Alan Darby - Don’t Suffer And Be Still - 1987 - Siren
Click above for big pictures, click below to play me…
The breakdown of any long term relationship is a devastating time for everyone involved.
If you are friends with the two poor suffering individuals, it can be an emotionally fraught experience for you too. The word ‘divorced’ is clinical law based phraseology hiding all the bitterness that flows like molten lava beneath the surface, burning and scolding everything in its path. We have all seen friends get divorced, and to watch people you care about go through such intense emotional hardship is beyond words.
In the case of marriage, two people are so utterly convinced in the loving bond of trust they have discovered in each others inner selves, they express this commitment and desire to be together for the rest of their lives in the form of vows - in front of overjoyed friends and family. To see this kindness and sensitive openness years later descend into vitriol, hate, humiliation and disgust in each other is a lesson into how fragile the human condition truly is.
At least, that’s my opinion.
Alan Darby disagrees.
There is a common truism in the recycling world that there is no ‘away’ to throw things. This maybe correct, but you get the feeling on this record that Alan seems to believe that he has at least found an ‘away’ to throw his end - into a friend of his : a scared, emotionally scarred and about to be divorced woman. He keeps trying to appear caring and loving and not thinking about her pants but no matter how many times he re-phrases his words, his penis keeps rearing it’s ugly head.
The main chorus, for example, starts with a really lovely image of the couple in question at the beginning of their love affair. They are a ‘boy and girl’, with heads in hearts. That’s an arresting thought isn’t it? Your head in both your own heart and the heart of your lover. These two intertwined people then sadly turn, years later, into a lonesome ‘man and woman, dancing apart’. Nice, eh?
He soon ruins it though. He can’t help using this distance on the dancefloor between the two estranged lovers to his own advantage, and motions over to the lady in question to “Come closer, and talk to me.” If I was this woman I wouldn’t be tempted, as I suspect the word ‘closer’ in Alan’s strange world actually means ‘into a toilet cubicle’ and ‘me’ means ‘my penis’.
The dirty bastard.
What’s the music like ?
Disturbing.
If you make it to two minutes, this song has the worst guitar solo you will perhaps ever hear. It’s like listening to a gurning middle aged man cutting down metal trees with a chainsaw.
Then in the outro, having demolished them, he inexplicably turns into Sting – and there’s no need for that.
Ok, We’ve Suffered, Is Alan Still Around ?
Yes he is, and what is more I can guarantee that some of you have actually seen him play live recently…
http://www.wwry-london.co.uk/index.php?page=band
Yes, in the past he has been incredibly successful as a session musician with Eric Clapton and his ilk, and is now… a member of the house band for the Queen musical ‘We Will Rock You’.
Now, Alan and I differ in alot of ways. I wouldn’t use a friend’s catastrophic relationship collapse to try and sleep with them, and I also wouldn’t go anywhere near ‘We Will Rock You’ the musical as I believe it is unlikely to be anything other than a rather large pile of poo. Alan, however, I am sure doesn’t care in either respect - and I don’t blame him. I am sure he is getting paid more than I do and he is doing something that likes. In short : I Hate Him.
The link above also tells us that dear old Alan also writes music for the telly… let’s have a look… errr… well it is a slight misnomer, but he does write library music that possibly could turn up on the TV…. oooh, hang on… calm yourselves… here is a whole album of the stuff streaming online for your delectation :
http://www.dewolfe.co.uk/musicsearch/cd_tracks.php?cdnumber=RMCD%202051
Need to remove tension and stress ? Why not pour yourself a relaxing bath of Radox and listen to ’Turtle Watch’ ? ‘Peaceful, Reflective, Uplifting’… it’s bound to work.
Gosh, he’s done loads our Alan : he seems to have kick started his career by writing the theme music for a 1984 film about Barry Sheene called ’Space Riders’
which, according to IMDB, also features a young Marina Sirtis in the rather unenviable role of ’Girl In Porsche’ and music by Queen. In an odd way then, Alan’s career has come full circle - starting and ending (at least for now) under the gaze of Brian May and his loveable spandexed chums… and, for some reason, I find that all vaguely comforting - now, where did I put that Radox?
Money Update
Cost : 8 pence
Current Value: They are hilariously wide ranging. From somebody trying to cash in on all that ‘We Will Rock You’ nonsense by charging 26 pounds, to somebody who is being a little more realistic and asking for, well, 1 pound and 65 pence.
Current Profit : 88 pounds 44 pence. The nineties lie tantalizingly ahead of us – but it’s slow going. Though not exactly still, we are definitely suffering.
EDIT : New information available in ‘Corrections and Clarifications’
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September 15th, 2008 at 5:00 am
I was going to write a spirited defense of this single. As a fan of his former act Fashion, I was going to say that it is an example of late 80’s synth pop. But then that guitar solo reared it’s ugly head. I have decided to cop a plea!
May 6th, 2010 at 11:28 pm
In the late 70s I saw Alan several times with Glasgow light-funk band Cado Belle (launch pad for Maggie Reilly as well), and he was always sensational. Indeed, I’ve wondered why this sensational player - even with his stint with (the lesser) Clapton - hasn’t become more of a household name with guitarists. The Cado Belle album and subsequent EP are available on a single CD from Japan, and available via Spin in Newcastle. A nice band, nice record… and some great guitar playing.