Paolo Nutini - '10/10'
Even if you don't think you've heard this song, you probably have. It has already been used to sell sofas, soundtracked various television montages (usually of cheery people all pulling together to achieve a difficult job in trying circumstances) and various chirpy promotional trails on TV and radio. It's not quite up there with the FloMash cover of 'You Got The Love' - which has been overused a tiny smidge, it's fair to say - but it's heading out that way.
Incidentally, has anyone else noticed that Florence changed the title of the song from the slangy, gutteral 'You Got The Love' to the grammatically correct, prim 'You've Got The Love'? Frankly, I'm surprised she allowed the apostrophe to stand. If we're going for absolute textbook grammar, it should be 'You Have Got The Love', with maybe a 'Yours Sincerely, Florence' at the end.
(There is no video. This is the single release equivalent of one last smooch at the end of the night, while the chairs are being stacked away.)
Now, when it comes to dad-friendly, non-edgy, feelgood ska-based music like this, the battle lines are so firmly entrenched and well drawn that you can buy scrolls detailing where the main trenches are...made out of parchment, and prevented from unrolling with a blob of sealing wax.
The strange thing is, we're living through a time where the idea of 'good' or 'bad' taste in music as an absolute thing is on the wane. The incredible variety of ways in which it is possible to experience music, talk about music and generally think about music has left everyone basically adopting a buffet approach to selecting tunes. It's not about everyone going for the meatiest thing on the table and sneering at the salad, it's about picking the bits you personally like, and not worrying if the person next to you chooses something else.
Can you tell I'm writing this from a position of being mocked for allowing myself to be won over by the charms of Paolo's second album? Mocked by people who were perhaps a little irritated by 'Pencil Full Of Lead', despite its heartwarming charms and nudgewink innuendo? Defensive? Me?
Well, stuff it. This sounds like an old ska tune by Prince Buster. I think it's good fun, but I would probably not miss it if it mysteriously fell off the album and something else which sounds like Prince Buster popped up instead.
Now, who'd like a scotch egg?
Download: Out now
CD Released: January 11th
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Music page
(Fraser McAlpine)
Comment number 1.
At 5th Jan 2010, CurtainJerker wrote:I noticed the Florence correction. I put it down to wanting to sound more authentic, and singing it with her own voice - if she sang "you got the love", it would sound a little fake, and dare I say American. Actually, pop's rife with that - lyrics that have singers singing "ain't", or using double-negatives, when you can tell when they speak that those aren't expressions which are natural to them. I guess it's probably a legacy of old-time American rock 'n' roll setting the standard language for pop music.
(Note my restraint in not referring to that Sugababes crap with the "if I had a dime" lyric. You all know how I feel about that. Bah.)
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Comment number 2.
At 5th Jan 2010, thranjax wrote:"If I had a dime.." AARRGGHH. That's how I feel about that.
It goes the other way as well, I remember seeing Wyclef Jean on (I think) TOTP doing 911 and singing "someone please call 999" instead, and that really grated as well.
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Comment number 3.
At 5th Jan 2010, CurtainJerker wrote:Are you sure it wasn't just the fact that it was, you know, Wyclef trying to sing?
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Comment number 4.
At 5th Jan 2010, thranjax wrote:Did I say singing? I meant whining.
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Comment number 5.
At 5th Jan 2010, Daniel wrote:Does anybody like Paulo Nutini?
Personally, I can't stand him. I don't know what it is exactly but I think it's his voice, his slurry singing style and foremost, his songs.
He released an entire song about his New Shoes. No, I don't care if that was a metaphor but c'mon. Shoes?! On that note, his last song, Pencil Full Of Lead - What was all that about? 3 minutes of listing things around him is what it seemed to me. "Two pairs of socks, And a door with a lock, I've got food in my belly and a License for my telly".
Awful, Just Awful.
And I don't like his face.
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Comment number 6.
At 5th Jan 2010, BloggingLiam wrote:Daniel isnt allowed back! 'Pencil full of lead' is absolutely amazing.
Love this song too. Its not the best on the album and is perhaps a little cheesy I'll admit.. but its still great. Perhaps not the best thing to release after 'Pencil..', but it keeps him on the radio eh?
Great album, great sound, great talent. Great live too. Look him up on Hootenanny. He's absolutely hammered but it's still good.
Ok I'll stop gushing now. Rare I like an artist this much though.
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Comment number 7.
At 6th Jan 2010, spirit wrote:"Does anyone like PAULO NEUTINI ? " As a guess I would say yes , judging by the album chart . Just who is that guy at number 1 ?
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Comment number 8.
At 6th Jan 2010, thranjax wrote:Paulo Neutini? He is the cloned mini-me of Paulo Nutini.
Paulo Neutrino? He is at every chart position at once, until directly observed.
Paulo Nutella? He is the tastiest Paulo you ever did spread on your toast. And whichever way you hold him, if you drop him he always falls nutty side down.
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Comment number 9.
At 6th Jan 2010, BloggingLiam wrote:It was going well till Nutella :p
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Comment number 10.
At 7th Jan 2010, Daniel wrote:How is it amazing? I don't understand.
Usually I understand why people like songs I don't but in this case, I just don't.
Allow me to do my own version:
I've got a sandwich full of meat,
And room on my seat,,
I can see a Nintendo Wii,
I've got a lock and a key,
There's a rug on the floor,
And I can see my front door,
There's laminate flooring,
This song is boring.
Number one, please!
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Comment number 11.
At 7th Jan 2010, CurtainJerker wrote:Would you rather listen to Paolo Neutrino or Oxide and Neutrino?
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Comment number 12.
At 7th Jan 2010, spirit wrote:I know an italian vet called PAULO NEUTERINI . He works at a place called NUTS LANDING . . . .
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Comment number 13.
At 8th Jan 2010, thranjax wrote:It has to be Paulo Neutrino, he's so elusive!
Yeah, it's overwhelming but what else can we do?
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Comment number 14.
At 8th Jan 2010, BloggingLiam wrote:Get jobs in offices and wake up for the morning commute perhaps?
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Comment number 15.
At 8th Jan 2010, thranjax wrote:Not this morning thankfully they saw sense and closed for the day.
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Comment number 16.
At 8th Jan 2010, spirit wrote:Or go to paris shoot some pool and play darts with the stars . .
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Comment number 17.
At 8th Jan 2010, thranjax wrote:The more interesting use of the phrase "play darts" I have heard recently. Did you get a treble twenty? Did you get a bullseye?
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Comment number 18.
At 8th Jan 2010, spirit wrote:Did you not see it ?
It was televised . And showing very late on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ 2 .
If you caught a glimpse , you would have been up all night .
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Comment number 19.
At 8th Jan 2010, BloggingLiam wrote:I would not be doing such in Paris!
Im job office morning commuting for this year (break from filthy studentdom) and sadly, been in all week.
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