happy birthday, BS. you take my breath away. but if you play this song in this house, i’ll take your remote away.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEOem7U2LPEi know, i know. you all think i’m the scrooge of romance. i ding songs that probably are part of the soundtracks of your love lives.i’m so mean. boo effing hoo. of course, nothing could be further from the truth. i am a giant mushy marshmallow when it comes to these sorts of things. take my word for it.
that being said, berlin was not historically a band about romance. check out this video for sex (i’m a.)
(not you, dad. i know you’re out there. pass right over it with your eyes closed, please.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raq8maAutAEyeah. so much romance there, you can cut it with a knife.
follow-ups the metro [with my favorite misheard lyrics: you were waiting there, swimming through a pile of cheese. sorry!] and no more words were equally cool songs: stylish, clever, and catchy, blending punk and new wave sensibilities. it was a great combo.
fast forward a couple of years. suddenly, terri nunn’s formerly wild appearance is tamed down, and only she and founding member john crawford are still with the band. clearly, they were looking for a hit, and they looked no further than synth king giorgio moroder. voila! moodymoody synth piece that takes my brain away, it’s so freaking slow and ponderous. the fact that it’s affiliated with tom cruise doesn’t exactly endear it to me, either — i have never been a fan, not since risky business anyway. and, like cruise in the movie, the song takes flight. such a wonderful song for the ages, it was covered by jessica simpson, as it spoke to her of her and her now ex-husband’s relationship.
something got taken out of that relationship, and i don’t think it was just breath.
anyway, for me, this song constitutes some sort of artistic sellout. it has nothing to do with the band berlin was. it has everything to do with the commercial band they wanted to be. i’m sure their royalties keep them warm at night, but this song pretty much cut them out of my life.
But, but, but “Top Gun” when TC was fine and not crazy, and all his flyboys were so hot. I must disagree: not egregious … evocative.