ABC - The Lexicon of Love

The first album alphabetically for the exercise.

Released in 1982, my memory was that this a truly great album full of amazing witty and clever lyrics and great tunes, and not a bad song on the album. I’m sure I played this to death at the time, and one of my flatmates hated “Poison Arrow”. I was never quite sure when he said “You think you’re smart, stupid, stupid” if he was talking to me, or was he just sneering at the lyrics….

I knew how the 4 singles on the album went but I couldn't immediately recall any of the album tracks. I was fairly confident I would be word-perfect ( if not not note perfect ! ) on “The Look of Love”, one of my favourite all-time songs from my college days, and was hoping I wasn't going to be disappointed when I heard the rest !

As it turned out, Date Stamp is probably the best song on the album, and I had completely forgotten it. 4 Ever 2 Gether was much more memorable than I had remembered.The whole of side 2 is superb though. 

Side 1, whilst still good, doesn't hit these heights, and I thought Show Me was probably the weakest track on the album.

A piece of trivia is that the first single Tears Are Not Enough, released in 1981, doesn't appear to have any official video. The video for The Look of Love is suitably cheesy, and the band wear the sort of blazers worn by alickadoos at a rugby club. 
 
One indication is the feedback from the wife, who stated "What's this crap ?" as Show Me started, but had moved to "This is quite nice" by the time Date Stamp was being played !

I wish I had the imagination to write some of lines on this LP, but that probably explains why I am an accountant. Still, the following lines can rarely have been bettered.............


( from Poison Arrow ) 

No rhythm in cymbals, no tempo in drums
Love on arrival, she comes when she comes
Right on the target but wide of the mark
What I thought was fire was only the spark

The sweetest melody is an unheard refrain
So lower your sights, yeah
But raise your aim, raise your aim



( from Date Stamp )

I get sales talk from sales assistants
When all I want to do girl is lower your resistance
Everything is temporary, written on that sand
Looking for the girl that meets supply with demand

( from The Look of Love )

When your girl has left you out on the pavement (Goodbye)
When your dreams fall apart at the seams
Your reason for living, your reason for leaving
Don't ask me what it means

Track Listing :

1. Show Me
2. Poison Arrow
3. Many Happy Returns
4. Tears Are Not Enough
5. Valentine's Day
6. The Look Of Love ( Part One )
7. Date Stamp
8. All of My Heart
9. 4 Ever 2 Gether
10. Look of Love ( Part Four )

Released 1982 
UK Chart Position : 1

Singles :

Tears Are Not Enough ( No 19 - 1981 )
Poison Arrow ( No 6 - 1982 )
The Look Of Love ( Part One ) - ( No 4 - 1982 )
All of My Heart ( No 5 - 1982 )