10cc Most Popular Songs
Jennifer Curtis
The album features all of the highest charting material from the band's career and also features several songs by Godley & Creme and "Neanderthal Man" by Hotlegs, acts closely associated with 10cc. The album comes with an exclusive essay written by Chris White especially for release.
For the US release tracklisting was altered: the songs "Une Nuit A Paris", "Wedding Bells", "Under Your Thumb" and "Neanderthal Man" were omitted, "Dreadlock Holiday" and "People in Love" switched places and "For You and I" was added. Also the longer album versions of "Rubber Bullets", "Life Is a Minestrone" and "Art for Art's Sake" were used as well as the full-length version of "Dreadlock Holiday".
Chris Jones from BBC Music wrote that "The impresario (Jonathan King) also gave them their name (look it up on Wikipedia if you need to know why) and between 1972 and 1978 they racked up 12 dazzling top 20 hits; all collected here."[6]
I have had the honor of speaking with Kevin Godley on several occasions over the years. A few weeks ago, he very graciously sat down with me to talk about the 50th anniversary of 10cc's debut album. Listen or read the transcript below:
Up until this point, Kevin, you guys had recorded so many songs for others in the previous year or two, including that great work you did with Neil Sedaka. So how did you decide which songs to include on your debut album? Were any of these songs written from the Kasenetz-Katz days?
Kevin Godley, my very special guest. He, of course, starting out in 10 CC and then moving on to an incredible solo career, directing videos, movies. And we got a chance to talk about a truly beautiful album in my collection. And it was a joy to have you on Kevin. Thank you so much and all the best to you, sir.
I've always been a big fan of the British band 10cc. It occurs to me however, that I have never seen the band or its songs mentioned on Songfacts. Perhaps it's because they were not commercially successful in North America. Although they had a number of hits in Britain, "The Things We Do For Love" and "I'm Not In Love" were the only songs to chart in North America.(As far as I know)
The four members of the band, Eric Stewart, Graham Gouldman, Lol Creme and Kevin Godley, were all multi-instrumentalists and accomplished songwriters. I've always enjoyed their strong vocals, witty and topical lyrics and catchy tunes.
Although I like almost all their tunes, my favourites are Dreadlock Holiday, The Dean & I and the cheeky Rubber Bullets. What are your favourites? Does anyone know how they came up with the band's name?
CanAm, Here's what wikepedia says about 10cc. Honestly, the two songs you mention are the only two I know, though I remember them well. Apparently they invented something called The Gizmo. Pretty interesting.
In hindsight, 10cc weren't bad, were they? As well as the tracks already mentioned, I remember one called "Donna", which I used to like as a child. Also "Art For Art's Sake" was a good one. They also did "The Things We Do For Love", but I didn't care for that one much. "Life Is A Minestrone" was a top tune though...I haven't given them much thought for many years.I should say a "Greatest Hits" collection would be something worth having.
Following the groups split, Godley & Creme continued to work together: they had a few hit singles in the UK, including the memorable "Under Your Thumb" (great video) and "Wedding Bells". Don't know if Godley & Creme were successful elsewhere though. I'm sure someone could elucidate.
I loved 10cc, my ex had two of their albums and played them a lot. I loved some of their cover art like "How dare you?" or "Bloody Tourist"... I know little about Godley & Creme, but here you can find some info...
In 1999, VH1 held a countdown airing the Top 100 Videos of all time. Godley & Cream's "Cry" was placed at #39, which was a major surprise, because the song never really received much air time. The video was recognized as being a technical advancement & regarded with more publicity than the song was. They were basically a "one hit wonder" here in the States.
10cc were considered very "soft" here. In hindsight, they were probably better than I thought back then. I believe I remember The album containing the 2 hits I know coming out about the time as Bob Seger's Live Bullet, and Bruce Springsteen's Thunder Road. Maybe they were just overshadowed. Within a fairly short time, the only place you'd find those particular songs was on easy listening or soft rock stations.
It's too bad that the four members of the group were unable to put aside their personal differences and continue to collaborate and produce new material. I gather that Stewart and Gouldman are no longer on very good terms either.
The project was paused for two months after Lennon had been killed. In February 1981, work on the album resumed. Between February 3rd and March 2nd, recording sessions took place in the Caribbean at AIR Studios in Montserrat, which included Wonder, bassist Stanley Clarke, Carl Perkins and Ringo Starr.
In the U.S., The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway marked the first Genesis album to crack the top 50 on the Billboard 200, peaking at no. 41. On the other hand, in the UK, it climbed to no. 10, falling short of the chart success of the predecessor Selling England by the Pound, which had reached no. 3. In both countries, it ended up being certified gold.
In July 1968, Stewart became a partner in a recording studio in Stockport, which in October that year was moved to a bigger space and renamed Strawberry Studios. Gouldman, Godley and Creme also wound up at the studio, and by 1969, the four founding members of 10cc were working there together frequently. They wrote, performed (as session musicians) and produced a serious of singles, which were released under different names through a production partnership Gouldman had established with American bubblegum pop writers and producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz of Super K Productions.
1970: The Beatles released Let It Be in the U.S., five days after the song had appeared in the UK, their last single prior to the announcement of their official breakup. Credited to John Lennon and Paul McCartney, the ballad was actually written by McCartney who also sang lead. Undoubtedly one of the best known Beatles songs to this day, Let It Be gave the band another no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at no. 2 in the UK.
It's finally time to contribute to the excellentsite that I've been checking out for a good four years now. I more or lessagree with the 10cc reviews, although I wouldn't be that harsh on the eightiesalbums (they're boring me to death, but at least I'm not annoyed by them!).A few things need to be corrected though. My CD sleeves tell me that theone instrument that Kevin Godley never seemed to touch was the bass guitar.Kevin was always the drummer, making regular cameos as lead vocalist. LolCreme's main instrument seems to have been keyboards. Gouldman was usuallythe bassist, whereas mr. Stewart played the guitar. But then, all of themwere multi-instrumentalists, frequently changing instruments. And of course,all taking their turns as lead vocalists. [This has beencorrected - G.S.]
When it comes to the two comeback albums,calling it a reunion of the original quartet is a huge exaggeration. Godley&Cremewere not involved in the creative process at all, except for dropping byto add their vocals to a couple of tracks on Meanwhile. The recordis 99% pure Gouldman and Stewart.G&C never appeared at all on MirrorMirror. Eric Stewart describes the reunion as a purely financial arrangementthat should never have happened. On Meanwhile the use of studiomusicians was way to extensive, and by the time Mirror Mirror wasrecorded, the two remaining band members were not on speaking terms, recordingindividually, and hardly meeting at all. Checking out the websites of thetwo gents in questions reveals that the mutual feelings are far from amicableat the moment, ruling out any immediate thoughts of another reunion.
Short comments? On these guys? This band is honestly the most fabulousgroup I have heard in a long time. Quality hooks, on almost every song!How people can stand up for McCartney's solo shite when a band like thisis out there is beyond me. As for the debut album, the first side is allincredible - "Speed Kills" sounds like Yes doing a disco bluesnumber. "Sand In My Face" is kind of annoying, though, and thesecond side does have some filler (except for "The Dean And I"and "Headline Hustler," which are fantastic!), so I could onlygive this a really high 8/10. But what a high eight!!!!!!
Art Rock. Isn't that what 10cc is all about? This first album had someprimal rhythms that struck a cord with my then-15-month-old daughter. As"Headline Hustler" started to play one day, she immediately smiledand started doing the butt-shimmy on the floor to the beat - a first. Thisband was too short-lived and very talented. WAY ahead of their time. Smartlyrics, great instrumentals and primal rhythms - they have (had) it all.Give them a 10!
I've had Sheet Music by 10cc for a while now. And...well, I don'tthink it is actually a very good album. I think the main thing is thatthe majority of the 'songs' are sort of 'pastiches' on other styles ofmusic...mocking parodic experiments that are slapped together with suchviolence and disregard for good taste they'll make you accidently ingestyour eyeballs in disbelief. Which isn't to say these pocketbook-pop jokesongs don't work, they are definitely funny and interesting, I just thinkthe whole 'music' element suffers terribly from it. I can only listen tosongs like 'Hotel', 'Clockwork Creep', 'Baron Samedi', 'The Sacro-Iliac'and the like in a comedic capacity, because musically they are all ridiculous.
These things said, even if it doesn't quite mesh together as an album (comingoff more as a musical montage, or collage, or skitzophrenic parody), itstill contains some truly outstanding music. 'The Wall Street Shuffle'must be one of the best rock songs I've heard. It has a magnificent sweepand power to it...I'm enthralled by the 'Oooo Howard Hughes, did your moneymake you better?' bit. So true. And the song just thumps like nothing I'veheard. The whole thing perfectly captures the corporate wheeling and dealingimagery, and most of all through the music itself! It just sounds curt,professional and impersonal...all qualities of Wall Street itself 'TheWorst Band In The World' has a cool atmosphere and (slightly obscure) groove.That mid-section with the roady lyrics...so dumb! Next is a big stringof further parody tracks...'Hotel' is kind of neat, and 'Yan-kee go home!Yan-kee go home!' is, admittedly, ball-breakingly hilarious. 'Old WildMen' is one of the few tracks that sounds like an actual song, and benefitsfrom that, but it's relatively limp and bland. Not bad overall. 'ClockworkCreep' irritates me alot for some reason, I think it's that dumb mid-section,and the far too smug vocal delivery.
Now, finally! 'Silly Love'! Holy CRAP! What a goddamn song. Everythingabout it is perfect...alongside it's fellow masterpiece 'Wall Street Shuffle'these two tracks form the dual 'centerpieces' of this album. The lyricsare so damn awesome. The song itself is a monster metallic groove witha crushing chorus, dancing guitars, and an utterly, utterly brilliant midsection.Is it just me, or is...'Ooooo you know the art of conversation must bedyin'. Ooooo when a romance depends on cliches and two-chays and three-pays',and then laugh, BAM kickass guitar solo...is about the best moment in music,ever? There's that exaggeration again, but really. Then 'and we rely onCrosby's crooning, take a little time, make up your own rhyme, don't relyon mine...because it's SSSSHHHHHH SILLLY!'. Well, George said it.
The rest of the album is alright, I mean the songs besides 'Wall Street'and 'Silly Love' all have things to offer. They're funny, messed up, parodiclittle ditties with like, 20 ideas crammed into their short running times.Which is fine, because I like 10cc's quirky funniness, it's just I thinkHow Dare You? works way better as an album. As far as being their quintessentialalbum, I think Sheet Music is. The reason being that all their majorelements are included in almost equal parts, but 10cc cover SO MANY areasin general that doing this makes for a supremely cut and paste experience.It is not consistent enough in my opinion. How Dare You? seems tofocus more on song-writing and melody, so I prefer it...while still throwingin some bizarre madness.