Kevin Rowland is a genius isn't he? Genuine genius is pretty rare- people use the word all the time in pop music but I think it probably applies to Kevin. The late 70s through to mid 80s run of albums Dexys Midnight Runners made show him to be an auteur, a songwriter who could tap into the popular consciousness (not once but twice, Geno and then Come On Eileen, were both via wildly different styles, huge pop records). His mercurial nature, obsessive character and anti- everyone else stance led to many arguments and departures. The first line up of Dexys jumped ship and his paranoia about Top Of The Pops appearances and perception that Al Archer was trying to steal the limelight by wearing a red woolen hat show him a difficult person to deal with and be around. But the music and the ideas and inspirations that went into it- genius.
1985's Don't Stand Me Down is one of those completely misunderstood on release albums, a record that only really came to be listened to and seen for what it was years later. Seven songs, four over six minutes long, with the quartet dressed in suits and ties on the sleeve, songs with lengthy spoken word sections, the songs forming a backdrop to conversations between Kevin and other members of the group. This Is What She's Like is the longest song on the record, a twelve and a half minute discussion between Kevin and Billy Adams, partly written by Helen O'Hara, in which he never really reveals what she's like but meanders all over the place, Kevin eventually explaining what she's not like and listing the people he dislikes- people who put creases in their jeans, people who are members of CND, people who have 'home bars and hi fis and all that stuff'.
Kevin has mellowed somewhat since this song was written I think, is less wound up by those people, but he clearly meant it at the time. In the end he gets round to the point of the song, something he got from watching The Godfather, the part where Michael Corleone is in Sicily and gets married, and the word the Italians have for being stuck by a thunderbolt and falling in love.
'That's my story', Kevin says, 'Strongest thing I've ever seen'.
3 comments:
Although the first Dexys album will always be the one for me, DSMD closely follows it. It's not a complete masterpiece but it isn't far off. What it is though is wilful, playful, witty, ironic, bloody minded, outspoken and challenging. You have to work at an album like this and not everyone is prepared to do so, preferring the more straightforward approach of Too Rye Aye. But my goodness it's worth the effort.
it's not as long but Reminisce Pt 2 is the one for me
Best post evah! Nick nails it too! - Brian
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