The Sutherland Brothers: "Easy Come, Easy Go"

31 May 1979 (with more here)

"While not usually approving of introspective balladeers with a sob story on their trembling lips, this is such a good song, so well performed that I...I...oh, I can't go on, it's all too heartbreaking to even talk about."

— Cliff White

It may be a symptom of our cynical age but I had some difficulty as to how to take Cliff White's words. Does he genuinely love this song and is so moved by it that he is unable to give it a rational analysis? Or does he wish to send up its melodrama by offering up a review that is every bit as choked up on emotion? Well, what if it's a bit of both? And, more to the point, what if that's pretty much what Gavin and Iain Sutherland had in mind as well?

Let's start with the title. Easy come, easy go is a phrase used for something one acquires with as little effort possible but which subsequently disappears just as easily. You weren't invested in it and you never grew attached so it shouldn't matter if it vanishes. Gamblers use it a lot. I find it hard to imagine it being used to sum up a relationship gone sour but I suppose if you've used your influence, looks, money and/or power to woo the fairer sex then you may not mind when they're off to the exit (and, indeed, you've been out the door pretty swiftly yourself). There's always another to scoop up and ditch just as quickly.

One of the Sutherlands is addressing a friend along these lines. You've been so cavalier in the past so why be hung up on some broad now? Though Gavin or Iain has this "sob story" on his "trembling lips", there's not a lot of empathy here. Is he the lothario described above? Perhaps not but it seems the vocalist feels he's getting his just desserts — lines like "better act your age" and "it seems so long since you last had to shed a tear" aren't exactly wise words from one chum to another.

"Easy Come, Easy Go" is a decent record but one that is more interesting than enjoyable. The over-lush arrangements, country-tinged sentimental feel and, yes, extravagant vocals can be a bit much but the harsh message makes it all a lot easier to swallow. Just as interpreting White's review as purposely over flowery and prosaic makes his critique much easier to read charitably.

Back in the early seventies, the up and coming rock group Steely Dan signed up David Palmer as a second lead vocalist, which had been at least partially due to feelings that co-leader Donald Fagen didn't possess a commercial enough voice. Despite this, Palmer only appears on his own on two tracks, "Dirty Work" and "Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me)", on debut Dan LP Can't Buy a Thrill. His earnest, pleading vocals mark a major contrast to Fagen's aloof wiseass and it makes you wonder how their records and career would have turned out with the much more vanilla Palmer singing the bulk of their material. Is a line like "the weekend at the college didn't turn out like you planned" even still funny under these conditions? "Easy Come, Easy Go" gives a tiny glimpse of what this alternate ('Floppy Dan', perhaps?) path would have resulted in. You might take it as serious but you have to dig around for the irony, even if it's right in front of you.

~~~~~

Also Reviewed This Fortnight

Tubeway Army: "Are 'Friends' Electric"

In addition to the number fifty stormer above, Cliff White assesses a pair of UK chart toppers this fortnight. Anita Ward's "Ring My Bell" and "Are 'Friends' Electric" were back-to-back number ones in the summer of 1979 and were but two of what is a pretty outstanding run of hit parade leaders that year (apart from Art Garfunkel). Gary Numan's first of two hits that anyone can remember is absolutely superb and he deftly funneled all kinds of influences without quite being able to spot any of them: I mean, sure, he told everyone how much he adored David Bowie but is it really that obvious here? White's fairly impressed but he concludes on a slight down note that "cheerful it isn't". True enough but when you're caught up in something so original and so addictive, does it really matter?