Summer Solstice - Summer 2024 - Day 20 - The Outfield

Day 20 - The Outfield

Welcome to Day 20 of Song Solstice and the official start to Summer 2024! Our entry into summer is a track by the band, The Outfield. Remember them? Well, this track isn't the one that everyone knows the first line of but one that was never a single. Curious? Read on to discover a semi-hidden 80s gem!

When I was a kid, what I guess you could call the seemingly definitive track by The Outfield, the classic “Your Love”, was quite a popular track. It still is, and the album it's found on, Play Deep, is a fab piece of work in itself. While “You're Love” and its follow up, “All The Love', are definitely important pieces of the 80's music lexicon, I feel today's track outshines both of them as the hidden gem of that classic album. That song is the second to last song in the track listing: “Taking My Chances”

It would be hard to argue against John Spinks as a songwriter because the man knew how to write a great rock hook. He knew what he was doing musically and lyrically, and, with Tony Lewis on vocals and, in that period of the band's history, Alan Jackman on drums, his talents really got to shine. “Taking My Chances” is a fine example of this. The introspection of the lyrics sparked by a relationship experience coupled with the emotion-filled straight rock is what I want to call a perfect storm. I feel like some of the best rock tracks have that: a mix of real, raw feelings and thoughts filtering through instruments that bring voice to the soul of these expressions. I feel like that's what this song has. At least... I feel it come over me when I listen, and this is one of my favorite ways to experience music.

Live in the 80s

On the track, John and Tony share vocal duties, with John covering the verses and Tony the choruses, both on backing vocals to the other. I feel like it perfectly expresses what feels like a duality in the self that the lyrics seem to explore (what's happening on the outside/who one is in the present and what's happening within/who one truly is within). Within this duality feels like a will for survival, and I feel like the guitars find a way to underline this with the right nuance. The punch of the drums highlights that fire of spirit and of going all in with ease. This track is just... I just really love it.<3 It's in my top 5 tracks by The Outfield if not my top 3.

Perhaps I read too much into it or maybe I seem to be pretentiously trying to write all smart. Lol  But... As I listen to the song on repeat while I write, these are the things coming to me. Take from them what you will. I just hope you give this fantastic track a try. The Outfield were so much more than “Your Love”, and I hope this song brings you down the rabbit hole of discovery. Enjoy. :-)

RIP John Spinks & Tony Lewis. Thank you for the music.

Lyrics

I'm calling out but there's no one to hear me

I'm so afraid cos there's nobody near me

All that I've got are memories of Tuesday

I can't remember anything she said

Then in a moment my head starts spinning

Around in a circle no end or beginning

And just when I think that the whole world's turning

I open my eyes and discover that life is just

Burning down but this man stands his ground

For when there's nothing left I'll fight for every breath

Don't turn your back on me baby

I'm taking all my chances

Why can't you hear what I'm saying

I'm taking all my chances

And when you're alone with nobody to turn to

You look in the mirror and think that it's untrue

In your reflection are you sure that you see

The person that you've always wanted to be but

You never were because you feared yourself

And in your deepest thoughts, you looked for someone else

Don't turn your back on me baby

I'm taking all my chances

Why can't you hear what I'm saying

I'm taking all my chances

I'm calling out but there's no one to hear me

I'm so afraid cos there's nobody near me

All that I've got are memories of Tuesday

I can't remember anything she said

Don't turn your back on me baby

I'm taking all my chances

Why can't you hear what I'm saying

I'm taking all my chances

~*~

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Photos, videos, and lyrics used for reference and informational purposes.

I'm not being paid by them to write this. I'm not a journalist or anything. I just love music.

(Published on 9th November 2024, Backdated to 20th June 2024)