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Rating:
All great teams, inevitably, end up suffering resounding defeats by much less renowned formations ("Clamoroso al Cibali!"). It happened even in London in the now distant 1986 pop music league: London 0 - Hull 4. For those with poor memory or simply too young, such a clear outcome, especially away, might seem exaggerated, surely the result of fortuitous and unrepeatable circumstances; however, the four goals scored by the formidable rookie Hull against the arrogant Anglo-Saxon Capital were all deserved and the result of a lively and spectacular game. The architects of this unexpected and memorable feat were the Housemartins, a pop band composed of four very young members, Paul Heaton, Norman Cook, Stan Cullimore, and Hugh Whitaker, the latter replaced on drums after just a year by Dave Hemingway.
The tactical strategy that allowed these youth to achieve the unexpected victory can be quickly stated: a pop vein as "light" as it is intelligent, that was rooted in the best Anglo-Saxon tradition, with copious Soul and R&B influences (not coincidentally their biggest commercial success was an a cappella track, "Caravan of Love"), lyrics perhaps a bit naive, but appearing sincere, ironic, often also "engaged", suggesting an adherence to internationalist, humanitarian, and pacifist socialism. No album can comprehensively represent the tenor of a decade, let alone such complicated and multifaceted years as the '80s, but it is undeniable that this debut album by the Housemartins managed to capture a way of being for a significant part of the youth of that era; young people who no longer believed in revolutions, disillusioned indeed, but not cynical; rather, strongly critical of the social and political reality of that period marked by Thatcherite liberalism, Reaganite hedonism, and amoral yuppism, reacting not by proposing utopian alternatives but by advocating for greater solidarity, social justice, and a committed effort for these values.
Musically, a certain techno-pop, which was trending at the time, is indirectly targeted with the choice of relying on few classical instruments and old style vocal harmonies. A critical revisitation of the Anglo-American pop tradition, very similar in aims to groups like Style Council or Working Week, but with more immediate, rhythmic, and homogeneous results. It is practically impossible to remain still while listening to such fragrant, rhythmic, sunny pop/beat songs as "Sitting On A Fence", "Happy Hour" or "Sheep". Also not easy to guess is that the guy singing and playing the piano in "Flag Day" or the "very black" "Lean On Me" is a pale face from deep English province and not a Baptist pastor from a Harlem church. However, despite these brilliant results, the career of our heroes was very short, unfortunately.
Apparently, they had set out, at the time of forming the band, to become famous within three years and, having reached the not easily achieved goal, they consistently decided to break up in '88, after releasing this brilliant debut album, a second almost equally valid work, "The People Who Grinned Themselves To Death," and a final anthology double album titled "Now That's What I Call Quite Good," including, besides singles, B-sides and BBC sessions. All the band members continued with varying fortunes their artistic career in new groups or pursuing solo careers; we briefly mention only the Beautiful South of "golden voice" Heaton and Hemingway, who reached the peaks of the English charts in the '90s, and the unthinkable transformation of Norman Cook into that minor dance genius known as FatBoy Slim; yet perhaps none of them managed to reach again the levels of this London 0 - Hull 4, an album I consider one of the best pop debuts ever, and not just among the infamous Eighties.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 Happy Hour (02:22)
It's happy hour again
I think I might be happy if I wasn't out with them
And they're happy it's a lovely place to be
Happy that the fire is real the barman is a she
Where the haircuts smile
And the meaning of style
Is a night out with the boss
Where you win or you lose
And its them who choose
And if you don't win then you've lost
What a good place to be
Don't believe it
'Cause they speak a different language
And it's never really happened to me
{It's happy hour again}
Don't believe it
'Cause they speak a different language
And it's never really happened to me
{It's happy hour again}
It's another night out with the boss
Following in footsteps overgrown with moss
And they tell me that women grow on trees
And if you catch them right they will land upon their knees
Where they open all their wallets
And they close all their minds
And they love to buy you all a drink
And then we ask all the questions
And you take all your clothes off
And go back to the kitchen sink
02 Get Up Off Our Knees (03:23)
Famines will be famines, banquets will be banquets
Some spend winter in a palace, some spend it in blankets
Don't wag your fingers at them and turn to walk away
Don't shoot someone tomorrow that you can shoot today
Time to end the praying
Listen what they're saying
Get up off your knees
You can wag your finger till your finger's sore
Shake your head till it shakes no more
Paupers will be paupers, bankers will be bankers
Some own pennies in a jar, some own oil tankers
What may sound like tomorrow could be ours today
There's no more need for sorrow if we get off our knees to pray
Time to end the praying
Listen what they're saying
Get up off your knees
You can wag your finger till your finger's sore
Shake your head till it shakes no more
Countries will be countries, borders will be borders
Some have lost their folks at war, some have give orders
Don't wag your fingers at them and turn to walk away
Don't shoot someone tomorrow that you can shoot today
Time to end the praying
Listen what they're saying
03 Flag Day (05:26)
Too many Florence Nightingales
Not enough Robin Hoods
Too many halos not enough heroes
Coming up with the goods
So you though you'd like to change the world
Decided to stage a jumble sale
For the poor, for the poor
It's a waste of time if you know what they mean
Try shaking a box in front of the Queen
'Cause her purse is fat and bursting at the seams
It's a waste of time if you know what they mean
Too many hands in too many pockets
Not enough hands on hearts
Too many ready to call it a day
Before the day starts
So you thought you'd like to see them healed
Got Blue Peter to stage an appeal
For the poor, for the poor
It's a waste of time if you know what they mean
Try shaking a box in front of the Queen
'Cause her purse is fat and bursting at the seams
It's a waste of time if you know what they mean
Flag Day, Flag Day, Flag Day
04 Anxious (02:19)
I was walking by the river, I was asking myself questions
But the answers I came up with didn't fit
Some have breakfast in bed some aren't properly fed
The way they talk about it makes me want to spit
And they're raising all their eyebrows at the raising of the pound
Whilst they raise another city to the ground
And we're opening the doors and crawling 'round on all fours
Looking for a sense in lost and found
Chorus:
Anxious (Don't they know it is wrong?)
I said I'm anxious (It makes me anxious)
Anxious (Don't they know it is wrong?)
I said I'm anxious (It makes me anxious)
I really thought I'd have my tongue tied if I stood up to shout
But all they did was listen without their ears
And I thought I'd be beheaded if I stuck my neck out
But they just gave me a hanky for my tears
I have confidence in confidence, I hope that hope pulls me through
But I think a little more is needed now
We've got to form a congregation and sink down the nation
Batter all the sinners to the ground
(Chorus)
[A middle bit of some repute]
Ah ah ah
(Chorus)
Don't they know it is wrong?
It makes me anxious
Don't they know it is wrong (wrong, wrong)?
06 Sitting on a Fence (03:00)
Sitting on a fence is a man who sees no sense in fighting
Sitting on a fence is a man who sees no sense at all
Sitting on a fence is a man who strokes his twenty beards
Sitting on a fence is a man who drinks real ale
But the real problem with this man
Is he says he can't when he can
He'd rather not get his hands dirty
He'll still be there when he's thirty
I told myself to keep my mouth shut
But I still end up saying if and but
I lied to myself right from the start
And I've just worked out that I'm falling apart
Sitting on a fence
Sitting on a fence is a man who looks up to his guardian
Sitting on a fence is a man who swings from poll to poll
Sitting on a fence is a man who sees both sides of both sides
Sitting on a fence is a man who looks down on opinion .
But the real problem with this man
Is he says he can't when he can
He's rather not get his hands dirty
He'll still be there when he is thirty
I told myself to keep my mouth shut
But I still end up saying if and but
I lied to myself right from the start
And I've just worked out that I'm falling apart
Sitting on a fence
07 Sheep (02:17)
Sometimes I get so angry with the simple life they lead
The shepherds smile seems to confirm my fears
They've never questioned anything, they've never disagreed
Sometimes I think they must have wool in their ears
And when you see a can I see a crook
And when you see a crowd I see a flock
It's sheep we're up against
Sheep we're up against
When I was young they used to get me counting sheep
But the counting I did was all in vain
Now when I'm tired and I'm trying to get to sleep
I count humans jumping onto trains
And when you see a can I see a crook
And when you see a crowd I see a flock
It's sheep we're up against
Sheep we're up against
[Influential Guitar Break]
And when you see a can I see a crook
And when you see a crowd I see a flock
It's sheep we're up against
Sheep we're up against
09 Think for a Minute (03:30)
Something's going on, a change is taking place
Children smiling in the street have gone without a trace
This street used to be full, it used to make me smile
And now it seems that everyone is walking single file
And many hang their heads in shame
That used to hold them high
And those that used to say hello
Simply pass you by
Think for a minute, Stop for a minute
Think for a minute, Stop for a minute
I always said it could, they never though it would
The people look so pitiful, I'm thinking that it should
And now it's almost here, now its on its way
I can't help saying told you so and have a nice final day
And nothing I could say
Could ever make them see the light
Now apathy is happy that
It won without a fight
Think for a minute, Stop for a minute
Think for a minute, Stop for a minute
And many hang their heads in shame that used to hold them high
{Think for a minute}
And those that used to say hello simply pass you by
{Stop for a minute}
Think for a minute, Stop for a minute
Think for a minute, Stop for a minute
10 We're Not Deep (02:15)
You can put it down to lack of patience
You can put it down to lack of sleep
But it's in my head to stay in bed
Tucked under the sheets
They said if you try to get on I'd get on
They said there were chances
But now my chance has gone
And I know what you think
What you think about me
Thoughts like that sink home
To you we're not deep
Now it may be a sad reflection
On the way young people feel
But early Monday morning
Is losing its appeal
I open my curtains at 7am
Just so you think I'm up with the rest of the men
And I know what you think
What you think about me
Thoughts like that sink home
To you we're not deep
You'd do yourself a favour if you gave yourself a break
But that's one risk you'd never take
The evenings yours, the mornings mine
But don't knock me, I'm doing fine
You'd do yourself a favour if you gave yourself a rest
But just for now you know what's best
And I know what you think
What you think about me
Thoughts like that sink home
To you we're not deep
11 Lean on Me (04:29)
Heavy burden on your shoulder
Lean on me
Heavy burden on your shoulder
Lean on me
Heavy burden on your shoulder
Everyday just a little bit harder
Heavy burden on your shoulder
Lean on me
Down and out without hope
Lean on me
Down and out without hope
Lean on me
Down and out without hope
I'm right here, I'll help you cope
Down and out without hope
Lean on me
Grab a rope and pull me in
But lean on me
Everyday, you'll have a friend
But lean on me
Grab a rope, pull me in
Everyday you'll have a friend
Grab a rope
And the world's blocked away
And if you're looking for a rainy day friend
Well grab a rope, pull me in
Lean on me
Heavy burden cloudy skies
Lean on me
I'll be the towel for weeping eyes
But lean on me
If it always feels like rain
All you've got in life is pain
Heavy burden, go away oh... , goodbye
Heavy burden, on you shoulder
Lean on me
12 Freedom (03:19)
I used to think you understood
Taught me right and learnt me good
Made things simple for my brain
Told the truth and made it plain
But the implications I mistook
Until I found out whose side you took
And now with paper in my hand I'm beginning to understand
So this is freedom - {They must be joking}
They must be joking - {If they think its true}
So this is freedom - [I doubt their truth}
So this is freedom - {For me and you}
From the front page news to the interviews
It's sink the reds and lift the blues
They pretend they're differing points of view
But it's only different shades of blue
But the implications I mistook
Until I found out whose side you took
And now with paper in my hand I'm beginning to understand
So this is freedom - {They must be joking}
They must be joking - {If they think its true}
So this is freedom - [I doubt their truth}
So this is freedom - {For me and you}
[Guitar Solo]
So this is freedom - {They must be joking}
They must be joking - {If they think its true}
So this is freedom - [I doubt their truth}
So this is freedom - {For me and you}
F.R.E.E.D.O.M.
They locked us up once
So they'll do it again
C.H.A.I.N.E.D.
They locked up my friends
Now they're coming for me
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By andy66
If you think writing simple songs is easy, try it, but then make sure you are capable of transmitting this kind of energy and creating this kind of atmosphere so that simplicity doesn’t mean banality.
‘London 0 Hull 4’ is one of the peaks of English pop of that decade.
