Our votes for "Trust Me To Open My Mouth" 1-1 2-2 3-11 4-6 5-2 Average: 3.2614 Cumulative Rankings For Babylon And On 1. Hourglass - 4.2586 2. Tough Love - 3.8397 3. Footprints - 3.8357 4. In Today's Room - 3.5611 (updated) 5. Trust Me To Open My Mouth - 3.2614 6. 853-5937 - 3.0650 7. The Prisoner - 2.9833
Today's song is "Striking Matches" Alternative access: Squeeze Youtube channel Squeeze – Striking Matches Lyrics | Genius Lyrics Chris shares vocals on this track with Monique Dyan, Eric Thorngren’s girlfriend at the time (and later wife). Chris recorded his vocal when Glenn was not around, as friction between the two had reached an elevated level. It was written as a fun song, and not meant to be about anything in particular.
Striking Matches First off deduct a point for the loud backup singers (what are they saying anyway?)............but then add the point back on when Chris gets to the, "I'm a director casting for a part..." breakdown!! He sounds so confident, elated and delicious (?)!!! It's such a fun song! Whenever I hear Mr. Difford sing this he leaves me 'two feet from the carpet'! One of my favorites of his (can you tell?) 5+/5
Striking Matches Sometimes simple, fun songs are the best songs. I think this is my favorite Chris lead since “Heaven” on ESS. The track is a playful, spirited romp that is a blast to listen and bop your head to. My favorite song on the album. 5/5
Bit behind due to Turkey Day yesterday and coming down with some god-awful cold which has laid me out all of today. Trust Me to Open My Mouth Infectiously catchy. And I can hear why it was so much fun to play live...indeed it's pretty darn good. Love the guitar solo. The music video is kind of incredibly strange, slightly creepy and yet, I like it because it doesn't take any of it seriously. I will say that Glenn is looking very good in the video. Particularly the natty bow tie. For a song about adultery (generally) it's an awfully fun tune. Yeah, I like any song that I can jump up and down to, I don't know that it's top tier Squeeze, but I can't help but like it. And it's hooky as hell. 4/5
I prefer the Instant Buff (King Buff) Mix of “Striking Matches”, I really don’t like the accordion being so prominent in the standard mix. The lyrics are okay. With a little more effort, Chris could have constructed an interesting little scenario. I don’t think the music is anything special. Monique Dyan doesn’t add a lot to the song, but her vocals sound less intrusive and unintelligible in the Instant Buff Mix. I would rate the original mix of “Striking Matches” lower. The Instant Buff Mix gets 3.8/5
Still in catch up mode and in ultra-hot take mode... Striking Matches I like this song a lot. It's fun, it's simple, and has a good arrangement. I think Chris's vocal sounds great on this and I like Monique's vocal as well, it adds a certain pop quirkiness to the entire song. Given that I've only listened to it this once, it's hard for me to write more. I like the keyboard-y accordion backing here - I don't know that it's entirely of 1987, to me it almost seems like it could have been more an early 80s type track, and I like that sound a lot. It's not a substantial song, but sometimes that's what is called for. 4.3/5 Well, yes, now that you mention it. So, not having seen these music videos in real time, I've no way to truly judge how the band members came across. When I look at some Squeeze videos I can recognize that Glenn is quite attractive and was perhaps being promoted as the sex appeal of the band - but he always looks a little self conscious about it all. So I guess this is the first video I've seen Glenn in where he looks quite natty and looks less awkward. And maybe I'm just a sucker for those little 80s bowties...which are absurd but in an adorable kind of way. At least he is out of Glenn of Nazareth phase... Edit: Also shout out to Gilson's fringed sleeves in the music video for that song. That clearly should have been called out in my earlier comment.
To me this is Squeeze doing a fine job on a song in a style that I just don't love for them. They are master song craftsmen and talented players so they can clearly succeed in making a credible effort in most any musical style they might set out to play. I have read reviews to the effect that Babylon and On is a record where Squeeze resurrected their older sound, I just don't hear it. I can't think of many songs on records before Sweets that sounded like this. For me this song is just OK. "Striking Matches" 3/5
Striking Matches - 3 My least favorite track on Babylon. I just don't care for the vocal phrasing at all. Ooooooh I'm striking matches Iiiiiii go up in flames Still, I gave it a 3 (above average) which speaks to the overall quality of the album.
"Striking Matches" is another strong track. Nothing too fancy, whilst remaining a creative, catchy, and unique little three minute go. I really like Chris's vocal here; my favorite vocal delivery on the album so far. It's carefree, but has lots of style. Monique's vocal in the chorus works very well, too. This song is pretty reminiscent of what the Talking Heads were doing around this time with True Stories. Seems like it was a sound around this time, and here that sound is done wonderfully. Great instrumentation, great vocal, great song. 4.3/5
I'm 100% with you on this one. The King Buff mix is a 5/5 for me, the regular one is more like a 4.3/5. @prymel -- do with that what you will. I love the idea of this song, and the perfect encapsulation of all the feelings that come with waking up to realize it actually happened. And she's even still there! There's too much going on in the album version of the song to really get the story from the lyrics, and as with a lot of Squeeze's stuff, it's the words that make it for me. I never got that into the song until many years after it came out and I got to hear the alternate mix (I think it was Excess Moderation where I first heard it?), then everything clicked for me. I almost brought up the jacket, but I... just... couldn't.
A nice track indeed, and I've always heard it as a bit of a Tex-Mex number with some of that Sir Douglas sound. It's an absolute kick to hear Chris singing something jovial for a change-- after the success of "Cool for Cats" he seemed to overcompensate and always claim the most down track on the album. so it's been forever since we've heard him in this kind of mood. Even Keith's damn frettless sounds nice on this one. Wouldn't have guessed that tensions were running so high at this point, though it does seem odd to hear the female vox do such an obvious Glenn part. 4/5
Striking Matches - Enjoyable. A good Chris vocal and nice to have a contrasting female voice. I don't mind the accordion and Tex Mexisms on the album version but the King Buff mix is better, as you can clearly make out the words. 3.5/5 album version. KB version 4/5
Striking Matches One of my favorites on the album - Chris' vocal perfectly captures the excitement of the charming lyrics. It's a nice cozy little peek into these peoples' lives. The accordion works for me here though it's true, it is mixed a bit too loud. Quite odd to hear a female vocal but not bad. I had never heard the Instant Buff mix but it's a nice alternative. 4.5/5
I have to hand it to Gilson, very few could have got away with that fringing...but a drummer is the perfect person for this. I like how you almost don't notice it until you get to a good shot of him in the music video. Quietly flamboyant...
Hmmm... continuing the theme of trying on various genres on this album, here we have zydeco Squeeze. While it doesn't quite have the aroma of gumbo, I am down with "Striking Matches". It's upbeat and fun, with a confident Chris vocal. I wish he had at least one more lead vocal on this album and on Cosi (he gets upgraded to two on the next album, then zero on the following one). 3.5/5
"Striking Matches" This song is getting 4s and *gulp* 5s? This song? I...just...speechless... Ok, the good: it is refreshing to hear Chris happy for a change and Monique's vocals work well although like @Easy Squeezy I wish knew what the hell she was singing. Everything else: The lyrics are jovial but they aren't witty or artful- Chris is just notating everything within reach. The melody strikes me as equally tossed off and as @Fred68 pointed out the phrasing is simply odd. The stretched out "Oooooooos" almost sound like placeholders to be fleshed out later except of course that never happens. I was very much prepared to give this a 2 or even a 1 but all the positive reviews have me paranoid that I'm missing something that will click with me later and then I'll have to live with the guilt of trashing it forever. To be safe, let's just strike a compromise and call it a 3 but a weak 3 nonetheless. Ooooooooo, this song is stu-piiiid. 3/5
“Striking Matches” 5/5 I unapologetically love this song! One of the album’s most joyous highlights. dan c
"Striking Matches" I played this one last night, but didn't know what to make of it on first listen. On second listen - it's definitely a grower, in fact it becomes more compelling as it plays, despite - or possibly because of the chorus being so apparently banal. The backing vocals really add something to the chorus. As has been said above, even the fretless bass works on this one. Chris sounds distinctly NOT self-conscious with his vocal - he actually sounds strikingly close to Tom Verlaine in a couple of places. I'll take this over the Huey Lewis-isms of the previous tracks. 4/5.
Striking Matches 2.5 Obviously Chris’s voice is an integral part of the Squeeze sound but I struggle when he’s the main vocalist (except for a couple of tracks) as it’s akin to sandpaper (my wife loves his voice though).
Striking Matches - Great title for one thing. I'm liking the Chris vocals and the way the song kind of bops along. I probably would have reined it in to under 3:00 for a more concise in and out tune. 4/5
