Texas 'Say What You Want'

Chart Peak: 3

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Texas first hit big in 1989 with 'I Don't Want A Lover'... Ms Spiteri and the boys had their biggest hit to date with 'Say What You Want' - a No.3 monster in January '97.

Though they'd had other hits in between, Texas really seemed to be drifting into one-hit-wonderhood at this point. I remember being very surprised to hear them announced as a new entry on the chart early in 1997 when I'd pretty much forgotten they ever existed; but of course this proved to be only the start of their real commercial peak. Although most of the personnel were the same, they really seemed like a different band from the blues-rock incarnation of their earlier years, with a new slinkier sound influenced by trends in RnB but still old-school enough to appeal to a more mature audience. Perhaps no less importantly, they did what they'd always refused to do before and focussed more attention on Sharleen Spiteri, who started appearing alone on the record covers and in videos.

That description makes things seem very contrived, and doubtless it was to some extent, but they just about get away with it by displaying an apparently genuine love for the music. 'Say What You Want' was clearly "inspired" by Al Green's 'Tired Of Being Alone' and Marvin Gaye's 'Sexual Healing', but any record that can recall that latter song without making me want to throw up is onto a winner. I think they made better records before the formula got too tired, but this was a well-made pop single. And it sets out 1997's stall as a year of comebacks and surprise success from older acts.

Also appearing on: Now 37, 38, 38, 40, 43, 47, 48, 49, 56, 62, 63
Available on: I Don't Want A Lover