(13) The living end

[Robson]

"Whatever the song really is about, it almost certainly has something I can learn from it"

Exactly the same as from this song:

https://www.amarkintime.org/forum/index.php?topic=8599.0

[Stanko]

I didn't listen to the song but what I imagine from the phrase is about the "bread line" or people who meet their living ends in every day life.

[richardmu]

Nice nasty guitar solo in this. Another B track better than most of the album.

It does not sound like a Les Paul sound, reminds me of the Pensa sound from OES days especially Millionaire Blues sound.

[TommyJ88]

I like it, but I keep hearing So Far From the Clyde when I listen to it.

[Love Expresso]

It has a lot from that Dancefloor song from the last crap album, but this should definitely be on the album. Good, energetic song although Guy is allowed to do his synth plinkie stuff.

LE
 

[H97]

Classic Knopfler vocal melodies on this one, great song and I like female backing vocalists' 'shoo-shoo' rhythm parts

[Robson]

The Living End"

I'll walk up the mic
At the top of the show
Think, only fifty-nine more
Flaming minutes to go
The old suit doesn't fit
The money's nothing at all
To give 'em the stand-up
And the mirror ball

When I was in fashion
The toast of the town
By God, it were smashing
There was totty all round
I'd have them all legless
In the palm of my hand
And we'd be off to wherever
From my laughter land

You had loyalty
Back in the ITV years
We all played for royalty
All had the big careers

Well you wake up one morning
Hey presto, you're ogne
You've slipped out of style
And there you are, done
You wake up one morning
You're just not the trend
Soon enough you're appearing
At The Living End

I'm going too fast
I can tell you for free
Dying from trying
Is what you can see
Needs a break and a brandy
Your funny man friend
Tonight appearing
At The Living End
Tonight appearing
At The Living End

[dustyvalentino]

So, it appears to be about an ageing comedian who has fallen out of favour and is now reduced to playing tiny gigs having previously been big on television (ITV).

Someone like Jim Davidson but there are plenty of others.

[hunter v2.0]

Such an original topic  OK, someone's over the hill and out of fashion. And? I really don't see the point of spending time, money and talent to record stuff like this.

[dustyvalentino]

Such an original topic  OK, someone's over the hill and out of fashion. And? I really don't see the point of spending time, money and talent to record stuff like this.

He appears to have got into "observations" of other showbiz types in recent years, at least two on this album alone, then Early Bird, Terminal, Fizzy and the Still...

[dustyvalentino]

Good on You Son also.

[Rail King]

I like the song, but understand why it couldn't be on the album. It's pretty much the same story as Ahead of the Game, and that one is more interesting musically, in my opinion.

[Love Expresso]

How?

LE

[Rail King]

How?

LE

Well, apart from the two songs sharing the same topic, The Living End resembles both Back on the Dancefloor (musically, but also, again in terms of topic) AND So Far from the Clyde (totally different topic, but sharing a melodic line). I could imagine that they excluded it from the album for that reason - too close to previous songs. Whereas Ahead of the Game, while typical Mark, is more its own song, if that makes any sense.

[Elin N]

Too close to previous songs, that could be the title of this album But in a good way! It is like version 2 og 3; even better! His style is what I love, so if the whole album was totally different, I don't know if I would like it. The quote "he doesn't look back" is (almost) all wrong in my eyes. A lot of what he does, thematically and musically, is looking back, but in a magical way that mostly works very well. This track is Top 5 for me at the moment. The "schup schup" backing vocals works too. I admire Mark for almost never using female vocals , I think it's...cheap. He  balances the use of it very well on the album.