In February 1980: UK band Squeeze released their third studio album, ‘ArgyBargy’, on A&M Records; it contained two of the much-loved group’s all-time classics in “Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)” and “Another Nail in my Heart”; it would be their last album featuring founding keyboardist Jools Holland until Squeeze’s first reunion album, 1985’s ‘Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti’...
Written and recorded after the band’s successful sophomore release, Cool for Cats, the album’s lyrics were written by Chris Difford while living with his wife in New York City. The band reunited with Cool for Cats producer John Wood and, after Glenn Tilbrook composed music for Difford’s new lyrics, Following the Cool for Cats tour, Chris Difford married spent the summer of 1979 in the US with his wife. There he wrote over forty new lyrics, inspired by his new marriage and his time spent in Greenwich Village. He recalled, “I would sit in the flat all day while [wife] Cindy went to work and this fluidity of lyricism came gushing forth. The whole of the “Argybargy” album came in one fell swoop and lots more besides that never saw the light of day.
“Argybargy” has seen critical acclaim from music writers. Chris Jones of BBC Music called the album “their crowning achievement” and “a masterpiece of kitchen sink pop,” concluding, “If you’re going to own at least one Squeeze album, this has to be the one. Argybargy doesn’t stay in one place; it’s restless and crackling with colours… with “Argybargy” it was clear that Squeeze were at the top of the pack among new wave popsters, and that their sardonic yet lively voice was unique among any pop group before or since.
The album has since been recognized as a classic of new wave and features multiple of the band’s most famous songs, including “Another Nail in My Heart,” “Pulling Mussels (from the Shell),” and “If I Didn’t Love You.”
In February 1980: UK band Squeeze released their third studio album, ‘ArgyBargy’, on A&M Records; it contained two of the much-loved group’s all-time classics in “Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)” & “Another Nail in my Heart”; it would be their last album featuring founding keyboardist Jools Holland until Squeeze’s first reunion album, 1985’s ‘Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti’...
Written and recorded after the band’s successful sophomore release, Cool for Cats, the album’s lyrics were written by Chris Difford while living with his wife in New York City. The band reunited with Cool for Cats producer John Wood and, after Glenn Tilbrook composed music for Difford’s new lyrics,Following the Cool for Cats tour, Chris Difford married spent the summer of 1979 in the US with his wife. There he wrote over forty new lyrics, inspired by his new marriage and his time spent in Greenwich Village. He recalled, “I would sit in the flat all day while [wife] Cindy went to work and this fluidity of lyricism came gushing forth. The whole of the Argybargy album came in one fell swoop and lots more besides that never saw the light of day.
Argybargy was released in February 1980. It spent 15 weeks on the UK Albums Chart, Argybargy was the first Squeeze album to also chart in the US, Taken from their third studio album, ‘Arbybargy’ (A&M Records), UK band Squeeze released the single “Another Nail In My Heart” (backed with the non-album track “Pretty Thing”); early copies came in a picture sleeve & clear vinyl; it climbed to #17 in the UK but the group would once again strike out in the US (where the B-side title was changed to “Pretty One”)…
Squeeze:
- Chris Difford – rhythm guitar, vocals, lead vocal on “Here Comes That Feeling”, co-lead vocals on “If I Didn’t Love You” & “I Think I’m Go Go”
- Glenn Tilbrook – lead guitar, keyboards, lead vocals
- Jools Holland – keyboards, vocals, lead vocal on “Wrong Side of the Moon”
- John Bentley – “Bass guitar”
- Gilson Lav – drums
