We adore Mr Neil Hannon - who was 50 years old (!) last week - and his combo The Divine Comedy, one of the better bands to emerge from the "Britpop" era in the 90s (alongside the likes of Blur, Oasis and fellow eccentrics Jarvis Cocker and Pulp). I only saw him once on stage, performing This is Not America at the "Bowie Prom" back in 2016, and he was every bit as cool and polished as one would expect.
Despite not having an extensive selection of his works in our vast music library here at Dolores Delargo Towers, we know that just about anything he turns his creative genius to is inevitably "right up our street", and I have, of course, featured our two favourites by Neil and the gang, National Express - see here - and I've Been to a Marvellous Party (several times) - notably here - on this very blog before. So rather than revisit either of those meisterwerks, let's have a couple of completely unexpected covers...
How about... Kate Bush?
...or even Abba?!
To conclude, however, let's get back to the man's own quirky creations, with this - the band's first hit - being a shining example:
Brilliant!
Many happy returns, Edward Neil Anthony Hannon (born 7th November 1970)!
The retrospective album Venus, Cupid, Folly & Time: Thirty Years of The Divine Comedy is out now - more details on the band's website.
Footnote:
Mr Hannon also wrote this...
I've just checked my CD shelves and it seems "Victory For the Comic Muse" is the last Divine Comedy album I bought (and I've just popped it on). It seems I've got some catching up to do!
ReplyDeleteFourteen years' worth, indeed... Jx
DeleteSo cool - and I don't say that very often!
ReplyDeleteSx
The coolest - anyone whose career ranges from being the backing band for the sublime Ute Lemper's Punishing Kiss album to writing the Father Ted "Eurovision hit" My Lovely Horse to singing backing vocals with Neil Tennant on a Robbie Williams album has my vote. Simply marvellous. Jx
DeleteA great talent indeed
ReplyDeleteWe always think of him whenever we travel to Stansted by National Express. Jx
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