The Definitive 1000 Songs Of All Time 1955 to 2005: Number 737

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Number 737 - Simply Red

Number 737

Simply Red

"Fairground"

(1995)
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Genre:Pop

Simply Red re-enter the "Definitive 1000 Songs" chart with their second entry "Fairground" (See number 791). Fairground was a change in sound for Simply Red with an up tempo beat and very un-ballad in vocals. Don't believe me? Watch the video!

ok ... who stole my hair?

Simply Red retain the basic influences that fueled their earlier albums, especially American R&B of the early '70s, specifically the Marvin Gaye of What's Going On and Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes-era Teddy Pendergrass. Mick Hucknall's singing has calmed down and smoothed out on such songs as "You Make Me Believe" and "So Many People," but that only makes them sound more like the product of Philadelphia International Records. On "Fairground," he opts for a Latin-tinged sound that ends up evoking Herb Alpert more than Milton Nascimento; reggae turns up on "Out on the Range," and the big-time closer, "We're in This Together," is a South African-style anthem, complete with Hugh Masekela's flügelhorn. Stripped of the international superstar trappings, Life is, of course, pretentious, but it does have a couple of promising songs, notably "So Beautiful" and "Remembering the First Time We Made Love." ~ [William Ruhlmann]

What does Rolling Stone think about Simply Red?
"Life, Simply Red's new album, opens with "You Make Me Believe," a flutey love groove that flexes subtle instrumental muscles, arriving at one of those sublime post-soul places Massive Attack visit. With rare command and airy confidence, lead singer and songwriter Mick Hucknall's free tenor steers the music next into "So Many People," another groove that reroutes the silken pulse of trancelike club music into a more immediately accessible ride. "Fairground," Simply Red's current single, is an extraordinary creation: a song about the heaven of romantic anticipation that manages some of the mystery of Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk." "Fairground" whips village percussion, martial drumming, carnival colors and an enormous sing-along chorus into unusual emotional sense". ~ [Source: RS 721] wow!

For Marvin Gaye see Number 611

For Herb Alpert see Number 911

For more Simply Red see Number 791

For Massive Attack visit MM Vol 1 #078

For Fleetwood Mac see Number 514, #547 & #591

Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs ranked this song at Number (Zip) and the album ranked at (Nah uh)
This song has a crowbarred rating of 66.7 out of 108