“An old refrain, it lingers on: l’amour, toujours, l’amour…”

I did not love Roxy Music, but I did love their song “All I Want is You”. I heard it on WBCN in Boston back in the 70s. Rock songs are not usually romantic love songs. When they say “love” they mean “gettin’ it on”. But this one is that rarity, a romantic love song, and — unusually for the arch, idiosyncratic and somewhat abstract Roxy — a genuine rock song.

Via the unspeakably great You Tube, here is a live version of “All I Want is You”. Having listened to this about 20 times, I have decided to share the joy with the ChicagoBoyz community. The always dapper Bryan Ferry is fabulous in some kind of state trooper uniform. But he was no mere fashion plate. The man had the greatest enunciation in popular music. The band is in the pocket. These guys had the goods.

This one really took me back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10QSJUAkDgo&playnext=1&list=PLD14F4DE950D93E74

Here are two other Roxy Music gems from their golden era, Do the Strand and Virginia Plain.

And as curiosity/bonus for our beloved readers, here is the recently resurrected Mission of Burma, old and gnarly but still full of spit and vinegar, playing Roxy’s Editions of You with the guy from Dinosaur, Jr. on guitar. Roxy is part of the deep structure at this point. Which is a good thing. (Thanks to Carl Ortona for the Burma link.)

(Here’s a cool Bryan Ferry interview from 1972.)

Lyrics below the fold.

All I Want is You

(ferry)

Somebody told me
Just the other day
That you’re leaving me
We’re through
Well if you knew
How it hurt me so
Then you’d change your mind
I’m sure
Don’t want to hear
What’s going on
I don’t care
What’s new
Don’t want to know
About anything
’cause all I want
Is you
Going out with other girls
Was always such a bore
But since I fell in love with you
I need you more and more
Don’t want to know
About one-night-stands
Cut-price souvenirs
All I want is
The real thing
And a night that lasts
For years.
If you ever change your mind
I’ve a certain cure
An old refrain, it lingers on
L’amour, toujours l’amour…
Don’t want to learn
About etiquette
From glossy magazines
Why should I try
To talk correct
Like they do
In another scenes
Say no more
About imagery
You’re starting to confuse
Just make an offer
Of more romance
Of course I can’t refuse
All I want is you
Oo oo i’m all cracked up on you.

Do the Strand

(ferry)

There’s a new sensation
A fabulous creation
A danceable solution
To teenage revolution
Do the strand love
When you feel love
It’s the new way
That’s why we say
Do the strand

Do it on the tables
Quaglino’s place or Mabel’s
Slow and gentle
Sentimental
All styles served here
Louis seize he prefer
Laissez-faire le strand

Tired of the tango
Fed up with fandango
Dance on moonbeams
Slide on rainbows
In furs or blue jeans
You know what I mean
Do the strand

Had your fill of quadrilles
The madison and cheap thrills
Bored with the beguine
The samba isn’t your scene
They’re playing our tune
By the pale moon
We’re incognito
Down the lido
And we like the strand

Arabs at oasis
Eskimos and chinese
If you feel blue
Look through who’s who
See la goulue
And nijinsky
Do the strandsky
Weary of the waltz
And mashed potato schmaltz

Rhododendron
Is a nice flower
Evergreen
It lasts forever
But it can’t beat strand power
The sphynx and mona lisa
Lolita and guernica
Did the strand

Virginia Plain

(ferry)

Make me a deal and make it straight
All signed and sealed, i’ll take it
To Robert E. Lee I’ll show it
I hope and pray he don’t blow it ’cause
We’ve been around a long time just try try try tryin’ to
Make the big time…

Take me on a roller coaster
Take me for an airplane ride
Take me for a six days wonder but don’t you
Don’t you throw my pride aside besides
What’s real and make believe
Baby jane’s in acapulco we are flyin’ down to rio

Throw me a line i’m sinking fast
Clutching at straws can’t make it
Havana sound we’re trying hard edge the hipster jiving
Last picture shows down the drive-in
You’re so sheer you’re so chic
Teenage rebel of the week

Flavours of the mountain steamline
Midnight blue casino floors
Dance the cha-cha through till sunrise
Open up exclusive doors oh wow!
Just like flamingos look the same
So me and you, just we two got to search for something new

Far beyond the pale horizon
Some place near the desert strand
Where my studebaker takes me
That’s where i’ll make my stand but wait
Can’t you see that holzer mane-
What’s her name virginia plain

Editions of You

(Ferry)

Well i’m here looking through an old picture frame
Just waiting for the perfect view
I hope something special will step in to my life
Another fine edition of you
A pin-up done in shades of blue
Sometimes you find a yearning for the quiet life
The country air and all it’s joys
But badgers couldn’t compensate at twice the price
For just another night with the boys oh yeah
And boys will be boys, will be boys
They say love’s a gamble, hard to win, easy lose
And while sun shines you’d better make hay
So if life is your table and fate is the wheel
Then let the chips fall where they may
In modern times the modern way

And as I was drifting past the lorelei
I heard those slinky sirens wail – whooo
So look out sailor when you hear them croon
You’ll never been the same again oh no
Their crazy music drives you insane – this way

So love, leave me. do what you will
-who knows what tomorrow might bring-
Learn from your mistakes is my only advice
And stay cool is still the main rule
Don’t play yourself for a fool
Too much cheesecake too soon
Old money’s better than new
No mention in the latest tribune
And don’t let this happen to you