Talk:Hitsville UK

Unreferenced information

I removed the following from the article because it is unreferenced, and in the case of the second example, probably irrelevant:

Overall, it is notable for being one of the band's most overtly melodic songs, reminiscent of a danceable ballad, in the same spirit as, among other songs, Jackie Wilson's "Higher and Higher", The Supremes' "You Can't Hurry Love" and a number of Motown hits from the early 1960s.

Notably, the Clash never signed to an indie label but spent their entire career on CBS Records.

If anyone can find a source for the musical comparisons, that would be an interesting addition to the article. As it is, though, it just appears to be someone's opinion. ---RepublicanJacobite_{The'FortyFive'} 21:22, 14 December 2008 (UTC)

I think the Supremes lift is fairly indisputable. The bass line together with the title was a way for the Clash to draw a direct comparison in lyrics/music between the English indie scene and Motown. The similarity to "Higher and Higher" is pretty obvious, too (and the Clash were big Jackie Wilson fans; they did benefit concerts for him when they played Detroit in '78 or '79). Many have noted the Motown riffs. The song is "a more recognisable attempt at recreating a Sixties soul groove" and "the backing track is strongly reminiscent of the Supremes’ 'You Can’t Hurry Love'". Gray, Marcus, The Return of the Last Gang in Town (Hal Leonard Corp. 2004), p.349. Likewise: Harp Magazine. Similarly: SF Weekly. Cloonmore (talk) 23:25, 14 December 2008 (UTC)