Song of the Week: Strait Old Line

Split Enz
Strait Old Line
The mood being ripe for mix tapes, I reached into the old shoe box full of the blighters that is hidden under the stereo and randomly plucked one out to accompany the washing up. The lucky tape started with a lengthy version of Julian Lloyd Webber’s ‘Variations’ so Mr C. made me put it straight back where it came from.
The second tape was a compilation I remember taking to a party when I was about 16. It contains some fabulous stuff – Martha and the Muffins, Mental as Anything, the Swingers, The Beat, the J. Geils Band… Sadly once again, I screwed up with the music as this was 1991 not 1981 and everyone but me and my friend Scott thought that it was crap. I was made to play Bryan Adams instead.
Anyway, that’s all rambling. The point is that this mix tape contained the mighty Split Enz and that’s what you’re getting today. All requests for that bloody Robin Hood song will be ignored.
‘Strait Old Line’, Split Enz, from Conflicting Emotions, 1983
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Tags: It's all true, mix tapes, song of the week
April 9th, 2010 at 10:55 am
What sort of people make one listen to Bryan Adams. No friends of mine, that’s for sure. What a shame we didn’t know each other in 1991, Cocktails.
April 9th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
EVERYONE was listening to Bryan Adams in 1991 F-C. There was no escape.
And if I’d known you in 1991, wouldn’t you have just be making me listen to dodgy German pop music instead?!
April 9th, 2010 at 10:45 pm
Hmm, not really my bag. The opening sounded like a Kajagoogoo song for a few seconds, scary!
Thought i’d recognise it when I played it, but can honestly say I’ve never heard it before in my life…. man, that bass is so Kajagoogoo!
P
April 9th, 2010 at 10:58 pm
You are more than entitled to your own opinion Piley and I’m perfectly happy if you don’t like this track, but (swallowing hard, gritting teeth) it might be just a step too far to compare it to Kajagoogoo! That’s just plain mean!!! :)
April 10th, 2010 at 5:35 pm
Sorry Cocktails, I’m with Piley on this one. Did we really have to wait another 10 years for Woodface?
April 10th, 2010 at 7:38 pm
it’s just the sound of that bass Cocktails!!! Dig out ‘Too Shy’ *shivers* and see if i’m not wrong?!!!
April 11th, 2010 at 6:38 pm
Ah, John – never mind if you don’t like this particular track, but I hope you don’t dismiss everything by Split Enz. I much prefer them to Crowded House – tracks like ‘Message to my Girl’, ‘I Got You’ and ‘History Never Repeats’ are top pop tunes.
Just got out ‘Too Shy’ on my ‘1983: The Hot Ones’ LP and there’s a bit of similarity in the bass, but really…? The best thing is you’ve reminded me that ‘Too Shy’ isn’t so bad afterall!!