Great Songs from My Favorite Year in Music: 1985, Part 27

Scritti Politti - "Word Girl" & "Perfect Way"





(Single Releases: May & December 1985)
Here, in one specific album, we have a multitude of layers. At this point, 27 posts into 1985, I shouldn't have to declare my love for these songs. It should be apparent that I have an affection for every song I post in this list. However, in the summer of 1985, Green Gartside's voice was a revelation. While there may not have been a stigma to fey vocals in the alternative music sphere in the 80s, it was still shocking to hear the wispy nature of Green's delivery. Nearly every track on Cupid & Psyche 85 was worthy of being a single, and five out of the ten original tracks were indeed released as singles. For as obscure as Scritti Politti seems now, this feat was amazing and very seldom paralleled. Think about it, that's how many singles Purple Rain spawned. Wow. Aside from the two presented above, the other three were "Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)," "Hypnotize," and "Absolute." So, we have the layer of pop single prolificity. But, we also have the layers of style. Starting out as a political punk band, a la the Clash, Green Gartside took the band (himself) in a different direction in the 80s, which paid off in chart success. He started to fall in love with the music coming out of New York, and adored hip-hop. He, in fact, paid tribute to hip-hop in his more recent single, "The Boom Boom Bap" to great effect. Cupid & Psyche 85 was more of a hybrid of R&B, soul, and pop, as though he were the 80s male version of Dusty Springfield. Judging from the title, you could probably guess that all the songs have to do with love, the end or tragedy of love, and every other parallel that can be made with the classic tale from mythology. But let's take a look at these two songs in particular. They immediately present a comparison of tastes, one with a slower-paced ska or reggae kind of beat, the other a swift and busy synth-pop dance tune. Perhaps ironically, "Word Girl" has lyrics that all hang together perfectly into a narrative, whereas "Perfect Way" is almost a thesaurus heavy word salad. "Word Girl" was the highest charter in the UK at #6, while "Perfect Way" barely registered. It was the opposite in the US, where "Word Girl" never charted and "Perfect Way" hit #11. Yes, there are many layers to Scritti Politti, but really, Green Gartside just writes and performs great music.