historical arse-gazing: SHOULD have been singles

[mrdankdonk]

When I was a wee teenybopper, I always loved the sheer randomness of Madness' single choices, and how it always seemed to work that they chose to push forward songs that weren't perhaps the ones that the fans would have picked if you'd asked them as they walked out of a gig.

HOWEVER, call me a grumpy old c***, or blame band democracy as opposed to Robbo bullying, but sometimes, these days, they pick tracks for singles that, well, I wouldny have. I love album tracks. I get teary when they get played live. But if a single is meant to re-capture lapsed fans and snare new ones, its got to have a wee extra hook..

'Sugar and Spice'? given the choice of 'Folgate'? really?

Its a fairly recent phenomenomenon I suppose, but the 'poll' option on this gave me 8 fields to fill in, so I went backwards a bit, just to cause even more trouble.

Han never shot first! etc

[scabbydug]

Aaaaahhhhh!!!!

I hate polls, bowls and probably moles!

Tonite I've picked the song that I have because it was the first new song Madness played live in a long, long time...

Although I could have easily have picked another 3 or 4 from the poll.......I'm already changing my mind!

Sunnyside,

The Dug

[graham]

I'm with Dugster on this.....there's a few there I could have picked (and a few more besides that weren't listed)....went with 'almost single' Victoria Gardens, although given that the sublime One Better Day got the nod ahead of it, I'm already questioning my choice!!

Other notable "would have been singles if I was the single picker":

One Fine Day
Primrose Hill
The Communicator
Saturday Night Sunday Morning
Burning The Boats

[cmtaylor853]

All of the songs mentioned in the Poll are worthy singles, March of the Gherkins and Victoria Gardens are both equally my favourite candidates for miss single opportunity.

There were loads of tracks on the wonderful album that would have made great singles, The Communicator, The Wizard, Saturday Night Sunday Morning and No Money.

From Folgate they should have released That Close and Idiot Child, rather than Dust Devil and Sugar and Spice

That's what I think anyway

[kevyboy]

Two that spring to mind for me are Close Escape my all time favourite track,and Bed and Breakfast Man.Back in the day i think they would have both been top 5 singles.

[simon]

Disappear is superb, I love Close Escape too as does Kevboy, Victoria Gardens and Primrose Hill are two more that spring to mind. We know that VG was due to be released but was changed at the last to One Better Day, another brilliant song. Hence the rather odd artwork for OBD. I also love Prospects.

[django]

I always thought they missed a trick by not assigning In The City as a double A side with Cardiac Arrest. It could've avoided all that trouble with the BBC not playing it, and it offered those who already owned the 7 album something new (especially after the non-album It Must Be Love.)

Maybe they felt it was too much of a step back to ska which they were consciously moving away from at the time.

[django]

Oops forgot to mention. I voted On The Town - a real cracker and I l absolutely love Rhodas' voice.

[dinantd]

Voted for Song In Red.
Other singles could be "Bed And Breakfast Man" and a couple of Absolutely Like "Disappear" and "Close Escape". Maybe "That Face" or "Calling Cards" from The Rise And Fall.

[dejr26]

Nov 13, 2012 15:41:14 GMT simon said:

Disappear is superb, I love Close Escape too as does Kevboy, Victoria Gardens and Primrose Hill are two more that spring to mind. We know that VG was due to be released but was changed at the last to One Better Day, another brilliant song. Hence the rather odd artwork for OBD. I also love Prospects.

Considering it was only the second single, I'm never quite sure why it had to be a choice between One Better Day and Victoria Gardens. Surely they could have released both and had 3 or 4 singles off the Keep Moving album. Both great tunes though.

March of the Gherkins is such a great tune too so voted for that.

Although not my favourite off Mad Not Mad, I do think Madness should have got their way with wanting I'll Compete as a single of the Sweetest Girl.

The albums hide many classics but Madness have always be and large released only the very best as single cuts so can see why some greats have not always made it.

[vin]

I have always thought the singles selection tailed off after Rise and Fall. I would have gone for:
Keep Moving - March of the Gherkins (3rd single)
Mad not Mad - I'll Compete instead of Sweetest Girl
Wonderful - The Wizard (2nd single) Wonderful (3rd single)
TLONF - Difficult as it is not an album of obvious radio friendly tracks but probably Forever Young as a lead single and then On the Town (possibly recorded as a duet with Lilly Allen as a cynical attempt to court Radio 1 for a hit)
Oui Oui etc. - OK with My Girl 2 and would go for How can I Tell You next

[graham]

Nov 13, 2012 15:41:14 GMT simon said:

I also love Prospects.

Totally forgot the absolutely sublime Prospects when mentioning other could have been singles in my first post - has one of my favourite lines from any Madness songs ever:

"How is it when you feel it
Do you wonder what gets you down"

Typically beautiful Madness lyrics

[simon]

It's a corker isn't it.

[graham]

It's funny....from it's appearance on Keep Moving right up to the days of the Smash Forum about 10 years ago I'd never really noticed it until someone was raving about it on there (and shortly after I saw the musical which of course features it) and have loved it ever since....easily in my Top 10 Madness tracks (which is another thread for another time as I couldn't possibly sit down and compile it now, but does include the title track from Folgate and Saturday Night Sunday Morning oh and Burning The Boats!!)

[Admin]

Prospects I would love to hear in the live set, there is a cracking version on youtube.....should have been a single, its brilliant.
Keep moving, an often ovelooked great album