SANDIE SHAW - “Long Live Love”
(29th May 1965)
Whether it’s the slight haughtiness in her voice or the sediment of my teenage Morrissey crush I’m not sure, but I’m casting around for reasons to like Sandie Shaw and this awkwardly jolly little song isn’t offering many. The arrangers do their best to pep things up, crossing modish “It’s Not Unusual” hornwork with the mildest of calypso feel, but neither ingredient seems to make Sandie any more comfortable - in fact the calypso just adds to her stiffness. Only her expressive “mmmm-hmm” placeholders do anything to dispel the sense of a duty being reluctantly done. 4
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Anonymous on February 28th, 2005
Its awkwardness is its charm!
SANDIE = GODDESS
Doctor Mod
Marcello on March 1st, 2005
The “It’s Not Unusual” intertextuality was deliberate, as Chris Andrews wrote both songs (indeed, “INU” was originally intended for Sandie).
Marcello on March 1st, 2005
This post has been removed by the author.
Anonymous on March 3rd, 2005
Sandie Shaw is probably one of the most underrated female vocalists of the 1960s–and, for that matter, the 1980s. Some critics remark about her “insecure” voice and her mannerisms, all the time forgetting that she was only seventeen when “Always Something There to Remind Me” hit the charts. Her voice, which became much surer as she matured (gentlemen, this has a something–perhaps everything–to do with hormones) was that of a shy, uncertain girl in her earliest records, hence the charm of its vulnerablity. Because of research I’m currently doing, I’ve listened to a lot of Sandie lately, and I can say with certainty that her voice was nowhere near as weak as reputed–better than Cilla’s (beyond a doubt) and probably better than Lulu’s over the long haul.
Sad thing is, though, that the Brit Girls of the 1960s (with the exception of Dusty) are usually dismissed as ephermeral, lightweight and insignificant. I have to wonder why men with weak singing voices, poor technique and much less than perfect pitch are rarely quite as soundly dissed or thoroughly written off as these women.
A charming, catchy tune–and a great beat you can dance to. **7**
Doctor Mod
Tom on March 3rd, 2005
Pop sung by girls is almost always dismissed as more lightweight than pop sung by boys. In this case I don’t think Sandie’s to blame - the stilted calypso would surely have foxed anyone.
Anonymous on March 3rd, 2005
Alas, girls get dissed, even though they represent a huge portion the of the pop audience. Then, I suppose, there’s that absurd notion that pop is effeminate and therefore inconsequential a priori, and indeed male “pop” stars get a lot less respect than male “rock” stars. Some of the academic critics I’m working with on the 1960s women project are fully aware how difficult it is to get a panel or roundtable on the subject accepted for presentation at musicology conferences–but we got a contract with a major university press for the book, so oh well……
Well, then, I understand why Morrissey adored Sandie, “stilted calypso” and all. The very stiltedness is what makes it campy, and camp is what lends LLL its awkward charm. It is as if some very excited young woman, in love for the first time, finds herself in front of a thoroughly relentless dance orchestra that simply doesn’t know when or how to stop and thus just sweeps her along–but, of course, that’s an expression of being “swept off one’s feet,” which is what the song is about, albeit with a good-natured dose of overkill.
I would, at any rate, always choose the slightly dizzy and utterly campy musings of a young girl giddy with love (with great alliteration, I must add) over the joys of living in a trailer.
Doctor Mod
Joe Williams on August 31st, 2005
I’m sure her future reputation would have been stronger if she hadn’t done ‘Puppet On A String’, which is absolutely god-awful as I’m sure Tom will get round to telling us before too long.
John on September 16th, 2006
Sandie was and still is dismissed for churning out lightweight pop. Well I would much rather have that than most of the stuff today. Nearly everyone today uses their music to foist their political views or religious views onto us. If it’s not either of those subjects it’s social awareness topics like drugs. We,the general public live in the real world and are only to aware of what is going on. We all don’t live in ivory towers, we live amongst the drug addicts, the muggers, the stabbings and the shootings. We don’t need to be reminded by overpaid and over indulged egomaniacs.We need a bit of escapism even if it is only for 2 or 3 minutes.