Playing Up The Vamp

If you've not followed Marc Almond's music through the 21st century, suffice to say that a) there's a lot of it and b) the quality is astonishingly high.

I've been playing catch up and have lost count at around 13 albums since 2000, including collaborations with the likes of Jools Holland, Michael Cashmore, Starcluster, Alexei Fedorov and John Harle, though not counting Soft Cell or Marc's 'other' job as lead singer with kick-ass rock 'n' roll band, The Loveless.

 

Whilst Marc's continued passion and capacity for a breadth of musical genres is breath taking, today's selection is a sedate Sunday stroll through his songs, a dozen songs spanning covers and collaborations. Most (not all) of Marc's albums since 2001 are represented and I'm quite happy with the sequencing on this one. 

 

In keeping with Marc's constant quest for new experiences and perspectives on our musical past, tonight he's performing in Oxford as part of The Bauhaus Band & Singers for a show entitled Brecht On Love And War.  In the first half, Marc will be singing hit songs and ballads of the 1920s and 30s, from Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill to Duke Ellington. I'm sadly not able to go but there are a few tickets left if you're nearby and fancy what will undoubtedly be a unique and entertaining night.

1) When Youth Becomes A Memory (Cover of Vadim Kozin): Marc Almond & Alexei Fedorov ft. The Rossia Orchestra Ensemble (2009)

2) Stranger In Paradise (Cover of Richard Kiley & Doretta Morrow): Marc Almond (2012)

3) Embers: Marc Almond (2017)

4) The Ballad Of The Sad Young Men (Cover of Rod McKuen): Marc Almond ft. Antony Hegarty (2007)

5) The Lunatic Lover: Marc Almond & Michael Cashmore (2011)

6) Burn Bright: Marc Almond (2014)

7) Trials Of Eyeliner: Marc Almond (2010)

8) Romance: Marc Almond ft. The Rossia Orchestra Ensemble (2003)

9) My Fair Lady: John Harle & Marc Almond (2014)

10) Dust: Marc Almond (2020)

11) Life In My Own Way: Marc Almond (2015)

12) End In Tears: Marc Almond (2001) 

 

2001: Stranger Things: 12

2003: Heart On Snow: 8

2007: Stardom Road: 4

2009: Orpheus In Exile: Songs Of Vadim Kozin: 1

2010: Varieté: 7

2011: Feasting With Panthers: 5

2012: MARCspace: The Unreleased Marc Almond Myspace Songs (bootleg): 2 

2014: The Dancing Marquis: 6 

2014: The Tyburn Tree (Dark London): 9

2015: The Velvet Trail: 11

2017: Shadows And Reflections: 3

2020: Chaos And A Dancing Star: 10

 

Playing Up The Vamp (51:50) (Box) (Mega)

 

 

Trials of eyeliner
Styles of eyeliner

Eyeliner saved your life
Playing up the vamp
You were applying mystery
Setting yourself free

Bitten nails down to the quick
Black nail varnish painted thick
You were tortured martyr, St. Divine
For playboys who wanted to shine
Father viewed you with your eyes of black
Responded with a violent slap
Said you made him feel ashames
Get out and don't come back

Trials of eyeliner
Styles of eyeliner

Went to Soho worked the clips
Met sailors on leave from ships
Mascara gave you deep allure
Of your sex they couldn't be sure
They were falling in love with you
Falling in love with yourself
And in the dim light of the basement
They didn't care enough
The 70's came to an end
Eyeliner still your dearest friend
From teen to glam to punk
And then
The disco age redefined men
You became one of a crowd
Your song drowned out when the music was to loud
But you stood your ground as a child of passion
As decades changed along with fashions

Trials of eyeliner

In 1980's New York town
Where leather boys could all be found
You tried to get into their clubs
But the doorman gave you quite a snub
Pointed to a sign above the door
Only denim and leather to be worn
Far too much black eyeliner dear
Not a chance of coming in here
You were true to yourself
Never fell out of love with yourself
But in the darkest corners of the world
They didn't care enough
But in the darkest corners of the world
They didn't care enough

Trials of eyeliner
Trials of eyeliner
Trials of eyeliner
Trials of eyeliner

They didn't care enough
Trials of eyeliner
(Repeat to fade)