Sunday 10 March 2013

Sparks

Watching Ron and Russell Mael on one of those 70s compilation shows that BBC4 do so well I was reminded yet again what a fabulous, quirky, bonkers group Sparks were. I am old enough to remember their first appearance on Top of the Pops and how we all talked about it the next day at school.

I bought the Propaganda album when it came out, one of the first albums I owned. Now I have a whole bunch of them on CD and still play them when I'm in the mood. Apart from Propaganda, which is a fantastic album, I have a particular love for Sparks...In Outer Space. A really under-rated pop album with fun tunes and funny lyrics:

I went to Balboa Island
And laid in the sand
I may be as ugly as sin
But at least now I'm tan


Can't beat that, can you?

Sparks were also responsible for one of the great dance songs "The Number 1 Song in Heaven". Obviously, I am not a dance fan but there are about half a dozen records from the last fifty years that make me jump around like a fool, and this record is right at the top.

There are very few bands who can change genres at the drop of a hat and be brilliant in all of them, but Sparks sure could.

And still can.