Cover of Hitsville UK

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vacuumcleaner
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Re: Cover of Hitsville UK

Post by vacuumcleaner »

Ellen Foley sounds like she's saying "time" but it's supposed to be "trade."

Marky Dread
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Re: Cover of Hitsville UK

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vacuumcleaner wrote:
02 Sep 2018, 1:21pm
Ellen Foley sounds like she's saying "time" but it's supposed to be "trade."
Ellen gets a fair amount of stick but she is a good vocalist. The problem for any Clash record is to make a statement and not be throwaway pop. The mix on Hitville UK elevates Ellen to lead vocalist with Mick the backing singer.

JB asked earlier on in the thread if the song would catch as much flak if it wasn't a Clash song. Well I doubt it would to be honest and if it had been a track from Ellen's record as opposed to a single from Sandinista! it might be thought of in a similar way as Torchlight is. The problem is the mix and that the song is to lightweight for a Clash record. The single has great lyrics and good melody and is based on a really strong idea of the indie brigade creating a Motown catalog of hits. The single should have had a stronger mix with less of the glockenspiel on the vocal melody. Micks vocal sounds like a guide for Ellens. If this were turned around with ellen lower in the mix it might have sounded a little more like a Clash record. This Motown meets Punk/New wave can work well just listen to Town Called Malice which uses the Motown beat and virtually lifts the backing track from You Can't Hurry Love.
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Inder
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Re: Cover of Hitsville UK

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I wonder whether it was written with EF in mind, or whether they attempted the song with Joe or Mick on lead vox at some point.

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Re: Cover of Hitsville UK

Post by Heston »

Inder wrote:
02 Sep 2018, 2:12pm
I wonder whether it was written with EF in mind, or whether they attempted the song with Joe or Mick on lead vox at some point.
The song as recorded is in the wrong key for Joe or Mick. Would love to think there is a demo in the vaults with a Joe and/or Mick vocal.
There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board

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Re: Cover of Hitsville UK

Post by 101Walterton »

Heston wrote:
02 Sep 2018, 2:28pm
Inder wrote:
02 Sep 2018, 2:12pm
I wonder whether it was written with EF in mind, or whether they attempted the song with Joe or Mick on lead vox at some point.
The song as recorded is in the wrong key for Joe or Mick. Would love to think there is a demo in the vaults with a Joe and/or Mick vocal.
Was it intended to be on Spirit of St Louis but then added to S!?

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Re: Cover of Hitsville UK

Post by Marky Dread »

I just think it was the band saying we can take on any musical genre including pop music.
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101Walterton
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Re: Cover of Hitsville UK

Post by 101Walterton »

Marky Dread wrote:
02 Sep 2018, 5:15pm
I just think it was the band saying we can take on any musical genre including pop music.
But wasn't it a last minute add on to the album?

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Re: Cover of Hitsville UK

Post by Marky Dread »

101Walterton wrote:
02 Sep 2018, 8:40pm
Marky Dread wrote:
02 Sep 2018, 5:15pm
I just think it was the band saying we can take on any musical genre including pop music.
But wasn't it a last minute add on to the album?
No idea.
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Forces have been looting
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No fuchsias for you.

"Without the common people you're nothing"

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