I can’t remember when I first heard ‘The Story of the Blues’ by Wah which was released in 1982. Thinking about that time in my life, I’d moved on from going to discos and clubs, mainly because where I was then had seen changes in my life for various reasons, I was in a period of upheaval, wrong choices were made, promises were broken, plans went to cock and all in all it became a blurry somewhat fuzzy time. Somehow I must have heard ‘Story of the Blues’ in the 80’s but it had no significance except that I liked it in a vague way. Come the 90’s and an unexpected change occurred, like a benign volcano erupting, and my new life was so exciting and different that I had no time or desire to ponder on those wrong choices, broken promises and cocked-up plans, and I never have since.
Whenever I heard ‘Story of the Blues’ I would sing along, at the top of my voice if I was on my own, and thought it a great song; it had no special meaning for me, it was just – well, a great song! I don’t know what made me think of it yesterday but somehow I did and I looked it up, to find out more about Wah and Pete Wylie the main singer. I was taken first of all to a video, and I realised I’d never seen it sung on TV or a video or anywhere else. I’d never looked it up before or googled it or Pete Wylie. The video kicked off and I just sat watching it, headphones on watching this singer whose voice I knew so well and had never seen before. Pete Wylie was born in Liverpool in 1958 and was in bands from the late 70’s and I guess most people became aware of them through ‘Story of the Blues’. 80’s music is often criticised, but listening again to some of the bands I remember, and some I’d heard of but never listened to, I think it was a grand era for music and lyrics!
Search for it on YouTube – make sure you turn your volume up and be prepared to sing along at the top of your voice!
Lois Elsden 