My Top Ten Looking For... Songs

Looking for a great old pop song? Here's ten...


10. David Bowie - Looking For Satellites

I remember reading an article years ago about how the Dame had taken to writing songs by snipping up old newspapers and gluing random words together to create his lyrics. I wouldn't believe that for most of his songs...but this one? Damn straight.

Nowhere, Shampoo, TV, Combat, Boyzone
Slim tie, Showdown, Can't stop...

Still, this is surely the most credible song Boyzone ever appeared in.

9. Chris Rea - Looking For The Summer

Very atmospheric tune from the old gravel-gargler. Not sure if this is the official video, but it works very well.

8. The National - Looking for Astronauts

Take all your reasons and take them away to the middle of nowhere, 
And on your way home
Throw from your window your record collection...

Now, if I were to follow The Natonal's advice on this one, I'd be throwing out quite a few of their records too...

7. Philip Jeays - Looking for a Horse to Ride

 If you've never had the pleasure of Philip Jeays before... do yourself a favour and click the link above now.

6. Prefab Sprout - Looking For Atlantis

Rarely a week goes by when I don't feel like a good Paddy. Here he is in his finest white suit, live on Wogan. 

Say you do find your volcano and the darn thing is still hot...
Lesson one : Child don't waste it
Lesson two : The world's your cherry
But tomorrow ? Maybe not
Lesson three : Come on and taste it

Now that's what I call a chat up line!

5. Seafruit - Looking For Sparks

Lost gem from the Britpop era; I'd forgotten how much I liked this. Seafruit's Geoff Barradale is now the manager of the Arctic Monkeys. In case you were wondering.

4. Hue & Cry - Looking For Linda

1989 was in many ways the nadir of 80s pop, but there were faint glimmers of sunshine from the likes of Hue & Cry and their best single, a trainbound love story with an alcoholic runaway who spent more on one packet of cigarettes than was wise, especially in them days.

Iffypedia calls Hue & Cry "sophisti-pop", lumping them in with the likes of Deacon Blue, The Style Council, The Blue Nile and Aztec Camera... yet, curiously, not Lloyd Cole... who's surely more sophistipop than the rest of them rolled together?

3. Warren Zevon - Looking for the Next Best Thing

Appreciating the best but settling for less...Warren Zevon: never content. That's why we love him.

Don Quixote had his windmills
Ponce de Leon took his cruise
Took Sinbad seven voyages
To see that it was all a ruse

(That's why I'm) Looking for the next best thing...

2. Robert Palmer - Looking For Clues

From wayyyy back in 1980 when Batley Bob shared his eyeshadow with Gary Numan. Loved this song for years but never seen the video before... it's a terrifying Kubrickian nightmare. (And discovering amazing oddities like that is why I keep doing this blog.)

1. Tom Waits - (Looking For) The Heart of Saturday Night

The very definition of louche, this drips grubby atmosphere from every glorious note. Tom Waits at his very best.

Tell me, is it the crack of the pool balls, neon buzzing?
Telephone's ringing, it's your second cousin
Is it the barmaid that's smiling from the corner of her eye?
Magic of the melancholy tear in your eye...
Makes it kind of quiver down in the core
Cause you're dreaming of them Saturdays that came before
And now you're stumbling
You're stumbling onto the heart of Saturday night

Those were my favourite Looking For... songs. Were you Looking For... any I didn't include?