Friday, December 11, 2009

The Stranglers: Who Wants the World?


And speaking of the Stranglers (more here), why would their label re-issue their awe-inducing early albums (I bought the first six) without putting the brilliant "Who Wants the World" on any of them?


The Stranglers - Who Wants The World

Dave | MySpace Video


I first heard this song in the early eighties on the North American-only album IV, which was I.R.S.' bowdlerized version the Raven padded out with singles. I loved it then and now because it's got all of what made them such a devastating listen: Burnel's concussion bass, Greenfield's Manzarek-ian keyboards, Black's relentlessness and Corwell's gruff vocals and slashing guitar. As the Stranglers softened over time*, it would get harder to understand why they didn't change their band name to something more fitting but here, they still sound like a gang intent on strangling the pop charts.

* The latest version of the band has been on a roll, though Suite XVI is no match for Norfolk Coast, which was what set me back to the band's mid-period catalog in the first place.




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11 comments:

  1. Awesome single and video! But I can't quite figure out why the organ was represented by a hunk of wood painted up to look like a synth. As well, the fact that this song is not on one of the cd re-issues is a glaring error in judgement on someone's part. Let's hope they're not going to try re-recording it ala "Don't Stand So Close To Me 86'"!

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  2. Having another great minds think alike day again I see Jeff. I love Norfolk Coast but I actually think Suite 16 is better. Bother fine returns to form though.

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  3. CPB
    Yeah even I stared at that contraption he's 'playing" going "What the Hell?" I Think the current incarnation's version would be well worth hearing unlike Sting and co.s' butchery of DSSCTM.

    Longy
    It does happen a lot and it's always a good thing! Perhaps I just liked NC too much, some people say the album after the comeback album is the hardest.

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  4. Last time I heard this song was almost 30 years ago on the radio... They sounded much more menacing then... but its still a great track! thanks for that.

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  5. a.a.

    Yeah yesterday's menace can turn into today's oldie but this one still has some bite left.

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  6. It's a great track Jeff it should be on the reissues for sure, although it was released on "Stranglers IV" which was a sort of equivalent version to "The Raven" which was released in the US (1980).

    Here's the covers.

    http://rapidshare.com/files/319642044/Stranglers.rar

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  7. Ha! should pay more attention I see you posted that fact already Jeff.

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  8. Marky

    You might have missed it because I just called it IV instead of Stranglers IV, which I think is its proper title. Thanks for the scans I didn't now it had been released on CD - I imagine the band must hate it.

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  9. "Who Wants the World?" is a helluva song by the Stranglers, but somehow I wish it had been mixed differently. A minor reservation, though. Definitely the Stranglers in snarling, kick-ass form...Greg Cameron, Surrey, B.C., Canada

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  10. Greg
    Yeah this songs just about marks the end of the snarling Stranglers.

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  11. if you can remember the early stranglers concerts you werent there!

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