I came across this song the other day on my beloved Palladia channel on tv and have had it in my mind lately. It came out in 1994 and I hadn’t heard it in a very long time. It always sounded like David Bowie to me, and I really didn’t know the name of this guy who actually wrote and sang it until I looked it up. It’s from his album titled Gorgeous George. It can be found on a couple of movie soundtracks: Empire Records and Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, for gosh sakes!
His name is Edwyn Collins, and it turns out he has an interesting story.
Edwyn is a Scottish musician who had a couple of post-punk groups in the late 70's-80's, called Nu-Sonic and Orange Juice, with just one hit. Click this link of Orange Juice's Rip It Up to actually see his face, listen to his dreamy voice, and enjoy a totally 80's British-version American Bandstand snippet complete with dancers’ little short shorts and bunchy socks.
Going solo after Orange Juice disbanded, Edwyn released this haunting song A Girl Like You in 1994, it becoming a one-hit-wonder in the US. Following, he became a record producer.
Then in 2005, at the age of 46, he suffered strokes brought on by untreated high blood pressure that left him paralyzed and having to relearn to talk and walk.
He still has some visible physical effects from the strokes remaining, but has an album coming out in September called Losing Sleep, with two shows scheduled in London in August and September, and reportedly his voice sounds smooth as ever.
Interesting new spin on Music Monday! Thanks for sharing this... I like it!
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