ACE "Five-A-Side"
AL STEWART "Time Passages"

Doing a lot with very little. That's the theme of today's Little Elpees post. Also, it reveals what many people know about me. I am a complete pussy. Today I present to you, two very ace songs. Get ready to board the yacht, I have some Harvey's Bristol Cream waiting.

OK, grab your bass guitar. You don't have one? OK, grab a rubberband. Now, pluck it like this: "bum....bum bum, bum....bum bum". Do that over and over and sing as many pretty melodies as you can over it. Seriously. You don't need a piano or guitar or skin flute to write this song, just do it. How do you think Ace came up with their 1975 super soft rock megahit (#3 on Billboard)? Same way, baby. After his stint in Ace, Paul Carrack ended up in Squeeze just in time to sing "Tempted". Dumb luck.

The 1978 version of "How Long" comes courtesy of Al Stewart, best known for inventing the "Year Of The Cat" (the Chinese calendar had it as Year of the Pussy but changed it on Al's urging). His "How Long" is called "Song On The Radio" and it's nearly identical down to the bum-bumbum bass and the soft as cotton Rhodes piano, except for some saucy saxophone (way overdoes it, but who cares, you have to fill 6 minutes up somehow) and some wanky guitar fills.

Enjoy the silky smooth and I'll see you tomorrow with something more 2007 and rock for the weekend.