Tracey Ullman 'My Guy's Mad At Me'

Chart Peak: 23

YouTube

Her fourth single, released on 20 February. The previous three were all Top 10 smash hits.

Ah well, some of them you don't guess right. I suppose that's the risk of trying to be up to the minute.

It probably doesn't need to be pointed out that 'My Guy's Mad At Me' [or just 'My Guy' on the label] is a cover version of 'My Girl' by her labelmates Madness. The original had been a Top 3 hit less than four years earlier, and maybe that's one reason this version underperformed. The big problem, though, is that this interpretation just doesn't have the same effect as 'They Don't Know' did. 'My Girl' as sung by Suggs (or Mike Barson) is a song of surprising, and surprised vulnerability. It's a cocky young man realising that he has feelings after all; the line where "now she says I'm weak" is obviously meant to be be a real body-blow to him.

Ullman tries to turn the song into some sort of 'Leader Of The Pack'-style camp. But it doesn't quite pay off because they haven't gone all the way over the top with it. I do wonder how this track would have sounded to somebody who'd never heard (of?) the original version, but that's something I can't test.

Also appearing on: Now 1
Available on: The Best of Tracey Ullman

Tracey Ullman 'They Don't Know'

Chart Peak: 2

YouTube

A sort of homecoming here. Not only in the literal sense, but also because this is the first time on the entire album that I can turn to my own MP3 library to listen. Although it was a hit in the autumn, the production makes it sound a little bit like a Christmas song, so perhaps it's just as well I'm not posting it any later than this.

Back when Homer and Marge were just Matt Groening's parents, Tracey Ullman had a secondary career as a singer, which brought her no fewer than four Top 10 singles. This was the biggest, possibly (or possibly not) because Kirsty MacColl's original version had failed to chart, though it was apparently a big radio hit in its day. Of course, both versions had come from Stiff records and MacColl appears on this recording too (one website has it that they're the same backing track, though this obviously isn't the case). Most obviously, at least once it's been pointed out to you, MacColl has to sing the high note after the instrumental break. None of this should be taken as criticising Ullman's version, though - while not a great singer technically she sells this song very effectively, pioneering the vogue for Sixties pastiche and carrying the hint of clumsiness that makes you root for the protagonist. Of course, she helped to sell it in a more literal way too, thanks to her fame and connections (check out the guest star at the end of the video!).

Possibly because she left the country, her pop career seems a little forgotten. Maybe it deserves better.

Also appearing on: Now 2
Available on: You Broke My Heart in 17 Places