SONGS THAT SAVED MY LIFE #6

As a kid, one of the bands that stood out in my Dads record collection were Squeeze. Three singles -"Cool For Cats", "Up The Junction", and "Another Nail In My Heart" -, none of which i actually understood until years later, but still enjoyed listening to. I'd heard a couple of their other songs on the radio too, but these three 7"s were generally all i knew of them. Until 1987 that is. They'd split up in the early 80's but got back together after a couple of years, and in the summer of that year they were suddenly back in the Top 20, and on Top Of The Pops, so i was quite interested to see them. "Hourglass" was a big hit here and in the States, thanks to the quirky video being on high rotation on MTV, and i really liked it. My Mum bought me the album it came from - Babylon And On - probably as much for her to listen to, and i remember being transfixed by it.  As an 11 year old i the adult themes in the lyrics were still a bit above my head, but it didn't matter. The songs were full of catchy tunes, and i would learn them off by heart. As i've gotten older, they've made more sense. The whole album seems to share a theme of reflection and ruminating on getting older, especially on "Hourglass", "Footprints", "In Todays' Room". There are songs about love and relationships too, but from a very adult perspective: "The Prisoner" tells of a controlling relationship, "Tough Love" of an abusive one: "Cigarette of A Single Man" deals with loneliness. But as always, Chris Diffords' lyrics are often written as short stories, little kitchen-sink dramas packed into 3 or 4 minutes. The music is quite of its time, given an 80's production sheen, but the songs hold up well. I don't currently have a copy of Babylon And On, but i remember the songs, and they were my first real introduction to grown-up pop music. I've become more acquainted with their back catalogue over the years, and it's always surprised me that they weren't more successful, belonging as they do in that very English tradition of great songwriting that tells stories of everyday life without being dull - The Kinks, XTC, Ian Dury, Madness, Blur, and so on.