Wow this took me back, in 1979, I was 11 and we had a substitute teacher for English, he was a young teaching student and did not really want to follow the curriculum so he asked us to bring in a 45 rpm single for the lesson, I took in Roxanne by the Police and another kid bought in Is She Really Going Out With Him, the others brought in stuff by The Partridge Family, The Carpenters, The Osmonds etc, the teacher singled us 2 out for have cool music taste but said my choice the lyrics were not suitable for analysis in school time, so we spent the lesson listening to and discussing the lyrics of this song, but at lunch all the other kids kept asking me what Roxanne was all about, ah good days those, heck I'm getting old. It's Different For Girls is another great song from Joe
Joe, like his contemporaries Elvis Costello, Graham Parker, Andy Partridge, could really write a great lyric… that certainly continues throughout his career.
This was all over the radio in 1979. Great new sound at the time. The title track "Look Sharp" is my fav on the album. Hard to explain without someone hearing it but it's genius how a song can have instruments blend and interact with each other to make great music the way Look Sharp does it.
The bassist in the Joe Jackson band was Graham Maby. He was/is phenomenal. His sound and playing style are punchy, articulate and melodic.... an absolutely enormous part of the "Joe Jackson sound" especially in the first two albums.... you should also check out "Got the Time" "Don't Wanna Be Like That" and "Sunday Papers"
It can't be overemphasized what a fresh sound Joe Jackson was when he first came out. The kind of songs that when you first heard them on the radio, everybody stopped and listened, saying, "Whoa, what is this?!"
A great track. One of the first things I ever tried to work out on bass! It's Different For Girls and Stepping Out are two others you might want to check out.
While the first three albums are great examples of Joe's new wave/pop punk beginnings(you have to listen to I'm the Man, because that is one of his best tunes from the period), he is someone that continued to evolve and reinvent himself, later on indulging more heavily on his love of jazz and big band, and even classical. He also did a tribute album to Duke Ellington covering songs with the likes of Iggy Pop and Steve Vai. I hope you continue to do something of a deep dive, because Joe is so much more than the upstart punk he started as. I would also highly recommend his Blaze of Glory album, which underperformed commercially but imo is his best and most focused with solid tunes in a variety of genres
The music is so sharp and cool, a nice counterpoint to Joe's feeling of desperation as he's the one left on the shelf. Funny lyrics but an impassioned delivery especially in the chorus and middle eight. This was another radio staple in the UK during my teenage years.
“Slow Song” from his Night & Day album is one of Jackson’s very best.ballads. Also, “Real Men” is a great story song about masculinity and gender stereotypes.
First song to win me over. Played on the radio but not overplayed. Night And Day’s Steppin Out was a bit overplayed but still love it. A must. Sylvianitis, not as bad as Sanciousicea. Peace and romantic Music
To complete a linked triumvirate (after this and yesterday's New Rose by The Damned), The Shangri-La's 'Leader of the Pack' starts with the words 'Is she really going out with him?'
A great song. I think I prefer "Jumping Jive" but that is a whole other kettle of eggs on the Jersey side. This song makes me think of Squeeze from East Side Story and Sweets From A Stranger which would give us "Tempted" and "Black coffee in bed".
Squeeze. Definitely one that should be given a listen, especially the two songs you mention, though I prefer the updated version of Tempted from a few years ago. Even Paul Carrack returned and the musicianship is so much stronger.
@@markfeggeler3479 The 'Spot the Difference' album? It's a neat note-for-note copy of the originals, but 'Tempted' misses Elvis Costello's brief guest vocal! ;)
Got a chance to see Joe on his tour through Houston (TX Opry House) around 1979, and he sprained his ankle onstage just before exiting. When I went back after the show, he had his ankle wrapped and propped up on an ottoman. Nice guy, and a great show! A&M Records released "Look Sharp" as a double 10-inch album at one point with a tiny "Look Sharp" black button (with the album title in white) included!
Happy two-year anniversary to JustJP! Happy belated birthday, too! (I just saw the video) I’m going to listen to Autumn Leaves (your first video) to celebrate. Have a good one, JP! THANK YOU for everything!
I liked this song from the first time it showed up on the radio, and I liked most of the Joe Jackson hits for the next few years (I mean who couldn't like "I'm the Man"?). Never really pursued full albums, but I never stopped thinking he was a decent (and yes, influential) songwriter. What really strikes me on this listen, after many years, is how close this particular song gets to Elvis Costello zone of this same period. Judging by Wikipedia this is a fairly widespread observation. Not the same degree of anger, and not the same over-the-top pun-driven lyrical talent, but it's certainly New Wave-ish in general and Elvis/Attractions-ish in particular, in instrumentations and arrangement and a bit of the attitude. Very cool. Elvis is one of my all-time music gods. But since Jackson had far more pop accessibility than Costello (early or really ever), his version of this kind of music was surely more influential on later music. Again, thanks for shopping around in rock history the way you do, JP.
I bought this on vinyl when it came out. It was different from anything I'd ever heard before. Great LP, also thought "Sunday Paper" was most excellent.
This song was appropriately used as the theme for a short-lived TV show called I'm With Her. It was about an average Joe who dated a famous movie star.
Certain songs bring you back to an earlier time in your life, this song brings me back to my military basic training in 1979, this song was a fairly big hit on the radio at that time.
I love that young guys like yourself appreciate Joe. I've been following him since '79. I saw him at Great Adventure and the Tower Theater in the same week. I was hooked. He re-invented him self with every album going forward. Thanks again!
I love Joe Jackson. Sharp lyrics as always. And his voice tells you everything about the emotions. I also can recommend the albums: Night and day Big world Body and soul
Hey Justin ~ Joe Jackson is one of the great singer/songwriters that came out of the late '70s. Musically, he can go in any direction, as you'll see with further listenings. His lyrics ranges from fairly simplistic (yet still right on target) like with this song, to more involved and in-depth as heard on Stepping Out and Breaking Us In Two. His piano playing is exquisite. I say keep going with him. You'll thoroughly enjoy it. =)
There are multiple versions of JJ on RU-vid doing this song. One is accapplla another is from the Duke tour. Tuba and accordion. The JJ catalogue is very fun to listen to. Many styles and textures to his work
Afternoon, Justin. Dave de Londres (well, it is Bastille Day). I love Joe Jackson, and this is one of his absolute classic early songs. I saw him live a few times in the 80s and 90s and while he based his set on the more sophisticated material from albums like Night and Day, Blaze of Glory and Night Music, the fans were always demanding the early classics like this one and It's Different for Girls. And you're right, Justin, he certainly sings with attitude - always has done - and as you say he was hugely influential (as were similar artists like Elvis Costello and Paul Weller) Joe also has a great Facebook site, and I am always interested in his 'What I'm Listening To' posts.. The man has pretty wide ranging musical tastes. Check out his album of Duke Ellington covers.
It’s so refreshing to find review of lesser known artists such as Joe Jackson. I always felt that his music was underrated especially during the time where he could have been more successful but his limelight was somehow overshadowed by the likes of Billy Joel and Elvis Costello. Another song that I highly advise to listen to is “Down to London” from the 1987 record called “Blaze of glory”.
This is one of my favorite all time albums. A masterful marriage of punk and pop. The other JJ album I go back to frequently is his fourth one titled Jumpin’ Jive.
I remember when I was at boarding school in Sydney in the 80's when he was touring Australia. He was jogging around the oval where we were playing hockey, I recognised him screamed out "that's Joe Jackson" next thing there's a bunch of school chasing him around the oval with hockey sticks screaming. Poor guy, but it funny though.
As singer songwriters go, JJ's pretty good. This his first single, and did pretty well. In the midst of punk, this was a breath of fresh air. Good tune, nicely sung, and has aged well. He'd get cast in the New Wave mold, but this just sounds like good, old fashioned (in a good way) composing. Good stuff.
Great song, great arrangement. This whole album is worthwhile. Cat Stevens was also said to be one of the inspirations for this song. FYI: Warren Beatty was once an A-list star, as well as film director and writer. Some of his most worthwhile films are: Bonnie and Clyde McCabe & Mrs. Miller Shampoo Reds Bugsy Dick Tracy Heaven Can Wait
Tuned in to the Casey Kasem American Top 40 broadcast from 7/14/79 on Siriusxm today. This song at the 35 position and climbing up the charts. Two other songs featured on this chart you should check out are “Mama Can’t Buy You Love” by Elton John and “Can’t Stand It No More” by Peter Frampton!
You should listen to the other Joe Jackson sides too: The verdict and Losaida fromthe album "Body and soul" Soul kiss, Big world and Man in the street from the album Big world" Slow song from "Night and day" Tomorrow world , Sentimental thing Acropolis now and Evil empire from "Blaze of glory" and then something from his experimental albums "Night music" "Heaven and hell" then something from the album "Night and day 2" ( Hell of a town , Just because..., Happy land, Love got lost) You are in for a lot of surprises. JJ is one underrated genius.
Joe Jackson is absolutely brilliant! You should give a listen to his Big World album which was recorded as a live performance and not as a studio album. Also, Warren Zevon is often overlooked. Please listen to his Excitable Boy album.
Good video Justin. This album is a sensible place to start with Joe, but he gets better a few albums in. Funny story: I saw Joe Jackson in 1982, I believe. At one point in the show all the band members put down their instruments and joined Joe to form a semi-circle at the center of the stage. They broke into an a capella version of "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" Well, the audience knew this song by heart, of course, and started singing along. A few bars into it and the audience was not singing at the same tempo as as the band and by the midway point of the song the band had slowed down to join the audience, which had more or less high-jacked the song. When it finally ended I could see the disgust on Joe's face. He was pissed at the band for ceding control of the performance to the audience. He resumed the show, but had a real saucy attitude for the next 2 or 3 songs. The band members avoided looking at him eye to eye. I was in the second row of the auditorium and saw all of this quite clearly, but I don't now how much people further behind me picked up.
Please do more Joe, he was tagged as an Elvis Costello copy, but he's his own man with massage talent. Check out some tracks from his next album, the title track "I'm the Man", "It's Different for Girls" and "Friday ". These songs have great lyrics and the music is great!
JJ is a great often passed over artist. Lost in the wake when Elvis Costello was doing similar work at the same time. Elvis is great also. He had a more fervent push by his record label. "Into the Night" a must. Dive deep into JJ you will enjoy.
