(Debuted February 26, 1983, Peaked #67, 8 Weeks on the Chart)
Music fans in America often miss out on the best stuff from England. Take the song "Only You," for instance. It has a great melody and ranks with the best synth-pop of the 1980s. However, it took an entire year before it made the pop chart in the U.S. and wasn't widely heard at the time. Yet, 30 years later, Alison Moyet's understated vocal over the wash of synthesizers may be among the best performances of the decade.
If "Only You" sounds like it could have been done by Depeche Mode, there's good reason. Vince Clarke wrote it while he was still a member of that band, but it was passed over as a possible cut for them. Clarke was on his way out of the group at the time and cut it with his next project, a duo with Moyet he called Yazoo but shortened to Yaz in the U.S.
"Only You" was the first of only two chart singles they would have in the U.S. before they split up in 1983, but both members would return to the chart. Moyet would hit the Top 40 in 1985 as a solo artist, and Clarke would be one of the members of Erasure.
I loved Yaz(oo) but their time together was so short lived because Vince and Alison could never agree on what sound and style they wanted for the duo. Vince wanted to write poppy synth songs and Alison wanted songs with a more soulful sound.
ReplyDeleteThe two hits they had in the US were on the same single in the UK. 'Situation' was the B side to 'Only You'. It ranks as one of the best B sides ever. And it's a real shame that they never scored any other hits in the US, especially with their last ever single release, 'Nobody's Diary' from 1983. The song is even better than 'Only You'.