La's

IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED

It is nowadays regarded as an indie-pop classic but hands up if you knew that it was the third time of asking before it become more than a cult hit……

November 1988 was the first attempt. Having considered it had been lost in the tradiotionally crazy way of record sales in the run up to any Xmas period, Go-Discs tried again in January 1989.

Then the track was given the remix treatment by star-producer Steve Lillywhite and in October 1990 this version was the one that propelled The La’s to a #13 hit:-

mp3 : The La’s – There She Goes
mp3 : The La’s – Freedom Song

Even after all these years, it still has the ability to sound fresh and fantastic.

JC

9 thoughts on “IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED”

  4. They came from an excellent feature from Plain or Pan a few years ago, I’m sure. Where Craig went in to great detail about this song

  5. There She Goes was also in one of my favourite Mike Myers films So I Married An Axe Murderer……
    We have a piper down. I repeat, a piper is down !!!!!

  6. I remember the post at Plain or Pan. Think I may have getting on for that many versions. My prize one is the original release on 12″.

  7. As we all know, Lee Mavers didn’t think much of the versions Steve Lillywhite produced for the album, but I bought it when it came out and have listened to it faithfully for more than 25 years. Loved it. A couple of years ago I wrote about the album, and our pal George sent me an alternate version of the whole thing. Gotta say I began to understand just a little bit why Mavers would inscribe “Told you it was crap” when he would autograph the album cover for fans. I got kind of obsessed after that. Plunked down big bucks for the four-disc Callin’ All box set. There are some wonderful takes of those songs, both live and in the studio. If you love that original album as much as I do, it might be worth the investment.

  8. Either the original 7″ version for me or the John Leckie mix that eventually came out on the Sound 7″ which wasn’t cheap.

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