‘Hits Of The Year’ had iffy music, made worse by a terrible lyric. Difford: “It was an abortion, actually. It was a song from Difford/Tilbrook which hadn’t come out right and we decided to record it again. I decided I didn’t like the lyric, Glenn said the lyric wasn’t strong enough, the producer didn’t like the lyric
Slap And Tickle – Squeeze – Classic story song as a young couple fail to connect in the verses and in the chorus Difford offers up a Tilbrook aphorism: “never chew a pickle with a little slap and tickle, you have to throw a stone to get the pool to ripple”. Amen – A+
Ever wonder why Brinsley Schwartz never made it? Compare this plodding country rock to Dave Edmund’s sparkling and sexy take. The harmonies on the chorus kill it, the drawl is the reverse of the never sing with a fake British accent and the organ is a drag – C
“I don’t agree with that at all,” Tilbrook declared. “I’d say we’ve been on a couple of diversions. We’ve made two albums that’ve had their low points, probably lower than the albums that came before them. But I’m in the position where I’m involved with the new album now and I don’t think we’re going downhill”
Something’s Gotta Give – Frank Sinatra – Sings Jimmy Mercer, and this one swings hard and it is one of those arrogant songs that Sinatra excelled, it swings from a chandelier and is all seduction and smart cracks and finger snaps – A
Tilbrook worked hard during this long and uneven performance. He’s constantly trying to squeeze the charm in – doing mock rock star poses, mugging for the crowd, orchestrating sing-alongs, taking requests, and providing wry asides
