Everything Is Not Enough One thing that does strike me about this album, is the sound. Everything is right there. The production is very balanced in terms of what you can here. The bass is always right there, and the clarity seems pretty good. This is a pretty cool track. We have a different kind of funk going on with the groove here. The song is well constructed and although this isn't a groundbreaking track, it has all the ingredients. We have a cool groove, layers, harmonies, Cool guitar. Probably not going to make everyone's best of 10cc compilation, but a good track none the less.
Ready To Go Home We start here with an atmospheric synth track, with somewhat moody percussion in there. The vocals come in nicely too. Although this still has that smooth sheen of production, that Gold and Gouldman love so much, this is a quite earthy song, and seems a little more earthy at its core. I actually like this track quite a bit. It may not be the greatest thing they have ever done, but it has a bit of substance, and seems to come from the heart, rather than contractual necessity. Good track
Everything Is Not Enough This is an okay track without any detours. In the old days a 7" b-side candidate. Ready To Go Home This one's unlike the other tracks so far, with an emphasis on synth/keyboard plus acoustic guitar. The chorus reminds you of a Dave Gilmour/Pink Floyd sound. Could be a solid album track if combined with similar sounding ones.
”Ready to go home” is one of several inspired tunes from Graham on this otherwise uneven album. Heartfelt and atmospheric and also a bit touchy. I’m glad that he didn’t took the advice from Eric to do a remake in the reggae style...
Ready To Go Home is one of my favorites on this album, with a haunting melody and lyrics. I believe that this is the only Andrew Gold lead vocal on a 10cc album, and I think the harmonies with Andrew and Graham work really well here.
Graham seemed to be geared up for this 10cc Project and it would have been interesting what it would have resulted in if he had done it on his own as originally planned. Ready to go home was one of the highlights when i saw Grahams 10cc in Uppsala, Sweden last february.
Excellent, heartfelt track. No matter what, Graham and Eric have always been master tunesmiths. Glad to hear that Graham still plays this one.
Grow Old With Me This is a sweet, somewhat acoustic track. The sentimentality is unashamedly dripping from this track, and the melodic construction is nice enough to make it an easily digested song. I don't love it, but there is nothing to dislike about it. Very Sweet
Margo Wants The Mustard This track has a Calypso kind of feel about it. It is well written, and well executed ... it is pretty pleasant, but comes over as a little bland for me. I like the key change and the lead break.
Grow Old With Me Warning from your dentist: to prevent your teeth from instant rotting only play this once ! Cigarette lighters, candles, rose petals, vanilla scent, violins, Andrew Gold doing Macca-style backing vox ... how cuddly can it get ? Margo Wants The Mustard Mankind can stop competing, because Mr Eric Stewart is Margo's mustard. It's a good thing the guys weren't doing any music videos by this time ... Unless they would've chosen to dress up Graham as Margo of course
Peace In Our Time As we go through, it does seem as though Graham had some very good songs together for this project. I am not really totally aware of how this came about, or frankly, even why. It appears Stewart wasn't very interested and annoyed with it being released as it was or something, and that probably explains why he isn't as well represented on this album. I like this track a lot, and reckon it is another stand out song on here. It isn't groundbreaking, but is a song I enjoy.
Why Did I Break Your Heart A big synth ballad. It is a nice atmospheric track. A really nice melody that sits nicely on the bed of synths. It is possibly a little longer than it needs to be, as it doesn't really do anything along it's 5+ minutes, but I find it enjoyable enough.
Peace In Our Time Really nice intro sounds promising. Good composition that is weakened by the drum & programming stuff and the woah oooh woaaaaah's don't help either. Good guitar solo almost drowns in production. Why Did I Break Your Heart More synth drowned relationship material, who needs that ? Oh wait
”Peace in our time” is a spirited sparkling song dressed in the 90:s production style that fits the song very well ( i even like the woah oohs !) The collaboration with Steve Pigott payed off well and is easily in my top 20 list of Graham Gouldman songs. A total contrast to Eric:s Tunes which sounds very ”run of the mill” to me but i guess he had to fight against the clock as Graham had more or less prepared to release the 10cc album by himself.
"Peace In Our Time" is my other favorite from this album. Graham's songs are all strong, but this and "Ready To Go Home" are the top ones to my taste. Eric's songs are nowhere near as strong, but "Why Did I Break Your Heart?" is my favorite of the bunch. This is my first time hearing "Margo Wants The Mustard" - catchy music but perhaps not Eric's finest hour as a lyricist.
Wow, I'm at a loss for much to say about any of these songs. Well crafted and pleasant, and that's it. Its the first album in the entire thread that just isn't very interesting on any level.
Sadly, in spite of a few good songs, there is just a blandness about it. All the edges are smoothed beyond recognition, and it makes me a little sad.
Now You're Gone This has a sort of late sixties, early seventies kind of sound and feel. The simple arrangement, and acoustic guitar does quite a bit to make it appealing to me. It has a pretty nice chord progression, although the return to the opening pattern is slightly awkward. This isn't the greatest song of all time, but I actually like this quite a bit.
I'm Not In Love Rework of art mix I don't think this song needed to be touched. The original is an absolute masterwork, and should be, have been, left to revel in its own glory. I wonder if the vocal is the original intended vocal, because I believe they used the demo vocal on the original. There are a couple of bits and pieces added, a little guitar thing in the first instrumental break for example ... and they are pretty decent, but on the whole, if I want this song, then Original Soundtrack will be going on the player.
One version of this album has I'm Not In Love acoustic session 95, but I can't seem to find that I'm afraid. Anyway. This album isn't an embarrassment or anything, the songcraft is good, the sound is very nice, and it does work on the level of what it is. It is just a little sterile, and lacking in any fire. I am not fully familiar with the circumstances under which it was done, but from reading your posts it seems that it was a somewhat tricky situation with Gouldman going full steam ahead and Stewart being unprepared, and I dare say, not fully committed .... they aren't great circumstances under which to make an album.... and if the guys weren't really on speaking terms, it ends up being a bit futile, and a cynical exercise is creating product. For a band as great as 10cc were/are, the isn't really a satisfactory way to end a marvelous career, but it is what it is. I find it very sad that these days folks seem to consider 10cc to be some kind of seventies singles band, because that is just so far from the truth, that it kind of annoys me. Hopefully at some point interested parties will browse this thread and get some information from you guys that posted, and listen to the music, and find a new band to add to their music enjoyment, because I certainly feel the band are one of the greats.
Now You're Gone Listening to this you realize how much a straightforward singer-songwriter acoustic guitar song doesn't fit on a 10cc album. There's nothing essentially wrong with it; he could've resisted singing Yoooooouuuuu as stretched as he did. I'm Not In Love Rework Pointless exercise. The original lead vocal is so much burned into my brainplayer you immediately notice the new lead vocal's timing is off, while it's essentially trying the same. The original is a masterpiece that shouldn't be touched by anyone, just like The Wall Street Shuffle. I think the Fun Lovin' Criminals did a far better really different remake. I agree with Mark's final comments about the album. All things considered the band's split after How Dare You is the most unfortunate and unnecessary one in music history. The chosen paths of both duos emphasize their respective strengths and weaknesses, that were bypassed by cross-co-writing in the past. I think Stewart at some point expressed his regrets about 10cc's need to always include hit singles on the albums. And he couldn't have been more right. Without the commercial singles focus 10cc could have built a respectable album career like Pink Floyd or Steely Dan. Should've put your foot down, Mr Stewart.
For those who crave to know more this is hot off the press: https://10ccbook.com/ An official biography with input from all original members save Lol. I received my copy yesterday, and boy is it a big book!
Reference guide 1968 -1985 Godley And Creme History Mix 1985 Wet Rubber Soup/Cry Expanding the Business / The 'Dare You' Man / Hum Drum Boys in Paris / Mountain Tension Cry single edit Love Bombs Snack attack Golden Boy Wet Rubber Soup single edit thanks @ChristopherTeuma Wax - Magnetic Heaven 1986 Right Between the Eyes Hear No Evil Shadows Of Love/Marie Claire/ Ball and Chain/ Systematic Break Out / Only A Visitor Rise Up/ Magnetic Heaven Godley and Creme video Directors 81/82 83 84 85 86 87 88 Paul Mccartney Press To Play (with Eric Stewart) August 1987 Changing Faces - The Very Best Of 10cc and Godley And Creme August 87 Wax (UK band) American English ( with Graham Gouldman) Godley And Creme Goodbye Blue Sky 1988 H.E.A.V.E.N./A Little Piece Of Heaven Crime And Punishment The Big Bang 10,000 Angels The Last Page Of History Desperate Times Wax - A Hundred Thousand In Fresh Notes Sept 1989 Wherever You Are - Anchors Aweigh Alan Parsons Project - Freudiana 1990 + 2 songs full album - thanks @footprintsinthesand 10cc Greatest songs and more (Great Box) 1991 The Very Best Of 10cc And Godley And Creme 1991 10cc Meanwhile 1992 Woman In Love Wonderland Fill Her Up Something Special Welcome To Paradise The Stars Didn't Show Green Eyed Monster Charity Begins At Home Shine A Light In The Dark Don't Break The Promises b-side Man With A Mission b-sdie Don't b-side Lost In Love Graham Gouldman interview 10cc Live In Japan 1993 the concert 10cc In concert 1975 1995 Mirror Mirror 1995 Yvonnes The One Code Of Silence Bluebird Age Of Consent Take This Woman The Monkey and the Onion Everything Is Not Enough Ready To Go Home Grow Old With Me Margo Wants The Mustard Peace In Out Time Why Did I Break Your Heart Now You're Gone I'm Not In Love remix
