Wednesday, May 05, 2010

Was she the one that did Spacer?


I saw our MP giving away leaflets about himself at the train station this morning. I knew it was him because he looks like a scraggier Simon Calder, that overused but lucid voice of reason they wheel out for every travel story.

But we don't want to talk about elections do we. Though I feel a palpable excitement about it - I'm already weighing up options for my election night supper - I don't think we really need to delve any deeper into it.

So after much thought and deliberation about what to write about, today's subject is thunderthighed Scottish songbird and Katrina Leskovich-alike Kelly-Marie.

We all know her surprise 1980 No.1 camp disco sensation Feels Like I'm In Love - or should that be (Feel's Like) I'm In Love?. Well, the song reminds me of going to see a friend who'd moved to the next village and setting fire to a field of dry grass. We didn't mean to and no one died, but for a second there it looked like things might get out of hand. It went up so quickly it was like a public information film come to life. Anyhoo, his mum found out and we got a severe ticking off. I was sent home. Kelly Marie as on Top of The Pops that night.

However, I'm not interested in that hit as it's been done to death, remixed within an inch of its life until the magic has more or less been squeezed out of it and cast aside. What I want to talk to talk about the (Feels Like) I'm In Love-lite follow up Hot Love.

It may not be one to make you bounce onto the dancefloor immediately, but a fun slice of pop nonetheless. What really makes it stand out from the crowd though, is the bagpipes set to to music middle eight and the little faux-Scottish reel Kelly and her faithful pair of be-kilted backing dancers do to it. She's like a British Sheila & B. Devotion, isn't she?

I like unexpected changes of tempo like this, especially usuing traditional instruments. Who could forget the joy at the Riverdancey bit in B*Witched's sound of summer sensation and only good song C'est La Vie? Oh... Great video.

So on with the show. By the by, did you know the B in Sheila & B. Devotion (or is Sheila B. Devotion - so many pop puzzles sent to test us) stood for Black? Me neither, but they didn't think that was such a big deal in Holland.

Here we are then with Hot Love. Fast forward to the reel bit if you must at about 1.55. And you should know she wore that jacked on Musik Laden too. That show deserves a thread all of its own. Old ladies sit in chairs at Kelly's feet. It's all rather sedate.

Nice clip though. Be kind, it's from her official website via YouTube. Have a nice day. And who are you voting for?

14 comments:

Matthew Rudd said...

Yep, I've got this and prefer it to Feels Like I'm In Love. It's on Chartblasters 81 along with Beggar & Co, Matchbox and Fred Wedlock.

Chris Hughes said...

The weird thing about Feels Like I'm In Love is that I have absolutely no recollection of it from 1980. Looking at a list of number ones from that year, I can remember hearing practically everything else at the time, but no Kelly Marie. Perhaps I was having a bath when she was on Top Of The Pops.

Matthew Rudd said...

My seven year old self remembers it because of the childhood amusement that came from the 'boo boo!' heartbeat-drum fx thing.

Cocktails said...

There's an offical Kelly Marie website?!

Kolley Kibber said...

Did she ever wear anything but jumpsuits?

Chris Hughes said...

It was definitely the era of the jumpsuit. If you were assembling the definitive compilation of Jumpsuit Pop, you'd have to include this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4iI_mNTT6g

Jon Peake said...

Jumpsuit pop. Let's discuss it tonight.

Bright Ambassador said...

Can we have a Liquid Gold post tomorrow, please?

Jon Peake said...

If we're on a roll with jumpsuit pop BA, they're a shoo-in

Mondo said...

I've just checked here and it seems Feels Like I'm In Love has never been covered. Bizarre. She always reminded of the auburn one from Man' Tran'

Matthew Rudd said...

Feels Like I'm In Love *was* a cover though, wasn't it? Didn't it begin as some maudlin-tempo folk song?

Mondo said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mondo said...

Written in '77 by Ray Dorset (Mungo Jerry), and intended for Elvis Presley apparently!?!

I knew Bowie wrote Golden Years for Elvis, but Feels Like I'm In Love - What a shocker. Although sing it an Elvis voice and it all makes sense.

Jon Peake said...

I never knew that.

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