The Medusa Fora

Robert wrote:

Paul_R wrote:The broad Majestic Shannon for Me then maybe Turkish Song of Damned

Its maybe been covered many times before but does anyone else notice a similairity between BMS and FOTNY??

Both class tracks though!!!

As we all have, i've listened to both tracks countless times over the past 20 years and never twigged they were almost the same. But one morning (about two years ago) the littlest one was in the car on the way to playschool and BMS came on the ipod. She had never heard it before but imediately shouted out "That's like the New York song!".

I suppose as adults we would focus on the lyrics, whilst they just hear a melody

philipchevron wrote:Yes, that was apparently the reason why the record company did not want to release "BMS" as the follow-up to "FoNY", which would have been our choice, I think. This may be the only time in recorded history that a record company turned down a follow-up single because of any inherent similarity with The Big Hit. We were right, they were wrong, a depressingly familiar pattern even then.

But parts of the melody of BMS and FONY are the same. If BMS was released as a follow up to FONY, wouldn’t it give the impression that the band ran out of ideas and had to resort to borrowing music from themselves? (I’m not implying it is the case – just saying what impression it could give.) As much as I love both the songs and believe they could both make outstanding singles, I must admit that if I were to make the decision in the recording company, I would be against releasing BMS right after FONY too...

Zuzana wrote:

philipchevron wrote:Yes, that was apparently the reason why the record company did not want to release "BMS" as the follow-up to "FoNY", which would have been our choice, I think. This may be the only time in recorded history that a record company turned down a follow-up single because of any inherent similarity with The Big Hit. We were right, they were wrong, a depressingly familiar pattern even then.

But parts of the melody of BMS and FONY are the same. If BMS was released as a follow up to FONY, wouldn’t it give the impression that the band ran out of ideas and had to resort to borrowing music from themselves? (I’m not implying it is the case – just saying what impression it could give.) As much as I love both the songs and believe they could both make outstanding singles, I must admit that if I were to make the decision in the recording company, I would be against releasing BMS right after FONY too...

Oh yes, all very possible, of course. But we rarely fretted about whether anyone thought we had run out of ideas and anyway, it never stopped Gary Glitter or Marc Bolan making exactly the same record over and over again for several years. Or Chuck Berry, come to mention it.

Record companies operate just like movie studios. They don't know what they want and everything seems alien to them until it catches the public's imagination, then that becomes the only thing they want. Warner Bros rather pathetic response to this phenomenon was to insist upon Kirsty's voice being added to the "Fall From Grace" single. Their antipathy to "BMS" was, if memory serves, a bit more complex than just "it sounds like the last one" which, as I've already argued, is ordinarily a positive point with record companies. They may even have considered "Broad Majestic" a bit too "Irish", though I daresay they did not actually say so to our faces.

The fact remains, we did not follow FoNY with a hit record from that album. "Fall From Grace" was a minor hit, as I always argued it would be, and "Fiesta" stopped at #24. "Fiesta" could only have been the Top 10 hit it should have been if it was, in itself, a follow-up to a hit. That leaves "Broad Majestic Shannon" and the too-long "Thousands".

philipchevron wrote: That leaves "Broad Majestic Shannon" and the too-long "Thousands".

Or Bottle of Smoke

Zuzana wrote:

philipchevron wrote:Yes, that was apparently the reason why the record company did not want to release "BMS" as the follow-up to "FoNY", which would have been our choice, I think. This may be the only time in recorded history that a record company turned down a follow-up single because of any inherent similarity with The Big Hit. We were right, they were wrong, a depressingly familiar pattern even then.

But parts of the melody of BMS and FONY are the same. If BMS was released as a follow up to FONY, wouldn’t it give the impression that the band ran out of ideas and had to resort to borrowing music from themselves? (I’m not implying it is the case – just saying what impression it could give.) As much as I love both the songs and believe they could both make outstanding singles, I must admit that if I were to make the decision in the recording company, I would be against releasing BMS right after FONY too...

I have to disagree. If I was making the decision for the record company I would have gone for BMS as the follow up. I see nothing wrong with cementing the bands position in the public eye with a 'similar' track. Its worked for many artists in the past. (Check out the Four Tops,I Can't Help Myself and Its The Same Old Song ) FoNY was a smash so give the public what they want, more of the same!!

The longer you can remain in the public 'ear/eye' the more general interest your going to raise. Never a bad thing surely . . .? However I admit I never really saw The Pogues as a pop or chart singles band. Nowhere near contemporary or bubblegum to regularly stay on the single charts. They were one of many class acts who capture the imagination of the 'record buying' public for all too fleeting a moment!

fairytale is best,lets face it its in same league as queens bohemian rhapsody
after that i love a lot from peace and love;down all the days,loreli,and london your a lady
train of love is a classic too
amazing songs all of them,more tours lads please!!!

guest wrote:fairytale is best,lets face it its in same league as queens bohemian rhapsody

Sometimes I really wish Medusa had one of those head shaking from side to side smilies...

soulfinger wrote:

guest wrote:fairytale is best,lets face it its in same league as queens bohemian rhapsody

Sometimes I really wish Medusa had one of those head shaking from side to side smilies...

Yeah, there's no way it's as good as 'The Rhapsody'

Lullaby of London

Boys from the County Hell

.... but there so many other great songs

Pair Of Brown Eyes or Transmetropolitan,,,,,it's a toss up.

Mine has to be Rainy night in Soho,, spent many great nights there in The Ship..x

For me its sickbed, fantastic live and lyrically brilliant with some melody to boot!

Has to be "Thousands are sailing." Even after 25 years it still captivates me every time. Always loved the accordion part and Phillip's lyrics are just sublime.

Thank God I came across IISFFGWG as a 13 year old when the alternatives were Rick Astley etc (shudder)

LibbyR26 wrote:Has to be "Thousands are sailing." Even after 25 years it still captivates me every time. Always loved the accordion part and Phillip's lyrics are just sublime.

Thank God I came across IISFFGWG as a 13 year old when the alternatives were Rick Astley etc (shudder)

Hi Libby, welcome aboard