aka The Vinyl Villain incorporating Sexy Loser
#075: The Pooh Sticks – ‘Young People’ (Sweet Virginia ’91)
Hello friends,
back to sunny Wales we go, to Swansea, to be precise. After the embarrassing Helen Love-incident, (see # 34 in the series), I promise to be careful with my filthy tongue this time … I learn from my mistakes, although Mrs. Loser often says otherwise!
The Pooh Sticks it is, and the name is of course a common one. Somehow they have always been around, haven’t they, but in one form or another they also always managed to stay under the mainstream’s radar. The band may see this differently, of course, but as far as I am concerned: thank God they did!
Primarily recording between 1988 and 1995, they were notable for their jangly melodiousness and lyrics gently mocking the indie scene of the time, such as on “On Tape”, “Indiepop Ain’t Noise Pollution” and “I Know Someone Who Knows Someone Who Knows Alan McGee Quite Well”.
The band changed direction on their 1991 U.S breakthrough ‘The Great White Wonder’, eschewing the twee British indie pop sound for a more American-styled power-pop sound. Nothing wrong with this, because as bad as this sounds, we are talking about flawless, perfect pop here!
You see, the Pooh Sticks had many great moments, and lifted many a great tune. However, for most listeners, ‘The Great White Wonder’ will always be their finest hour. If you ask me, this was the absolute majestic ‘Force Fed By Love’ , but what do I know, right? But that was never released on 7“, to my great dismay!
So, instead, from the album, we have the opener today (old DJ trick, by the way: when you’re back too late at the decks or you’re completely lost because you chatted with beautiful female guests again, Side A, Track 1 is always the safest choice!), certainly a highlight in the long run of Pooh Sticks-singles:
mp3: The Pooh Sticks – Young People
Of course I hope you enjoyed the tune, as usual. If, for some reason, you did not, let me quote from it: „Get into it! And if you can’t get into it, shine it on!“
Take care,
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 
The Pooh Sticks are one of my favourite bands. They also hold the honour as one of the best and most memorable live gigs I have ever attended.
Almost from the off Pooh Sticks felt like outsiders who wanted to do things a little differently. They wanted to be pop stars but they wanted to have fun, lots of fun… and they did. The back cover of the single illustrates this, perfectly.
If you listen to the first 6, or so, singles and take away all the associated twee prejudice – you are left with a remarkable run of pop singles. Indie? Pop? Twee? Does it matter?
As much as the media of the time seemed quite taken aback by the lusher sounds of The Great White Wonder, fans were less surprised. The band often cited influences – and were known to give 7” singles away at gigs – of those influences. I still have mine. Gigs felt like intimate parties. A party in which everyone was made to feel included.
I love all the LPs (although I’ve still to get my hands on the last one ‘Think Bubble’ which annoyingly sneaked out when I lived elsewhere in 2014 – a place that made deliveries problematic). It’s now a bugger to get hold of.
I would urge all that read Dirk’s post – and who haven’t heard the LP – to take time to listen to it in full. It may surprise you.
It’s chock full of pop hits and while for some it resides in Badwagoneque’s shadow to me Bandwagonesque sounds dull by comparison.
And so, at last, I come to Young People. It’s a wonderful piece of polished pop that retains all of the band’s naïve charm. It’s always a joy to me to hear Hue and Amelia sing together. It’s a song that wears American pop proudly on its sleeve and does it considerable justice.
Thanks to Dirk for prompting me to listen to The Great White Wonder today. It’ll be my pleasure.
Flimflamfan
I’m offended that you didn’t write anything offensive in this article, intentionally or otherwise. You, sir, are whatever German for “snowflake” is. *Harumph!*
On a less flippant note – it’s notable that two weeks running there’s been a Welsh double-bill on these hallowed pages. JC is on the road to becoming an honorary Welshman for his efforts!
The Pooh Sticks are still fondly remembered in this part of the world. I did a piece on them in the original Welsh Wednesday run some EIGHT(!) years ago:
https://isthis-thelife.blogspot.com/2015/01/welsh-wednesday-20.html
B side bonus?
The Pooh Sticks were wonderful and to some extent live on in Swansea Sound who include Hue along with various members of Heavenly. They even have a song called The Poohsticks from the album Live At the Rum Puncheon – which in true ‘Sticks style is not a live album
Matt