it doesn't get much better than this

dis one going out to Man Like Robin



i was starting to get pop-aware when this was a hit (a massive hit, #3 in the summer of 1978) but I have absolutely no recollection of it from the time

would never have even heard of it I don't think (one of those massive pop hits that just drops into a chasm in popular memory) unless Carmody hadn't had gone on about it on his website back--way back--in the day (check the August 29th 2000 comments, and passim)

what I like about it is mainly the verses

the chorus is a bit happy-sappy

but the verses have this English-accented clarity and a hushed poise that's almost stately

it comes right out of British folk...

you could almost hear this as the sister record to Richard and Linda Thompson's "I Want To See the Bright Lights Tonight"

and "Dancing in the City" was actually on Harvest

what I also like.... the synth-drummy element, which caught the ear of New Order-to-be (so Steven Morris told me)and was one of the things that got them interested in electronic rhythm ... but is here done in this elegant English AOR way that's a world apart from e.g. "Ring My Bell"... meshing beautifully with the sweet bass line (reggae-ish, played by Kit Hain presumably) and those restrained keyboard chords

what I also like, in the videos --especially the one above, the official promo presumably... Kit Hain has a certain je ne sais quoi that brings to mind "fancying your best friend's older sister who's left school, is away at college/working up in London, seems really sophisticated (but with the benefit of hindsight, wasn't really... still very much had the aura of gymkhana and lacrosse about her)"....

it's a 1978 thing, you wouldn't understand