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Thursday, January 12, 2023

"I Don't Want a Lover" by Texas

Song#:  4025
Date:  09/09/1989
Debut:  96
Peak:  77
Weeks:  6
Genre:  Pop, Rock


Pop Bits:  This Scottish band was founded in '86 by former Altered Images and Hipsway member Johnny McElhone and singer Sharleen Spiteri. Filling the band out to a quartet, they took the name Texas and began to perform and write songs. It would take a couple years, but the band would finally get signed to Mercury Records. They would record a debut album titled Southside late in '88 and in January of '89 this first single was released at home in the UK. It would become a hit reaching #8. The track would help push the album to #3. That success helped the band land a distribution deal for the US and in the late summer of '89, the single and album would be issued out. The song would do well at Modern Rock getting to #11 while also making it to #27 Rock. The action there helped the tune get on the Pop chart, but it couldn't make it out of the bottom quarter. Still, the album would sell a few copies and get to #88. Unfortunately, the band would be unable to get back on the US Pop and Album charts again.

ReduxReview:  Here's one of those artists that were highly successful at home in the UK, but for whatever reason didn't catch on in the US. Even their biggest success later in '97 (see below) got totally ignored. While their sleek blue-eyed soul/AC sound was alluring (as was Sharleen Spiteri's voice), I think the band's hooks were a bit too subtle for US listeners who preferred to be smacked upside the head with catchy choruses. You had to spend a little time getting to know Texas' tunes and I don't think that worked in the States. This driving track was a good example. It was a good listen that jammed along just fine. However, despite some good hooks, there really wasn't a specific, standout chorus that could quickly capture a listener's attention on the radio. It still should have done better at Pop, but it seems that US listeners quickly decided that Texas wasn't really their cup o' tea.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) The band got their name from the 1984 Wim Wenders film Paris, Texas. The road movie, which starred Harry Dean Stanton and Nastassja Kinski, would receive several accolades including winning the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. While not a major hit, the film quickly became a cult favorite. In addition to adopting their name from the film, the band also based the Southside album cover art on the film's promotional poster.  2) Texas started off with a bang with Southside, but their next two albums couldn't keep pace. However, their fourth album would kick their career into high gear. Released in 1997, White on Blonde would be the band's biggest selling album. It would hit #1 in the UK and go 6x platinum thanks to five Top 10 singles. The LP made them major stars at home and around Europe. Over the next decade, Texas would go on to score seven more UK Top 10 hits and two more #1 albums. However, the band never really caught on in the US and besides this lone Pop chart entry, Texas would have only one more minor chart appearance. Their 1991 single "In My Heart" would get to #14 on the Modern Rock chart.

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