Pint-sized popster Jimmy Somerville was all the rage in the 80s kids. His brand of gay rights and politics stuck a (mainly falsatto) chord with students and activists the country over.
Bronski Beat brought us 'Smalltown Boy' and 'Age Of Consent', (Oddly the latter is not here) The Communards ... Read review
When little Jimmy quit Glasgow for the alleged bright lights of London back in the early ... more
1980s, little did he or the rest of the country know the huge impact he would have on British life. His debut work with Bronski Beat ("Smalltown Boy" and "Why") ac...
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Smalltown boy Don't leave me this way Why? You make me feel (mighty real) Disenchanted ... more
Never can say goodbye So cold the night To love somebody There's more to love (than boy meets girl) Comment te dire adieu You are my world I feel love / Johnny remem...
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When little Jimmy quit Glasgow for the alleged bright lights of London back in the early ... more
1980s, little did he or the rest of the country know the huge impact he would have on British life. His debut work with Bronski Beat ("Smalltown Boy" and "Why") accomplished the previously unthinkable: mixing overtly gay lyrics with catchy melodies, while at the same time becoming substantive Top Ten hits. Quitting the band at their peak (following their smash re-working of "I Feel Love" with Marc Almond), Somerville hooked up with Richard Coles to form The Communards. Although success wasn't immediate for the new pairing, Somerville and Coles achieved their first UK No. 1 in 1986 with their cover of another disco classic "Don't Leave Me This Way". The Communards rise also coincided with HIV/Aids entering popular consciousness, resulting in a unique mix of socialism, disco and torch songs ("For a Friend", "You Are My World" and "So Cold the Night"). By the end of the 80s Jimmy had decided to go it alone and his solo work continued the musical styles he had previously helped establish ("Comment Te Dire Adieu", "Read My Lips (Enough is Enough)" and "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)"). As is demonstrated by this collection, the cover versions may have provided Somerville with his biggest hits, but the original material is still truly unique and powerful. An accessible, popular musical account of 80s lifestyle politics, and the radical potential music has for social and cultural change. --John Galilee
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When little Jimmy quit Glasgow for the alleged bright lights of London back in the early ... more
1980s, little did he or the rest of the country know the huge impact he would have on British life. His debut work with Bronski Beat ("Smalltown Boy" and "Why") accomplished the previously unthinkable: mixing overtly gay lyrics with catchy melodies, while at the same time becoming substantive Top Ten hits. Quitting the band at their peak (following their smash re-working of "I Feel Love" with Marc Almond), Somerville hooked up with Richard Coles to form The Communards. Although success wasn't immediate for the new pairing, Somerville and Coles achieved their first UK No. 1 in 1986 with their cover of another disco classic "Don't Leave Me This Way". The Communards rise also coincided with HIV/Aids entering popular consciousness, resulting in a unique mix of socialism, disco and torch songs ("For a Friend", "You Are My World" and "So Cold the Night"). By the end of the 80s Jimmy had decided to go it alone and his solo workcontinued the musical styles he had previously helped establish ("Comment Te Dire Adieu", "Read My Lips (Enough is Enough)" and "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)"). As is demonstrated by this collection, the cover versions may have provided Somerville with his biggest hits, but the original material is still truly unique and powerful. An accessible, popular musical account of 80s lifestyle politics, and the radical potential music has for social and cultural change. --John Galilee
Postage & Packaging:£1.21 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
When little Jimmy quit Glasgow for the alleged bright lights of London back in the early ... more
1980s, little did he or the rest of the country know the huge impact he would have on British life. His debut work with Bronski Beat ("Smalltown Boy" and "Why") accomplished the previously unthinkable: mixing overtly gay lyrics with catchy melodies, while at the same time becoming substantive Top Ten hits. Quitting the band at their peak (following their smash re-working of "I Feel Love" with Marc Almond), Somerville hooked up with Richard Coles to form The Communards. Although success wasn't immediate for the new pairing, Somerville and Coles achieved their first UK No. 1 in 1986 with their cover of another disco classic "Don't Leave Me This Way". The Communards rise also coincided with HIV/Aids entering popular consciousness, resulting in a unique mix of socialism, disco and torch songs ("For a Friend", "You Are My World" and "So Cold the Night"). By the end of the 80s Jimmy had decided to go it alone and his solo workcontinued the musical styles he had previously helped establish ("Comment Te Dire Adieu", "Read My Lips (Enough is Enough)" and "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)"). As is demonstrated by this collection, the cover versions may have provided Somerville with his biggest hits, but the original material is still truly unique and powerful. An accessible, popular musical account of 80s lifestyle politics, and the radical potential music has for social and cultural change. --John Galilee
Postage & Packaging:£1.21 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Ideal Camp Disco Fodder Disadvantages: The Hits Are Not Always His Best Stuff
Pint-sized popster Jimmy Somerville was all the rage in the 80s kids. His brand of gay rights and politics stuck a (mainly falsatto) chord with students and activists the country over.
Bronski Beat brought us 'Smalltown Boy' and 'Age Of Consent', (Oddly the latter is not here) The Communards hits such as 'Don't Leave Me This Way' (the biggest selling single of 1986) and 'You Are My World'
But he didn't halt there launching ... ...'To Love Somebody' and 'You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)'....In fact there was no stopping our Jim...
Then, people started to realise he wasn't much cop at writing his own songs.
Collaborating with the likes of RIchard Cole, he rocked.
I saw him live in 1991 and he rocked....but eventually, on his ownsome he rolled...and rolled off the spectrum and out of the minds of the chart compilers.
Pint-sized popster Jimmy Somerville was all the rage in the 80s kids. His brand of gay rights and politics stuck a (mainly falsatto) chord with students and activists the country over.
Bronski Beat brought us 'Smalltown Boy' and 'Age Of Consent', (Oddly the latter is not here) The Communards hits such as 'Don't Leave Me This Way' (the biggest selling single of 1986) and 'You Are My World'
But he didn't halt there launching a solo career which in the early 90s gave us 'To Love Somebody' and 'You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)'....In fact there was no stopping our Jim...
Then, people started to realise he wasn't much cop at writing his own songs.
Collaborating with the likes of RIchard Cole, he rocked.
I saw him live in 1991 and he rocked....but eventually, on his ownsome he rolled...and rolled off the spectrum and out of the minds of the chart compilers.
One of the main reasons was he wasn't the dangerous subversive people thought he was in the 80s.
By the 90s we had Julian Clary and Graham Norton, it wasn't daring to by gay any more.
'Ain't Necessarily So' is just s cheap pop at Christianity and Judaism - Hardly the most anti-establishment thing to do anymore.
A braver thing would be to stick up for it or to attack Islam perhaps.
It has to be noted to that by far his greatest hits have all been cover versions....
BUT having said all that. The man is ginger, Scottish and gay and still managed to have a career...respect for that!
Put the album on in your car and it makes a dreary drive back from Burton on the A38 (the best thing to come out of Burton) slightly better.
Now re-issued with a CD of remixes makes Jim's hits a much better value affair.
Listen to what Madonna's mate WIlliam Orbit does to 'Mighty Real' or the fantasutc version of 'Smalltown Boy'.
Despites its faults this is good value for money. One 17-track greatest hits and a 10-track disc of remixes for under a tenner!
His least favourite track here is the Bronski Beat/Marc Almond cover of the Donna Summer classic 'I Feel Love'. Its trashky pop punk and had the two frontmen fighting for attention on TOTP.
For more in-depth, revealing or experiemental Jimmy, buy 'Red' by the Communcards or his 'Read My Lips' solo album, where he sings low as well as high.
But if you are new to his art. This is as good a place as any to start.
Limited Edition CD
CD 1 1. Smalltown Boy 2. Don't Leave Me This Way 3. It Ain't Necessarily So 4. Never Can Say Goodbye 5. You Are My World 6. There's More To Love Than Boy Meets Girl 7. Why? 8. You Make Me Feel ( Mighty Real ) 9. Read My Lips (Enough Is Enough) 10. Hurt So Good 11. Comment Te Dire 12. To Love Somebody 13. For A Friend 14. I Feel Love / Johnny Remember Me 15. So Cold The Night 16. Tomorrow 17. Disenchanted
CD 2 1. Smalltown Boy - 12" Version 2. You Are My World - 12" Remix 3. Don't Leave Me This Way / Sanctify - Gotham City Mix 4. There's More To Love (Than Boy Meets Girl) - 12" Remix 5. Why? - 12" Version 6. Tomorrow - Extended 12" Remix 7. Comment Te Dire - 12" Remix 8. Disenchanted - 12" Remix 9. You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) - William Orbit Remix 10. Never Can Say Goodbye - Shep Pettibbone Remix
mark_allen71 03.04.2006 (03.04.2006)
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Review of Very Best Of Jimmy Somerville, The (& Bronski Beat/The Communards) - Jimmy Somerville
Product Information for "Very Best Of Jimmy Somerville, The (& Bronski Beat/The Communards) - Jimmy Somerville" »
Product details
Title
Very Best Of Jimmy Somerville, The (& Bronski Beat/The Communards)
Performer
Jimmy Somerville
Genre
Rock & Pop
Release Date
10/09/2001
Recomended Retail Price
10.99 GBP
Label / Distributor
Warner ESP / Cinram Logistics
Pieces in Set
1
Studio / Live
Studio
Stereo
Stereo
Format
Performer
EAN
809274125828
Catalogue Number
0927412582
Additional notes
Album Notes
THE VERY BEST OF BRONSKI BEAT AND THE COMMUNARDS brings together 17 of the finest digitally remastered recordings from Jimmy Sommerville's tenure with the two bands as well as his own solo career.
Titles on disc 1
1.
Smalltown Boy - Bronski Beat
2.
Don't Leave Me This Way - Communards
3.
Why - Bronski Beat
4.
You Make Me Feel
5.
Disenchanted - Communards
6.
Never Can Say Goodbye - Communards
7.
So Cold The Night - Communards
8.
To Love Somebody
9.
There's More To Love Than Boy Meets Girl - Communards
10.
Comment Te Dire Adieu
11.
You Are My World - Communards
12.
I Feel Love/Johnny Remember Me - Bronski Beat
13.
Tomorrow - Communards
14.
Hurt So Good
15.
Read My Lips (Enough Is Enough)
16.
For A Friend - Communards
17.
Ain't Necessarily So - Bronski Beat
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31/08/2005
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