It’s at this point I’m wondering why I thought this whole thing was a good idea if I have to deal with stuff like this. Alas, a challenge is a challenge.
Day 22: A song that moves you forward
2020: “Love Comes Quickly”, Pet Shop Boys
LIES.
I have no idea how and why this ended up in my playlist for me to use it for this five years ago but there that is. Plus, there’s other Pet Shop Boys songs I’d much rather listen to, like “It’s A Sin” and “West End Girls”.
So I guess for today I have to go for a song that makes me want to keep going, ignore the hardships and take the knocks on the chin. This feels a bit deep for my liking.
Deep. Deep?
Oh.
Oh!
2025: “It’s a Very Deep Sea”, The Style Council
So this is my favourite Style Council song. Indeed, I tried to write about its parent album Confessions of a Pop Group way back when on this blog but the whole thing kind of petered out. Bit of a shame considering this is easily Paul Weller’s most personal and most vitriolic work. He wasn’t a happy bunny around this time, between the failure of the Red Wedge, the downturn of the Council’s popularity and fortunes, and Polydor not treating him that well.
That’s why he opens the album with this song, one about being unable to let go of past grudges and wrongs. No underwater stone is left unturned, he can’t leave them unturned due to how shit is weighing him down, dragging him under the surface. He keeps finding regret after regret, as he dredges up the past.
But then, after five minutes of lamentations and the chilly melancholic piano of Mick Talbot, we end with Paul’s repeating ‘Come to the surface and come to my senses now’. He can’t keep swimming amongst the rotting wood and the tin cans forever. Sooner or later he has to come up for air. And I feel the same.
None of us lead a perfect life. I certainly haven’t. Regrets and spite threaten to drag me under and occasionally succeed when I’m left alone with my thoughts. But I know that given time I’ll come back to the surface and come back to my senses. And I’ll move forward, spend some time on dry land before finding the next ocean.
A-Side Glance 