"Hand In Glove" - The Sandie Shaw Single
Rough Trade RTT130
Produced by John Porter
February/March 1984
Tracks:
1 Hand In Glove
2 I Don't Owe You Anything
3 Jeane
4 Hand In Glove (rare alternate mix)
Sources:
1-3 from "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" (WEA YZ0003CD2, October 1992)
4 from The Smiths (Tokuma Japan 35JC-102, September 1984)
Restoration:
Gentle EQ as needed, a smidgen of tasteful noise reduction if required, and very cautious, gentle peak limiting.
Artwork for this, and every other release we'll be featuring, was sourced from the amazing Vulgar Picture treasure trove of sleeve artwork scans (with permission).
Notes:
Allow me to preface this with two basic incontrovertible facts: 1) I am not English, and 2) I am not a fan of 1960s English bubblegum pop.
To me - a Yank in the frozen tundra of the Great Lakes - this single is frankly an oddity in an otherwise nearly blemish-free catalog. I have no idea of the cultural import this single had at the time; were Brits driven to the record stores in teeming mad droves at the news a faded Sixties pop diva was replacing Morrissey on a 12"? I'm trying to think of an American analogue to this: Perhaps if Cher had quit, or dropped out of the limelight, after "I Got You Babe" and then 30 years later fronted Green Day for a single. Regardless, to me, this record has always had a big question mark superimposed on top of it. I frankly didn't get it when I first heard it, and I still don't get it now.
That said... Marr goes poppy on these new arrangements, and I have to say his simple, breezy take on "Jeane" perhaps is the quintessential backing for this song. When I reach for the acoustic to strum Marr, I often return to this arrangement. I don't think the "Hand In Glove" musical re-statement is better or worse than the classic; it's different, and Marr had to do something to match the tune (and also that for "I Don't Owe You Anything") to Shaw's vocals.
Track 4 came from an unnamed co-conspirator, ripped from a copy of the relatively (very) rare original September 1984 Japanese CD pressing of the debut LP; it along with three other tracks were unique bonus tracks on this CD. I do not believe this mix is available anywhere else; if anything, it's even more Marr-riffic than the common mix.
English readers, please enlighten me as to why I should give a Shaw for the existence of this record.
That was quick.
ReplyDeleteRe: Shaw, perhaps hero worship?
Yeah, well, some singles are easier than others. ;)
ReplyDeleteBack in the late eighties, Sandie Shaw tried to become 'hip' again by covering this track, 'A girl called Johnny' by The Waterboys and a LLoyd Cole & The Commotions track which I forget. There is another version of this track on Sandie Shaw's compilation 'Hello Angel'. It's basically a slightly longer version with Andy Rourke's bass line isolated in parts
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Hello-Angel-Sandie-Shaw/dp/B0002PZO86
Super-fast! And yeah, hero-worship of sorts... Couldn't this release be similar to Morrissey's push with Nancy Sinatra's 2004 album? Evidently (and according to wiki), it was a minor hit for Shaw; bought by either her fans, Smiths fans, or both. I got the '92 CD version, which wasn't easy to get in the sticks of GA, so it was then a single out-of-time and twice-removed. For you Shaw didn't quite click, but because of these versions I have gone on to enjoy her earlier hits. Honestly to me, her earlier stuff is better. But I wouldn't have found that out without this back in the day. Quick question: Will those other two relatively (very) rare tracks make the light of day, too? Thanks for all that you do!
ReplyDeleteRe: Shaw - Bowie had done the same thing 10 years earlier with Lulu, After Shout and To Sir, With Love, lulu came back with a spiffing version of The Man Who Sold The World and Watch That Man.
ReplyDeleteShaw, to us Brits had had great songs, won the Eurovision Song Contest (with Puppet On A String) and then seemingly disappeared completely. To have her spring up again in the eighties fronting one of the best new bands was, maybe a bit disconcerting, and then again the best thing that could happen to both parties.
I must say that I've only really been listening to The Smiths for about the past year and a half, and I've not really heard much, if any, of Sandie Shaw, but this is fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know what to expect, but I really, really dig these versions. Especially "Jeane". This might sound blasphemous, but I think I like her version of it better than the original! I can't stop listening to it.
Thanks for uploading this, and thanks for the rest as well! I can't wait to hear the next single ("Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now", if I'm not mistaken). Keep up the fantastic work!
I couldn't better the explanation of Mr ximeremix, but I would wish to add that seeing this on TOTP was worth the endeavour all on its own. One of the most strikingly incursive elements of the Smiths' remarkable rise to prominence was the sheer thumb-nosed bare-arsed cheek of them (you forget, amongst all the import, just how *funny* they were when contrasted against all the sucked-in cheeks of the day). To be lording it on the premier hits show with what is - after all - a complete indulgence, was just rubbing their enemies' noses in it. And quite right too!
ReplyDeleteI think there is no real mystery to this release. A little light heroine worship which failed to set the chart alight. I always loathed the version of Hand In Glove here, although both Jeane and IDOYA work well after all these years.
ReplyDeleteThere is a Youtube clip of the track from Spanish TV in which Morrissey says "It was a very uplifting thing to do. It really wouldn't do to analyse the situation."
But I will.
I remember with mild embarrassment Sandie Shaw rolling around the TOTP studio in a black leather dress. In those days there were no MILFs, merely older birds you might given half a chance (OBYMGHAC), but I was young and she held no interest for me.
Now I am Sandie's age then and she looks quite tempting from certain angles.
Sorry, what was the question?
Don't forget she also recorded a song much earlier,probably in the 60's (should've checked really) called "Heaven Knows I'm Missing Him Now". The Lloyd Cole track was "Are You Ready to be Heartbroken". A later album "Hello Angel" released in 1988 also included a Morrissey song written for the album "Please Help The Cause Against Loneliness" and a Jesus and Mary Track "Cool About You" ("About You" from "Darklands")
ReplyDeleteSandie Shaw was God awful, saw her three times without wanting to see her once! Think the last time was before New Order on the Aids Day gig at Brixton 1987.
ReplyDeleteA small note on the Sandie/Smiths TOTP appearance: in the '60s, she'd famously usually performed barefoot. On TOTP, she wore shoes, but the rest of the band didn't!
ReplyDeleteSandie strove to be single-minded and independent back in the 60s. Most people remember her for 'Puppet on a String', but she actually disliked the song. She performed a number of songs on 'A Song For Europe' and it was down to the public to decide which one she would sing at Eurovision. Typically, as often happen when you allow the public to get involved, she ended up with the worst song of the bunch. And won!
ReplyDeleteAfter that, she refused to kowtow to anyone telling her what to do, and as a result, her career waned. 'Hand in Glove' was her first hit for 15 years. Hero-worship? Yes. Novelty? Perhaps. But while I'm not a big fan of her voice on HiG, I loooove her version of 'Jeane' even more than the original.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI've always been pro-Sandie. I saw this on TOTP, and I thought it was a real vindication, as I always judge the great acts by their "coverablity". It was proof for me that The Smiths were more than just another indie group.
Just one point though; I feel sure that you've got your labels the wrong way round. I recall the "alternate" mix actually being the one that was used on the original RT 12in single.
@Anonymous (30 Jan 2011 9:41pm):
ReplyDeleteNope, the order is correct. At least without a turntable to confirm (and the stunning lack of an original 12" single poses a slight problem as well), and Stephane's passionsjustlikemine.com also confirms the "alternate" mix on the Japanese CD is indeed an alternate, (at the time) unique to that fall 1984 CD pressing.
It's about the only Smiths single I never bought.
ReplyDeleteI didn't really consider it to be "proper" Smiths.
The alternate mix is enjoyable becuase Marr is up in the mix and Sandie is down.
I never thought she was much of a singer and could have stayed in obscurity. No Nancy Sinatra, is she?
Knock, knock...
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking the same thing, it's been a month since the last update.
ReplyDeleteI always thought that Sandie was a bit too low in the mix. Be interested to see the vocals a bit higher up.
ReplyDeleteOMG. This conversation is great. I've been listening to The Smiths since the 90s, so I wasn't able to watch TOTP. But there are some great comments here. Yeah, I agree -- part idol-worship. I mean, if any of us were in a hit band, would we bring Moz on to sing one of our tunes? Hell yes. I do like the Hand in Glove by Sandie. My fave is that comment by "mgf" about older birds. Fantastic mate!
ReplyDeleteErm - I've just listened to my original UK 12" of Hand in Glove and it is the "alternate" mix of the Japanese CD, as suggested by another Anonymous poster (January 30th). The supposed lead track mix was the one that was new to me, though frankly I was living without it just fine...
ReplyDeleteQuite apart from being hilarious, mgf's comments drew my attention to the fact that the mix used on the TOTP clip (and others on Youtube) support this argument.
Now, back to watching "Long live love" and an interesting ethical dilemma - is it wrong to fancy an 18 year old Sandie when you know she's actually 14 years your senior?
I dunno. Not ever owning or hearing the 12" I can only go by the wisdom of others. Passions Just Like Mine, normally ever-reliable, has it as we posted. Oh well, it's the spirit that counts.
ReplyDeletePerhaps I was engaging my inner Rough Trade?
aaargghhh just lost a lengthy comment. I bought this on 7" at the time, it's fun if obviously a footnote. Sandie recorded a cracking version of Sympathy For The Devil in the early 70's, although it's greatness is mostly down to the drummer more than her vocal - track it down
ReplyDeleteI like Sandie...her cover of Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken was better than Lloyd Cole's.
ReplyDeleteAnd it was the result of hero worship from Moz, he went on record (and I think prefacing one of her TV appearances - not TOTP) saying she was one of the best singers from the 60s. So this was like Pet Shop Boys working with Dusty - who sang better than Sandie...but she like Dusty never allowed herself to be 'shaped' like the loathesome Lulu or Cilla.
I LOVE her cover of Jeane...although there is a rare TV version which I have a copy of which sadly is really terrible quality, but I think it's her and Marr live on some TV show.
Is theme 4 the same theme (theme 8) of the Japanese edition of the album The Smiths?
ReplyDelete