Another absolutely fascinating insight into the Majestic Sparks. Certainly food for thought, once again. Thank you. Looking forward to your next video. 😃👍
Another great analysis, all makes perfect sense. Part of the problem comes from the changing nature of electronic dance music in relation to mainstream pop (all laid out in the lyrics to The Number One Song In Heaven). Back in 1979 synthesiser-based music was ethereal, out-there, avant-garde and still pretty non-standard. By 2000 it had become the sound of adverts and children singing in the streets. The problem with Balls (as I originally misunderstood it) was it lacked all the innovation of N1IH, yes in theory it's still the same "electronic dance" genre, but in reality it was the genre itself that was getting tired and out-of-date circa 2000. The record company were flogging a dead horse, and it's clear Sparks wanted to move on to a place far beyond "Ibiza"! I love how in the interim they've managed to combine the good elements of electronic dance with other innovations in their style. For example Li'l Beethoven might have had the beats stolen by the Rhythm Thief, but it maintains the rhythmic repetition and gradual rises and dips in intensity you'd expect in electronic dance music. Hearing the bridge of The Calm Before The Storm in its new context reveals just how brilliant musically that section of music is.
I love your replies, always well thought out, and it’s definitely true that the genre itself was looking tired by 2000. It seemed to be Ibiza compilations everywhere, and Sparks seem to be riding the big-beat coat tails just a few years since that genre was the shock of the new. It’s no wonder that Sparks wanted to turn that music into something else with LB - I completely agree about the dynamics of that record being straight-up club music despite no drums in sight. It makes me think about how they’ve engineered the sounds to be just a little stale (for the time) with Balls, for example that keyboard brass sound. So what would it sound like if they wanted it to sell? Sparks have shown a few times that they can work in the cutting edge of dance music, not least on Latte, so it great that they also choose “cheap and disposable” as a medium every now and then!
Thanks Leslie! I’m the same, in that I wrote off most 80s Sparks until recently (and embarrassingly short time ago) but now I think bad Sparks albums just don’t exist! I’m really glad these ideas click with you btw.
I felt a "Something's" vibe before you even got to that part of the song! Found another song re done for the movie! And I'm so glad you brought it up again. I was thrilled with this episode, I really was! Looking forward to your Annette content when the time comes! But you know I'm also loving these!❤
Thank you! That ‘somethings about to break’ section gives me chills every time I hear it! I’m taking a diversion in the next episode, back to Hospitality on Parade and a few other connected songs from the 1970s. I’ve never written about Island Years Sparks so am really looking forward to it.
@@petabulmer3317 their back catalogue even seemed vast to me when I first found them in 94, and that wasn’t even halfway through! I also love that there are Sparks rarities that I still somehow haven’t heard.
I love this song and this episode. I had thought of the lyrics as commenting on that moment in cultural history in general, or about pop music in general, but not about Sparks situation with their record label and playing a dirty trick on them. Really interesting. Keep going!
Thanks Andy. It’s crazy how right Sparks were when singing the calm before the storm in 2000. It really works in the context of 9/11 and the context that followed, as much as A Steady Drip Drip Drip was perfect for a pandemic world. Has anybody ever asked if they’re actually the illuminati?!
@@MetaSparks They might be somewhat intimidated by the depth you'd undoubtedly take it. And maybe not that willing to discuss this (undoubtedly waterproof) theory on Balls. But I'd especially love to hear you talk about Annette.
I hope you enjoy it both times! There a lots of bits I feel I skipped over quite quickly. That line “the ocean doesn’t feel like making waves” could have a video all of its own!
I think they played (mimed) this song in front of the biggest live audience of their careers. In Berlin NYE 1999 th-cam.com/video/_kTi7-bFWEA/w-d-xo.html @@MetaSparks
Much food for thought here, so thanks very much for this episode, Paul. One question, if I may. I've read that Ron and Russell had already written a follow-up to Balls, but had to scrap it after the failure of the album. How do you square that with your fascinating theory that they were already planning for "something big" as the next album? Many thanks again.
Thanks Stefan, I’m really glad you enjoyed this. My feeling is that R&R don’t mind telling the occasional white lie. It’s part of their mythology now, with stories like Dorris Day being their mother and their previous job as catalogue models. There’s also the end credits to the documentary where they list a number of untruths about the band. This could of course have been about protecting their mystique, but I’ve got theories about Lil B being referenced on GSaSV too, as if they plan ahead a lot more than we think.
This makes sense to me and actually endears them to me even more. I think maintaining a level of mystique can only enhance the experience we get from listening to their work. To paraphrase the late, great David Bowie, it's better not to give everything away. Thanks for your reply, Paul. I'm looking forward to working my way through your next videos.
“The telephone is ringing You got me on the run I'm driving in my car now Anticipating fun I'm driving right up to you, babe I guess that you couldn't see, yeah-yeah But you were under my wheels, honey Why don't you let me be?” Wouldn’t it be funny if after all these years Sparks covered Alice Cooper ? But seriously folks here’s a telephone song to add to your thoughts I see where you are going with all this and there’s much to agree on Thus far nothing to disagree on Yes, the darkness of Annette had to be evoked from Mr Carax I believe Ron couldn’t have conceived a henry mchenry The closest he comes is in “the very next fight” Carry on good chap I’m enjoying the ride No need to drive
There are other Alice Cooper links aren’t there? Maybe Ron M is his ghostwriter! Thanks so much for the kind comments, and for sticking with this series. I’m glad you’ve got ideas about where it’s going and would love to hear your thoughts if you have time to share. Also, I’m really glad my Annette bit scanned. It’s such a difficult thing to explain.
Another interesting thing about the "I Want To Hold Your Hand" analog: Sparks' cover of the song is probably my vote for Worst Sparks Song. It's unbelievably lush, schmaltzy, and "safe," with none of the humor or subversive edge you normally associate with Sparks, both before and afterwards. It does a disservice to both themselves and the original song. I think of Greil Marcus's famous review of Bob Dylan's "Self Portrait" - "What is this shit?" Of course, Dylan put out "Self Portrait" as a quasi-joke to get people off his back - and maybe that's what Sparks was doing with "I Want To Hold Your Hand." In The Sparks Brothers, Ron said they were peeved at Island at the time for the poor performance of Indiscreet, and that they'd thought about putting out a cover of "Louie Louie" just to spite them. Maybe that's what they were doing with "I Want To Hold Your Hand" in 1976 - putting out a follow-the-rules, please-the-label, so-commercial-it's-terrible release to screw with them and regain the creative freedom to go reinvent themselves as a New York punk band with Big Beat (which, of course, didn't go as planned, since Mick Ronson dropped out and Rupert Holmes can't produce hard rock - but that's another story). If that's was in mind when they were writing the song, it may be their way of saying, "We've done this before. You asked for a commercial hit, so here's some commercial crap. Now let us do what WE want to do instead."
I’ve been thinking about that song a lot since making this video, especially because I’m working on a new episode about Indiscreet. You’re right - it’s unbelievably schmaltzy and done with a completely straight face. It somehow feels designed to self-sabotage on some level, just like Balls and Terminal Jive (imo). The thing that strikes me is that The Beatles sing “I wanna..” but spell it “I want to…”, which is how it’s sung in Sparks’ version. In that respect they’re taking The Beatles at their most naive and doubling down on that, especially given Sparks made their name with a speedy rock track. It’s like driving full speed in the wrong direction for what the British public would have wanted from Sparks back then, and like you I’m convinced that’s with intent. Maybe Sparks’ constant genre hopping was a way to keep commercial success at bay whenever it threatened their creativity.
Really enjoyed your thoughts on this song. This is my favorite song on the album. Ron Mael is one of the greatest songwriters ever.
Thanks for watching. Yeah Ron is next level.
Another absolutely fascinating insight into the Majestic Sparks. Certainly food for thought, once again. Thank you. Looking forward to your next video. 😃👍
Thank you :). “Majestic” is perfect for Sparks
I love this song so much!
I love it! The keyboard solo into that bridge, just amazing :)
Another great analysis, all makes perfect sense. Part of the problem comes from the changing nature of electronic dance music in relation to mainstream pop (all laid out in the lyrics to The Number One Song In Heaven). Back in 1979 synthesiser-based music was ethereal, out-there, avant-garde and still pretty non-standard. By 2000 it had become the sound of adverts and children singing in the streets. The problem with Balls (as I originally misunderstood it) was it lacked all the innovation of N1IH, yes in theory it's still the same "electronic dance" genre, but in reality it was the genre itself that was getting tired and out-of-date circa 2000. The record company were flogging a dead horse, and it's clear Sparks wanted to move on to a place far beyond "Ibiza"! I love how in the interim they've managed to combine the good elements of electronic dance with other innovations in their style. For example Li'l Beethoven might have had the beats stolen by the Rhythm Thief, but it maintains the rhythmic repetition and gradual rises and dips in intensity you'd expect in electronic dance music. Hearing the bridge of The Calm Before The Storm in its new context reveals just how brilliant musically that section of music is.
I love your replies, always well thought out, and it’s definitely true that the genre itself was looking tired by 2000. It seemed to be Ibiza compilations everywhere, and Sparks seem to be riding the big-beat coat tails just a few years since that genre was the shock of the new. It’s no wonder that Sparks wanted to turn that music into something else with LB - I completely agree about the dynamics of that record being straight-up club music despite no drums in sight. It makes me think about how they’ve engineered the sounds to be just a little stale (for the time) with Balls, for example that keyboard brass sound. So what would it sound like if they wanted it to sell? Sparks have shown a few times that they can work in the cutting edge of dance music, not least on Latte, so it great that they also choose “cheap and disposable” as a medium every now and then!
I had really overlooked a lot of Sparks earlier. But I now see how really complexed these two really are.. Amazing.This is another great session !
Thanks Leslie! I’m the same, in that I wrote off most 80s Sparks until recently (and embarrassingly short time ago) but now I think bad Sparks albums just don’t exist! I’m really glad these ideas click with you btw.
I felt a "Something's" vibe before you even got to that part of the song! Found another song re done for the movie! And I'm so glad you brought it up again. I was thrilled with this episode, I really was! Looking forward to your Annette content when the time comes! But you know I'm also loving these!❤
Thank you! That ‘somethings about to break’ section gives me chills every time I hear it! I’m taking a diversion in the next episode, back to Hospitality on Parade and a few other connected songs from the 1970s. I’ve never written about Island Years Sparks so am really looking forward to it.
@MetaSparks I have so much more to discover it's not funny! Looking forward to anything and everything!
@@petabulmer3317 their back catalogue even seemed vast to me when I first found them in 94, and that wasn’t even halfway through! I also love that there are Sparks rarities that I still somehow haven’t heard.
I love this song and this episode. I had thought of the lyrics as commenting on that moment in cultural history in general, or about pop music in general, but not about Sparks situation with their record label and playing a dirty trick on them. Really interesting. Keep going!
Thanks Andy. It’s crazy how right Sparks were when singing the calm before the storm in 2000. It really works in the context of 9/11 and the context that followed, as much as A Steady Drip Drip Drip was perfect for a pandemic world. Has anybody ever asked if they’re actually the illuminati?!
R&R, I know you are watching. How about an interview conducted by Paul?
That would be an utter dream!
@@MetaSparks They might be somewhat intimidated by the depth you'd undoubtedly take it. And maybe not that willing to discuss this (undoubtedly waterproof) theory on Balls.
But I'd especially love to hear you talk about Annette.
I'm going to have to watch this again, so many layers to delve into. Sound familiar ?
I hope you enjoy it both times! There a lots of bits I feel I skipped over quite quickly. That line “the ocean doesn’t feel like making waves” could have a video all of its own!
I think they played (mimed) this song in front of the biggest live audience of their careers. In Berlin NYE 1999 th-cam.com/video/_kTi7-bFWEA/w-d-xo.html @@MetaSparks
Much food for thought here, so thanks very much for this episode, Paul.
One question, if I may. I've read that Ron and Russell had already written a follow-up to Balls, but had to scrap it after the failure of the album. How do you square that with your fascinating theory that they were already planning for "something big" as the next album?
Many thanks again.
Thanks Stefan, I’m really glad you enjoyed this. My feeling is that R&R don’t mind telling the occasional white lie. It’s part of their mythology now, with stories like Dorris Day being their mother and their previous job as catalogue models. There’s also the end credits to the documentary where they list a number of untruths about the band. This could of course have been about protecting their mystique, but I’ve got theories about Lil B being referenced on GSaSV too, as if they plan ahead a lot more than we think.
This makes sense to me and actually endears them to me even more. I think maintaining a level of mystique can only enhance the experience we get from listening to their work. To paraphrase the late, great David Bowie, it's better not to give everything away.
Thanks for your reply, Paul. I'm looking forward to working my way through your next videos.
Felt to me like the ultimate prophetic pre-9/11-song back then.
I got that vibe too, it fits the times so well
“The telephone is ringing
You got me on the run
I'm driving in my car now
Anticipating fun
I'm driving right up to you, babe
I guess that you couldn't see, yeah-yeah
But you were under my wheels, honey
Why don't you let me be?”
Wouldn’t it be funny if after all these years Sparks covered Alice Cooper ?
But seriously folks here’s a telephone song to add to your thoughts
I see where you are going with all this and there’s much to agree on
Thus far nothing to disagree on
Yes, the darkness of Annette had to be evoked from Mr Carax
I believe Ron couldn’t have conceived a henry mchenry
The closest he comes is in “the very next fight”
Carry on good chap
I’m enjoying the ride
No need to drive
There are other Alice Cooper links aren’t there? Maybe Ron M is his ghostwriter! Thanks so much for the kind comments, and for sticking with this series. I’m glad you’ve got ideas about where it’s going and would love to hear your thoughts if you have time to share. Also, I’m really glad my Annette bit scanned. It’s such a difficult thing to explain.
Another interesting thing about the "I Want To Hold Your Hand" analog: Sparks' cover of the song is probably my vote for Worst Sparks Song. It's unbelievably lush, schmaltzy, and "safe," with none of the humor or subversive edge you normally associate with Sparks, both before and afterwards. It does a disservice to both themselves and the original song. I think of Greil Marcus's famous review of Bob Dylan's "Self Portrait" - "What is this shit?" Of course, Dylan put out "Self Portrait" as a quasi-joke to get people off his back - and maybe that's what Sparks was doing with "I Want To Hold Your Hand." In The Sparks Brothers, Ron said they were peeved at Island at the time for the poor performance of Indiscreet, and that they'd thought about putting out a cover of "Louie Louie" just to spite them. Maybe that's what they were doing with "I Want To Hold Your Hand" in 1976 - putting out a follow-the-rules, please-the-label, so-commercial-it's-terrible release to screw with them and regain the creative freedom to go reinvent themselves as a New York punk band with Big Beat (which, of course, didn't go as planned, since Mick Ronson dropped out and Rupert Holmes can't produce hard rock - but that's another story). If that's was in mind when they were writing the song, it may be their way of saying, "We've done this before. You asked for a commercial hit, so here's some commercial crap. Now let us do what WE want to do instead."
I’ve been thinking about that song a lot since making this video, especially because I’m working on a new episode about Indiscreet. You’re right - it’s unbelievably schmaltzy and done with a completely straight face. It somehow feels designed to self-sabotage on some level, just like Balls and Terminal Jive (imo). The thing that strikes me is that The Beatles sing “I wanna..” but spell it “I want to…”, which is how it’s sung in Sparks’ version. In that respect they’re taking The Beatles at their most naive and doubling down on that, especially given Sparks made their name with a speedy rock track. It’s like driving full speed in the wrong direction for what the British public would have wanted from Sparks back then, and like you I’m convinced that’s with intent. Maybe Sparks’ constant genre hopping was a way to keep commercial success at bay whenever it threatened their creativity.
Thanks again for this! I’ve spoken about it in my new Indiscreet video, so thanks for sharing. I should have given you a shout out!