Wednesday, August 03, 2022

Song of the Day: 'Don't Look Back' by Fine Young Cannibals

 

Day three of Songs That Peaked at No. 11: Today's pick is more on principle than anything. For about 18 months back in the late 1980s, Fine Young Cannibals could do no wrong. The highly infectious "She Drives Me Crazy" was released as the first single from their sophomore LP, "The Raw & The Cooked," and shot to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was followed by "Good Thing" with its stylish black-and-white video, which also topped the U.S. charts. Then came the band's best song, the haunting and plaintive "Don't Look Back," which I used to play over and over again in my VW Rabbit, frequently making me late for work and school. (God, I loved that song!) Only instead of a No. 1 triple play -- a la Paula Abdul, Madonna, Whitney or Janet -- the song only reached No. 11. I'm going to assume this is why Fine Young Cannibals never recorded another album: If a shitty song like "Good Thing" can go to No. 1 but your finest moment doesn't even reach the Top 10, why even bother? 

1 comment:

Scott said...

"Suspicious Minds" with backing vocals from Jimmy Somerville is flawless.