Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!: Day 345 - Squeeze

Greatest Hits - Squeeze

A&M Records

Released April 1992

UK Chart #6

Notes on Singles

Take Me I'm Yours / Night Nurse

February 1978

UK Chart #19

Take Me I'm Yours was originally going to be the band's first single in 1976 prior to the Packet of Three EP on BTM Records backed by No Disco Kid No but it was shelved prior to release.

Goodbye Girl /Saints Alive

November 1978

UK Chart #63

Cool For Cats / Model

March 1979

UK Chart #2

Up The Junction / It's So Dirty

May 1979

UK Chart #2

Slap and Tickle / All's Well

August 1979

UK Chart #24

Another Nail In My Heart / Pretty Thing

February 1980

UK Chart #17

Pulling Mussels (From The Shell) / What The Butler Saw

May 1980

UK Chart #44

Is That Love / Trust

May 1981

UK Chart #35

Tempted / Yap Yap Yap

July 1981

UK Chart #41

US Chart #49

 Labelled With Love / Squabs of Forty Fab

September 1981

UK Chart #4

Black Coffee In Bed / The Hunt

April 1992

UK Chart #51

US Chart #103

Annie Get Your Gun / Spanish Guitar

October 1982

UK Chart #43

 Last Time Forever / Suites From Five Strangers

June 1985

UK Chart #45

No Place Like Home / The Fortnight Saga

September 1985

UK Chart #83

 King George Street / Loves Crashing Waves (Live)

April 1986

Did Not Chart

Hourglass / Wedding Bells

July 1987

UK Chart #16

US Chart #15

Trust Me To Open My Mouth / Take Me I'm Yours (Live)

September 1987

UK Chart #72

 Footprints / Striking Matches Instant Buff (King Buff)

June 1988

Did Not Chart

If It's Love / Frank's Bag

September 1989

Did Not Chart

Love Circles / Red Light

January 1990

Did Not Chart

Cool For Cats / Trust Me To Open My Mouth / Squabs of Forty Fab

April 1992

UK Chart #62

***********************

Sticking with Deptford, South East London, today's choice of Greatest Hits is Squeeze. 

Their first major compilation was ten years prior to this one and was called Singles 45 and Under that reached #3 on the UK Album Chart.

Ten years later with a few more hit singles under their belt, after a break-up and a reunion came the second major compilation Greatest Hits.

Squeeze were one of those bands that really came to light during the Punk/New Wave scene in 1977. They were not a Punk band at all but would often be found on bills as support or even as headliners at shows that were predominately punk orientated.

Their first EP, Packet of Three is considered a New Wave Classic. Released on Deptford Fun City (the label was financed by Miles Copeland but run by the band, which when they signed to A&M was taken over by Mark Perry) it was produced by John Cale who would also produce their Debut Album once they signed to A&M. 

Deptford at the time also had Mark Perry's Alternative TV and some young band called Dire Straits prior to their becoming one of the biggest bands on the planet (they had also played support to a couple of Punk bands back then!).

When you think of a British band who consistently made great singles in the late 70s through to the 80s then surely Squeeze must be up near the top of that list. I think the most startling thing about a number of the singles is that they didn't reach as high in the charts as you would expect. There are three off the top of my head I would have assumed would be Top 20 hits but infact did not even reach the Top 40: Goodbye Girl - #63, Pulling Mussels (From The Shell) - #44 and Tempted - #41. 

The only absence from this Greatest Hits album is their second single for A&M, Bang Bang which reached #49 on the UK Singles Chart in May 1978.

Squeeze have actually had three lives, 1974-82, 1985-99 and 2007 to the present day. Inbetween the main songwriters, Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford, have played together and embarked on Solo careers.

A couple of years ago they released their first album in sometime with Cradle To The Grave.

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!: Day 137 - Squeeze

1981's East Side Story was the first Squeeze album without the delicate keyboard touch of Jools Holland (though he would return for 1985's Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti), his replacement just for this album was Paul Carrack (though he did return to play on Some Fantastic Place in 1993).

The first thing that struck me listening afresh to the album was sheer insanity of the British Record Buying Public! Not those of you who bought the album or purchased the singles, but those who for one reason or another had their senses dulled and were unable to spot brilliant pop tunes even though they were right there in front of their faces! This album should have been massive, Top Ten at least, if not occupying at least one of the Top Three positions on the chart!

As for the singles, I really thought the three UK released singles must have been at least Top Ten so digging around to discover that only Labelled With Love broke into the Top Ten was a bit of a shocker! I mean, come on, Is That Love #35 and Tempted #41...all those who didn't buy them give yourselves an almighty slap on the forehead and shout in true Homer Simpson style, "Doh!" And especially give yourselves a double slap for not buying Tempted!

The second thing that struck me, not in a "Eureka" type of moment I must add, because I had known it before, but Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook really are great songwriters!

Anyway, it was released 35 years ago yesterday and such is the quality of the music that it has stood the test of time. Enjoy.

East Side Story.. Squeeze

A&M

Produced by Elvis Costello & Roger Bechirian*

Released 15th May 1981

UK Chart #19

US Chart #44

Canadian Chart #29

* All except "In Quintessence"which was Produced by Dave Edmunds, assisted by Neil King

Singles from East Side Story
    01. "Is That Love"
    Released: 1 May 1981

UK Chart #35

    02. "Tempted"
    Released: 10 July 1981

UK Chart #41

US Chart #49

    03. "Labelled with Love"
    Released: 25 September 1981

UK Chart #4

    04. "Messed Around"
    Released: 1981 (US only)

Did Not Chart

Personnel
    Chris Difford – rhythm guitar, backing vocals, lead vocal on "Someone Else's Heart" and "Heaven"
    Glenn Tilbrook – lead vocals, lead guitar, keyboards
    Paul Carrack – keyboards, backing vocals, lead vocal on "Tempted"
    John Bentley – bass, backing vocals
    Gilson Lavis – Drums

Additional personnel
    Elvis Costello - additional vocal on "Tempted"; backing vocal on "There's No Tomorrow"
    Del Newman - string arrangements
 

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!

Squeeze

Felt like a spot of Squeeze today. So here's their story and a live show that was broadcast on MTV back in 1981.

Take Me I'm Yours - Squeeze (BBC Documentary)

Squeeze

Live at The Country Club

Los Angeles

6th July 1981

Cradle To The Grave - Squeeze (2nd October 2015)

It's been a mere 17 years since the last album of new material by Squeeze and on October 2nd they release a brand new album Cradle To The Grave. Here's the first track that's been issued called Happy Days.

Full Tracklisting:
1. Cradle To The Grave
2. Nirvana
3.  Beautiful Game
4.  Happy Days
5.  Open
6.  Only 15
7.  Top Of The Form
8.  Sunny
9.  Haywire
10. Honeytrap
11. Everything
12. Snap, Crackle And Pop

Chris Difford was on Gary Crowley's Punk and New Wave Show this week and below you can listen to a great mix of music and a nice wee chat with Chris about the early days of Squeeze mixing it up with the Punks and also about the latest album.

Gary Crowley's Punk and New Wave Show - Squeeze Special (01/09/2015) by Soho Radio on Mixcloud

Squeeze: Singles - 45's and Under (1982)

Do you ever wake up in the morning/afternoon/evening/middle of the night (delete what isn't appropriate to you) with a lyric or a tune in your head? Today for me it was this:

"Alone here in the kitchen
I feel there's something missing
I'd beg for some forgiveness
But begging's not my business"

- from 'Up the Junction' by Squeeze

Of course that gives a good excuse to reach into the old music vault and pull out an album to play. 

'Up the Junction' was of course on their 1979 album 'Cool For Cats', which surprisingly only reached #45 in the UK Album Charts. But it did produce two hit singles that both peaked at #2 (the title track and 'Up the Junction'). The first single from the album 'Goodbye Girl' only managed to peak at #63.

So I stuck my hand into the pile of Squeeze albums and pulled out 'Singles - 45's and Under' from 1982, their first compliation released on A&M Records. This particular compilation reached #3 in the UK Album Charts. Looking at the tracklist one of the things that amazes me is that there are a number of singles included that really should have reached a higher chart placing - 'Is That Love' and 'Tempted' especially. Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford are quite possibly two of my favourite songwriters.

Anyway, for your listening pleasure as well here it is. Enjoy.

Tracklist
    "Take Me I'm Yours" – 2:48 #19 UK
    "Goodbye Girl" (US single version) – 3:05 #63 UK
    "Cool for Cats" – 3:10 #2 UK
    "Up the Junction" – 3:10 #2 UK
    "Slap and Tickle" – 4:16 #24 UK
    "Another Nail in My Heart" – 2:55 #17 UK
    "Pulling Mussels (from the Shell)" – 4:00 #44 UK
    "Labelled with Love" (#4 UK) – 4:44 / "If I Didn't Love You" (US) – 4:10
    "Is That Love" – 2:30 #35 UK
    "Tempted" – 4:00 #41 UK
    "Black Coffee in Bed" – 6:10 #51 UK
    "Annie Get Your Gun" – 3:22 #43 UK

Tidy Tune #308: 1975 - Chris Difford

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

CHRIS DIFFORD

BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1954

SOLO

Fat as a Fiddle.

Tempted.

Battersea Boys.

Pulling Mussels From The Shell.

Itchycoo Park.

Guest Lecture - "Cool For Cats".

WITH GLEN TILBROOK

Take Me I'm Yours.

 Goodbye Girl.

Please Please Me (Also features Paul Jones).

On My Mind Tonight.

Action Speaks Faster.

SQUEEZE

Up the Junction.

Labelled With Love.

Another Nail In My Heart.

In Concert 1982.

Cool For Cats.

Packet of Three EP.

Live Daytona Beach 1988.

Live on The Tube (3 songs).

 

 

Happy Birthday Glenn Tilbrook

Born on this day in 1957 one half of the writing partnership of Squeeze, Glenn Tilbrook.
One of my favourite songwriters ever and a band that was grossly underrated in my opinion.
Besides playing with Squeeze, and performing solo he is also a member of The Co-Operative with Dennis Greaves of Nine Below Zero.

Glenn Tilbrook and the Fluffers Live in New York City.

Squeeze Live From The Artists Den.

Glenn Tilbrook at Tea and Sympathy, NY 2002.

One Day I'll Fly Away - The Co-Operative.

Take Me I'm Yours - BBC Documentary on Squeeze.

BBC In Concert 1981 (Audio).

BBC In Concert 1982.

VH1 Bands Reunited 2003.