Tracks you wish they had never recorded

[iefje]

I also don't really like "Careless Whisper" and "Chain Reaction" (nothing to do with Brian Bennett's great solo track from his great 1978 "Voyage" album!), both from the 1987 "Simply...Shadows" album.

[Geoff_W]

Apart from Dear Old Mrs Bell bless her, the tracks that make me cringe are One Day I'll Fly Away form Hits Right Up Your Street plus Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart and You'll Never Walk Alone from Reflection. But it wouldn't do for us all to like the same thing.
That's it, grouch over - back to work
Geoff

[stratmantd]

After Guardian Angel, which was probably the last album to contain much in the way of original numbers, I am afraid that I wish that they hadn't recorded the majority of tracks; definite Contractual Obligation stuff. While the recordings themself were up to the expected high standards there was never much in the way of oomph or passion in the tracks. There were also far too many TV themes and songs unsuitable for instrumental treatment like showtunes which really need the lyrics to be anything other than mediocre melodies.

I never even considered buying Hank & The Shads play Andrew Lloyd Webber; the very thought made me despair.

[captainhaddock]

After Guardian Angel, which was probably the last album to contain much in the way of original numbers, I am afraid that I wish that they hadn't recorded the majority of tracks; definite Contractual Obligation stuff. While the recordings themself were up to the expected high standards there was never much in the way of oomph or passion in the tracks. There were also far too many TV themes and songs unsuitable for instrumental treatment like showtunes which really need the lyrics to be anything other than mediocre melodies.

I never even considered buying Hank & The Shads play Andrew Lloyd Webber; the very thought made me despair.

I totally agree with the statement above. The only reason that I bought the albums after "Guardian Angel" was the fact that I am a completist and could not stand not owning everything by the band. Although the Shadows had always produced a certain number of cover versions from their earliest years, the Polydor albums seemed as if the results were phoned in. I can still remember the excitement of seeing the adverts for a new Shadows LP in the papers, sadly I can also remember the disappointment I felt , once I heard the results.

[JimN]

Tone,

Sailing has no tune!

It relies for its effect (to the extent that it has one) on the mawkish message within the lyrics (making it something of a "special occasion" song like Happy Birthday To You) and the "performance" of the singer - who is someone whose performance you either love or hate (for me it tends toward the latter).

Unfortunately, during the 1980s, the Shadows were persuaded to record too many songs with no intrinsic melodic content or value as instrumentals, simply because they had been high in the charts. My friend Malcolm Campbell (you might not realise that we are friends, to judge from some of our exchanges on these pages) takes a different view on this subject, but for me, things like the list below don't stand repeated listening.

Hello
The Power Of Love
Against All Odds
Dancing In The Dark
Whiter Shade Of Pale
Three Times A Lady
Sailing
Walk Of Life
I Knew You Were Waiting
We Don't Need Another Hero
Don't Give Up
The Lady In Red
Take My Breath Away
I Want To Know What Love Is
Jealous Guy
You Win Again
I Wanna Dance With Somebody
Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You
Heaven Is A Place On Earth
Wen The Going Gets Tough
One Moment In Time
Right Here Waiting
Love Changes Everything and
Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now

That's the majority of the tracks on "Moonlight Shadows", "Simply Shadows" (I share the views of Squier Ken on that) and "Steppin' To The Shadows".

The final album (1990's "Reflection") had a few like that (the last three of the list above), but had more tunes which were melodic and had something to offer as instrumentals, eg, Crockett's Theme, Sealed With A Kiss (which is great), Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart (ditto) and Bilitis.

The 1989 "supplementary" LP "The Shadows At Their Very Best" was slated by some for its re-recordings of twenty of their EMI hits - but not by me. After hearing an inexplicable version of Billy Ocean's When The Going Gets Tough, I was relieved to realise that The Shadows could still play - and remember - great music, including some tracks they'd never used on stage sinces the singles were current (The Stranger, Geronimo, Theme For Young Lovers and a few others).

I've been wanting to say all that for a long time...

If I wanted to hear a Diana Ross or Billy Ocean song (I b****y well don't), I'd buy one of their albums!

JN

[JimN]

Trying to stay positive (really!), I like Dear Old Mrs Bell (you have to listen to it and its flipside in historical context) and Honky Tonk Women!

JN

[captainhaddock]

The "B" side of Mrs Bell is a great track in my opinion. "Trying To Forget The One You Love", written by Hank, had been recorded over 2 years prior to being released, why?. Had it been the "A" side, I wouldn't have been surprised if it had charted. For those who can't place it, here it is on you-tube.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KSw6CFKSmM

[neil2726]

Diamonds! Poor version and no match for the original.

[rogera]

"Black is Black" - definitely sounds as though they were just on autopilot.

[alewis41]

Dear Old Mrs Bell.

Oh, and everything released by Polydor.