I really don’t know why I was attracted to this. Nothing really screamed out at me that it was anything different when I first saw the video’s ident. Another remix? Hmmm, okay.
I usually stumble onto these clips by doing a search that is new content specific. So, I search “simple minds” and then I filter the search by “upload date” and then usually choose “this week” as I tend to only do this kind of search two or three times a week. It is usually how I stumble upon the content gold of seeing previously unseen things to me. Very rare these days, but the odd “new” gem shows up (like the little clip of Jim being interviewed for Canadian TV in 1981, or the mini “behind the scenes” doc filmed in Brussels in 1983).
I digress.
Anyway, through this particular search, the video below showed up and I decided to give it a listen. I skipped to the middle of the video and quickly realised that this particular version of NGD had been one where Jim’s vocal had …. not exactly been isolated, but brought right to the front of the mix so that his vocal really takes prominence. And, I tell ya, I swooned. Jaysus!
There are just certain bits that just make me melt into a pool of mush. For example – the 3 min 19 second mark – the way he enunciates “me” in the “dream in the dream with me” line… OMG! It does things to me, people! (Play it from 03:14 for full effect.) Again, another “dream in the dream with me” line gives me the tingles at 04:04. Then at 05:05 “dream in the latest DREAM” – another melting moment. But the “piece de resistance” is at 05:48 and the final “dream in the dream with me” – all of it. The whole line! The proximity of Jim’s voice. It’s too loud to be a whisper but he’s right there, in your head, in your ears and FUCKING HELL!! I’m not even going there! Lol.
I love the whole thing. I love how much his voice can be heard and how glorious it makes the song. Just his voice alone brings the euphoria to that song. I don’t even know what else to say about it. It’s been the thing I have been enjoying most over the weekend. Just listening to Jim’s voice on this and swooning my fucking head off! Lol. Metaphorically melting.
At times there is some fragility and urgency to his voice on it that I love too. The strain of “she is your friend” directly after that final glorious “dream in the dream with me” at 05:53, then “with your new gold dream” following on directly on from that. Just BEAUTIFUL!
It’s listening to stuff like this that turns me into my 14 year old self again. Except I wasn’t 14 in 1982, I was only 11 for the majority of it and really not into that “weird, pasty guy that has no top on” in the Promised You A Miracle video. Lol. Oh, how much I bloody drool over the “weird, pasty guy that has no top on” now, eh? Lol.
ANYWAY!
This is my choice for MMM this week because this gave me a most pleasurable weekend. Enjoy!
