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| https://www.elsewhere.co.nz/fromthevaults/5884/the-dream-academy-life-in-a-northern-town-1985/ |
Once again, I am delaying my Roger Waters concert post, which is not ready yet, but close. I am publishing it Friday. Unless I change my mind again,
This is a GREAT song, and I am sharing a few versions and some articles.
Thanks for tuning in.
Although not quite a one-hit wonder (the follow-up to this, The Love Parade, got to 36 in the US), the Dream Academy probably deserved better just on the strength of this curious and clever debut single.
It manages to be a lot of things in its 4.18 running time: part wistful nostalgia in the manner of Penny Lane, a nod to Nick Drake, references to Sinatra, JFK and the Beatles (cue screaming), a chorus based on an African chant; a little bit psychedelic, a line from the Walker Brothers at the end . . .
Apparently it took a year to record and it was co-produced by Pink Floyd's David Gilmour and the band's Nick Laird-Clowes (who was having guitar lessons from Paul Simon and who later contributed lyrics to Floyd's Division Bell album).
Also in the ranks was multi-instrumentalist Kate St John who subsequently worked with a large roster of people from Van Morrison and Joe Boyd to Nigel Kennedy and Laaraji. Both Laird-Clowes and co-founder Gilbert Gabriel subsequently went into film and television soundtrack work.
So they were hardly short on talent but . . .
They did three albums in total, each with diminishing returns and then went their own ways in the early Nineties.
So this lovely, nostalgic and memorable single which had two different videos -- the first one which screened in New Zealand is posted below -- was to be their crowning achievement (unless you count an instrumental version of a Smiths' song in Ferris Bueller's Day Off).
A good one though.
Almost makes those shitty and bleak northern towns in England sounds enticing.
For more oddities, one-offs or songs with an interesting backstory check the massive back-catalogue at From the Vaults.
1001 Songs Challenge #645: Life in a Northern Town (1985)
On 11 February 2019 I set myself the challenge of reading 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die by Robert Dimery (ed.) and following the book’s advice to the letter. I’ve previously read 1001 Films… and started 1001 Albums… but felt 1001 Songs… would be a sensible place to start for what I have in mind here.
My challenge is to read about one song per day and listen to it (YouTube and Spotify, I need you tonight!) before sharing my own thoughts. Some songs I will love, others I’ll hate, and I’m sure there will be those that leave me perplexed but listen to them I shall.
I’ll also try, and most likely fail, to pinpoint the best song from the 1001 on offer but I’m nothing if not foolhardy. Instead
of one song, I’m predicting I’ll have about 100 favourites by the end and may have to resort to a Top 10 so far to maintain any semblance of sanity.
So long as I post every day (including Christmas) then this challenge should come to an end on Wednesday 8 November 2021. Staying with the Barney Stinson theme I am hoping that the whole experience will prove to be… legendary!
The Dream Academy – Life in a Northern Town (1985)
We’re continuing in the UK but head back south to London. Formed in 1983 and made up of Nick Laird-Clowes, Katie St John and Gilbert Gabriel, The Dream Academy were not swayed by the early eighties pop that was dominating the charts. Instead, they branched out to make a different sound throwing in an array of instruments and not succumbing to the lure of synthesisers. It’s 1985 and the band’s self-titled debut album has been released. From there 1001 Songs have lifted the group’s biggest hit – Life in a Northern Town.
Life in a Northern Town was written in honour of tragic musician, Nick Drake, who died in 1974 and has appeared on our
list previously. The song captures a day in the life of a sleepy northern town. We hear tales of lemonade being consumed, probably less refreshing on the cold day described here. There is talk of people stopping work to rest and talk of JFK and The Beatles. We also learn of an individual being walked to the train station to bid farewell to the town, perhaps for the last time. One can almost imagine floating over the town in tune with the music and taking it all in. It’s not a spectacular viewpoint we have; it’s just an ordinary town but, even in that fact, there is still beauty.
Life in a Northern Town is a sweeping and majestic piece having elements of folk rock in the verses but the chorus mixes things up as the band switch to something akin to African tribal chants as they sing of the splendour of the northern town. It’s a rich and varied piece and would give the group their biggest hit, reaching the UK Top 20 and going Top 10 in the US. The group disbanded in 1991 and went their separate ways but there have been reunions in the last ten years.
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- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 2210.24 - 10:10
- Days ago = 2670 days ago
- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I plan to continue Hey Mom posts at least twice per week but will continue to post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day. The blog entry numbering in the title has changed to reflect total Sense of Doubt posts since I began the blog on 0705.04, which include Hey Mom posts, Daily Bowie posts, and Sense of Doubt posts. Hey Mom posts will still be numbered sequentially. New Hey Mom posts will use the same format as all the other Hey Mom posts; all other posts will feature this format seen here.
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