Recently when a friend of mine asked me why I liked Squeeze so much I paused and thought for a few moments before concluding, “They explained my life to me.”
When I was a young teenager “kitchen sink” songs like “The Prisoner” helped me understand how day to day life could lead to an intolerable situation, as in my own parent’s divorce. They also helped me see why being in love (new to me!) could be so hard.
When I was in my late 20′s and my eight-year relationship ended I listened to “It’s Over” (and the entire Some Fantastic Place and Play albums) until I finally believed that it was.
And when things started to get better after that very painful breakup, “This Summer”, “If It’s Love”, and many other songs helped me express what was happening inside me: optimism, possibility, fresh hope!
Squeeze songs are not simple. They are about complicated situations. Who would ever choose to be the couple in “Letting Go”? But at the same time, who doesn’t know exactly how it feels?
For many of us long term Squeeze fans, listening to their albums has been a journey we’ve taken while experiencing our own ever-changing lives. When you put all the songs together you get a tremendous tapestry of human experience, relationships, situations, and of course a whole spectrum of emotions.
A few years ago a large scale poll was conducted to find out what Squeeze fans’ favorite songs were, but the results were never widely published. Taking everything into account, with all the songs to choose from, which ones do we like best? These are the top 20 songs, which represent 61% of the total votes. The top 5 spots took a whopping 30% of the total votes!
1. Some Fantastic Place
2. Up The Junction
3. Another Nail In My Heart
4. Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)
5. Tempted
6. Is That Love
7. If I Didn’t Love You
8. Piccadilly
9. Annie Get Your Gun
10. Take Me I’m Yours
11. Maidstone
12. Black Coffee In Bed
13. Labelled With Love
14. Walk Away
15. In Quintessence
16. The Truth
17. Letting Go
18. Woman’s World
19. The Elephant Ride
20. Cool For Cats
Squeeze is touring in the US right now! Enjoy the shows, everyone!
Narrowing them down to favourites depends entirely on my mood at the time, because like you say they are such emotive songs that you can relate to depending on your current position. In Quintessence has and always will be my #1, and I wish they’d play it more! I love the live version of Take Me I’m Yours from Live At The Royal Albert Hall, and I think Walk Away is a very powerful song. But every Squeeze fan has their own personal favourites, if you ask 5 Squeeze fans their favourite 5 you’ll not get the same list of 5 from any of them. Their arsenal of songs is fantastic and that’s why they rule!
I seem to recall voting and honestly cant remember which songs i voted for!! On reflection i agree with Jose; favourite songs can be relative to your mood at the time. This suggests that Squeeze probably have such a wide ranging back catalogue that you can “dig in” depending on how you feel at the time. I for one hope they extend their catalogue of songs a little further in years to come………
My sentiments exactly. I would find it impossible to pick an all time favourite Squeeze song. Firstly, there are so many that I like and, secondly, it all depends on the mood I’m in. There are certain songs that have special importance. “There Is A Voice” has helped me through tough times I’ve had (and still do) with depression so has a special place in my heart. “Vanity Fair” could have been written about one of my sisters .. “She comes home late with another screw loose. She swears to have had just a pineapple juice”…..
I completely agree as well, I could never pick just one Squeeze song, and what I listen to does depend on what mood I’m in. I agree with the top 5 on this list though, all fantastic! I also love Discipline and I’m quite surprised Hourglass isn’t up there, that would definitely be in my top 5.
I’m pretty sure I *didn’t* respond to this poll because I could never pick a favorite either; there are just too many standouts. And you’ll notice almost none of the examples I gave from my own life made the top 20. I think it’s often the quirky ones that get to us, which is reflected pretty well in the numbers 10-20 in the poll results – Maidstone, Walk Away, Letting Go…and Woman’s World!
They are all good, I’ve been listening to East Side Story a lot in the car…and while sitting in traffic (even after the show in Phl on 16 March…traffic not moving, or barely moving…I’d lost my voice, so couldn’t really sing along, but realizing that “Woman’s World” reminded me of my childhood. Labelled w/love could be a country song! Piccadilly and Mumbo Jumbo, are such fun…(and when I have an better throat fun to sing along with). Wondering if when Squeeze closes the show, is their a longer or different set? Some of the quirky songs that to me are just brilliant, like “I learnt how to pray” reminded me of a part of my life…King George Street, well you don’t have to live on King George Street to relate. Everything in the world, reminds me of endless hours sitting in airports when I had employment that demanded a lot of travel…