Everything Flows: Nothing But A Heartache

Trust me #63
Nothing But A Heartache by The Flirtations

There used to be a record shop in St Andrews on South Street that I think was called Unknown Pleasures. This was back in the 90's. I've been googling to try and check the name, but I'm struggling to get confirmation, mainly due to the fact that there was an Unknown Pleasures record shop in Edinburgh for many a year.

Anyway, on one visit , way back in the 90's, I raided the soul section and bought a number of 7-inch singles, mostly priced at only a pound or two. I might have stretched to three or four pounds for a couple of them.

Around this time (1997 I think) I was really enjoying buying old Motown and Northern Soul compilation albums. For a while I wondered if there were any bad soul tunes! Everything seemed to be outstanding!

You had floaters, stompers and floorshakers that could be dreamy, euphoric and always soulful - defiance in heartbreak, or full of love and hope. Vital.

One of the singles I bought was Nothing But A Heartache b/w Stronger Than Her Love by The Flirtations. Both songs blew me away.

Stronger Than Her Love, the b-side, developed as it went on, the backing vocals seemed just as important as the lead - and that really soared! Each vocal seemed to urge the other on.

A driving beat kicks things in and there is that brilliant defiance from the off.

Stronger than her love

My love is stronger than her love

The bridge to the chorus really builds things up and the lead vocal over the glorious backing singers (that are really a second lead) is sublime.

By the time we hit the 2-minute mark, The Flirtations and the outrageous band and arrangement that are backing them are absolutely flying. Just listen to the oooohhs underpinning the verse, the repetition of the first two lines of the bridge, then the heavenly aaahhhh's that lead to the chorus. And then Lestine Johnson and sisters Ernestine, Shirley and Betty Pearce are on fire for that chorus. The lead vocal over the top is spine tinglingly good.

Out of sight, out of mind

Is what a wise girl would say

Another girl, would never allow

You to break her heart this way

But darling I love you

I truly, truly love you

And a fool such as I

Will love you until I die

Darling, darling take this love of mine

WOW! Simply sensational, all delivered in just 2 minutes 56 seconds!

As for the a-side, it's one of the most powerful songs I know of. The crashing chords at the start, the stomping beat and then into a heartfelt vocal from the bottom of the heart.

Nothing but a heartache everyday

Nothing but a teardrop all of the way

Loving a bad guy is such a sin

He's got me, oh why can't I get him

The second verse starts with the same first two lines, then a slighty change for the third line - it's the one situation that I just can't win and then we go into the chorus, or is it a break/middle 8? Because really, it's the ferocious verses that are a chorus ... the whole song is!

I got a lot of those heartaches

I got a lot of those teardrops

Heartaches

Teardrops

All of the way

Nothing but a heartache every day

The last line is delivered with immense energy, furiously and then we're off again, blitzing through another verse, another break, another verse ... the drumming is sensational, the vocals sublime, the horns are just about keeping up and everything just sounds vital. The energy leaps out of the recording.

Nothing But A Heartache quickly became a real favourite of mine. I remember playing it to my friend Reddy. Back in the good old days you couldn't just WhatsApp someone a link. You had to go searching for songs and take a chance on records. There was a real joy in finding and owning a copy a song like this.

Nothing But A Heartache is added to my Trust Me playlist; search for Everything Flows - Trust Me on Spotify , or CLICK HERE Check below for all previous blogs in my Trust Me series.