TS: Danny Wilson, "Mary's Prayer" vs Swing Out Sister's "Breakout"

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The first song's a one-hit wonder, praised in some quarters, like China Crisis were, as Steely Dan lite (um, because the singer had a nasally Fagen-esque voice?), with just enough melancholy to justify some of the praise. The second's the real thing.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 22:18 (twenty years ago)

"Breakout" makes me want to set fire to people's hair, so I guess I must go with Danny Wilson.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 23:13 (twenty years ago)

I adore both, but I'm gonna have to take "Breakout," both for the joyous arrangement and for that video. Makes me want to throw around reams of fabric every time I hear it.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 21 July 2005 03:40 (twenty years ago)

Breakout

― Headshot Photographer (tracerhand), Thursday, 21 July 2005 05:21 (twenty years ago)

Mary's Prayer, any time.

― avery keen-gardner (avery keen-gardner), Thursday, 21 July 2005 09:01 (twenty years ago)

Mary's Prayer, or and the other hit, "arr the Second summer of love"

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 21 July 2005 09:04 (twenty years ago)

Breakout easily

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Thursday, 21 July 2005 09:27 (twenty years ago)

Mary's Prayer, oh aye.

― bg (creamolafoam), Thursday, 21 July 2005 09:33 (twenty years ago)

"Breakout". I'd actually forgotten about "Mary's Prayer", thanks a bunch for reminding me :(

― David Merryweather Goes To Far (scarlet), Thursday, 21 July 2005 09:34 (twenty years ago)

praised in some quarters, like China Crisis were, as Steely Dan lite (um, because the singer had a nasally Fagen-esque voice?)

Didn't Walter Becker actually produce the third China Crisis album?

― NickB (NickB), Thursday, 21 July 2005 09:40 (twenty years ago)

Um, I shouldn't really know that, should I?

― NickB (NickB), Thursday, 21 July 2005 09:41 (twenty years ago)

'Didn't Walter Becker actually produce the third China Crisis album?'

He did.

And I'm a little surprised by the Mary's Prayer love. How omnipresent was this song?

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 21 July 2005 10:15 (twenty years ago)

jesus in the calico...

― second summoner, Thursday, 21 July 2005 10:24 (twenty years ago)

If I hadn't heard either for a while I may have picked Breakout, but I heard it recently and realised the version in my memory was much better than the original. The catchy bits are still great, but it isn't all catchy bits and it's a longer, baggier and duller song overall than I remember. It takes an impressive level of cack-handedness to fit longeurs into a single with that bassline and those hooks, but they managed it with room to spare.

So MP despite an element of worthiness wins. I'd object to the idea of DW as "one hit wonders" though - their first album was a pretty decent, if somewhat underproduced, collection of songs, and MP doesn't stand out as much as you'd expect. I still have a soft spot for the last track, the one that mentions "Milky Way", oddly reminiscent of "Any World That I'm Welcome To" and fully justifying their Steely Dan lite tag.

― frankiemachine, Thursday, 21 July 2005 12:23 (twenty years ago)

I'd say swap Breakout for 'You on my Mind'.

― Jez (Jez), Friday, 22 July 2005 10:14 (twenty years ago)

"Breakout" bothers me in some visceral way. It could actually be the joyousness. I vote for the Mary song.

― p.j. (Henry), Friday, 22 July 2005 19:35 (twenty years ago)

two years pass...

"Mary's Prayer" is the best song ever, so... gotta be that.

― Dom Passantino, Monday, 3 September 2007 13:22 (eighteen years ago)

"bosh" version was played at Poptimism on Saturday, followed by lashings of ginger beer

― blueski, Monday, 3 September 2007 13:25 (eighteen years ago)

"If I say TEN-HAY-LMER-EEZ, leave the light on in Heaven"

― Dom Passantino, Monday, 3 September 2007 13:26 (eighteen years ago)

Going for "Mary's Prayer" although they had at least a dozen songs on their two albums that were better.

― Geir Hongro, Monday, 3 September 2007 14:01 (eighteen years ago)

Very classic.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Monday, 3 September 2007 14:05 (eighteen years ago)

ILM's Geir Hongro, I have been told that "Meet Danny Wilson" is a truly classic album and one of the best to come out of Scotland in the 80s. Do you agree with this, and should I acquire a copy?

― Dom Passantino, Monday, 3 September 2007 14:06 (eighteen years ago)

fuck me, what's next for reappraisal here? Mike & The Mechanics ??

U R ALL GHEY

Breakout

― fandango, Monday, 3 September 2007 14:16 (eighteen years ago)

or grehy perhaps... grehy in your SOULS

― fandango, Monday, 3 September 2007 14:18 (eighteen years ago)

BAN FANDANGO

BANDANGO

― Dom Passantino, Monday, 3 September 2007 14:20 (eighteen years ago)

"Meet Danny Wilson" is a great album even though it isn't even close to Aztec Camera at their best.

― Geir Hongro, Monday, 3 September 2007 14:21 (eighteen years ago)

― fandango, Monday, 3 September 2007 14:26 (eighteen years ago)

Someone needs to leave the light on in heaven for Fandango.

― Dom Passantino, Monday, 3 September 2007 14:33 (eighteen years ago)

okay having youtubed. Danny WIlson not as BAD as I recalled tbh... and the charming (now) datedness of the production helps too

And I'm a little surprised by the Mary's Prayer love. How omnipresent was this song?
-- Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Thursday, July 21, 2005

probably not omnipresent, but it was played ENOUGH that I'm happy it's not heard that much anymore...

still one of many examples-of though, whereas 'Breakout' hits some kind of sweet spot that gets tickled far too infrequently for my liking. No contest.

― fandango, Monday, 3 September 2007 15:06 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/southyorkshire/content/images/2005/08/12/danny_wilson_celeb150_150x180.jpg

think of him and celebrate

― blueski, Monday, 3 September 2007 15:11 (eighteen years ago)

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