Album: Bite.
Year: 1983.
If there was one thing you could say for sure about me in 1983, it was that I didn’t like Eurodisco-influenced “new wave” songs. Or non-guitar riff oriented songs in general. And I especially didn’t like those types of songs sung by high-pitched female vocalists who had previously put out an annoying song called “Happy Birthday” that got requested on KFSR every single fucking day.
Except for the fact that I love this song, and always have. Even more so that the Blondie songs that it’s clearly influenced by.
It’s pretty obvious why: that soaring chorus, as full of counterpoint as any R.E.M. song, and carrying a melody that some bearded duded with an acoustic guitar would kill to have written. And yet, there is no doubt that the best place for that killer melody was floating on top of the long drawn-out spaces that the disco rhythm created.
And so, it dragged me towards something I thought I could never possibly like. Awesome! BTW, that’s one of the hallmarks of a universally great song: it should somehow fuck with the listener and/or make them think that anything is possible – including liking a song that on paper they wouldn’t even give a second shake to.
Official Video for “Don’t Talk to Me About Love”
My Certain Songs Playlist on Spotify