So Hard 15 years today! (20) (25) (30) (35)

[skyhigh]

So Hard is hugely underrated.

Drico.

Totally agree and the line from it you quoted is probably my favourite psb lyric out of them all!!

[Pani]

Happy Birthday, So Hard! I've got a cardboard stand-up of them in that
fashion.

[jasonjohn]

They don't make superior kitchen-sink drama like this anymore.

Oh, I don't know, maybe you're reminiscing about The Way It Used To Be?

[Drico One]

I was speaking more in terms of what they release as singles. The psychological kitchen-sink drama of So Hard or I Don't Know What You Want is the rarity these days. Personally, I'd have released The Way It Used To Be. The argument that "it's not single material" is completely defunct now that nothing they release has a cat's chance in hell of being a hit. They might as well release their best work if they're going to bother putting out singles. It might even attract a few people to their albums.

Drico.

[jasonjohn]

Yeah I tend to agree The Way It Used To Be might of been a good single, just cos it was very distinctive and strong, even if not highly chartable.

[Hillbilly]

"I'm always hoping you'll be faithful, but you're not I suppose, we've both given up smoking, 'cause it's fatal, so whose matches are those?" are outrageously great lines.

Well, I don't consider the line about matches very spectacular. Hasn't anyone of you ever got a packet of matches at home without being a smoker? Have you heard of candle lights?

[Drico One]

If you aim just a little wider, you might be able to miss the point that little bit more.

But thinking about it, you're right. It should obviously have been:

I'm always hoping you'll be tasteful
But your wick is exposed
We've both given up tea lights
'Cause they're fatal
And drip wax on my toes

Drico.

[Pani]

[markus]

"I'm always hoping, you'll be witful, but you're not I suppose...we've both given up joking, 'cause it's fatal, so whose red noses are those?"

[Flaffer]

you don't fancy writing for Erasure Drico?

[MD]

To be honest, So Hard along with Rent and Can You Forgive Her? are possibly my three favourite PSB singles of all time. I generally don't rank these things, but all three of the aforementioned dripped in semi-detached coolness. Lyrically, they were brilliant. "I love you, you pay my rent", "she made you some kind of laughing stock, because you dance to disco and you don't like rock", and "I'm always hoping you'll be faithful, but you're not I suppose, we've both given up smoking, 'cause it's fatal, so whose matches are those?" are outrageously great lines.

So Hard is hugely underrated. They don't make superior kitchen-sink drama like this anymore.

Drico.

I've always loved " So Hard ", it's has this feel to it that's hard to define, but that I find a bit sinister. " I double cross you/ and you get mysterious mail...". The lovers seem to be less than savory individuals, they both capture the pathos of pity and sorrow but have dark secrets, and one casually makes a reference to death. I've always had a feeling this affair ended very badly. I'm sure it probably wasn't intended to be viewed in so dark a light, but that's the vibe I felt when I first heard it. Anyway, it's one of the best tracks on Behavior no matter what Chris thinks, a stomper with lyrical depth and style.

[Electronic Dave]

'So Hard' is one of my ultimate favourites...I remember the 'Top Of The Pops' performance (same week as Orbital's famous 'Chime' I think) as we had our first VHS recorder (on rental) and so would record any music performances or videos that were on the TV. Along with the promo photo of Neil looking 'fed up' for 'DJ Culture', the 'So Hard' cover is one of the best PSB photos, I have the cover framed on my wall above my CD collection. I will admit to mimicking the 'Performance' hand gestures every time I play 'So Hard', but don't use an umbrella indoors! Took me years to work out what the song meant, as I was very young and naiive. Even when 'Very' was released, I had no idea what the songs where actually about - at the time I just liked the new 'pop' sound and Neil's vocals...played so many times the cassette went 'wonky' from wear.

[Pertan]

25 years today.

[ZiggyPSB]

I thought someone made a typo when creating this topic. XD

[billjermaine]

My introduction to So Hard was the 12-inch. Perfect and spine-tingling .. 30 square cm of glorious cover art to pore over as those Faltermeyer synths chimed in a new era and Neil's private paranoias slowly unravelled.

Miss those days when that was the first way to hear the track.