Squeeze Covered – Slap & Tickle

Last Thursday, I got home from work just in time to hear “Cradle To The Grave” being played on Simon Mayo’s show on BBC Radio 2. They must have released it as a new single, I thought to myself and, sure enough, when I checked out Squeeze Official’s Facebook page it was revealed that it had also made Radio 2’s B playlist. (By the way, can someone explain what the B playlist actually is? Does it mean that it will get played when people are expected to be only half-listening?). Then, as my mind is prone to do, I wondered what the point of releasing singles was nowadays (apart from the purely publicising the fact that there’s a new album out). It’s not like you can go to your local record shop and buy it off the shelf anymore. Those of you who’ve read any of my previous Squeeze Covered posts or visited my YouTube channel will know that I have a liking for b-sides and some of the more obscure album track and other oddities. Having already bought the album, downloading an identical copy of the song (which you don’t technically own) is pointless and leaves me cold. Of course I understand the economics but it’s a real shame that we’ll no longer get the chance to hear the songs that failed to make the album or any of Glenn’s fantastic demos like we were treated to on the CD singles released in the 1990s. My only hope in that respect is if Universal takes advantage of Squeeze’s unexpected renaissance and resurrect the re-issuing of their previous albums, with a healthy number of bonus tracks. I’m not holding my breath though!

Slap & Tickle’s cover sleeve is simply a photo of the back seat of a car (is it a Zephyr?). The record is on red vinyl and its b-side is the fantastic “All’s Well”. What do you prefer, this or a download?

Black Sugar Transmission’s version is taken from the “If I, If I, If I – The Songs Of Squeeze Revisited” CD and is really good. The fantastic video is a bonus!

Until next time, remember Chris’s wise words and never chew a pickle with a little slap and tickle. Toodle pip!

Tyrone

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