Excuses/Fugitive for UK Christmas single

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wirral39 · #1 Post by **wirral39** » Sun 18 Jun 2006, 12:07 am

The UK is a great country for making unlikely or 'difficult' records into number one hits at Christmas: six-minute Bohemian Rhapsody in 1975, 3/4 time Mull of Kintyre in 1977, kitschy Save Your Love in 1982 and the minimal Mad World in 2003.

So why not choose this time to release Excuses as a single, keeping the second section of the song but changing the first so that Chris's walk home amidst the London traffic is also accompanied by sleigh bells and other festive sounds.

The song would be very Radio-2 friendly at a time when the usual record buying public extends to older generations. It would also be very apt for the season because we all go to parties just to 'make an appearance' and we often talk of 'making our excuses and leaving' when what's really happening is that we don't like the party. And its references to loneliness would be the perfect antidote to a period when we are all being encouraged to be sociable, but which for many people can be one of the loneliest times of the year.

And they should put Fugitive as its double-A side, which will grab just enough attention to keep sales up.

Final point about Excuses - it is similar in subject matter to Divine Comedy's 'Our Mutual Friend' about finding the person you love in bed with someone else. The difference is that Neil Hannon's record puts the long mournful bit at the end and tells the story first.

And this 'new day' in Fugitive rather rhymes with Uday, who I think was Sadam Hussein's brother (I'm really gonna miss you). Is this deliberate?

stew · #2 Post by **stew** » Sun 18 Jun 2006, 12:57 am

never gonna happen , we can hope , but never gonna happen!

mindboy · #3 Post by **mindboy** » Sun 18 Jun 2006, 12:12 pm

Well, Neil has clearly stated that Fugitive is NOT gonna get a single release.

Monty-- · #4 Post by **Monty--** » Sun 18 Jun 2006, 12:30 pm

What's the point in releasing songs that you've heard for six months, with no new stuff for incentive to buy? Meh.

BimboDuncan · #5 Post by **BimboDuncan** » Sun 18 Jun 2006, 12:31 pm

"Sleigh bells and other festive sounds". Are you absolutely insane? Neil and Chris create one of the most atmospheric, haunting, and beautiful introductions to one of their ballads and you want to stick f*cking sleigh bells over the top of it? What would your "other festive sounds" be? Santa bellowing "Ho ho ho"?

Actually - why not write a new bridge section to the song and stick a verse of "Merry Christmas Everybody" by Slade in there. And Neil and Chris dress up as Santa and an elf in the video.

Jeez - some of the comments on here are something else. "I really like Pet Shop Boys but it wouild be much better if they did it like this, or did that. Then they would get a hit. In fact it would be much better if they just didn't sound or look like PSB at all!"

Monty-- · #6 Post by **Monty--** » Sun 18 Jun 2006, 12:33 pm

"I Made My Excuses And Left....up the Chimney".

Dipso · #7 Post by **Dipso** » Sun 18 Jun 2006, 12:49 pm

What could be more festive than a song about suicide bombers, eh?

Rent · #8 Post by **Rent** » Sun 18 Jun 2006, 1:21 pm

Since when was it compulsory for a song to have only *one* meaning?!

How about the loss of a loved one? trying to 'recapture' what was lost, make sense of it and/or go beyond the loss? Can't anyone relate to that?!

Vince · #9 Post by **Vince** » Sun 18 Jun 2006, 1:57 pm

Totally crazy idea.

the last call · #10 Post by **the last call** » Sun 18 Jun 2006, 2:18 pm

mindboy wrote:Well, Neil has clearly stated that Fugitive is NOT gonna get a single release.

That's it.

Jareth · #11 Post by **Jareth** » Sun 18 Jun 2006, 3:02 pm

Dipso wrote:What could be more festive than a song about suicide bombers, eh?

retrofuturist · #12 Post by **retrofuturist** » Mon 19 Jun 2006, 5:43 am

That idea is thoroughly ludicrous... I'm sorry

profile790 · #13 Post by **profile790** » Mon 19 Jun 2006, 10:57 am

I Made My Excuses And Left The UK Top 20.

Excuses is one of the best tracks on Fundamental, just like It Always Comes As A Surprise was one of the best tracks on Bilingual. But good tracks aren't necessarily good singles.

If they want a ballad single, they should go for Indefinite Leave To Remain. If they want an uptempo single, the only realistic good choice is The Sodom And Gomorrah Show.

adampsb · #14 Post by **adampsb** » Mon 19 Jun 2006, 12:47 pm

retrofuturist wrote:That idea is thoroughly ludicrous... I'm sorry

I know, What about releasing It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas then we won't have to see it priced at 199 euros on ebay

Seriously30 · #15 Post by **Seriously30** » Mon 19 Jun 2006, 12:58 pm

I think Wirral 39 should make their excuses and leave...