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Neil Tennant solo songs 1970s (list)

Posted: Fri 20 Oct 2023, 2:51 pm
by telys
I tried to make a list of Neil's solo songs he did in the 1970's (and in the 1980s before meeting Chris). I've gone through the 100 Lyrics book and sifted through most of the FL booklets. I guess, because of general lack of detailed information, I put a song on the list without concern if the lyrics/music was completely finished at the time. Is there anyting to add?
* Denotes a song which is available in some form for us to hear
** Denotes a song later recorded by PSB
*** Denotes recorded but unheard song
**** Denotes song where lyrics have been divulged to us.

Dust 5-track recording for BBC in Newcastle
Can You Hear The Dawn Break*
What Is The Colour of The Wind***
The Sun of The Peaceful Day Before War***
To The Waters and The Wild***
Ace of Hearts***

Other tracks
Telephone Blues****
She's So Eclectic****
Man on The Television*
All Things to All Men*
Nothing Has Been Proved**
Don Juan**
Hey Headmaster**
Nervously**
That's My Impression** (different music than the PSB song)
I Want to Wake Up** (Neil's song was called I Heard What You Said)**
Betrayed (perhaps probably not the original title but a song with those lyrics was written in 1980)
Honkey-tonk thing '79 (piano melody part of The Sodom and Gomorrah Show demo)*

From Neil's book I deduced, hopefull correctly, that he went to a studio in 1981 and demoed four tracks.
He also auditioned a few songs in 1973.

In total there are 17 songs. We know he rerecorded a few tracks from the 70's during covid lockdown. I'm kind of thrilled by the idea of retconing a career. We get it a little bit now with re-release of Relentless but a release of Neil's 70's songs or the early Camden and Bobby O or even 1985 tracks would make the PSB career look different, retrospectively.

Re: Neil Tennant solo songs 1970s (list)

Posted: Fri 20 Oct 2023, 9:12 pm
by Nickname
I would like to listen again some of these tracks, where can I find them?

I can't find the BBC's docummentary again.

Re: Neil Tennant solo songs 1970s (list)

Posted: Mon 23 Oct 2023, 1:15 am
by DopeFiend
Nickname wrote: Fri 20 Oct 2023, 9:12 pm I would like to listen again some of these tracks, where can I find them?

I can't find the BBC's docummentary again.
Youtube.
Only a couple have been released, A Man On the Television and All Things to All Men were published on the official website.

Re: Neil Tennant solo songs 1970s (list)

Posted: Mon 23 Oct 2023, 6:31 am
by DopeFiend
There's this one:


How beautiful and haunting it sounds.

Re: Neil Tennant solo songs 1970s (list)

Posted: Mon 23 Oct 2023, 10:25 am
by telys
That song is probably not in the above list so now we have 18 songs.
So Neil had material for at least two albums written in the 70's
N&C demoed enough songs for two albums in Ray Roberts studio
They recorded enough songs for an album with Bobby O
They (almost) had enough material properly recorded for an EMI album even before the Please sessions started.

Re: Neil Tennant solo songs 1970s (list)

Posted: Mon 23 Oct 2023, 10:42 am
by Nickname
DopeFiend wrote: Mon 23 Oct 2023, 6:31 am There's this one:


How beautiful and haunting it sounds.
On that interview you can listen the song: Can You Hear the Down Break?
I remember that.

Re: Neil Tennant solo songs 1970s (list)

Posted: Mon 23 Oct 2023, 10:44 am
by domino
telys wrote: Mon 23 Oct 2023, 10:25 am So Neil had material for at least two albums written in the 70's
N&C demoed enough songs for two albums in Ray Roberts studio
They recorded enough songs for an album with Bobby O
They (almost) had enough material properly recorded for an EMI album even before the Please sessions started.
But not every demo should get a proper production or even a release. The process of creativity means to produce lots of trash until you creat something wonderful.

Re: Neil Tennant solo songs 1970s (list)

Posted: Mon 23 Oct 2023, 12:41 pm
by telys
domino wrote: Mon 23 Oct 2023, 10:44 am
telys wrote: Mon 23 Oct 2023, 10:25 am So Neil had material for at least two albums written in the 70's
N&C demoed enough songs for two albums in Ray Roberts studio
They recorded enough songs for an album with Bobby O
They (almost) had enough material properly recorded for an EMI album even before the Please sessions started.
But not every demo should get a proper production or even a release. The process of creativity means to produce lots of trash until you creat something wonderful.
True. We don't know too much about the quality level of many of Neil's songs. But, regarding the demoes in Camden, most of the songs turned out to be classic PSB. And there's nothing to say about the Bobby O-songs. They're all bona fide PSB songs.
Remember also that most of Neil's song (which probably also goes for early PSB-songs) are singer-songwriter songs, meant for a guy and a guitar.

Re: Neil Tennant solo songs 1970s (list)

Posted: Thu 09 May 2024, 9:09 pm
by telys
So from the Annually 2024 we now know that Neil has recorded these songs (again):
Telephone blues (1971)
The man who got there first (1978)
Simple (1980)

Two new songs added to the list.

I'm now counting 20 odd songs.