A Complete Explanation Of Everything

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Only happy when it rains...

"I only smile in the dark

My only comfort is the night gone black"

Another blog I was casually glancing through just had it's main protagonist give out yards about Garbage and in lieu of actually finishing off my musings on my scrappy musical career to date, I thought.

I thought I'd treat you to a few lines why Garbage, outside of being a pretty decent musical outfit, also wrote the best rock single of all time to my mind.

"Only Happy When It Rains" was off the first eponymously (see this is a proper review!) titled record and it's a little belter. It was the third or fourth single, I can't quite remember, certainly "Queer" and "Stupid Girl" were released first and whilst they played heavily on the twee, here is Shirley Manson, isn't she a right little Scottish sex kitten angle, "Only Happy When It Rains" is a much more straight ahead affair.

It's strict Motown in a certain manner, a certain manner that comes replete with all manner of Butch Vig and other anonymous Garbage lads engineering all manner of screeches and sublime guitar effects, added to this, the lyrics follow the usual reverse psychology Alanis Morrisette's "Ironic" methodology but avoiding the suckiness of the former.

"I'm only happy when it rains

You want to hear about my new obsession

I'm riding high upon a deep depression"

Genius.

The video was a sort of dystopian warehouse fantasy (or maybe that was a utopian warehouse fantasy) but it featured Shirley in knee high boots and that's enough to recommend it.

So, there is no best is my final point.

I just love this single and I really don't think anybody who thrashes Garbage as unceremoniously as was occurring on this nameless blog has ever listened to this tune properly.

It's a slice of rockpop musical perfection.



EDIT: It was the second single! Imagine that.
posted by Christophe at 13.2.07

2 Comments:

If I had to choose a Garbage song that stands out over the rest, I have to say I'd go for "You Look so Fine". I think it's on Version 2.0.

13.2.07  

It's pretty good but I'd still take: "Only Happy..." over it!

14.2.07  

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