Rupert Everett - Generation Of Loneliness - 1987 - Chrysalis
Click above for big pictures, click below to play me…
Miltary HQ
The sergeant sits behind a desk. A soldier runs in breathlessly.
Quick sir, you’ve got to help.
What is it soldier ?
It’s the army sir. It’s in distress.
(Decisively) Right. I have dealt with exactly this kind of thing before, and what you have to promise me son is that no matter what happens - don’t get low about the situation, OK ?
Don’t get low, Sergeant ?
That’s what I said, soldier.
Forgive me if you think I am speaking out of turn here Sergeant, but the army is surrounded and hopelessly outnumbered. Thousands of our best men and women are about to die, and you are asking to me not to get low about it ?
This is more complicated than you realise. But can I just say we are a … (he leans forward secretively, and taps his nose) ‘Generation of Loneliness’.
A ‘Generation of Loneliness’, Sergeant ?
That’s what I said, soldier.
Errr… isn’t that the title of a 1987 single recorded by Rupert Everett sir ?
Yes soldier. Yes it is.
Our army and, as a consequence, possibly our very way of life is about to be annihilated and you are quoting Rupert Everett at me ?
I am afraid it’s worse than that.
What could possibly be worse than that ?
I think you’d better sit down.
(The soldier sits.)
(Whispers) Look son, not only am I quoting the title of a 1987 single released by erstwhile actor Rupert Everett… we both actually are that song.
We are that song, Sergeant ?
(Sighing) That’s what I said, soldier.
(confused) Oh, I see… errr… I think. So how long is this song within which we exist ?
Just over three and a half minutes, son.
Then we have less time than I thought - we need to act decisively and quickly. Sergeant, what are we going to do about the army in distress ?
Well, luckily ‘Generation Of Loneliness’ is very clear in this regard. Our chorus quite plainly states that if we ’see an army in distress… don’t get low’.
Isn’t that more than just a little self centred, sir ?
I wouldn’t know, son - we’re soldiers, and we follow orders.
Great, so we do nothing… and what happens after three and a half minutes of us doing nothing except not getting low about it all?
We… slowly fade out. To nothing.
Good God.
( Doing his best ‘Deck Of Cards’ Wink Martindale impression) You see soldier, our existence is really a metaphor for the human condition. Every single person on this planet is initially pressed, then packaged and eventually released to sing for their three and a half minutes of existence. For these brief shining moments human beings can show the world who they really are. Then, like the countless anonymous billions before them, they too will eventually fade… to nothing. But here is the key : the really lucky ones are given a darn good chorus to sing.
(swallowing hard and almost in tears) Do we have a good chorus, sir ?
No soldier. No, we don’t. But promise me something : don’t get low about that.
OK ?
What’s The Song Like ?
It is a song which is a little bit too worried about its own mortgage, and forever glancing over the fence to see if next door’s got a better car or not.
In an era where property is identity and socialism a dirty word, it’s time may well have just come again…
Where Is Rupert ?
Rupert is, of course Very Famous Indeed - even if for the life of me I can’t quite remember exactly why. Was he in that film about pretending to a woman’s boyfriend or something, even though the character was hilariously gay ? I have no idea, so fuck it, let’s look at IMDB :
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000391/
Have you seen many films on that list ?
I wonder if he knows the exact reason why he’s famous ?
Anyway, he is about to be in yet another film - St Trinian’s :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6675169.stm
I am not trying to be clever here, by the way - I just truly cannot remember and, bizarrely, IMDB jogged no memories at all…
Oh well, here’s a picture of him with Andy Warhol and Bianca Jagger instead :
http://www.richardyoungonline.com/ilovery/photos/11964?letters=y
Nice Cover ?
Yes it is. Ignore the front cover where Rupert looks like your gran, and pop straight to the back. It is a photograph taken by Werner Bischof in 1947. Werner died in 1954, but his works on the devastation and recovery in Post World War II Europe made him one of the foremost photojournalists of the time.
Interesting innit ?
And Finally ?
Rupert actually wrote this song with a chap called Bruce Woolley. Bruce has been involved in loads of stuff from Buggles to The Orb - but currently plays with the Radio Science Orchestra :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Woolley
http://www.myspace.com/brucewoolley
Money Update
Cost : 8 pence
Current Value : 1 very small pound and 15 lonely pennies.
Current Profit : 132 pounds and 77 pence.
Supporting Cast Update : Buggles - Orb, The - Martindale, Wink
RSS Blog
October 14th, 2007 at 6:28 pm
I really wanted to hate that, it’s not good, but it’s just not terrible either. There must be a video out there for it somewhere, surely? I had a look, but all I could find was him talking about fingering on BBC Breakfast time clicky,
October 21st, 2007 at 9:43 pm
Oh God, I remember that one coming out. I remember it being in Woolworth’s about the same time as someone re-issued Clark Datchler’s pre-JHJ solo singles. Dare I spoil twenty years’ ignorance by listening to it? I suspect not…
D x
November 11th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
Rupert has a beautiful voice . In fact his Italian and French work is better than any American rubbish. To say nothing of outstanding performances like in “To Kill A King” .Oh yes and one of the most wonderful autobiographies I have ever read ..so he’s been doing quite a bit.
January 18th, 2008 at 8:23 am
I’d just love to know why you don’t get “George” you said it yourself he is “pretending “to be her boyfriend ..in fact he sings beautifully in that film. Have you seen any of his other films ? If not it’s really your loss.
August 12th, 2008 at 4:47 am
I am going out on a limb here, but I happen to like the song. I won’t be adding it to my Ipod anytime soon. But it’s a perfectly pleasant way to spend 3 minutes. Although it sounds like it would fit right at home on David Bowie’s Never Let Me Down LP. And it’s not the nostalgia talking, this is my first listen. Although I was vaguely aware of Rupert’s musical ambitions back in the 80’s.