A good indication of the standing the band had, even at such an early stage, can be seen from them being asked to contribute a track to Sgt. Pepper Knew My Father, an album produced by the NME to raise money for a children’s charity. The album itself saw contemporary singers and bands record new versions of the songs on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club, which had been released back in 1967 by The Beatles. It’s worth mentioning in passing that the album spawned one double-A sided single, one side of which featured the immensely popular Wet Wet Wet, thus ensuring it reached #1. The other side of the single featured Billy Bragg‘s contribution to the album, which means the history books will always show that the Bard of Barking achieved something that very few of his contemporaries ever managed.
A couple of months later, in September 1988, The Wedding Present released their next single, one which came with something of a twist. The standard 7″ offered up two brand new songs:-
mp3: The Wedding Present – Why Are You Being So Reasonable Now?
mp3: The Wedding Present – Not From Where I’m Standing
The A-side is one of the finest indie-pop songs of the era. It really benefits from the backing vocal provided by Amelia Fletcher whose voice had previously added so much to quite a number of the band’s songs but goes to an entirely different level on this particular release.
The B-side is another fast and frantic number that doesn’t vary from the tried and tested formula.
There was a second 7″ single:-
mp3: Cadeau De Mariage -Pourquoi Es-Tu Devenue Si Raisonnable?
mp3: Cadeau De Mariage – Give My Love To Kevin (acoustic version)
Yup, David Gedge offers up the French translation of the new single. If I’ve one criticism of it, then it’s down to the vocal delivery sounding a bit forced to fit in with the tune, and Amelia’s contribution seems lost. It wouldn’t be the last time David would sing one of his songs in a foreign language, and I think it’s fair to say he got better with each effort.
The b-side more than makes up for any deficiencies. Give My Love To Kevin was one of the outstanding tracks on the debut album, George Best, but here we are, almost 12 months on, being treated to a beautifully stripped-back take on things, complete with an accordion. It was one way of demonstrating to the critics that TWP were far from one-dimensional.
The 12″ release of Why Are You Being So Reasonable Now? dropped the French version and instead offered up the track the band had contributed to the Sgt. Pepper album.
mp3: The Wedding Present – Getting Better
David later explained why they got involved and why they did this particular take on the song.
“It’s a good idea and it’s a good cause. It was a rush decision to do it, we were phoned up and the next day we rehearsed it and the day after we recorded it. I don’t like the original LP, to tell the truth, it’s not the greatest Beatles LP but that is one of the best songs. It’s a pop song. I’d have been in two minds about doing one of those strange psychedelic ones. We did it in our style, sped it up, turned up the guitars and rattled it out.”
Why Are You Being So Reasonable Now? almost gave the band their first real taste of charts success, singles wise. It reached #42, an agonising two places away from a name check in the weekly rundown on Top of The Pops.
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 
A stunning 12″.
The quality of the songs is just outstanding and Getting Better is possibly my favourite cover of theirs.
Amelia has been known to sing in French and Spanish – was she, ahem… Lost In France?
Flimflamfan
Many fans at the time were not keen of this single, they thought it was too lightweight and poppy. Even years later, with the Internet now a thing, I saw an online poll of fans voting for the best Weddoes song which placed Reasonable in the bottom three. I don’t mind it to be honest. Not my fave by any shakes, but a definite singalong, and the b-sides are quality.
Love this record. I had the poster of the front cover billboard size on my wall.
Notable lyric change in Getting Better too.
This was my first TWP single purchase. It maybe wasn’t as strong as what had gone before, or what would follow, but solid enough. The b-side is a corker: fast and spiky.
I remember a pigeon dropped a gift upon me moments prior to this purchase. No manners, but what a critic.
Strangeways
Interesting commentary on Getting Better which was the standout track on the NME cassette. Amelia Fetcher co-credited on the sleeve by the great Roy Carr.