Very occasionally there’s a
record which does the double, a transatlantic number two. “Bird Dog” is one
such record; in Britain it
was runner-up to Tommy Edwards’ reworking of “It’s All In The Game” and as such
Lena has already written about it. I don’t
have much to add to her commentary except to note that, just as Supergrass were
in their heart of hearts best when they were writing songs about being told to
sit up straight at the back of the bus, Don and Phil work most powerfully when
they sing from the perspective of frustrated, hormone-crazed teenagers – their acoustic
guitars sting like freshly-harvested shards of nettle. The question does occur as
to why all of these songs were sung by two guys, two different (though
complementary) voices, but it is quickly realised that the reason we’re hearing
two voices is so that their immaculate harmonies, which will define virtually
everything and everyone who comes after them in pop, can be shown off, as
hormone-crazed teenagers are wont to do.
Date Record Made Number Two: 20 September 1958, 11 October 1958
Number of Weeks At Number Two: 3 (2 in September, 1 in October)
Record At Number One: “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volaré)”
by Domenico Modugno (September); "It's All In The Game" by Tommy Edwards (October)
UK Chart
Position: 2
Other Information:
A “bird dog” in American football terms is a quarterback who stares down receivers before throwing the ball at them, and so Don’s querulous and resentment-ridden spoken asides can be viewed as a viable equivalent; staring down Johnny in the knowledge that he will probably never get next to her, in the fullest of senses.
A “bird dog” in American football terms is a quarterback who stares down receivers before throwing the ball at them, and so Don’s querulous and resentment-ridden spoken asides can be viewed as a viable equivalent; staring down Johnny in the knowledge that he will probably never get next to her, in the fullest of senses.
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