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Big O Week Number 2: The Only One


The Only One - a meditation on the relationship between romantic literature and life

Late masterpiece from the O, sends tingles up my spine right from the first sliding guitar note (so funky - it must be Steve Cropper of Booker T and the MG's - yes it is, it is, folks!) interrupted by the remorseless organ, followed by the great Stax horn section (yes it's the Memphis horns!) then the smouldering first line,

"everyone one you know's been through it

you bite the bullet then you chew it"

This song doesn't go anywhere, it doesn't develop, it just blows your head off, line by line....

"....no consolation's gonna come - you're the only one.

Take a look through history

recant some bits of poetry

you'll find the words still ring true

some things don't change, some things do"

Can't say the chorus yet, it's just TOO TUFF!

Yesterday I talked about the muttering male chorus, here they are again, muttering even better than ever!

Dum be dum dum doobedoowup uh huh huh... and those scorching horns (saxes) are back!

"....what you wouldn't give right now to be another face in the crowd....

and you're the only one who is all alone

the only one who's love is gone

the only one who has given in

the only one who will give again...."

now for it:-

"...the only one with a broken heart

the only one who's afraid of the dark

the only one in a crowded room

the only one who sees the moon...."

piano goes mad and we are all taken back to our padded cells with nothing left to say about anything.

Except that my socks are well and truly off!

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