Let Our Love Grow Higher

Trust me #97
Let Our Love Grow Higher by Eula Cooper

Eula Cooper started recording at the tender age of 14 and was only 16 when she released Let Our Love Grow Higher in 1970 on Super Sound Records. The original 7-inch is highly sought after and can sell for over £1,000.

Eula Cooper might not be a household name. In fact, unless you're deep into the worlds of deep cut soul or vintage 45s, you can be forgiven for never coming across her before. Cooper recorded a handful of singles in the late '60s and early '70s, mainly in Atlanta, Georgia, with labels like Tragar and Super Sound. Most slipped through the cracks at the time, but they're little treasures waiting to be uncovered. Many have been picked up on compilations, or by labels who specialise in reissuing old soul tunes. 

Let Our Love Grow Higher is absolutely beautiful - a simple, pure recording where nothing gets in the way of the feeling. There is a groove that feels like the first warm day after a long winter (like the one we just experienced!). This two-minutes and forty one seconds of pure, open-hearted soul.

A swirling organ hums gently in the background. A bassline skips along with quiet determination. The drums shuffle, light and loose, but always with purpose, extra percussion sitting just behind.

And then there's Eula’s voice, pure, rich and urgent, lifting the song with every line;

Lift your head up to the sky

Let your hopes fly so high

Close your eyes and you can imagine the scene: a small studio, a few players crammed together, recording live, first takes, no second-guessing. Pure spirit caught on tape.

The bridge to the chorus is sublime;

But no-one can turn us around

The top of the ladder is what we have found

I will be your girl

You'll be the king of the world

And for the closing chorus and outro, it sounds like the band are jamming and Cooper is improvising as they take it to fade. The drums are delicious

Let our love grow higher, higher, higher, oh-oh baby

Light my fire, baby, let it grow higher

Listen to that voice! Goosebumps! 

Written by Bill Patterson, Cooper delivers it perfectly. It sounds like she is hopelessly and beautifully in love, nothing can go wrong and things can only get even better. Love can only grow higher.

Let Our Love Grow Higher 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.

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton

1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells

2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond

3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell

4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot

5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon

6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras

7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans

8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland

9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave

10. Sometimes by James

11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time

12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre

13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields

14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals

15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser

16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes

17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth

18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter

19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground

20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub

21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub

22. Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From by Teenage Fanclub

23. Belfast by Orbital

24. Clouds by The Jayhawks

25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral

26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair

27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke

28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones

29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze

29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells

30. I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor

31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton

32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich

33. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem

34. Mondo 77 by Looper

35. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton

36. Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats

37. How High by The Charlatans

38. I Can't Let Go by Evie Sands

39. Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.

40. Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective

41. There She Goes by The Las

42. We're Going To Be Friends by White Stripes

43. Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo

44. Sister Rena by Lomond Campbell

45. Revolution by The Beatles

46. Lazarus by The Boo Radleys

47. Wrote For Luck by Happy Mondays

48. American Trilogy by The Delgados

49. Loser by Beck 

50. Silent Sigh by Badly Drawn Boy

51. Comedy by Shack

52. Take The Skinheads Bowling by Camper Van Beethoven

53. Freakscene by Dinosaur Jr

54. Thank You For Being You by The Pastels

55. I Think I'm In Love by Spiritualized

56. Chestnut Mare by The Byrds

57. Cannonball by The Breeders

58. Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan

59. You Make Me Weak At The Knees by Electrelane

60. Lucky by Radiohead

61. Strange Currencies by R.E.M.

61. I Am The Cosmos by Chris Bell

62. Like A Ship (Without A Sail) by Pastor TL Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir

63. Nothing But A Heartache by The Flirtations

64. Made of Stone by The Stone Roses

65. Tonight In Belfast by Orbital, David Holmes, DJ Helen and Mike Garry

66. Anything by Adrianne Lenker

67. I Hold Something In My Hand by Bill Ryder-Jones

68. I Meant Every Word by Burnett Sisters

69. Dream Baby Dream by Suicide

70. Stove by The Lemonheads

71. Red Lady by Phil Cordell

72. Little Fluffy Clouds by The Orb

73. I Can Do It With A Broken Heart by Taylor Swift

74. Turnin' My Heartbeat Up by The M.V.P.'s

75. Razzle Dazzle Rose by Camera Obscura

76. Such Great Heights by The Postal Service

77. The Rat by The Walkmen

78. My God Has A Telephone by Aaron Frazer

79. Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack

80. Sweet and Tender Romance by The McKinleys

81. Hoppipolla by Sigur Ros

82. 69 Police by David Holmes

83. Hey Lisa by David Holmes

84. I Am A Rock by Simon & Garfunkel

85. Kung Fu by Ash

86. Kids by MGMT

87. Slight Return by The Bluetones

88. Give Peace A Chance by John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band

89. Cut Your Hair by Pavement

90. Race for the Prize by The Flaming Lips

91. Waitin' for a Superman by The Flaming Lips

92. Acquiesce by Oasis

93. This Is Music by The Verve

94. Lone Swordsman by Daniel Avery

95. Sparky's Dream by Teenage Fanclub

96. Common People by Pulp

Race for the Prize and Waitin' for a Superman

 

Trust me #90
Race for the Prize by The Flaming Lips
Trust me #91
Waitin' for a Superman by The Flaming Lips

The Flaming Lips are one of the best bands I have ever seen. Their live show is a truly heart warming, spine tingling, life affirming experience! 

I remember the first time I caught them at The Barrowland, singer Wayne Coyne was setting up his own equipment on stage. Dressed in a linen suit, he'd later be covered in fake blood, singing his heart out, leading the audience on a trip. One other memorable show was at the Academy around the release of their collaboration with The Chemical Brothers and they played a blinding version of The Golden Path, it was sensational. Then ... there was the time Coyne rode a unicorn around the Barrowland! Check my blog on that HERE

Coyne is a fearless psychedelic punk warrior. A heartfelt leader and singer, full of empathy and soul, constantly pushing and breaking boundaries, challenging himself and his band.

The Lips formed way back in 1983 and had released 8 albums before their breakthrough with 1999's The Soft Bulletin. What a truly heartfelt and beautiful album.

I remember reading about their previous album, 1997's Zaireeka in the music weeklies. The band held an event with Ghetto Blasters playing each of the four CD's that made the album so they would produce a harmonic or juxtaposed sound. 

At one stage the band conducted a series of Parking Lot Experiments with 40 cassette tapes. Each person/car who attended was given a tape with instructions on when to press play. The result was a 20-minute sound composition. The Lips were out there, far out there.

The Flaming Lips somehow transitioned to a major label in Warners, a label who believed in them and invested in their madcap ideas. This was largely on the success of 1993's single She Don't Use Jelly.

Six years later, The Soft Bulletin, stands as a testament to the band's evolution, blending lush orchestration with introspective lyrics. For me, this is The Lips masterpiece. I do have two favourite songs ... two songs that the band obviously rated particularly highly as well as they both feature twice! 

Race for the Prize and Waitin' for a Superman were both remixed (to my untrained ear it was mainly softening the drums - probably for radio and promotion) and these Mokran Mixes were added on to the CD album which I bought.

Race for the Prize

Album opener, and also usually their opening song when playing live, Race for the Prize is a wonderful, weird and wild whirlwind, telling the story of two scientists locked in heated battle for the cure that is their prize. 

Live, Wayne Coyne fires confetti cannons, flashes lights and conjures an Alice in Wonderland type scene as the orchestral score swirls around him. It's a sensory explosion with crashing drums, cinematic strings and Coyne's voice beautifully strained is achingly fragile ... it connects. 

Two scientists are racing for the good of all man-kind

Both of them side by side

So determined

The emotion is heightened when almost everything drops out, leaving Coyne singing over heart tugging strings and gentle beats;

Theirs is to win, if it kills them

They're just humans, with wives and children

The beats kick back in hard, the strings soar with beautiful flourishes over the top. Race for the Prize is a kaleidoscope of emotions; joy, despair, hope, determination, describing two scientists pushing themselves to the limit for the good of all man-kind. Coyne's voice is captivating, pure, raw and vulnerable. He seems locked in the story, in awe of the scientists.

Waitin' for a Superman

Coyne and his band are on fire across The Soft Bulletin, telling stories, reflecting on love, life, death and the universe and doing so in their own unique lysergic tinged style with soul, warmth, empathy, love and care. Coyne melts my heart, especially on this song as he urges people to hold on the best they can.

There are a couple of excellent hooks in Waitin' for a Superman, particularly when Coyne asks the question is it getting heavy? and then comes back to it just a couple of lines later, with an answer. It's so clever, so catchy and effective.

I asked you a question

I didn't need you to reply

Is it getting heavy?

But then I realised

Is it getting heavy?

Well I thought it was already as heavy as can be

There are only a couple of verses, each ending with a similar bridge that leads to a chorus;

Tell everybody, waitin' for Superman

That they should hold on, the best they can

He hasn't dropped them, forgot them, or anything

It's just too heavy for Superman to lift

Oooffttt, it packs a punch. Things are pretty f**king heavy right now. Too heavy, even for Superman, but we've all got to hold on the best we can.

Hang in there folks, stay positive, believe in the light side of the force and look out for family and friends in these troubled times we are living in. 

In the end, cowards are those who follow the dark side - Yoda 

Both Race for the Prize and Waitin' for a Superman are 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.

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton

1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells

2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond

3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell

4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot

5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon

6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras

7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans

8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland

9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave

10. Sometimes by James

11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time

12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre

13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields

14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals

15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser

16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes

17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth

18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter

19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground

20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub

21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub

22. Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From by Teenage Fanclub

23. Belfast by Orbital

24. Clouds by The Jayhawks

25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral

26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair

27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke

28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones

29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze

29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells

30. I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor

31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton

32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich

33. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem

34. Mondo 77 by Looper

35. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton

36. Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats

37. How High by The Charlatans

38. I Can't Let Go by Evie Sands

39. Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.

40. Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective

41. There She Goes by The Las

42. We're Going To Be Friends by White Stripes

43. Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo

44. Sister Rena by Lomond Campbell

45. Revolution by The Beatles

46. Lazarus by The Boo Radleys

47. Wrote For Luck by Happy Mondays

48. American Trilogy by The Delgados

49. Loser by Beck 

50. Silent Sigh by Badly Drawn Boy

51. Comedy by Shack

52. Take The Skinheads Bowling by Camper Van Beethoven

53. Freakscene by Dinosaur Jr

54. Thank You For Being You by The Pastels

55. I Think I'm In Love by Spiritualized

56. Chestnut Mare by The Byrds

57. Cannonball by The Breeders

58. Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan

59. You Make Me Weak At The Knees by Electrelane

60. Lucky by Radiohead

61. Strange Currencies by R.E.M.

61. I Am The Cosmos by Chris Bell

62. Like A Ship (Without A Sail) by Pastor TL Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir

63. Nothing But A Heartache by The Flirtations

64. Made of Stone by The Stone Roses

65. Tonight In Belfast by Orbital, David Holmes, DJ Helen and Mike Garry

66. Anything by Adrianne Lenker

67. I Hold Something In My Hand by Bill Ryder-Jones

68. I Meant Every Word by Burnett Sisters

69. Dream Baby Dream by Suicide

70. Stove by The Lemonheads

71. Red Lady by Phil Cordell

72. Little Fluffy Clouds by The Orb

73. I Can Do It With A Broken Heart by Taylor Swift

74. Turnin' My Heartbeat Up by The M.V.P.'s

75. Razzle Dazzle Rose by Camera Obscura

76. Such Great Heights by The Postal Service

77. The Rat by The Walkmen

78. My God Has A Telephone by Aaron Frazer

79. Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack

80. Sweet and Tender Romance by The McKinleys

81. Hoppipolla by Sigur Ros

82. 69 Police by David Holmes

83. Hey Lisa by David Holmes

84. I Am A Rock by Simon & Garfunkel

85. Kung Fu by Ash

86. Kids by MGMT

87. Slight Return by The Bluetones

88. Give Peace A Chance by John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band

89. Cut Your Hair by Pavement

Kids

Trust me #86
Kids by MGMT

Have you seen the early footage of a pre-signed MGMT playing Kids at an outdoor show in 2003? It's kind of gone viral. 

And no wonder! It's a cool, daft, fun and pure performance by two friends who seem to have realised they have created a brilliant leftfield pop song. Check it out below. 

You'll find other early MGMT songs from this show on the same YouTube account, plus a Talking Heads cover.

Kids was originally released on an EP in 2005 when MGMT were still known as The Management, the song was then re-released as a single in 2008 and it went everywhere! 

Rewind back 5 years and MGMT's core duo of Andrew VanWyngarden and Benjamin Goldwasser are playing a gig outside in the yard of Wesleyan University for their annual Zonker Harris Day.  

One of their old classmates found the footage on an old hard drive and it is pure joy; the duo playing with just an electronics board, goofy dancing and generally having fun without a care in the world. The infectious melodic synth riff immediately translates to the crowd who dance in the sun.

Andrew and Ben literally bounce off each other, dancing, singing in harmony, playing air synth to the pre-recorded pieces, laughing as they literally crawl about the small stage and then leap into the crowd and across the yard to play with branches/trees for an extended 2-minute instrumental.

"We used the to think about how to make the most stereotypical pop song and that's one of the ones we did. Ben wrote the music when he was 19, drunk in his dorm room. Then I wrote the lyrics for my 20th birthday." Andrew VanWyngarden

"Kids is the result of us being 19-years old, in this fantasy college world, which is a little bit like childhood because you don't have much responsibility." Ben Goldwasser

Kids and Time to Pretend were absolutely everywhere in 2008; pubs, clubs, parties, radio, MTV ... they were remarkably fresh electronic and psychedelic (especially Time to Pretend) pop songs that stood out a mile from everything else going on.

Both still sound fresh and vital in 2025. But lets focus on Kids.

Kids is everything that is great about pop music. It's simple, pure and immediately catchy. Yet it's also slightly weird, psychedelic and beautifully different. 

The synth riff is beautiful, whether it is played on a keyboard or by an orchestra. It's simple, pure, catchy ... brilliant! Add a beat behind and it just takes off. There are standout lines, hooks galore and then the HUGE chorus

We like to watch you laughing

You pick the insects off plants, no time to think of consequences

Control yourself

Take only what you need from it

A family of trees wanting

To be haunted

There is a single edit, but the full version has an extended middle section, just like the early 2003 version. MGMT would extend it even further in their live shows. Check this epic 8-minute version from Glastonbury 2014. Listen to the way the crowd responds to the riff and then sings along with it. MGMT develop and jam the song into a full on rave and then bring it back to THAT riff - glorious!

MGMT's Kids 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.

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton

1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells

2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond

3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell

4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot

5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon

6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras

7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans

8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland

9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave

10. Sometimes by James

11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time

12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre

13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields

14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals

15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser

16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes

17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth

18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter

19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground

20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub

21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub

22. Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From by Teenage Fanclub

23. Belfast by Orbital

24. Clouds by The Jayhawks

25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral

26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair

27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke

28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones

29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze

29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells

30. I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor

31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton

32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich

33. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem

34. Mondo 77 by Looper

35. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton

36. Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats

37. How High by The Charlatans

38. I Can't Let Go by Evie Sands

39. Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.

40. Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective

41. There She Goes by The Las

42. We're Going To Be Friends by White Stripes

43. Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo

44. Sister Rena by Lomond Campbell

45. Revolution by The Beatles

46. Lazarus by The Boo Radleys

47. Wrote For Luck by Happy Mondays

48. American Trilogy by The Delgados

49. Loser by Beck 

50. Silent Sigh by Badly Drawn Boy

51. Comedy by Shack

52. Take The Skinheads Bowling by Camper Van Beethoven

53. Freakscene by Dinosaur Jr

54. Thank You For Being You by The Pastels

55. I Think I'm In Love by Spiritualized

56. Chestnut Mare by The Byrds

57. Cannonball by The Breeders

58. Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan

59. You Make Me Weak At The Knees by Electrelane

60. Lucky by Radiohead

61. Strange Currencies by R.E.M.

61. I Am The Cosmos by Chris Bell

62. Like A Ship (Without A Sail) by Pastor TL Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir

63. Nothing But A Heartache by The Flirtations

64. Made of Stone by The Stone Roses

65. Tonight In Belfast by Orbital, David Holmes, DJ Helen and Mike Garry

66. Anything by Adrianne Lenker

67. I Hold Something In My Hand by Bill Ryder-Jones

68. I Meant Every Word by Burnett Sisters

69. Dream Baby Dream by Suicide

70. Stove by The Lemonheads

71. Red Lady by Phil Cordell

72. Little Fluffy Clouds by The Orb

73. I Can Do It With A Broken Heart by Taylor Swift

74. Turnin' My Heartbeat Up by The M.V.P.'s

75. Razzle Dazzle Rose by Camera Obscura

76. Such Great Heights by The Postal Service

77. The Rat by The Walkmen

78. My God Has A Telephone by Aaron Frazer

79. Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack

80. Sweet and Tender Romance by The McKinleys

81. Hoppipolla by Sigur Ros

82. 69 Police by David Holmes

83. Hey Lisa by David Holmes

84. I Am A Rock by Simon & Garfunkel

85. Kung Fu by Ash

Words of Wisdom and Hope

Back in 2002 Teenage Fanclub & Jad Fair released the Words of Wisdom and Hope album on Stephen Pastel's Geographic label. 

In a classic Fanclub tale, Fair stayed with Norman and his family in Glasgow and it was over a game of scrabble and a glass of wine that they got talking about making an album together. 

Within days, a studio in France had been rented and once they got over, Jad and the Fanclub recorded 16-songs together in just 2-days, all improvised, often with the band switching instruments and with Fair recording all his lyrics in one take.

"We recorded about 16 tracks over two days and had the album. Everything was completely improvised. It was very liberating to do something so quickly." Norman Blake

As a result, there is a raw charm across the 12-songs, with plenty of moments that are almost guaranteed to warm your heart and make you smile. If not, you might want to visit your doctor.

Fair improvises over Teenage Fanclub instrumentals that range from fuzzy and scuzzy garage guitar pop, to gentler and tender moments that follow on from the Howdy! album in 2000.

Norman went on to record with Jad a couple of times; releasing the Yes album in 2015 (check the gorgeous Add Your Name) and Raindrops with Jad and Tenniscoats in 2017. I also have a Japanese import called How Many Glasgow that I got in 2015. You can read an old blog on that album HERE

But back to Words of Wisdom and Hope.

Jad Fair oozes love, hope and positivity in his lyrics, while his voice is all warm and gooey in just the right way. Like a marshmallow toasted on a campfire. He brings out a side of the Fanclub that I'd love to hear more of, particularly with Euros now being on board. Euros strikes me as a musician who can create something from thin air. Could Norman invite Jad back over for another game of scrabble and book a few days in a wee studio like La Chunky or Green Door and knock something out?

Fair is a romantic and soul and that comes out in every single song. Given the spontaneous nature of the album, some are stronger than others. My favourites include;

Behold The Miracle which opens the album, the Fanclub work up a cool garage groove on top of a 3 note keyboard riff, that allows Jad to wax lyrically over the top.

The wondrous wonder of your smile

There is wonder in your eyes

Behold the miracle

Near To You rides in on a riff that sounds very Gerry Love, chiming melodic rushes that create beautiful urgency.

Jad keeps coming back to the song title on Crush On You and after every time he says it he goes on to clarify exactly why and what that feels like. The Fanclub rock out at times, the guitar is gorgeously fuzzy and the band sound loose but also locked in the groove. 

I am certain of our fate

I am certain of our future

Sunshine knocking at our front door

You Rock is slow, dreamy and beautiful;

Love's taken over, taken over my life

And I'm glad

The Good Thing is a tender acoustic album closer with Katrina Mitchell from The Pastels on backing vocals, while Jad sings about not giving up.

Those that dig deep into the Teenage Fanclub discography, beyond the albums and the singles off them, are richly rewarded. Here are a few other releases to check out;

• Ballad of John & Yoko - 7-inch only, released in October 1990 on Paperhouse Records. Limited to 5,000 copies, b-side features etchings of the bands signatures. Recorded in Fun City Studio NYC and released on John's birthday.
• The Peel Sessions EP - released in 1992 on Strange Fruit, a record label run with love from someone's shed. Includes a glorious live version of Alcoholiday.
• Free Again - 7-inch only, released in May 1992. I remember stumbling across this in the old Virgin Records on Argyle Street. A rip roaring cover of the Alex Chilton song. A real favourite of mine.
• Mine Exclusively / Patti Girl - Ltd 7-inch released with NME. This is Teenage Fanclub playing and recording with Alex Chilton. I recently picked up this gem from eBay.  Check them playing together on this Scottish Tee Vee footage. There is also a bootleg of their show at 13th Note HERE.
• Teenage Fanclub Have Lost It - EP released at the end of 1995 (peak Britpop). See my feature length blog HERE.
• Association - Teenage Fanclub covered their friends International Airport (led by Tom Crossley of The Pastels/Lightships) for the b-side of their gorgeous song Association. Look out for a blog on this in the near future.

The legendary Jad Fair