighy is fine by me – a superb actor. I have About Time in my iTunes library, lovely movie. Remember the buskers in the tube station doing the Waterboys song? Two were members of another of my favourite English folk bands, Bellowhead.

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  3. Hi Clive. Great selection as always. ‘Mittens’ was completely new to me, but I liked it enough to listen again 😊. Rod Stewart – so great at that time, but later – oh dear. Now, I have never felt able to look a Hollies song in the face since ‘The Air That I Breathe’ a song I loathed on release and have done ever since. The only song that comes close in my SIH list (you can work that out) is another of theirs: ‘He Ain’t Heavy…’ and my mum, bless her, chose that for her funeral song. I could not agree more about the Chris Farlowe version of Handbags and Gladrags – far superior to the others. As for Prince, what a great song that is. Perfect melding of music and lyric. I was lucky enough to see Prince in his pomp. What a guitarist he was. If it’s possible for Prince to be underrated, he was…

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    • Hi Colin. I’m pleased you enjoyed the selection. Mittens is a great song so it was pleasing to hear that you played it twice. Rod did go downhill a bit, didn’t he, around the time of Atlantic Crossing for me. If I had a SIH list I think those two would be on it – I hated both from the outset, and this is probably the last of theirs that I liked.

      Good to know we’re on the same wavelength about Chris and Prince – you were very lucky to see him in concert!

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    • Hi Robbie. I think that is the best version of Handbags and Gladrags – always have! Rod Stewart’s first album isn’t very well known so I’m not surprised you don’t know that one.

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  5. Another brilliantly chosen and researched selection Clive. My favourite version of Handbags and Gladrags is Rod’s but I understand what you mean about Chris Farlowe’s version of what is an incredible song. Sadly the only version of it you ever hear on the radio is The Stereophonics version, I imagine the DJ’s who play it even believe it’s their song.

    Prince was insanely talented and this is one my favourite songs of his. And the Frank Turner song is so original and intelligent, I wasn’t aware of it before but I imagine it will reveal more facets of it the more it is played. And what a great story to go alongside it.

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    • Thank you, Paul, that’s kind of you. I’ll stay with Chris Farlowe’s version – the first I heard and still my favourite. And I also liked the Love Affair – they may have been a pop band but Steve Ellis had an amazing voice.

      One of my favourite Prince songs too.

      As for Frank Turner, that is just one among many great songs he has given us. I’m a big fan! It’s a lovely story, and I like his self-deprecating way of telling it.

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  7. Well, this has to be a first for me as the two songs I like the most were ones I’d never heard before. The first runner-up this week for me is Chris Farlowe, but the tune I like most is by Frank Turner. I recall you have played some of his music before. Of the ones I already knew, the Hollies gets top billing. Incidentally, the Rod Stewart one didn’t play for us onver here. I found you another version, so hopefully my fellow Americans can see that one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFt6RSJOtUU

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    • I’m pleased you liked those two the best, Pete, as they are my two favourites from this set. I’m a big fan of Frank Turner!

      I’m sorry that one didn’t play – it was an official one, too! I’m grateful to you for finding one that plays over there – I’ll add the link in 😊

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  8. It is ages ago when I heard Prince’s song the last time. I love it! I don’t know any of the other songs you shared. But I do like Rod Stewart’s song a lot 😅good choices in general, Clive!

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  10. Videos were after my time, I ever did get used to them. The Hollies video is an example of why. Their idea of a long cool woman is nothing l8ke mine. My imagination is far better. And a lot cooler.

    The Chris Farlowe song never reached my area in the 60s. In fact I never heard of him till the 70s. This song I first heard on a set of compilation cassette tapes called The History of Rock and Roll put out by an Italian compsny. There were about 30 cassettes, and I found a lot of music I was totally unaware of. It seems to me I had heard Handbags and Gladrags done by the Yardbirds, but I do like Farlowe’s version better, though the Yardbirds were one of my favourite British Invasion bands.

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    • I don’t think that was an official Hollies video – but it attracted me!

      The Chris Farlowe version is my favourite. I don’t think The Yardbirds ever recorded it, and Wikipedia doesn’t mention them. Second favourite for me is The Love Affair – their singer, Steve Ellis, had an amazing voice and was only around 17 when they did it.

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  12. Hans Christian Andersen wrote about an emperor getting some new clothes, but they were only real in his mind and everyone thought he was a nudist. I used to spend a fair amount of money on clothing, but now I wear the same stuff every day.  People will judge you by the clothes you wear, just like they have a tendency to judge a book by its cover, but I am no longer looking to impress anyone.  Women are more fashion-conscious than men and women’s clothing styles change every year, forcing them to update their wardrobes, so they won’t appear to be behind the times.  Most women try to stay in fashion because they like to look good, but fashion changes people since that is constantly evolving.

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