crappy big hits from across the decades

[Hightea]

1 and 3 okay nothing to pick on or rave about.
Never heard 2 and wish it stayed that way.
4. Overplayed but still love it. Although it is one of the weaker tracks from the album.

[fange]

I honestly don't get the aggressive hatred that people around here have for 'Bitter Sweet Symphony'. Sure, Ashcroft was a dick; but the song itself is a catchy bit of late-90s pop/rock that was WAY too overplayed but hardly excremental.

It has exactly ONE hook - a stolen one at that - and it's really only a hook because it's driven into the ground, to the point where I for one thought it was "WAY too overplayed" after the first time. Is the singer saying anything worth saying? Not that I can tell. Did you guys who liked it at the time think it was profound or moving or something?

But a lot of songs have just one hook or riff, sampled or otherwise. And since when do 95% of pop-rock lyrics have anything meaningful to say anyway?

As mentioned i've always found it one of their weakest tracks, but even at the time i thought it was a catchy enough tune, and it obviously clicked with enough people to be a smash. I guess it did move people - it's easy enough to sing along to, the lyrics are kind of quasi-searching and general enough for people to relate to themselves in some way, and it has a nice flow.

[trans-chigley express]

1. Inoffensive lightweight sixties fluff. I don't mind it but I wouldn't seek it out
2. Demis Roussos is great when he's with Vangelis including the mid-70's and 80's collaborations. Without him he's completely horrible as this track testifies
3. Wretched.
4. I like it. I don't know why it's so hated. My favourite of the 4 by a distance.

[The Modernist]

I honestly don't get the aggressive hatred that people around here have for 'Bitter Sweet Symphony'. Sure, Ashcroft was a dick; but the song itself is a catchy bit of late-90s pop/rock that was WAY too overplayed but hardly excremental.

It has exactly ONE hook - a stolen one at that - and it's really only a hook because it's driven into the ground, to the point where I for one thought it was "WAY too overplayed" after the first time. Is the singer saying anything worth saying? Not that I can tell. Did you guys who liked it at the time think it was profound or moving or something?

Yeah a little bit, it was something I could get swept up in. I liked its attitude, a sort of 'me against the world' thing. It had a hip hop appeal about it in many ways - the attitude of the singer, the repetitive sample, the locked in groove -- even though it obviously wasn't.

[Rayge]

1 Uninspired retread of a great Goffin-King tune by a toothy wanker with no obvious talent. Along with Freddie and the Dreamers, the uttermost pits of the pop guitar scene in the 1960s. Worse even than the Barron Knights
2 Fat Bubble in a dress. Not a bad tune, probably second least worst here
3 Gooners in skirts. Let's heat up the tar and break out the pitchforks, lads. COYS
4 As everyone else has said, it's about the sample and the sound, and it was all right at the time, compared to Britpop. Of course Ashcroft is a dick, but it's the least worst here

[Darkness_Fish]

Never could stand The Verve, the worst thing to come from Wigan since Georgie Fame. But it's the best track here by a distance.

[Ranking Ted]

Ah, I know the Verve track is objectively the best here and I *did* buy the bloody thing at the time. But I fancied another rant at band that discarded the good parts of the Stone Roses and replaced them with Pink Floyd. With a side order of planet sized hubris.

[never/ever]

1. It's pleasant, As bubblegum goes it's not too sweet and overpowering but not exactly kicking the bins around.

2. Demis' solo-stuff was often very saccharine, this with his wheezing tenor shifting through the gears just grinds my nut. I don't hate his voice (his appearance on the Blade Runner-soundtrack was very good), in moderation it is quite tolerable.

3. I hate that song.

4. A Storm In Heaven is such a great album and everything that came afterwards was pretty but not great. I like it but, as mentioned before, it is the least of their hits for me.

[The Modernist]

Never could stand The Verve, the worst thing to come from Wigan since Georgie Fame. But it's the best track here by a distance.

Georgie Fame was great!

[Footy]

and the HH effort is just ridiculous, childish chipmunk pop.

Probably why I like it so much! I was 12 when it was released and it came over on the radio (Caroline, probably) as a magic piece of pop. I had no idea then that it wasn't an original song so it was my starter version and I loved it - still do.

Not much of a Demis fan but he doesn't fill me with the need to slag him off either. At some point in the 80s, my wife brought me an Arabic men's garment back from Saudi - something like a full length kaftan. Being a, ahem, man of some weight, I would wear it and perform DR impersonations although I couldn't hit the high notes. My how we all laughed .....

I've never enjoyed the Verve.

I like True - even with its faults that others have pointed out. I committed a BCB sin last month and treated myself to a Spandau 'best of' but I have only played it once.

[Goat Boy]

True does have that great guitar/vocal hook but the rest is lumpy and mood ruining. Hadley is awful too. The songs needs somebody with the class and savoir faire of a Ferry and instead you get somebody who sounds like they should be working in Curry's. Terrible.

[Diamond Dog]

They are like the Panamanian back four. All shit and collectively even worse.

[Count Machuki]

But...God, the Verve were an absolute fucking hoax if ever there was one.

Now hang on a minute, here...I wouldn't be without the first Verve ep and Storm in Heaven



Verve Mark I makes Verve Mark II all the worse, I guess, but they built up a lot of goodwill with me at the beginning.

[BARON CORNY DOG]

Right on, Count!
Someone bump the thread!

[Hightea]

Sure, Ashcroft was a dick;

I don't know why people think this? is there a story I'm unaware of?

[pcqgod]

I don't mind the Hermits or the Spandau Balet songs at all. That little staccato guitar part (while the guy sings "ha ha ha ha ha" on "True" is lovely.

Don't know the other two at all.

[Count Machuki]

Herman's Hermits, one of those "peaked too soon" bands. I mean, after I'm Henry the Eighth, I Am, where do you go from there?

Edward the SIxth?

[fange]

Now hang on a minute, here...I wouldn't be without the first Verve ep and Storm in Heaven



Verve Mark I makes Verve Mark II all the worse, I guess, but they built up a lot of goodwill with me at the beginning.

Right on, Count!
Someone bump the thread!

About time you fellas showed up, I thought I was gonna be Fangeson Crusoe on this one!

[fange]

Sure, Ashcroft was a dick;

I don't know why people think this? is there a story I'm unaware of?

He had a long track record, especially during the band's peak years, of being a bit of a bigmouth with an over-inflated ego, perhaps exacerbated by his "substance" issues and the effects of the group's success.

[sloopjohnc]

I really like "True" a lot.

But...God, the Verve were an absolute fucking hoax if ever there was one.

I like Something Good, True, and the Verve, but you're right. They always rate that album pretty highly. I bought it - huge mistake.

The other one I don't know.