I like both of them, but Taken By The Sea gets bonus points from me for being a perfect album opener. After these two eliminations I'd be hard pressed to point to the Secret Codes song left that should leave next anyway.
This Delicate Rate We've Made: The Darren Hayes / Savage Garden Rate - WINNER announced
- Thread starter jtm
- Start date
I like both of them, but Taken By The Sea gets bonus points from me for being a perfect album opener. After these two eliminations I'd be hard pressed to point to the Secret Codes song left that should leave next anyway.
Today is a great, tag-free day! Yesterday too.
I'm not too upset about any of these. Actually I always assumed Pop!ular was far more popular (pardon the pun), I never "got" it and thought I was the only one who felt that way, so it's good to see that I'm not. It even took me ages to give Tension a proper chance because I figured the whole album would sound like this, but thankfully this was basically a red herring and undoubtedly the weakest track on there. I get what he was going for with this, but...no.
I'm not too upset about any of these. Actually I always assumed Pop!ular was far more popular (pardon the pun), I never "got" it and thought I was the only one who felt that way, so it's good to see that I'm not. It even took me ages to give Tension a proper chance because I figured the whole album would sound like this, but thankfully this was basically a red herring and undoubtedly the weakest track on there. I get what he was going for with this, but...no.
I also didn’t get around to getting the album for a long time because of Pop!ular - despite loving Spin and buying this single but I went off it quickly.
londonrain
Staff member
Dddd the problem with me giving commentary for every single song is that I get tagged in every single post. It used to scare me at first.
38.
The Lover After Me
Album track from ‘Affirmation’
Average: 7,692
Highest score: 3x10 (@phoenix123, @berserkboi, @Sprockrooster)
Lowest score: 1x3 (@funkyg)
I really can’t at this getting a 3 as lowest score.. This is probably the first time in this rate I’m really left speechless. ‘The Lover After Me’ deserved better, and while Affirmation had to lose more album tracks at some point, I would have hoped for this song to reach top 30 or top 20.
At least the commentators all have taste:
@londonrain: ‘This kicks off a really beautiful section of the album.’ (8.5)
@berserkboi: ‘The delivery here is the real winner!’ (10)
@Sprockrooster: ‘So damn emotional that is strengthened by the great production and delivery of Darren.’ (10)
@Eric: ‘Raw, emotional and beautiful in its simplicity. Also feels incredibly poignant in the context of Darren's divorce and the gradual drifting apart of Darren and Daniel.’ (9.2)
@jtm: ‘Another favorite of mine. Love the lyrics and the production in top notch as well.’ (9)
Listen here:
The Lover After Me
Album track from ‘Affirmation’
Average: 7,692
Highest score: 3x10 (@phoenix123, @berserkboi, @Sprockrooster)
Lowest score: 1x3 (@funkyg)
I really can’t at this getting a 3 as lowest score.. This is probably the first time in this rate I’m really left speechless. ‘The Lover After Me’ deserved better, and while Affirmation had to lose more album tracks at some point, I would have hoped for this song to reach top 30 or top 20.
At least the commentators all have taste:
@londonrain: ‘This kicks off a really beautiful section of the album.’ (8.5)
@berserkboi: ‘The delivery here is the real winner!’ (10)
@Sprockrooster: ‘So damn emotional that is strengthened by the great production and delivery of Darren.’ (10)
@Eric: ‘Raw, emotional and beautiful in its simplicity. Also feels incredibly poignant in the context of Darren's divorce and the gradual drifting apart of Darren and Daniel.’ (9.2)
@jtm: ‘Another favorite of mine. Love the lyrics and the production in top notch as well.’ (9)
Listen here:
37.
Spin
Album track from ‘Spin’
Average: 7,71
Highest score: 2x10 (@Remorque, @phoenix123)
Lowest score: 1x5 (@funkyg)
The final album track from Spin says goodbye as its title song leaves the rate at a respectable number 37.
It’s a song from Darren’s socially conscious product range and a great album closer on the solo debut that was always a bit overlooked.
The comments also discuss whether the lyrics are still relevant, with differing outcomes:
@londonrain: ‘Bop!’ (8)
@berserkboi: ‘A slight disco tinged loop makes this memorable!’ (8.5)
@Sprockrooster: ‘Well with lyrics like "No money left in Africa Starvin' to death" this was inevatibly going to age poorly.’ (6)
@Eric: ‘It's amazing this was written in 2001/2 … it feels so relevant today.’ (9)
@jtm: ‘Thankfully the album ends with a relatively short four minute song. It's basically an earlier (and slightly better) version of The Great Big Disconnect isn't it. I mainly love the chorus here.’ (7.5)
Listen here:
Spin
Album track from ‘Spin’
Average: 7,71
Highest score: 2x10 (@Remorque, @phoenix123)
Lowest score: 1x5 (@funkyg)
The final album track from Spin says goodbye as its title song leaves the rate at a respectable number 37.
It’s a song from Darren’s socially conscious product range and a great album closer on the solo debut that was always a bit overlooked.
The comments also discuss whether the lyrics are still relevant, with differing outcomes:
@londonrain: ‘Bop!’ (8)
@berserkboi: ‘A slight disco tinged loop makes this memorable!’ (8.5)
@Sprockrooster: ‘Well with lyrics like "No money left in Africa Starvin' to death" this was inevatibly going to age poorly.’ (6)
@Eric: ‘It's amazing this was written in 2001/2 … it feels so relevant today.’ (9)
@jtm: ‘Thankfully the album ends with a relatively short four minute song. It's basically an earlier (and slightly better) version of The Great Big Disconnect isn't it. I mainly love the chorus here.’ (7.5)
Listen here:
londonrain
Staff member
To be precise, @Sprockrooster, it’s
No money left in Africa
Starvin’ to death in Bosnia
which is kind of true for the time given the war in Bosnia and the overall levels of poverty in considerable portions of Africa... but yeah I’m tired of “Africa” being presented as a poor destitute monolith in pop songs.
No money left in Africa
Starvin’ to death in Bosnia
which is kind of true for the time given the war in Bosnia and the overall levels of poverty in considerable portions of Africa... but yeah I’m tired of “Africa” being presented as a poor destitute monolith in pop songs.
Hmm. A copy error of me. You are definitely right! Also, the whole scaling is off: Bosnia being a part of one of the smaller countries in Europe being Bosnia and Hercegovina comparing to the second largest continent in the world only empowering the stereotyping.
So this is my new freedom?
It’s funny I don’t remember being chained.
We censor music then give children guns.
It’s funny I don’t remember being chained.
We censor music then give children guns.
Probably my favourite half verse on the album. Beautiful.
36.
I Knew I Loved You
Second single from ‘Affirmation’
Average: 7,76
Highest score: 3x10 (@Remorque, @phoenix123, @Sprockrooster)
Lowest score: 1x4 (@rawkey)
Second single if ‘The Animal Song’ counts as well. But obviously this was actually the lead from the second album and their second big US hit. It was another number 1 there and broke several records for its long chart run. It also went top 10 in a number of other countries (surprisingly, only to number 10 in the UK).
Legend has it (and Darren confirmed) that it was written after the album was completed. Sony missed a hit single, and they wrote this in 15 minutes, cynically trying to write the most commercial ballad possible. In the end, Darren still liked it, and they sent it to the record company. They talk a bit about this here:
Let’s see if this was controversial with our commentators:
@londonrain: ‘This is sweet. Did it deserve to be #1 over Crash and Burn or The Best Thing? No.’ (7.5)
@berserkboi: ‘Romantic and all that but never truly did it for me, also very much a retread of Truly in many ways’ (7.5)
@rawkey: ‘"Let's have another 'Truly Madly Deeply' please boys, love from the record company and your bank manager." - "Here you go. We hope you like cheese."’ (4)
@Sprockrooster: ‘Those vocals *swoon*’ (10)
@Eric: ‘It doesn't fit with the album, but now we know it was fodder for the record company so it's an essential part of Savage Garden history and enabled that stellar latter part of the album.’ (7)
@jtm: ‘This is a very calculated hit and maybe a bit too much, but I can't deny the songwriting.’ (8)
Music video:
I Knew I Loved You
Second single from ‘Affirmation’
Average: 7,76
Highest score: 3x10 (@Remorque, @phoenix123, @Sprockrooster)
Lowest score: 1x4 (@rawkey)
Second single if ‘The Animal Song’ counts as well. But obviously this was actually the lead from the second album and their second big US hit. It was another number 1 there and broke several records for its long chart run. It also went top 10 in a number of other countries (surprisingly, only to number 10 in the UK).
Legend has it (and Darren confirmed) that it was written after the album was completed. Sony missed a hit single, and they wrote this in 15 minutes, cynically trying to write the most commercial ballad possible. In the end, Darren still liked it, and they sent it to the record company. They talk a bit about this here:
Let’s see if this was controversial with our commentators:
@londonrain: ‘This is sweet. Did it deserve to be #1 over Crash and Burn or The Best Thing? No.’ (7.5)
@berserkboi: ‘Romantic and all that but never truly did it for me, also very much a retread of Truly in many ways’ (7.5)
@rawkey: ‘"Let's have another 'Truly Madly Deeply' please boys, love from the record company and your bank manager." - "Here you go. We hope you like cheese."’ (4)
@Sprockrooster: ‘Those vocals *swoon*’ (10)
@Eric: ‘It doesn't fit with the album, but now we know it was fodder for the record company so it's an essential part of Savage Garden history and enabled that stellar latter part of the album.’ (7)
@jtm: ‘This is a very calculated hit and maybe a bit too much, but I can't deny the songwriting.’ (8)
Music video:
35.
Love and Attraction
Album track from ‘The Tension and the Spark’
Average: 7,77
Highest score: 1x9,8 (@rawkey)
Lowest score: 1x5 (@phoenix123)
This shapes up to be another bad week for me with Affirmation and now Tension losing tracks..
Darren: “What can I say about this song? Electro inspired. All about having to laugh at the stupidity of courtship and how everyone I ever want is unavailable and how everyone who really wants me isn't even on my radar. Cupid's cruel joke on us all.”
Let’s go directly to the comments then:
@londonrain: ‘This was the first indication I had of his queerness and I was so happy to hear it. It helps that the song is a bop as well.’ (8.5)
@berserkboi: ‘Nice while it lasts’ (7.2)
@Sprockrooster: ‘Love and attraction. Tension and spark. So does that make love the tension and attraction the spark?’ (9)
@Eric: ‘I have mixed feelings about this. To me "Feel" is the natural end of the album. On the other hand a more straightforward track that doesn't eviscerate my heart is most welcome!’ (7)
@jtm: ‘Crazy how some pronouns in a pop song could matter so much at the time. I always felt that musically this was one of the most commercial songs on the album.’ (9)
Listen here:
Love and Attraction
Album track from ‘The Tension and the Spark’
Average: 7,77
Highest score: 1x9,8 (@rawkey)
Lowest score: 1x5 (@phoenix123)
This shapes up to be another bad week for me with Affirmation and now Tension losing tracks..
Darren: “What can I say about this song? Electro inspired. All about having to laugh at the stupidity of courtship and how everyone I ever want is unavailable and how everyone who really wants me isn't even on my radar. Cupid's cruel joke on us all.”
Let’s go directly to the comments then:
@londonrain: ‘This was the first indication I had of his queerness and I was so happy to hear it. It helps that the song is a bop as well.’ (8.5)
@berserkboi: ‘Nice while it lasts’ (7.2)
@Sprockrooster: ‘Love and attraction. Tension and spark. So does that make love the tension and attraction the spark?’ (9)
@Eric: ‘I have mixed feelings about this. To me "Feel" is the natural end of the album. On the other hand a more straightforward track that doesn't eviscerate my heart is most welcome!’ (7)
@jtm: ‘Crazy how some pronouns in a pop song could matter so much at the time. I always felt that musically this was one of the most commercial songs on the album.’ (9)
Listen here:
londonrain
Staff member
Very happy to see I Knew I Loved You go, but poor Love and Attraction! Definitely an album highlight.
Imagine thinking The Lover After Me is a 3!
I absolutely agree with the comments about I Knew I Loved You being an obvious attempt at a schmaltzy Truly Madly Deeply 2.0 type of hit, but it’s a sweet song nonetheless. I remember this being mocked on some flop detective show years ago, something like “How can you love someone before you’ve even met that person!? Bleurgh!”
I absolutely agree with the comments about I Knew I Loved You being an obvious attempt at a schmaltzy Truly Madly Deeply 2.0 type of hit, but it’s a sweet song nonetheless. I remember this being mocked on some flop detective show years ago, something like “How can you love someone before you’ve even met that person!? Bleurgh!”
Likewise. My main tracks are still in though and I have survived any more of what would have been my 10s / 11 going.
"I knew I loved you" does make awesome use of Kirsten Dunst in a music video.