Fools Like Us Are Always Dreaming

I was born in 1976, a kid in the 1980s, and a teen in the 1990s. 

I’m not sure what decade that makes me a “child” of, but I’ve always felt like a product of the 90s when it comes to music. The dawn of “alternative rock” coincided with my high school and college years. There were plenty of electronic sounds happening throughout the decade, and some of them intersected with my interests, but nothing compared to the way electronic and synthesized sounds seemed to dominate the early and mid 1980s. 

It’s a cliche that the 80s are a decade where analog, acoustic instruments were ignored in favor of digital sound and electronic instruments. Listening to an album like Eurythmics’ Be Yourself Tonight, released in 1985, makes the cliche feel all too real. They’re a great band, and wrote some terrific songs, but you also have to be willing to embrace a brittle, sharpened sound. It’s not just that it’s dated; it’s not something my ears seem to enjoy. 

On “Adrian,” Elvis Costello joins lead vocalist/songwriter Annie Lennox for harmonies. There’s something driving and dreamy about it, the way that Lennox’s gentle synth accompaniment seems to chase her vocal in the verses. EC’s eventual appearance on the first chorus is a great reminder of how effective he is as just one part of a song, supporting the work of others. They’re a gentle pairing, and EC’s harmony provides just the right counterpoint to Lennox’s lead vocal. The warm blend is reminiscent of EC’s own song “The Only Flame In Town” and a similar support provided by Daryl Hall on harmonies. 

And over time, the sharp edges on “Adrian” start to dull, and the yearning inside begins to reveal itself fully. The singer longs to soothe the turmoil in Adrian’s mind, as she encourages him to let go of a wistful past and an apocalyptic future to settle into the moment. It’s easier said than done. “Adrian, don’t you understand?” Lennox sings, and you can feel the gulf between understanding and acceptance lingering beneath the song’s kind insistence. 

Housekeeping: I now have two (count ‘em, two) other Substacks to my name.

Today I’m launching Roses in the Rain, a publication dedicated to the music of Bruce Springsteen. If you like TFML, you may enjoy RITR. Or if you just like things with four-letter acronyms, you’re all set too. I’m starting off with some of the amazing backstory behind the Boss’ new Motown cover “Do I Love You (Indeed I Do).”

Over at Going to a Go-Go, I’m still writing about some of my favorite lost and underrated songs from the 1950s and 1960s, although not as often as I would like.

All of my Substacks are absolutely free; the only cost is the mental energy you will expend to read them. A small price to pay!