Forgotten Songs of the '80s: The Smithereens
Forgotten Songs of the ‘80s: The Smithereens
The Smithereens are one of the greatest rock/pop bands of the last thirty years and it’s only been recently that they’ve gotten the credit and recognition they fully deserve. The band have been going strong for just about thirty years now and are still kicking as much ass as they did back in their heyday. One of their strongest and least played songs came off their debut album.
When Especially for You came out in 1985, it took some time for the band to gather steam but once people heard “Blood & Roses,” everything clicked and from there, the band began to grow with each successive record until hitting their sales peak with 1989’s 11 and their commercial peak with 1991’s Blow Up. But one song off Especially for You became one of the best-known songs while still getting the least amount of play: “In A Lonely Place.”
The song gets off to an amazing start with an intro courtesy of dynamo drummer Dennis Diken, then dissolves into a bossa nova type vibe that fits the song perfectly. Then unexpectedly, vocals from a then unknown Suzanne Vega come in and up the ante on how good a song could possibly be. The pairing of Suzanne Vega and Pat DiNizio was a perfect combo and by allowing them to be cast as parted lovers, it makes everything sound all the more sweeter.
The fact that this sounds like bossa nova from the ‘60s may have been one thing that hindered the song’s progress at radio and the then almighty MTV but it shouldn’t have because for 1985, it’s such an original idea that it should’ve made more people become interested in what inspired such a great song.
The song needs to be rediscovered and used in a commercial for coffee or something that would suit the song’s vibe so that more people can hear it and discover what has made the Smithereens so great for so many years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlOVlqUcB8A
The Smithereens are one of the greatest rock/pop bands of the last thirty years and it’s only been recently that they’ve gotten the credit and recognition they fully deserve. The band have been going strong for just about thirty years now and are still kicking as much ass as they did back in their heyday. One of their strongest and least played songs came off their debut album.
When Especially for You came out in 1985, it took some time for the band to gather steam but once people heard “Blood & Roses,” everything clicked and from there, the band began to grow with each successive record until hitting their sales peak with 1989’s 11 and their commercial peak with 1991’s Blow Up. But one song off Especially for You became one of the best-known songs while still getting the least amount of play: “In A Lonely Place.”
The song gets off to an amazing start with an intro courtesy of dynamo drummer Dennis Diken, then dissolves into a bossa nova type vibe that fits the song perfectly. Then unexpectedly, vocals from a then unknown Suzanne Vega come in and up the ante on how good a song could possibly be. The pairing of Suzanne Vega and Pat DiNizio was a perfect combo and by allowing them to be cast as parted lovers, it makes everything sound all the more sweeter.
The fact that this sounds like bossa nova from the ‘60s may have been one thing that hindered the song’s progress at radio and the then almighty MTV but it shouldn’t have because for 1985, it’s such an original idea that it should’ve made more people become interested in what inspired such a great song.
The song needs to be rediscovered and used in a commercial for coffee or something that would suit the song’s vibe so that more people can hear it and discover what has made the Smithereens so great for so many years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlOVlqUcB8A
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