Level 42 'Tracie'

Chart Peak: 25
YouTube

Their 15th Top 40 single in Britain... Made No. 25 in January 1989

It's starting to look like Side 4 is turning into "underperforming January release side", no wonder the sleevenotes are losing interest. It's sort of fitting to hear this track next to Duran Duran: not only were both these tracks taking advantage of the January market to outchart the previous release from the album, but both acts had emerged at the opposite end of the 1980s, and both were now lacking key founder members. The Gould brothers (who were actual brothers, unlike the two Taylors in Duran Duran) had departed and whilst replacement guitarist Alan Murphy was a very talented player who died far too young (less than a year after this in fact) he doesn't get a lot to do on 'Tracie', co-written by Mark King and new drummer Gary Husband. The track is a slightly edited version of the album cut on YouTube (video available on Muzu) and you can hear it's trying for some of the bubbly funk sound of earlier hits like 'Hot Water' but the song itself just doesn't seem to go anywhere and however well King plays the bass it's hard to pay attention.

The group seemed to have lost their way at this stage, though they staggered on a few years. King later revived the name for live work, sometimes joined by co-singer Mike Lindup. A colleague of mine saw that af Watford Collisseum last month, he said they were very good.

Also appearing on: Now 4, 6, 7, 10, 13
Available on: Staring At The Sun (Expanded Version)

Level 42 'The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)'

Chart Peak: 10

YouTube

This track became the group's first Top 10 single in August 1983. They recently had their biggest Hit in their six-year chart history when 'Lessons In Love' reached No. 3.

The track that starts Side Three and so almost has to follow the Beatles is also the first track on here that's actually from the Now era. Indeed it has cropped up on at least one retrospective Now 1983 release, though it was never on a main-series release. It catches the band at a sort of transitional point, as they attempted to convert their reputation on the jazz-funk scene into more mainstream success - presumably with encouragement from the record company who were hoping for some return on their investment.

As such it should fall awkwardly between two stools, but in fact there's something rather addictive about it. I don't actually sound very much like my conceptions of jazz or funk music, but neither is is quite the same as the smoother Level 42 sound I remember from later in the 80s. It has a rather sparse arrangement, featuring some catchy little synth runs from Wally Badarou (who also gets a co-writing credit) and two contrasting vocals: Mike Lindup's naive singing and Mark King's cynical rap. Combine that with the chanted "Living It Up" subtitle and there's a set of elements that shouldn't really fit together but somehow they do I might even have to download this one myself. I'm not sure it's really summery beyond the fact that it has the word "sun" in the title, though.


Available on: The Very Best Of Level 42

Level 42 'Something About You'

Chart Peak: 6

YouTube

Their biggest hit single to date, 'Something About You' had reached No. 9 by late October. It is Level 42's 11th Top 50 hit in Britain.

A couple of warnings about that YouTube link: I'm not sure it's playing at quite the right speed. And it features Mark King as a creepy relationship-wrecking vaudeville clown.
That tally of Top 50 hits is actually quite revealing: their early chart career is full of singles peaking between 1 and 49. I don't think they even dispute that at some point the record company suggested they rethink their musical approach along more commercially viable lines: a slight reworking of their original jazz-funk sound gave them a first Top 10 hit with 'The Sun Goes Down', and this second one moves even further away from the realms of jazz into vaguely soul-oriented (if not especially soulful) pop. It's catchy and slick, like a less dreadful version of Maroon 5, and it sounds good on the radio but nothing to get passionate about.

Also appearing on: Now 4, 7, 10, 13, 14
Available on: Something About You - The Best Of

Level 42 'Lessons In Love'

Chart Peak: 3

YouTube

'Lessons In Love' became Level 42's biggest UK hit to date when it reached No.3 for three weeks in May 1986.

And indeed it was to remain their biggest British hit, and one of their biggest in the US. A work colleague of mine was a big fan of the band in their heyday, and we have a sort of running gag every time one of their songs comes on the radio while he's away from his desk.

"Guess which Level 42 song you just missed?"
"Was it 'Lessons In Love'?"
"Yes."

OK, occasionally it's 'Something About You', but it is almost always this one. And it's a song I know well anyway, having heard a lot of the Running In The Family album where it ultimately appeared the following year.

It's obviously one of their most pop-oriented songs from the times when they sought (and got) major mainstream success but I don't object to that on principle, especially as I'd only have a limited interest in funk jams. If anything, this isn't quite pop enough for my adult self; there's still a bit too much showiness which fails to gel somehow with the slightly daft lyric and the vaguely contrived way Mike Lindup has to get a little solo singing spot. In fact the phrase that springs most readily to mind is "watered down", with co-producer and -writer Wally Badorou trying to replicate a less dramatic version of the squelchy sounds he contributed to Talking Heards records earlier in the decade. I don't want to be too negative about this record when I don't actually dislike it, but it's somehow a bit too half-hearted to inspire enthusiasm.

Also appearing on: Now 4, 7, 10, 13, 14
Available on: Lessons In Love: The Collection

Level 42 'Hot Water'

Chart Peak: 18

YouTube

Level 42's second Top 20 hit after 'The Sun Goes Down' (and also their first Hot 100 hit in the US, I believe) finds them on their way towards the smooth pop sound that made them stars, whilst still retaining some of the slap-bass funk of their pre-fame days. I can't really claim much knowledge of the early stuff (and probably wouldn't get it anyway) so I have to take people's word for it that they knew what they were doing then.

In fact I don't remember hearing this before either, as it was overshadowed by the later more radio-friendly stuff. Coming to it now it seems to be falling rather between two stools, and despite the polished production they seem unsure of themselves. The lyric seems like a precursor to 'Running In The Family' and whilst that's not a favourite of mine it at least seems more wholehearted than this, which can't quite bring itself to be a pop song but isn't quite anything else either.

Also appearing on: Now 6, 7, 10, 13, 14
Available on: Level Best

Level 42 'It's Over'

Chart Peak: 10

YouTube

More childhood memories here, albeit somewhat less cool ones. The tape of Running In The Family was often on in the car, and I remember the song for that more than its actual chart appearance, although looking it up now I see it was Level 42's last Top 10 single, though they continued to have hits well into the 1990s.

Doubtless to the annoyance of fans of their earlier jazz-funk material, 'It's Over' finds the group at their most smoothly commercial, a ballad with the obligatory video filmed in a canyon. Obviously, deep emotional impact isn't on the agenda, although it's just about possible that they're aiming for an unemotive effect: that would at least make sense in terms of the lyrical content. I'd struggle to call this more than inoffensive, but it's well put together.

Also appearing on: Now 4, 6, 7, 13, 14
Available on:The Very Best Of Level 42