Scouting For Girls - 'Elvis Ain't Dead'
Do you remember the last Scouting For Girls single 'She's So Lovely'? And do you remember how the best bit of that song was always the descending, babbling "I don't know, I don't know, I don't know" section? That was the bit where the band's inherent kOoKiNeSs took a back seat to something a bit less arch and a bit more heartfelt. And it really suited them and the song.
Well, here it is again. The same four-chord climbdown, repeated over and over with different melodic variations over the top. And, seeing as this is becoming a SFG trademark, it's allowing a moment to consider what it is exactly the band are FOR.
Strange how Roy's keening wails effectively staple a pair of knackers onto Keane's sonic cathedral choirboy schtick. But - if you'll forgive a base metaphor - due to the excessive lyrical smart-arsery on display, they're not proper real grown-up knackers, more like a cartoon drawn on a page from a spiral-bound notepad, and the page has ripped a bit as the page has been torn out, and it sort leaves a trail of little torn off bits of paper everwhere it goes, and they're quite hard to hoover up, actually, cos they blow away whenever you get too close to them, and in the end you find one wedged in between the carpet and the skirting board about nine years after you did the original drawing, and you can't really remember what it was you tore out to make the little scrap of hidden paper, and you wet the tip of your finger, press it to the little paper fragment to make it stick, pick it up and put it in the bin.
THAT is how much the emotional punch of this song has been derailed by the silly show-off nonsense going on in the lyrics. "I'm all shook up and I'm lonesome tonight" indeed... The stuff about Elvis isn't exactly the heart of the matter, is it? I mean sure, it's a song of denial, it's a song from the perspective of a man who can't accept that he's been dumped, and denying something of equally magnitude, but silly - like Elvis not being dead - is kind of a neat way of showing how foolishly we all act in moments of high passion.
But the core of the song lies in Roy howling "but I wish it was MEEE you chose" - a moment of directness among all the nonsense and mucking about, and a moment which allows him to show off his rough diamond voice to the full. And there's even a couple of melodic quotes from the astonishing 'God Only Knows' by the Beach Boys in the latter choruses (listen out for that sort of French horn-type noise and you're there).
But it does give you a clue as to why Roy may have been dumped in the first place if he insists on undercutting his heartfelt moments with rubbish jokes. It's the musical equivalent of your shy mate who can't get it together to ask his/her big crush out, and so settles for making them laugh and hoping it will all sort of come together in the long run.
You can't win the game if you're not prepared to play properly, no matter how energetically you throw yourself into it.
Download: Out now
CD Released:December 17th
(Fraser McAlpine)
Comments
i love this song as much as i did with she's so lovely i think this song should deffanitly be number one its fantastic every time i here it on the radio i sing away thumbs up
Scouting For Girls are a lyrically challenged band. Saying "Elvis Ain't Dead coz i heard him on the radio" is an expression of complete dosileness and toe curling enthusiasm. This band have a terrible habit of writing meaningless lyrics, Skills in English are essential for writing timeless songs, this song deserves no time. A gormless singing style is not my cup of tea either.
This Song Is beautiful !
The lyrics are Amazing and The Sugababes have really proved what their voices can do together!
Yes, The Old Stuff (Like New Year) Is great but the Sugababes are at the best they've ever Been, & 'About You Now' was chart topping proof that their new stuff is Quality.
=]
i absolutely adore this song. its my favourite song out at the moment and i think its my favourite film this year (it isnt hard looking at all the rubbish weve had) its really catchy and if i hear it in the morninig i have it stuck in my head all day xXx
hey babes :)
Elvis Ain't Dead - (Y)
good stuff
i luv pc + gemma + stacey +joanna :)
I don't think their lyrics are meaningless. I think that the lyric 'Elvis aint dead and you're coming back' has been well observed. It's saying that the likelihood of his girlfriend coming back to him, is the same likeliness of Elvis coming back from the dead. a bit like "the day pigs can fly, she'll come back to me". The video shows that message pretty clearly. I really love this song, and this band. They're unique and different, and not the same old boring pop band like; Westlife.
Excellent! There is a clear metaphor, "Elvis aint dead, and your coming back"...
Clearly denile that his relationship is over!... but he won't admit it!
I love this song, and look forwad to more clever meaningful great things from a truely original band... Not many out there anymore, of this genre!
I cannot stand this band and any of their ridiculous songs.
Congratulations to Scouting for Girls on writing the most irritating, overplayed radio rubbish.
Danny is right, completely meaningless lyrics.
And Pete Meadows, thank god there aren't more bands out there like this bunch.
AWFUL