Seven Days Too Long

Cover version of the month #57
Dexys Midnight Runners cover Chuck Wood

Way back in 2001 I moved to Dennistoun (an area in the East End of Glasgow), buying my first flat in Onslow Drive. After years of 45-minute commutes from the backwaters of Carluke, I could walk into town in 15-minutes, or get a train in just a few minutes.

I embraced city living with gusto. More gigs, more nights out and new friends.

Friday Street was a monthly northern soul/mod night run in the dark dingy basement of Blackfriars in the Merchant City area. At the time the basement was largely lit by candlelight, helping to create a real vibrant atmosphere where the focus was on the music rather than the aesthetics. I still think Blackfriars lost a bit of its charm when the basement was modernised.

Anyway, back then it was dark and dingy and perfect for dancing to loud northern soul music.

I think Friday Street was pretty new in 2001 and even though I wasn't new to Glasgow, it was new to me to have nights like this a mere 15-minutes from the place I called home.

The first night out at Friday Street resulted me buying a double CD compilation album called The Best Northern Soul All Nighter ... Ever. And it was one song that drove me towards buying it.

That night in the basement of Blackfriars I was blown away by Seven Days Too Long by Chuck Wood. I found myself dancing, jumping and singing-a-long, even though it was the first time I had heard it. I asked the DJ the name of the song and bought the compilation CD the next day.

Seven Days Too Long is off and running from the start and it hits the chorus after a mere 30-seconds.

Lyrically, the song is a classic break up song, the guy and his girl have had a quarrel and the guy is ready to make up, it's now up to the girl. Seven days have been too long for him to be apart from his love.

The chorus is simple and euphoric, it takes off.

Seven days is too long, without you baby

Come on back to me, now

Seven days is too long, girl, without you baby

Come on back to me

The second chorus arrives at 1 minute 14 seconds, after that Chuck Wood and his band really let rip, Wood leaves us in no doubt that he wants his girl back, the build to the third chorus is passionate and dramatic. Wood knows that good things come to those who wait, but he can't wait any longer.

The beat, the piano, the horns, the groove and Wood's crystal clear plea are utterly captivating, demanding attention. This is 2 minutes and 20 seconds of perfection. I've just listened to it 6-times in a row and it has transported me back to dancing with friends in a dark candlelit basement in Glasgow, discovering great music. When will I do that again?!

Dexys Midnight Runners covered Seven Days Too Long on their 1980 debut LP Searchin' For The Young Soul Rebels. The band race through it, remaining true to the originial, while Kevin Rowland adds his unique vocals, ad libbing a few of the lyrics and emphasising the passionate plea of the original by sounding like he could break down at any moment, sounding breathless and completely lost in the music and loss of his love.

It's a brilliant cover version from a very special band who are totally on it.

A full list of previous cover version of the month blogs is below this playlist that features many of them. Not all are on Spotify.

<iframe src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/5xUfsJ3PYZI6C3E9Uy9MGY" width="300" height="380" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe>

Previous covers of the month

1. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' 

2. Going Back To My Roots

3. Nirvana play The Vaselines

4. Slip Inside This House

5. Top 10 covers by Teenage Fanclub

6. Only Love Can Break Your Heart

7. Time For Livin' 

8. Sound and Vision 

9. All Along The Watchtower

10. I Am The Walrus 

11. Guiding Star

12. You’ll Never Walk Alone

13. Hurt

14. This Guy's In Love With You

15. I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine

16. California Soul

18. Wonder wall 

19. Dancing In The Dark

20. Always On My Mind

21. Ceremony

22. Heroes

23. Different Drum

24. Wild Horses

25. Respect

26. Mr Tambourine Man

27. I Heard It Through The Grapevine

28. Superstar

29. Twist and Shout

30. Purple Rain

31. Baker Street

32. Not Fade Away

33. Stop Your Sobbing

34. I Don't Want To Grow Up

35. Serious Drugs

36. Dancing With Myself

37. How Does It Feel To Feel?

38. Love Buzz

39. ABBA-esque
40. Jumpin' Jack Flash

41. Discoland

42. Varshons 2 by The Lemonheads

43. The Langley Schools Music Project
44. Witchi Tai To
45. Our Lips Are Sealed
46. Sunshine Of Your Love
47. Here Comes The Sun
48. I Think We're Alone Now
49. Don't Let Me Down 
50. It's Oh So Quiet
51. Alcoholiday 
52. Summer Holiday
53. Who Do You Think You Are?
54. Head On
55. Nothing Compares 2 U

56. Hey Jude

.

Albums of 2012

There will probably be two or three that I only discover in 2013 (indeed I have the Allah La's album on order from Monorail) but for the time being, these are my albums of 2012.

One Day I'm Going To Soar - Dexys
The magnificent return of Kevin Rowland. A quite incredible album, autobiographical, funny, moving and full of energy, love and care. I would strongly urge anyone to check out this exceptional album, ambitious and grand, the album that Rowland has been dreaming of delivering for decades.

Oh I know that I've been crazy, and that cannot be denied

But inside of me there's always been, a secret urge to fly

Electric Cables - Lightships
Gerry Love from Teenage Fanclub released a gorgeous album full of his trademarks; melody, hooks, mentions of the sunshine, the city, the countryside, escaping.... A lot of care has gone into this album, the guitar riffs, melodies played on xylophone and vocally are gorgeous, I love it. Timeless.

Light of the North - Miaoux Miaoux
The release of this album absolutely delighted me having previously worked with Julian (Miaoux Miaoux). Released on Chemikal the album received fantastic reviews and must surely have whet the appetite of many for the next installment. Check out the absolutely stunning 'Stop the Clocks' for starters if you haven't already, the musical trip of the year.

In Space - BMX Bandits
Duglas T Stewart rejoins us on planet earth with a band of Bandits to release an incredible album, following on from 'My Chain' and 'Bee Stings'. Stewart is in the best songwriting form of his life, heavily influenced by favourite and classic artists like Wilson and Bacharach. Check out 'The Unforgiven' for an incredible vocal performance from Stewart and a possible career highlight. Also a very personal album for me as my sister Carla (TeenCanteen) has a song 'Fireworks' covered by the Bandits.

A simple thought when all our words are gone....the unforgiven

Even though I love you so, you make me feel funny

Like there are loads of fireworks exploding in my tummy

In Our Heads - Hot Chip
It was a busy year for Hot Chip with side projects including The 2 Bears and New Build also releasing excellent albums. The best was from the main project though, their debut for Domino. The album starts in a rich vein with 'Motion Sickness', 'How Do You Do?' and 'Don't Deny Your Heart' all showcasing a band on truly top form. This form continues throughout the album and the closing 'Let Me Be Him' and 'Always Been Your Love' are just beautiful.

Coexist - The xx
Sparsely beautiful, heartbreakingly so at times. The xx follow up their exquisite debut with a sublime second album. The songwriting, performance, structure and production make them stand out a mile from their peers.

Oh No, I Love You - Tim Burgess
My love for The Charlatans and Tim Burgess is probably well documented through the history of this blog but I didn't anticipate this album. Written with Kurt Wagner from Lambchop, Burgess turns in a performance that showed the depth of his skills as a writer, performer and collaborator. 2012 was a memorable year for Tim with the release of his autobiography, co-managing a label, a tour with The Charlatans, curating some festival stages/tents and launching his own brand of coffee! Whatever next? A breakfast cereal anyone?

Oh no, I love you

Hello, I love you

Sugaring Season - Beth Orton
Beth Orton returned in October this year after a 6-year absence with a beautiful album. Beth's voice has never sounded better, rising, falling, sounding sweet, innocent and full of hope at times and then full of regret and experience at others.

Sweet Heart, Sweet Light - Spiritualized
Jason Pierce delivers yet again. No real surprises, we have the hushed, fucked up vocals, religious overtones, drug overtones and when Pierce finds a melody and hook he loves he hammers it home in mantra style fashion. There is one little surprise, his 11-year old daughter guesting on the gorgeous closer 'So Long You Pretty Thing.' Her name?....Poppy...

So long you pretty thing, save your little soul

The music that you played so hard on your radio

All your dreams and diamond rings and all that rock'n'roll can bring you

So long, so long

Blunderbuss - Jack White
Jack's back, well he never really goes away does he? This is a tremendous collection of songs full of White's unique delivery of melody and some exceptional guitar playing. 'Take Me With You When You Go' (the albums closing song) absolutely floored me when I first heard it and I had to play it about 5 times in a row. It flows superbly but then goes off in a completely new direction at around 1 minute 55 seconds, coming on like Sufjan Stevens for a few seconds before White comes in with a great guitar riff and a vocal melody that leaves you breathless. Simply stunning, no-one else can touch him when he is in that kind of form. In the zone!

So there you have it, I also liked the albums from New Build and 2-Bears (Hot Chip offshoots), Alabama Shakes and Bruce Springsteen. I seem to be the only person who found the Django Django album to be massively disappointing considering the hype.