Charmed Lives video?

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Charmed Lives video?

Ian D · House on Fire

I can't remember ever seeing a video for it. A quick search however says they used the Hammersmith Odeon live video of Charmed Lives as the official video.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

This presumably was filmed at the Hammersmith Odeon in April 1982- the same gig that was on BBC 6 Music.

Again haven't come across this. There is footage on Youtube of the Rats at the Dominion Theatre doing the song in 1985 but not 1982.

Wonder if the whole of the gig or some other songs were filmed at Hammersmith in 1982. It would be nice to see some of this if it was recorded on film.

Ian D · House on Fire

Sorry Noel, this can't be right. The video is from the 1985 Hammersmith gig, so it can't be the official video as it is a few years after the release of Charmed Lives.

So, unless someone knows otherwise it looks like it didn't get the video treatment?

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Ian D wrote:
Sorry Noel, this can't be right. The video is from the 1985 Hammersmith gig, so it can't be the official video as it is a few years after the release of Charmed Lives.
So, unless someone knows otherwise it looks like it didn't get the video treatment?

Whoever uploaded that video got the location wrong. It was filmed at the Dominion theatre on Tottenham Crt Rd, London because this concert was released on the 1976-86 Someones Looking At You video compilation. It was part of the In The Long Grass tour as can be seen from the woodlouse icon never mind the choice of songs which could have only been from the latter period.

They may have got it mixed up with the 1978 gig at Hammersmith Odeon.Strange that the band did not to our knowledge make a video for a single they presumably wanted to get airplay for. You never know, one may surface which was entirely forgotten about!

Maybe the were a bit lazy around this time- the video for House On Fire was mainly Geldof's home movie of an earlier trip to India. Tha's not necessarily a condemnation- the video was ok!

suss · In the Long Grass

Just to back this up they did play Hammersmith Palais not Odeon on that tour. Maybe their memory of which gig it was got muddled.

Re: video - ashamed to say that such is my indifference to the track I'd never even realised there was no video, or anything on Someone's Looking DVD.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

After the failure of Never In A Million Years to dent the charts the warning bells must have been ringing. Whoever chose Charmed Lives as a good enough single or advertisement for V Deep was clearly not on the ball. To me its an ok song but far from being the bands best.

Part of the confusion is the lyrics. Its presumably directed at a set of people removed from the everyday burdens of society, the wealthy elite but unless one gets this sarcasm and irony it can also be read as the band being a bit detached- "Nothing much to do today...' Cos we're ok we're ok ..." etc. Some people might just take the lyrics at face value and see them as coming from the Rats personal point of view.

In one way its a political song about indifference and social detatchment- maybe relevant for the Royal Wedding tomorrow, at a stretch. Whether its musically interesting enough is for fans to judge. House On Fire provided V Deep's only hit. Possibly better singles would have been Up All Night and maybe Talking In Code.

Surely Up All Night would have been played as a late night track in the way that Mondays is often played on Mondays! An edgy dance remix of Up All Night might make one of those post party comedown type of tracks.

-- Edited by noelindublin on Thursday 28th of April 2011 01:35:29 PM

junkyard_smile · The Elephant's Graveyard

Up all night was released as a single in america and the 12" version was a minor hit on the club scene. As for alternative V Deep singles surely He Watches It All would have been a far better choice than Charmed Lives which should have been relegated to a b side. If memory serves me right on the cd reissue with the annoying different track order they put HWIA as the lead off track almost in acknowledgement that it deserved better at the time.

Laibach · Someone's Looking At You

I can remember watching some programme late at night around the time V Deep was released and was pleasantly surprised when the Rats suddenly appeared performing Up All Night, it was a mimed studio performance but for the life of me I can't remember what it was, could have been one of Kenny Everetts shows but can't find any reference to it. Hopefully it will be one of thosos things that will turn up on You Tube when you least expect it.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Laibach wrote:
I can remember watching some programme late at night around the time V Deep was released and was pleasantly surprised when the Rats suddenly appeared performing Up All Night, it was a mimed studio performance but for the life of me I can't remember what it was, could have been one of Kenny Everetts shows but can't find any reference to it. Hopefully it will be one of thosos things that will turn up on You Tube when you least expect it.

Thats interesting Laibach. I wonder is there such thing as a retro tv schedule site which might list the programmes on tv in Spring 1982 or on an exact date.

If you google "music programmes british tv wikipedia " it lists loads of music programmes and info about when the were on ie what years so that might provide a clue, or jog your memory!

Its a pity that the band almost invariably mimed rather than played live

suss · In the Long Grass

Thought I'd try to find the Up All Night performance on youtube (haven't as yet) but ironically came across a TV performance of Charmed Lives blankstare

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiDWgbQxtTc

Mixed comments...not so different to this forum then smile

Ian D · House on Fire

Love the video and the song...no really i do!

-- Edited by Ian D on Friday 29th of April 2011 08:08:30 AM

-- Edited by Ian D on Friday 29th of April 2011 08:09:04 AM

noelindublin · Loudmouth

suss wrote:
Thought I'd try to find the Up All Night performance on youtube (haven't as yet) but ironically came across a TV performance of Charmed Lives
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiDWgbQxtTc
Mixed comments...not so different to this forum then

Obviously Bob was a dedicated follower of fashion in that period. His prancing about on the stage is a bit ott, a silly dance routine that looks a bit suspect. Notice that one of the Youtube "commentators" called the performance camp!The rest of the band manage to maintain their decorum. Just about.

This clip has been around for a while. They perform Joey's On The Street at the same gig and Geldof is a lot more restrained in fitting with the subject matter. Some of the tv performances for Banana Republic see Geldof in an over excited dance mode when surely the song and performance required a bit more detatchment. One of the clips of Banana Republic has Geldof messing about with an upright bass that has to be see to be believed. Definately think fame was getting to him at that stage. To make up for it perhaps he doesn't do any dancing or prancing at all nowadays- generally he's slumped over a guitar which he's learned to play in the intervening years!

Mark L · Loudmouth

I don't recall ever seeing this performed (mimed or video) on tv to promote the single. I didn't even know it had ben released until it was played on Beacon Radio and the dj remarked 'what on earth has happened to this lot then?' and then there was almost a phone-in with listeners one by one berating the song in a sort of 20 minute 'post-mortem' on the demise of TBR (as they saw it)

It is just about an ok song, but far better single material would have been HWIA, Up All Night or as Noel says Talking in Code, padded out a bit.

Of course, as part of the religion (!) I immediately went and bought CL but I remember it took some time to find in the store as TBR had taken to almost disguising their singles by that point! You can only just about make out the song title in gold against the mottled cover, not an entirely good promotion method when you need all the attention you can get.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

No Hiding Place, the b side of Charmed Lives was probably better than the a side.

Again the lyrics of that song posed some problems, until Suss, of this parish helped me out with them and informed me that the line was 'like an angry Angkor Wat' rather than an 'angry anchor what'.

When you're 15 or 16 Cambodian buddist temples are a bit outside your everyday terms of reference and experience.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat

diffbrook · House on Fire

Going on memory, I believe that the TV show in question was Three of a kind with Tracey Ullman, Lenny Henry and some other guy. Or it may have been the Tracey Ullman show, but I think it was the former.

Laibach wrote:
I can remember watching some programme late at night around the time V Deep was released and was pleasantly surprised when the Rats suddenly appeared performing Up All Night, it was a mimed studio performance but for the life of me I can't remember what it was, could have been one of Kenny Everetts shows but can't find any reference to it. Hopefully it will be one of thosos things that will turn up on You Tube when you least expect it.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

diffbrook wrote:
Going on memory, I believe that the TV show in question was Three of a kind with Tracey Ullman, Lenny Henry and some other guy. Or it may have been the Tracey Ullman show, but I think it was the former.

Probably Tracy owed them one (see You Caught Me Out thread).

No one ever mentions Tracy Ullman and then she gets namechecked twice in the same day.

Mark L · Loudmouth

It was that show. Unfortunately, I dashed to the old vhs a little too late in 1982 and got the last 25 seconds only!

In retrospect, it turned out not be one of my most regrettable 'errors'

Mark L · Loudmouth

Got me thinking whilst reviewing this particular topic (which could be renamed the single's rank!), what's your earliest piece of recorded imagery for the Rats. Mine I think is a betamax video of Tiswas from January '81 with Elephant's Graveyard on it.

diffbrook · House on Fire

We never got a video until 1985. So my earliest recording of the Rats is 1985...Live Aid.

suss · In the Long Grass

I had, in fact still have, somewhere in the loft, the betamax version of the Hammersmith 78 video. From memory we only acquired the video player around 82 so I suppose the tape was already a couple of years old at least by time I purchased. That was first purchase. Did record a fair bit off TV thereafter but sadly, due to format, it was lost over course of time.

The one I recorded off TV and would love to see again but can't find anywhere now cry was the Chippenham Goldiggers set. I think it was early 84 ish. March springs to mind but no idea why so could be way way out. It was the gig where Bob starts in true Michael Caine style with 'Eddie Cochran died in Chippenham; not many people know that'.

diffbrook · House on Fire

I recorded that 1984 gig, so I must have had access to a video in 1984. My copy is long lost. Although I do have the audio copy

I think it was a free "BBC" gig and there were one or two idiots in the audience giving Bob a hard time. Alo the Rst had an up and coming session singer - Peter Cox from Go West.

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Sorry but this in my opinion just a bad song not even a good album track. Better songs on V deep that would have made much better singles

suss · In the Long Grass

No need to apologise. There aren't many (any?) on here who would argue.

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

I know. But for me this is hard I stuck by the rats thick and thin, Even when i new the writing was on the wall I would not give up or let anyone run them down even when i new this type of song played right into the hands of the ones that had been running them down.Really think geldof should have opened up the song writting to the rest of the group

suss · In the Long Grass

Completely agree. Was a painful time, especially after all that had preceded. Don't suppose we'll ever know if sharing writing duties was the answer, but as has been said on here before, perhaps some discussion on the musical direction taken wouldn't have gone amiss.

Difficult one to argue though when BG still rates it their best album. Contrary? Perverse? Maybe? In a minority? Definitely.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

manatthetop wrote:
Really think Geldof should have opened up the song writting to the rest of the group

They did all write some songs or least collaborated. Well except Garrick, unless you count DUN LAOGHAIRE.

There is a good argument for not letting the others write songs. The Gung~Ho album.

Though I will be fair and say Play To Win was a very good track, and Gerry Cott's Ballard of the Lone Ranger is the best song by any ex-Rat, including Geldof. However, if Geldof hasn't been exactly prolific, I doubt the rest could cobble together much more than a couple of albums worth of material since 1986.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

suss wrote:
Difficult one to argue though when BG still rates it their best album. Contrary? Perverse? Maybe? In a minority? Definitely.

So does Pete Briquette, acording to Facebook. From what I have read, I get the impression for the two of them it was the most enjoyable album to make. Fingers seems to prefer Surfacing, Simon once said Tonic was the best and Garrick, most likely the debut. Not sure about Gerry Cott; he probably doesn't like any of them! None of them seemed to like working with Mutt Lange either, which may explain why V Deep is rated more.

V Deep has its moments. But Charmed Lives isn't one of them.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

ArrGee wrote:
manatthetop wrote:
Really think Geldof should have opened up the song writting to the rest of the group
They did all write some songs or least collaborated. Well except Garrick, unless you count DUN LAOGHAIRE.
There is a good argument for not letting the others write songs. The Gung~Ho album.
Though I will be fair and say Play To Win was a very good track, and Gerry Cott's Ballard of the Lone Ranger is the best song by any ex-Rat, including Geldof. However, if Geldof hasn't been exactly prolific, I doubt the rest could cobble together much more than a couple of albums worth of material since 1986.

Fingers wrote Another Sad Story, Lucky and Sleep. Pete and Simon wrote Up Or Down. Simon co wrote This Is My Room.

I have an interview with Geldof in which he 'complained' about having to come up with all the songs for the Rats. It's hard to know to what extent Geldof wanted to be the main songwriter. I would think if the others could come up with genuinely good songs Geldof would have been happy, but the record shows most of the songs are by Geldof, and the others do not really get much credit as co writers.

Play To Win was good enough to be a Rats single in my opinion. Would be interesting to hear Geldof doing the vocals on that song-who knows the might re record it and bring it out on a new album as a Rats song-why leave it in obscurity when it was written by Simon and Johnnie, and deserves to be heard by more people.

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Agree with what you have said here. But at one time Cott did point out that Geldof did not take likely to the other's coming in with new songs. A good one was Keep it up Cott/Geldof. Regarding the last Lp ITLG that was the most songs added to a rats album that had 3 song that Geldof had no input to ( Writing that is)

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

manatthetop wrote:
... at one time Cott did point out that Geldof did not take likely to the other's coming in with new songs. A good one was Keep it up Cott/Geldof.

Maybe Gerry Cott could have been the George Harrison of the Rats had he remained.

Looking at the collaborations, most are pretty good...

Like Clockwork (Geldof/Briquette/Crowe)
She's So Modern (Geldof/Fingers)
Having My Picture Taken (Geldof/Briquette)
Keep It Up (Geldof/Cott)
Mood Mambo (Geldof/Briquette)
This Is My Room (Geldof/Crowe)
Banana Republic (Geldof/Briquette)
The Little Death (Geldof/Briquette)

... but the individual efforts don't quite match up

Man At The Top (Cott)
Sleep (Fingers)
Another Sad Story (Fingers)
Lucky (Fingers)
Up or Down (Crowe/Briquette)
Precious Time (Crowe)

So I think I side with Bobby Boomtown on this one!

Lisa · Mondo Bongo

Didn't Pete and Simon co-write a song with Kirsty McColl?

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Talking of video's Does anyone know if one was done for Go man go ? I have never seen one. Just wondering how this was promoted (Irish single)

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Lisa wrote:
Didn't Pete and Simon co-write a song with Kirsty McColl?

You Caught Me Out.

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Come of it Arrgee you can't say the other's writing 6 song out of 70 + Geldof opening up to the rest of the band

diffbrook · House on Fire

Presumably Geldof wrote most of the better songs, and only those from the rest of the band that reached Geldofs level were included. Geldof may have written the lyrics and tune, but I do wonder how much shaping of the songs were made by the rest of the band? Geldof seems to be a bit of a control freak, so letting go may not have been easy.........see Cotts "Man at the Top"

For what its worth, from Argees list of non Geldof written songs, the only song that I do not like is "Man at the Top" by Gerry Cott. I also detested his "Ballad of the Lone Ranger" as well.

I thought Precious Times should have been on the ITLG Album....its excellent.

Lisa · Mondo Bongo

ArrGee wrote:
Lisa wrote:
Didn't Pete and Simon co-write a song with Kirsty McColl?
You Caught Me Out.

Really? What have you been up to then?

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

diffbrook wrote:
... the only song that I do not like is "Man at the Top" by Gerry Cott. I also detested his "Ballad of the Lone Ranger" as well.

I think that is the best of the totally non-Geldof songs. And Ballad of the Lone Ranger is as good as anything Geldof ever did solo. Great Song of Indifference is on a par with it along with Scream in Vain, Six Pack and Six Million Dollar Loser.

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Geldof solo stuff, like When i was young, Here's to you, Birthday suit, Thinking to type things.Soft soil,10 15

noelindublin · Loudmouth

I don't even remember hearing Go Man Go, as a single , on Irish radio. I very much doubt they made a video. Elephant's Graveyard and Banana Republic I can remember being on the radio a lot, especially Banana Republic. The Irish market is very small compared to the UK market, so releasing a single in Ireland only makes little sense. Maybe if the song had been a hit in Ireland then it would have been released in the UK shortly afterwards, after they had 'tested the water', so to speak.

It's funny that they only released two singles from Mondo Bongo. Go Man Go was a good choice for a third single, so I don't know why they did not go with this.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
It's funny that they only released two singles from Mondo Bongo. Go Man Go was a good choice for a third single, so I don't know why they did not go with this.

Probably the failure of Elephant's Graveyard to break the top twenty. I suspect they didn't want another low chart position and thought it'd be much better to return in 12 months time with sure-fire hit...

Go Man Go may have been a better second single.

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Agree with u Go man go was a single in ireland But nothing got nowhere never got any air play