Not really a punk band. They were around during that first era, but they were close to post-punk in their sound. Not exactly The Buzzcocks, The Germs, or Stiff Little Fingers.
If this is by a punk band, then this is the most punk song, just like Good Riddance by Green Day, both don't give a fuck, which is kinda the essence of punk.
Fans of all genres agree: STRANGLERS are one of the cooooolest bands ever. They are like the puzzle piece that doesn't fit anywhere, but everyone wants to grab for their own. One of a kind band. Cheers 🍺
The Stranglers were the coolest band on the planet. They could play anything and didn't give a f about critics, or record companies or frauds. No band comes close to The Stranglers
The most melodic song in celebration of heroin ever. They rode in on the back of the British Punk movement of the mid 70s, despite being older and more musically gifted than most. One of those bands that always brings more to a song than they have to.
Oh YESSSSS! I lost an awful lot of sweat to WOB back in the 80s. You get through the world's longest / best instrumental break and then get to scream WALK ON BYYYY! Ah, good fun.
He is playing a "clavicembalo" = "original name and Italian" = the first part of the name "clavi" stands for "keys" and the 2nd part of the name "cembalo" for "cymbal" which is a harp/lyra like instrument but it also called "harpsichord" in English ... It is the instrumental ancester of a piano and was around from the 16th century till end of the 18th century. The first piano appeared in the early 19th century and replaced the clavicembalo for the most part in music...simply because clavicembalos are filling just an intimate room with sound but pianos can also fill an entire hall with sound.. The technical difference though is that with hitting the keys the chords inside are picked (as like a harp/lyra with the fingers) while piano keys are hitting the chords inside with a hammer that´s why the sound is so different besides that the resonating body of the instrument has a slightly different shape as well especially in size&volume which also plays a role in behalf of the sound and also loudness The song itself is about "Heroin" which was also called "Golden Brown" besides many other "slang nick names"...the Strangler´s bassist Hugh Burnel and Singer Hugh Cornwell took Heroin for a year or so on a daily basis which was during that time period when they released that song in 1981...actually 2 albums they made in that particular "drug period" = "The Gospel according to the Meninblack" (= their 5th album) + "La folie" (= 6th album including Golden Brown). But my personal favourite Stranglers songs are from the 4 albums before released between 1977-79 during their Punk music phase...and as Punks they wanted a band name shocking people so they chose "Guildford Stranglers" (Guildford is the town in Southeast England they are from) as their band name as long as they played just Gigs in Pubs which got just shortened into "The Stranglers" when they got their record deal.
The Stranglers have never made a bad song. No More Heroes, Skin Deep, Peaches and their cover of The Kinks, All Day and All of the Night really showcases their diverse catalogue.
*****"No More Hero's"***** The energy and pace of the song, pure all time classic. Vocals, guitars & keyboards are fantastic. Two seconds in and your hooked.
Yes it's a harpsichord, well done ! Fun fact : unlike the forte-piano, the harpsichord plucks the strings, therefor it's classified as a string instrumant (like a guitar) and not a purcussion instrument (as is the piano). This classic is gold, pun intended 👌
When I first heard this song I was starting to date this girl with beautifully tanned skin and so the song stuck in my head as a love song about her and that she was like magic. And we would waltz to this song and on a beautiful summers day, if time could stand still, we would live in that moment forever.
The Stranglers are my favourite band. Their early work is the thickest, grimiest punk of the 70s, and their late work, like Always The Sun, is beautiful synth driven melodic pop.
The Stranglers were one of the bands at the forefront of the UK punk scene in the 1970s. Their debut album Rattus Norvegicus was a masterpiece. Check out Grip, Hanging Around and London Lady.😮. Golden Brown was a complete departure from this. The album La Folie was a fabulous creation.
Coincidence. They were basically a prog rock band with balls and attitude. Rattus Norvegicus was practically a concept album. Don't get me wrong I dislike prog rock and love The Stranglers but it is what it is.
More avant-garde than punk, the punk thing just opened people (and radio stations) up to new music, I play side 2 of Rattus Norvegicus (Peaches through to Down in the Sewer)at least twice a month, 20 minutes of brilliance
People state that the stranglers started as a punk band, the didn't. People used to say they were a punk band who could play their instruments. They are a rock(ISH) band who grew and changed. However listen to down in the sewer, on of my favourite tracks ever. This is maybe a shock but I'm a massive Queen fan. Music is music no matter. Thank you for your reaction. Enjoy. Ps there is much wonderful stuff out there.
Hey Maddy, so glad you've discovered The Stranglers! As some have mentioned, a punk band but these guys were/are serious musicians, IMO whatever the music fashion of the day, they'd have jumped on the coat-tails of and made a success of it. A band I first saw live in 1978, most recently in 2022 (many times in between). This song was a real gem and I love how dressed up but dirty they look, like imposters. I'd suggest Hanging Around, Nice n'Sleazy, (Get a) Grip (on Yourself), for starters. Although, their most recent album released in 2021 was a real banger, This Song is worthy of review (different lead singer but he's been with them 30+ years).
A song from my formative years, i love the way the music in the background works alongside the thought that someone has just 'used' and this is how their mind/body is feeling the affects of the heroin.
Golden Brown and European Female are the two songs I first heard from this band. I love them so much I added to my playlist. But most of their early stuff was just crass punk rock stuff (which explains the name) which I never got into. I wish they always did music the Golden Brown sound cuz his voice was so good and the group were great musicians. Will always love Golden Brown.
Saw The Stranglers live at Bingley Hall in 1978. I had only been in the UK for a few months. Coming from République du Cameroun one might say this broadened my horizons somewhat. I first heard this track in 1981 when I got their Album La folie.
No More Heroes was constantly on the jukebox when it came out and I was a college. The same person would put it on and on and on. I still like the track though
They were “punk” as in they did whatever they wanted, they weren’t faux punk like the Sex Pistols, it was their attitude, not their sound, but they could indeed mix it up in every respect.
The keyboard is an electronic version of a harpsichord. I agree with the previous comment that it’s reminiscent of the great Dave Brubeck but I think both musicians were heavily influenced/inspired by the music of Frédéric Chopin.
Always liked that one, right at the start of me exploring their catalog. But the one, that got the ball rolling, I have to say, was their beautiful melody: "European Female". Enjoy!
In my opinion "Get a grip (on yourself)" is one of the coolest songs in rock history. Think you'd enjoy listening to it. Totally different. But so great and artistic and tough and fun. And a very cool video.
Golden Brown is just a variation of the music played by The Stranglers. Hunt out Go Buddy Go, Straighten Out, Five Minutes, Down In The Sewers, Goodbye Toulouse, Dagenham Dave, Longships and Waltzinblack to see what I mean.
Originally formed in 1974 in Guildford, Surrey, England. The Stranglers were originally known as The Guildford Stranglers, and were a "pub rock" band who ended up in 76/77 being (by no fault of their own) part of the British "punk" scene.
Hanging Around Who Wants The World Sometimes 5 Minutes North Winds Blowing or try Waltzin Black for something a bit different. There are many great Stranglers songs to check out.
I love The Stranglers and remember when this song was released. The Stranglers were originally thought of as a punk band and No More Heroes, an earlier song, was by far the “punkiest” (not a real word!) single they released. In the end everyone agreed that they played many genres of music.
What's going on here is idea from Alto player Paul Desmond's hit Take 5 in 5/4 actually they write Golden brown in 12/8 riff 13/8 different very simple but to inspire the hit it is really the great Dave Brubeck's band
Listen to their fantastic cover of Walk On By. The were originally called the Guildford Stranglers I think? Guildford being a town on the outskirts of London.
One of my favourite ever reactions for loads of reasons.... one, it's always been one of my favourite songs from my youth as it's always somehow been on in the background. Another is because of the absolutely brilliant songwriting. The song seems to continuously lift and they've used the greatest melodies. And your reaction is so beautiful to watch as it's so genuine. You can see this as you hear the song unfold. Brilliant.
So happy that you enjoy this hauntingly beautiful tune! Your joy was wonderful! (This is a Dave Brubeck Trio tune originally but The Stranglers version is the tops.) Thank you.
I absolutely adore this track - the harpsichord melody & bassline are so satisfying. I can see what you mean about the influence on Melody's Echo Chamber's self-titled debut ( big fan of hers), especially on a track like Quand Vas Tu Rentrer - hadn't thought of that before :) I think the influence of this track gets everywhere. Cheers!
Another song you'll probably like by the Stranglers is "Always the Sun". It's another dreamy pop song, recorded a few years after Golden Brown. The Stranglers had a very different sound from one album to the next after the first two. The Raven is my favorite, but Black and White comes in a close second. They were linked to punk rock, though they were older than the typical punk rockers when they started parading their non-conformist badboy style.
I was very interested in your comment about exploring their back catalogue... This is an absolute masterpiece, but I think it's fair to say that this song isn't exactly typical of The Stranglers! I'd love to see what you think of some of their other songs
As big and complex a social problem that heroin is, it certainly inspired some great music throughout the years: Heroin, I'm Waiting for the Man, Golden Brown, Never Let Me Down, There She Goes. The Needle and the Damage Done...
They are amazing live. Only J-J left now! Sadly Jet & Dave are no longer with us , and Hugh left the band years ago but Baz does a good job on vocals and Lead Check out their other stuff!
The ultimate rock / punk bands the had great crossover appeal - one of the most influential bands to come from the 70's UK According to bassist Jean-Jacques Burnel, the song's atypical style for the group was intended to defy expectations: "The whole thing about that song is it really represented us sticking our fingers up to our detractors" Hugh Cornwell(song writer) states: "'Golden Brown' works on two levels. It's about heroin and also about a girl... both provided me with pleasurable times." The group that eventually formed between 1974 and 1975 was originally named The Guildford Stranglers, but they soon dropped the geographical prefix and the name, The Strangers.
This song got to # 2 in Australia. I already knew The Stranglers for their more unsavoury hits, and the mild controversy they caused in Australia in 1979 when they came over here. However, my fellow teenage friends had no idea about The Stranglers, and were excited to see the ''Golden Brown'' band. They walked out the concert horrified by songs like ''Bring On The Nubiles'', ''Peaches'', and ''Don't Bring Harry'' and vowed to be careful next time they get tickets to see a chart topping band. Cheers, Hayley
Thanks for this reaction. Another winner where the Stranglers utilize a waltz is " Goodbye Toulouse" but the approach is pounding and intense. They could play funky grooves, ballads, Punk, psychedelic. trippy electronics, Goth or in this case like a classical quartet. Always clean and tight with sophistication, a touch of baroque flavor and serious darkness. Hugh Cornwell has a fantastic voice, JJ Burnel is an intense bassist, Dave Greenfield ( RIP) was a master keyboardist and the fabulous drumming of Jet Black. There is a lot for you to enjoy with The Stranglers.
You mentioned a deep velvet voice and immediately I remembered a country singer by the name of Jim Reeves. He was renowned for his deep baritone voice being as smooth as velvet. Maybe he's another artist you want to check out. Huge mega singing star in his day and even now his music still carries.. Check out this track from Jim called Guilty ❤️❤️❤️👍
You wait until you hear the rest of their music....I grew up on them, in the epic time of first time English punk! Start with "Peaches", then be transported to more experimentation of melodious punk music. SEE, it wasn't all garage "can't play any instrument" punk but even that is better than anything that came after it........... 80's, 90's punk was good/ basic pop (The Pixies, Sonic Youth) and AFTER THAT TOO... (I do love the Dandy Warhols with "We Used to be Friends") but this time in music (the 1970's!!??) was really the most inspiring!!! Even the Sex Pistols (Pretty Vacant, Anarchy in the UK) could write an awesome song with smashing lyrics. Listen to them and Joy Division (Love will tear us apart); early The Cure (Boys Don't Cry); then Buzzcocks (Ever Fallen in Love); Siouxsie and the Banshees (Spellbound) ; Wire (I am the Fly); The Saints (Know your Product); Dead Kennedys (Holiday in Cambodia); Blondie (a HUGE catalogue) and Split Enz (I Got You) and you converted!? p.s. most of it came out of England (Manchester actually) but Australia, New Zealand & the US had contributions to make too- where ever it was tough (economically) "art thrives" and grows "richer"...Queensland in Australia at the time was under the rule of a state-run Fascist dictatorship just like the USA is about to become..... Hopefully Art will thrive in the USA too....we will see!?
It's the second song in "Sneaker Pimps - ICA Home Taping 2000" on youtube, in case you want to check it out. The original is better (hard to beat), but I liked that version.
Baroque poppy song about Heroin. The guitar solo that comes in is to die for. Love the early Stranglers.
Richard Hawley Hotel Room also a stunning song about heroin addiction
@@mradriankool I did not know that ! thank you , will definitely have a listen.
@@williammcgechie4504 it’s on the Cole’s Corner album.
it was also about hughs Mediterranean girlfriend at the time.
@@DrVimto thank you as well ! you certainly know your stuff Dr V.
R.I.P Dave Greenfield. An absolute master on keyboards. The Stranglers are one of our greatest bands from the UK.
Possibly the most chilled song ever from a punk band ! 🤣😉
Not really a punk band. They were around during that first era, but they were close to post-punk in their sound. Not exactly The Buzzcocks, The Germs, or Stiff Little Fingers.
@@kevinlakeman5043 They were closer to Punk in the first couple of years, then obviously more Pop/Rock/New wave later.
If this is by a punk band, then this is the most punk song, just like Good Riddance by Green Day, both don't give a fuck, which is kinda the essence of punk.
Try Curtain Call by the Dammed, or their stunning version of Eloise.
Pub rock
Dave Greenfield was a wizard on the keyboards
Harpsichord
@Peter-f4o4z a Harpsichord is a keyboard instrument my handsome.
Fans of all genres agree: STRANGLERS are one of the cooooolest bands ever. They are like the puzzle piece that doesn't fit anywhere, but everyone wants to grab for their own.
One of a kind band.
Cheers 🍺
The Stranglers were the coolest band on the planet. They could play anything and didn't give a f about critics, or record companies or frauds. No band comes close to The Stranglers
Well said
The most melodic song in celebration of heroin ever. They rode in on the back of the British Punk movement of the mid 70s, despite being older and more musically gifted than most. One of those bands that always brings more to a song than they have to.
The Stranglers cover of Walk On By rivals the original and showcases their talent.
Their song "No More Heroes" is one of the best punk songs to come out of that era
Oh YESSSSS! I lost an awful lot of sweat to WOB back in the 80s. You get through the world's longest / best instrumental break and then get to scream WALK ON BYYYY! Ah, good fun.
Long version especially
One of, if not, the greatest cover of all time
And with a really mean bass, too!
RIP Dave and Jet. Gone but never ever forgotten.
The music of my youth, and all the decades since ...
1982...so long ago and yet so recent, in my mind.
Yep...the memories flood in when I hear Golden Brown, Skin Deep & 96 Tears...RIP Dave
Always the sun is another great Stranglers track.
Geat song! and Peachers.
🙏
Always the sun is my favourite of theirs. Great song
Weird and brilliant that they managed to write beautiful pop songs about pretty dark subjects.
strange little girl is a beautiful deeply moving song too :)
Beautiful song.
Absolutely, one of my favourites, don't think I've seen anyone react to it before.
He is playing a "clavicembalo" = "original name and Italian" = the first part of the name "clavi" stands for "keys" and the 2nd part of the name "cembalo" for "cymbal" which is a harp/lyra like instrument but it also called "harpsichord" in English ...
It is the instrumental ancester of a piano and was around from the 16th century till end of the 18th century. The first piano appeared in the early 19th century and replaced the clavicembalo for the most part in music...simply because clavicembalos are filling just an intimate room with sound but pianos can also fill an entire hall with sound..
The technical difference though is that with hitting the keys the chords inside are picked (as like a harp/lyra with the fingers) while piano keys are hitting the chords inside with a hammer that´s why the sound is so different besides that the resonating body of the instrument has a slightly different shape as well especially in size&volume which also plays a role in behalf of the sound and also loudness
The song itself is about "Heroin" which was also called "Golden Brown" besides many other "slang nick names"...the Strangler´s bassist Hugh Burnel and Singer Hugh Cornwell took Heroin for a year or so on a daily basis which was during that time period when they released that song in 1981...actually 2 albums they made in that particular "drug period" = "The Gospel according to the Meninblack" (= their 5th album) + "La folie" (= 6th album including Golden Brown).
But my personal favourite Stranglers songs are from the 4 albums before released between 1977-79 during their Punk music phase...and as Punks they wanted a band name shocking people so they chose "Guildford Stranglers" (Guildford is the town in Southeast England they are from) as their band name as long as they played just Gigs in Pubs which got just shortened into "The Stranglers" when they got their record deal.
The Stranglers have never made a bad song. No More Heroes, Skin Deep, Peaches and their cover of The Kinks, All Day and All of the Night really showcases their diverse catalogue.
Totally agree.
Include Always the sun in that list too..👍
You forgot Nuclear Device!
Bitching, I feel like a Wog, Bring on the Nubiles.
I would disagree on that, Their song "Love 30" (the b-side of 'Golden Brown') is pretty crap - it is like a recording of a tennis match!!
This song has haunted me ever since I first heard it in the '80s. The Stranglers were amazingly diverse for a band that came out of the punk era.
the main fact was this was a song about Hugh Cornwall(singer) own heroin addiction and his experiences while on heroin.
CornwEll, not CornwAll, at least get the name right.
English eccentricity at its best.....
and French via JJ.
What make them eccentric is they make a new album each time. Sounds stupid but not common nowadays.
Just a little mostly English. 👍@@misterocain
WOW!! Someone listened to The Stranglers!!!! Try their insanely great re-make of "Walk On By". It is awesome.
*****"No More Hero's"*****
The energy and pace of the song, pure all time classic. Vocals, guitars & keyboards are fantastic. Two seconds in and your hooked.
One of the great songs of my lifetime, and a huge hit in the UK. I've loved the harpsichord since hearing this when it came out.
"Nice And Sleazy" is another top track from Stranglers
Gordon Brown - The only UK Prime Minister to have a song named after him! 🤭
He's too fat to have tried heroin.
Haha, I always wondered if there isn't a parody version about Gordon Brown, there simply must be but I can't find any.
gold !
It's 1 in the morning and I'm pissing myself laughing waking everyone up
Gordon brown
Sold all the gold
Whip his arse
Tied to a mast
Yes it's a harpsichord, well done !
Fun fact : unlike the forte-piano, the harpsichord plucks the strings, therefor it's classified as a string instrumant (like a guitar) and not a purcussion instrument (as is the piano).
This classic is gold, pun intended 👌
🩷
When I first heard this song I was starting to date this girl with beautifully tanned skin and so the song stuck in my head as a love song about her and that she was like magic. And we would waltz to this song and on a beautiful summers day, if time could stand still, we would live in that moment forever.
Always loved "Duchess"...
Peaches by the stranglers is interesting...
Well, you said it.
Very Naughty, but Nice.
@@tradeladder146 Sound track to the DVD "Sexy Beast"....BAFTA OSCAR & GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATED WINNER....
The Stranglers are my favourite band. Their early work is the thickest, grimiest punk of the 70s, and their late work, like Always The Sun, is beautiful synth driven melodic pop.
The Stranglers were one of the bands at the forefront of the UK punk scene in the 1970s. Their debut album Rattus Norvegicus was a masterpiece. Check out Grip, Hanging Around and London Lady.😮. Golden Brown was a complete departure from this. The album La Folie was a fabulous creation.
One of the best debut Albums of any genre .
One of the vinyl albums I regret selling when when I sold off my whole collection and turntable because CD's were the way forward!
RIP Dave & Jet
Damn they were bloody good
And the most interesting thing is that The Stranglers started as a punk band
Kinda. They started in 74 as a rock band, but got dragged into the punk genre mainly due to their early support slots with Ramones and Patti Smith
@@DazzleMonroe exactly they were Pub Rock but their songs like "peaches" just felt naturally part of punk
J.J.Burnel is still keeping the music alive today.
Coincidence. They were basically a prog rock band with balls and attitude. Rattus Norvegicus was practically a concept album.
Don't get me wrong I dislike prog rock and love The Stranglers but it is what it is.
More avant-garde than punk, the punk thing just opened people (and radio stations) up to new music, I play side 2 of Rattus Norvegicus (Peaches through to Down in the Sewer)at least twice a month, 20 minutes of brilliance
Only The Stranglers could write a top hit on the Harpsichord
Other than Simon and Garfunkel
The Stones did it in the 60s.
Crazy time signature too - 3 bars of 3/4 then one of 4/4. This is VERY atypical of their work.
People state that the stranglers started as a punk band, the didn't. People used to say they were a punk band who could play their instruments. They are a rock(ISH) band who grew and changed. However listen to down in the sewer, on of my favourite tracks ever. This is maybe a shock but I'm a massive Queen fan. Music is music no matter. Thank you for your reaction. Enjoy. Ps there is much wonderful stuff out there.
Hey Maddy, so glad you've discovered The Stranglers! As some have mentioned, a punk band but these guys were/are serious musicians, IMO whatever the music fashion of the day, they'd have jumped on the coat-tails of and made a success of it. A band I first saw live in 1978, most recently in 2022 (many times in between). This song was a real gem and I love how dressed up but dirty they look, like imposters. I'd suggest Hanging Around, Nice n'Sleazy, (Get a) Grip (on Yourself), for starters. Although, their most recent album released in 2021 was a real banger, This Song is worthy of review (different lead singer but he's been with them 30+ years).
The song creates a surreal atmosphere, similar to Nights in white satin
The Stranglers "Skin Deep",, "Strange Little Girl" & "Walk On By",, etc..etc.
Never released as a 12" .... If there was ever a song that needs to be a long play, this is it! One of my fav' songs of the 80's.... EveR 🤍
Their biggest hit,but very atypical of their sound ❤️👍🎩
A song from my formative years, i love the way the music in the background works alongside the thought that someone has just 'used' and this is how their mind/body is feeling the affects of the heroin.
Oh wow!
Golden Brown and European Female are the two songs I first heard from this band. I love them so much I added to my playlist. But most of their early stuff was just crass punk rock stuff (which explains the name) which I never got into. I wish they always did music the Golden Brown sound cuz his voice was so good and the group were great musicians. Will always love Golden Brown.
The song and lyrics went right over her head. 😂
Bless!
Washing instructions ditto.
Why wouldn't it. It started out as a Dave Brubeck number so unless you can't have fun without smoke infested crutches I salute her naivety
@@RedViking2020'golden brown' is Heroin
@@RedViking2020 LMAO Golden Brown isn't a Dave Brubeck number, somebody used AI to remix Dave Brubeck's Take 5 to sound like Golden Brown.
@@StuSaville I actually really like that reworking. The sax is a bit thin, but it’s a great tribute to both bands. Well done to Laurance Mason.
Saw The Stranglers live at Bingley Hall in 1978. I had only been in the UK for a few months. Coming from République du Cameroun one might say this broadened my horizons somewhat. I first heard this track in 1981 when I got their Album La folie.
The song is about Heroin.
Opium
You should react to their biggest hit, "No More Heroes". The contrast is spectacular.
No More Heroes was constantly on the jukebox when it came out and I was a college. The same person would put it on and on and on. I still like the track though
They were “punk” as in they did whatever they wanted, they weren’t faux punk like the Sex Pistols, it was their attitude, not their sound, but they could indeed mix it up in every respect.
100%. Sex pistols were amateur punk-wannabes. People like The Stranglers and The Clash were the real thing.
Dave Brubeck jazz
I love Dave Brubeck!
Good comment and I agree, but I think there's a lot of Frédéric Chopin in there too.
Both Goldern Brown and Take Five are in 5-4 time.
@@matthewcoombs3282 Correct me it I'm wrong but when I tried playing it I had to change the count on every fourth bar.
Do watch the vid of Dave Brubeck playing Take 5, but with Golden Brown dubbed over the top. It is awesome ...
Grew up with this band in college They are awesome try baroque bordello that song is stunning
The Stranglers singing "Always the Sun" is amazing
What a Heroin! Beautiful song, magnificent production and wow Dave Greenfield again RIP.
🩷
The keyboard is an electronic version of a harpsichord. I agree with the previous comment that it’s reminiscent of the great Dave Brubeck but I think both musicians were heavily influenced/inspired by the music of Frédéric Chopin.
What keyboard was it then?
Always liked that one, right at the start of me exploring their catalog. But the one, that got the ball rolling, I have to say, was their
beautiful melody: "European Female". Enjoy!
Saw this band live in the middle of the punk era. Still amazing to this day!
I saw them at Stafford show ground , I think that it was 1977 .
In my opinion "Get a grip (on yourself)" is one of the coolest songs in rock history. Think you'd enjoy listening to it. Totally different. But so great and artistic and tough and fun. And a very cool video.
Did anybody notice the change of time signature (rythm) in the instrumental parts?
It's 1-2-3 1-2-3- 1-2-3 1-2-3-4 and repeat, so 6/8 - 7/8.
Golden Brown is just a variation of the music played by The Stranglers. Hunt out Go Buddy Go, Straighten Out, Five Minutes, Down In The Sewers, Goodbye Toulouse, Dagenham Dave, Longships and Waltzinblack to see what I mean.
Their cover of Walk on By will blow your mind…..
I can also recommend "Always the Sun", "No mercy" and "Skin Deep">
They have a very unique sound and catalogue.
Originally formed in 1974 in Guildford, Surrey, England. The Stranglers were originally known as The Guildford Stranglers, and were a "pub rock" band who ended up in 76/77 being (by no fault of their own) part of the British "punk" scene.
Hanging Around
Who Wants The World
Sometimes
5 Minutes
North Winds Blowing
or try Waltzin Black for something a bit different. There are many great Stranglers songs to check out.
I love The Stranglers and remember when this song was released. The Stranglers were originally thought of as a punk band and No More Heroes, an earlier song, was by far the “punkiest” (not a real word!) single they released. In the end everyone agreed that they played many genres of music.
The most melodic song to reference the golden brown of heroin (and also a girl 😁).
What's going on here is idea from Alto player Paul Desmond's hit Take 5 in 5/4 actually they write Golden brown in 12/8 riff 13/8 different very simple but to inspire the hit it is really the great Dave Brubeck's band
The rhythm is mostly 3/4 but with the occasional 4/4 to keep us sharp 😂🤣
So it’s nothing like Take five.
@@jonasthemovie LOL D...
It’s a song about Heroin 🙂
Listen to their fantastic cover of Walk On By. The were originally called the Guildford Stranglers I think? Guildford being a town on the outskirts of London.
Try "Hanging Around" & "Something Better Change" by The Stranglers, these tracks really summed up great punk music.
One of my favourite ever reactions for loads of reasons.... one, it's always been one of my favourite songs from my youth as it's always somehow been on in the background. Another is because of the absolutely brilliant songwriting. The song seems to continuously lift and they've used the greatest melodies. And your reaction is so beautiful to watch as it's so genuine. You can see this as you hear the song unfold. Brilliant.
🩷🩷🩷
Ah! This is one of their best! But I think I like Always The Sun even better!
You will love Madness singing "Night boat to Cairo".
Ska is quite a different janere than this !
But both do feature Chairo.
It's good to clarify that.
@@jeromedeparis 😎
@@jeromedeparis Not really WTF does that have to do with the Stranglers. ☹️
It is better.
i first heard this in the early eighties and it has stayed with me ever since
Check out No More Heroes, by The Stranglers, and Walk On By, a cover which is absolutely Brilliant!! 🤘
I have always thought of The Stranglers as post punk/Avant garde or simply a band that made Good music
You can't go wrong with the Strangers. Brought back great memories
So happy that you enjoy this hauntingly beautiful tune! Your joy was wonderful! (This is a Dave Brubeck Trio tune originally but The Stranglers version is the tops.) Thank you.
I bought this as a 13 year old when it came out. Loved the harpsichord. Little did I know it was an ode to smack 😄
Such a vibe, obviously about Heroin. A masterpiece imho
Yay! Beautiful Maddy! 😊
Thank you!! 😊
It was shocking when a punk band i.e The Stranglers released this. It's absolutly nothing like their other music. Fantastic.
you made an old man ,very happy. aaahah the stranglers. great punk band.
what a beautiful song and reaction girl.
I absolutely adore this track - the harpsichord melody & bassline are so satisfying.
I can see what you mean about the influence on Melody's Echo Chamber's self-titled debut ( big fan of hers), especially on a track like Quand Vas Tu Rentrer - hadn't thought of that before :) I think the influence of this track gets everywhere.
Cheers!
One of the finest tunes of that or any era. Maddie, when are you going to start reacting to BOWIE?
I was a teenager when this was released 50 years ago.
We did not think it will still be played in 100 years time.
42 years ago
Still have all my vynil records loved this band 😊
The singer Hugh Cornwell did a mariachi version years later, its on youtube too
Another song you'll probably like by the Stranglers is "Always the Sun". It's another dreamy pop song, recorded a few years after Golden Brown. The Stranglers had a very different sound from one album to the next after the first two. The Raven is my favorite, but Black and White comes in a close second. They were linked to punk rock, though they were older than the typical punk rockers when they started parading their non-conformist badboy style.
And,strange little girl
I was very interested in your comment about exploring their back catalogue... This is an absolute masterpiece, but I think it's fair to say that this song isn't exactly typical of The Stranglers! I'd love to see what you think of some of their other songs
Theres a mariachi cover version with the original version thats worth a listen too
This song was quite different from their output up until that point and marked a shift in style from Punk to more new wave/pop.
As big and complex a social problem that heroin is, it certainly inspired some great music throughout the years: Heroin, I'm Waiting for the Man, Golden Brown, Never Let Me Down, There She Goes. The Needle and the Damage Done...
Perfect Day.
They are amazing live. Only J-J left now!
Sadly Jet & Dave are no longer with us , and Hugh left the band years ago but Baz does a good job on vocals and Lead
Check out their other stuff!
Herion marra top shelf narcotics
Oh my, what a voluptuous young lady 😍
They never made a bad track...Peaches is only one of many of my favourites.
The ultimate rock / punk bands the had great crossover appeal - one of the most influential bands to come from the 70's UK
According to bassist Jean-Jacques Burnel, the song's atypical style for the group was intended to defy expectations: "The whole thing about that song is it really represented us sticking our fingers up to our detractors"
Hugh Cornwell(song writer) states: "'Golden Brown' works on two levels. It's about heroin and also about a girl... both provided me with pleasurable times."
The group that eventually formed between 1974 and 1975 was originally named The Guildford Stranglers, but they soon dropped the geographical prefix and the name, The Strangers.
Whoever suggested this track, great choice. Great Hugh Cornwell vocal !
This song got to # 2 in Australia. I already knew The Stranglers for their more unsavoury hits, and the mild controversy they caused in Australia in 1979 when they came over here. However, my fellow teenage friends had no idea about The Stranglers, and were excited to see the ''Golden Brown'' band. They walked out the concert horrified by songs like ''Bring On The Nubiles'', ''Peaches'', and ''Don't Bring Harry'' and vowed to be careful next time they get tickets to see a chart topping band.
Cheers,
Hayley
Thanks for this reaction. Another winner where the Stranglers utilize a waltz is " Goodbye Toulouse" but the approach is pounding and intense. They could play funky grooves, ballads, Punk, psychedelic. trippy electronics, Goth or in this case like a classical quartet. Always clean and tight with sophistication, a touch of baroque flavor and serious darkness. Hugh Cornwell has a fantastic voice, JJ Burnel is an intense bassist, Dave Greenfield ( RIP) was a master keyboardist and the fabulous drumming of Jet Black. There is a lot for you to enjoy with The Stranglers.
You mentioned a deep velvet voice and immediately I remembered a country singer by the name of Jim Reeves. He was renowned for his deep baritone voice being as smooth as velvet. Maybe he's another artist you want to check out. Huge mega singing star in his day and even now his music still carries.. Check out this track from Jim called Guilty ❤️❤️❤️👍
You wait until you hear the rest of their music....I grew up on them, in the epic time of first time English punk! Start with "Peaches", then be transported to more experimentation of melodious punk music. SEE, it wasn't all garage "can't play any instrument" punk but even that is better than anything that came after it........... 80's, 90's punk was good/ basic pop (The Pixies, Sonic Youth) and AFTER THAT TOO... (I do love the Dandy Warhols with "We Used to be Friends") but this time in music (the 1970's!!??) was really the most inspiring!!! Even the Sex Pistols (Pretty Vacant, Anarchy in the UK) could write an awesome song with smashing lyrics. Listen to them and Joy Division (Love will tear us apart); early The Cure (Boys Don't Cry); then Buzzcocks (Ever Fallen in Love); Siouxsie and the Banshees (Spellbound) ; Wire (I am the Fly); The Saints (Know your Product); Dead Kennedys (Holiday in Cambodia); Blondie (a HUGE catalogue) and Split Enz (I Got You) and you converted!? p.s. most of it came out of England (Manchester actually) but Australia, New Zealand & the US had contributions to make too- where ever it was tough (economically) "art thrives" and grows "richer"...Queensland in Australia at the time was under the rule of a state-run Fascist dictatorship just like the USA is about to become..... Hopefully Art will thrive in the USA too....we will see!?
Maddy you have to check - they are ultimate band with many hits. The best punk english band for me personally.
The Stranglers' "Just Like Nothing On Earth" will blllllow your mind...
Recently I was listening to a version of this song by Sneaker Pimps that I thought was good.
It's the second song in "Sneaker Pimps - ICA Home Taping 2000" on youtube, in case you want to check it out. The original is better (hard to beat), but I liked that version.