SAW (non-Kylie)

I was on my way home this morning after dropping Anna off at school and a song came on my iPod that got me to thinking about Stock, Aitken & Waterman. Most of those who read will immediately recognize SAW as the UK songwriting and production team that was responsible, most notably, for Kylie's first four albums. When I was in high school, it was amazing how much SAW I gravitated towards, most of the time not even realizing it. The song that I heard on the way back this morning was a SAW song and it got me to thinking about my favorite non-Kylie SAW songs. There are so many to choose from, but I narrowed the field pretty successfully. There are four and if I really wanted to subject Matt and Bess to unfiltered Dan music, I would submit all four for the next DMB CD. (speaking of, when are we doing that?)

Donna Summer / This Time I Know It's For Real
This is the song that prompted this post, so I guess you can thank 1989 Donna Summer for it. I was always impressed that Donna Summer got radio airplay in 1989 as it was well past her disco heyday. She was a natural fit for SAW and her bigger than life voice complemented the rather simple melodies and songs surprisingly well. Say what you will about SAW, but can they write a chorus or what?



Boy Krazy / That's What Love Can Do
Released in 1993, I always thought that this sounded like Kylie. You see, I was completely oblivious to Kylie's continued success overseas so I figured she had completely disappeared. I don't think I actually figured out it wasn't until many years later, although I think I knew in my heart of hearts that it wasn't - not squeaky enough! (said with love and affection.) I always loved this song but don't think I got my hands on it till the Napster free-for-all.



Laura Branigan / Shattered Glass
I think this was probably the first SAW song I ever heard. I bought Laura Branigan's Touch album on the strength of "Shattered Glass." Too bad it ended up being one of only two SAW tracks - the other being "Whatever I Do." I always felt kind of bad for Laura Branigan. The record company really never knew what to do with her. Was she a power ballad belter? Was she a dancefloor, high NRG diva? Regardless, "Shattered Glass" is a highlight even though it stalled out just outside the top 40.



Bananarama / I Can't Help It
Fresh off the success of "Venus," Bananarama turned their follow-up album WOW! over to SAW. The best track off that album is still the first song and kick-off single "I Can't Help It." Containing my classic misheard lyric "I got debated by your heartache" (it's really "I'm captivated by you honey"), the cheesiness is sealed by the line "Boys say, they say I'm good enough to eat (manger)" How can you resist French in a song? Watching this video now, I'm amazed at how much they were clearly playing to their main demographic even in 1989.



Did I miss anything? I'm sure ChartRigger might have a thing or two to say.

Hauntingly familiar

I'll admit to not being much of a Sarah McLachlan fan - I like some of her songs enough, but just have never really gotten into her albums. So it's not surprising that, while I knew she had a new album out, I hadn't paid much attention to it. But it appeared on the MP3 download page on Amazon as a recommendation for me today (apparently based upon my purchases of Mary Chapin Carpenter's The Age of Miracles and John Mayer's Battle Studies.) It was the first time I'd ever seen the album cover.


It's a nice looking album cover, but it was like I'd seen it somewhere before. I just couldn't figure out where. And then it dawned on me.


OK, Donna Summer is wearing markedly less than Sarah McLachlan, but the influence is there.

Edited summer

As a result of the residual effects of the daddy-daughter dance, I bought Donna Summer's "Last Dance" on iTunes last night. Now don't misunderstand me, it's not as if I didn't already have that song in my iTunes. But the version I had was the one from Endless Summer, the umpteenth collection of Donna Summer's work from the 70s through the early 90s. It contains a horrendously edited version of "Last Dance", whittling it down to a meager 3:22. When I was listening to it after thinking about it the other night, it just seemed so, well...short.

So the version I bought was the 12" version, which clocks in at a 8:11. I lingered over the 4:58 edit from On The Radio, but I thought that since they were both 99 cents, I was getting nearly twice as much "Last Dance" for the same amount of money going for the 12" version.

I have not been disappointed. Upon listening to it, I realized that the edit completely excised what is basically the bridge. It was as if it were lying dormant in my brain, because the instant I heard it, I realized just how crucial it is.

I can't be sure that you're the one for me
But all that I ask
Is that you dance with me, dance with me, dance with me.

The 12" version also works in 3 different key changes and at about the midpoint goes back to the slow opening. Now THAT is how the song is supposed to sound.

Really, if you get right down to it, the edits that go on most best-of collections are pretty bad. I realize that best-ofs are catering to a completely different type of music fan than studio albums are, but they just always sound so bad to me. GHV2 remains the only Madonna album I have not purchased, mostly because it is the single laziest Madonna release ever (no new songs) but the edits on there are particularly heinous. I can make my own version of GHV2 very well, thankyouverymuch. And it will be better than the one officially released by the label.

Those big mammoth disco epics of the 70s were meant to be experienced in their original form, not in a bite sized piece. And you just won't find those on the best-of sets.