Album: Repercussion
Year: 1982
I’ve mentioned The Who as a big influence on The dB’s, which might not seem intuitive to any of you, but I stand by it. The other big influence is, of course, Big Star. To the point where it only made sense that Chris Stamey has curated the Big Star’s Third live performances (the one in L.A. last year was fantastic) over the past few years.
That said, it was Peter Holsapple who wrote my favorite dB’s Big Star songs. Like “Nothing is Wrong,” a slow burner that comes across like a lost Chris Bell song.
Over a mournful organ and a slower-than-slow beat, Holsapple and Stamey harmonize beautifully throughout the verses:
I see love as something that
Either works or it doesn’t, it’s as simple as that
I think you just don’t see
What your love has done to me
And after the second verse, Holsapple uncorks a simple, gorgeous guitar solo that comes from absolutely nowhere and leads you straight into the chorus, sung by Holsapple all on his own:
Nothing I say could be wrong
Nothing I think about is wrong
With you, girl
“Nothing is Wrong” is one of those songs that I normally wouldn’t have noticed, especially on an album like Repercussion, which is chock full of uptempo power-pop gems like “Neverland” and “Ask For Jill,” both of which I treasure, but that guitar solo caught my ear and drew me into the rest of the song.
Video for “Nothing is Wrong”