"Bernadette" - I seem to be the outlier here. I'll just say this is not among my favorite Dave vocals. 1.5/5
Oh yes! I remember this thread. I started following and commenting when they were still discussing The Soft Boys! I can't believe I fell two years behind! It will be fun to go back and read through some of the comments sometime.
Bernadette No thanks, not for me... To put it mildly, it's not one of Ray's best songwriting efforts, not one of Dave's best vocals. It may just be that it's the positioning as the last track on the album which makes it seem even worse, but I'd take either 'Long Distance' or 'Noise' in its place. Maybe if Dave hadn't used up all his songs on 'Chosen People', we might have had something better. As it stands, the worst track on the album by some distance.
I’m not sure when I’ll get to listen to it. Too busy reflecting on whether ‘Money For Nothing’ is one of the worst songs ever. (But am looking forward to hearing it when I can fit it in.)
I agree on the Paul Simon 'Capeman' project. The music is great, far better than for example his last studio album or two. The last album of his I really enjoyed was 'Surprise'.
Surprise has a few songs I enjoy, but was mostly a disappointment. I should go back and re-visit it. I like "Wartime Prayers" and "How Can You Live in The Northeast". I also like several songs on the previous album You're the One. "That's Where I Belong" is a beauty. The last few album get lots of praise, but I don't care for any of them.
The coffee that real coffee amateurs appreciate is bitter and undrinkable to me. I much prefer instant coffee*. My favorite beers are those that beer amateurs despise, that is all the insipid beers from hot countries, the Greek Mythos, Bier Lao, Indian King Fisher or Chinese Tsingtao, that qualify as cat's piss, as we say in France, for real amateurs. Similarly, I enjoy all of Love over Gold and Brothers in Arms but the other Dire Straits records bore me to death. I'll never be a real connoisseur. I guess Love Over Gold redeems me a little bit. *but not American coffee, let's not get carried away. I've been trying hard to addict myself to late Simon, but for the time being Hearts And Bones remain my last effortlessly pleasant Simon album. I haven't given up though. My last listen of You're The One was rather enjoyable. As for the Master's choice of delaying SOC day to Saturday: I had noticed and I approve. Was there a 1983 CD release? Weird that the CD re-edition didn't follow the tape's tracklist. I've been listening to my one of my options for a State of Confusion/Chosen People monster with guilty pleasure tonight. I know no-one on earth would share this absurd pleasure, but I know that on this thread some might appreciate or be amused by the fact that I enjoyed it. And that's great. The reason I'm so active today on the thread is I have a lot of work to do and I don't want to do it.
Not a fan of Graceland or The Rhythm of the Saints? The latter may be my favorite of all his solo albums.
These type of beers are fantastic when you are on holiday in these hot countries. Nothing like a summer afternoon Fix in Greece or a Moretti in Italy with a delicious lunch or after a swim.
I'm feeling much better. Thank you for asking. Just a bit of a cough and stuffiness. And thanks for your impressions on Tor. It's only fairly recently that I became aware of her being in a band, so I was curious about that. I have a daughter named Victoria who we call Tor as a nickname, as well, so my curiosity got the best of me (as it usually does).
LOL. I will never reveal my moves. And I'm sure I've seen that Mr Bean sketch, but my memory fails at the moment. I'm a big fan of Mr. Atkinson (in particular Black Adder!).
I had instant coffee my whole life up until moving to the US... Nescafe, no problems for me there. In the US instant is sort of frowned upon, or so it seems, they have this tub of woodchips called folger that people put in mr coffee machines ..... I ended up getting a lower end espresso machine, after using a french press for a few years, and Cafe Bustillo is pretty decent. Hmmm beers... I like a good lager, but dunkels and stouts are my preferred beers... I hate these flowery ipa's that seem to have taken over the world, tastes like drinking dandelions or something lol I'm more for tequila, absinthe, gin, or a good whiskey these days though
I reckon his albums up to Rhythm are all really solid, including S&G.... I think my favourites are Wednesday Morning 3am and The Paul Simon Songbook.
I’m in Seattle, so there is no shortage of great local coffee roasters. However, I mostly drink green teas from Japan. I usually drink IPA or Pilsner for my at home beers. I don’t necessarily care for the flowery or the hazy IPAs, but there are fantastic ones in this part of the country. My favorite beers though are Belgian pale ales like Orval and farmhouse or wild ales.
I never warmed up to those. But I will try again some day. I like the Pierre Boulez story that gave birth to Call Me Al. Apparently Boulez called Paul Simon by that first name, not remembering who he was. The story is fun in itself, as is the fact that Simon could find anything exceptional about the incident. Some 22 years ago I interviewed a Union guy in the North of France for a corporate book I was writing (don't ask), and after the interview he opened his Beer Cellar to me (they have beer cellars in the North of France and Belgium). I had to acknowledge the fact that some beers have really interesting tastes. I remember drinking Orval from this time of my life, but haven't been doing so ever since.
Bernadette I love this one! Do I think the mix is great? Nope. It's muddy like a few other songs on the album, which is a damn shame. And I don't care that this sounds like a re-make of Lucille(or is it Birthday by the Beatles?)...I am here for it! It rocks, it rolls. And i want more of THIS. I've seen other references to this song along the way and I'm guessing it's not a well-loved tune. Well, I love it! I would put in the top 3 or 4 on this album. Happy to hear Dave is back vocally and guitar-wise. I like the sax. Still trying to decide if I wish Ray did less of the vocals on this and just let Dave have the whole thing. But I'm fine with that. and Raymond...your mother should wash your mouth out with soap on that live version. Naughty boy. You need a spankin'. I'll play headmistress.
Bonus tracks you say? Nice. As I've alluded to, I'm not blown away by this album. But I will wait to assess it all after we hear these tunes.
Me too. I found the complete series on DVD in a charity shop for $1.00 and despite the fact that many of the discs were beat up, I got my money's worth and more!
Bernadette I don’t have much to add to the conversation about this one. I’ve been listening to a bunch of early rock and roll lately, so Bernadette suits me fine. I don’t like it as the album closer though. I’m looking forward to hearing the bonus tracks, which I have never heard before. I did really got a kick out of @ajsmith ’s comment:
