Ahhh 1987, I remember it well. I had spent the summer under my duvet with the blinds closed and the heating on, unable to face the world. Why I can no longer remember, but when Savage arrived it seemed to speak directly to me. The first taste of what was to come occurred via the single Beethoven. It seemed strange, jarring and downright odd – exactly how I felt at the time. With it’s introductory pounding (heart) beat that gradually speeds up, it spoke of tension, isolation and a mind slowly unravelling – it all made perfect sense! When you feel bad, you close the curtains, lock the door and play classical music to relieve or indulge in the pain.
On the day the album was released, I was waiting for HMV on Oxford Street to open and wasted no time purchasing the cassette version. Once out of the shop, it was straight into my Walkman (does this all seem pre-historic?) for the first full listen. For me the stand out tracks were and remain the aforementioned Beethoven along with Shame, Savage, Heaven, I Need You, Put the Blame on Me and Brand New Day. The thrill of these songs was heightened by the visuals. Who can’t relate to the mad housewife – dull, drab and worn out by the repetitious nature of everyday life who transforms into an unhinged, glamorous sybarite. Don’t we all play these roles in our daily lives, surely it can’t just be me?
From that first listen to the present day, this has been an album that I have returned to. Oh how I studied those lyrics, knew every nuance of phrasing and analysed and wondered about the meaning behind every song. This album has been like a favourite book that I have dipped into and sampled at various points in my life. From my teenage self’s sense of alienation and angst through to the present day and the endless small disappointment’s of life, failed relationships and the loss of those we have loved, Savage has remained. It is a constant and still speaks to me and is in many ways a soundtrack to my life.