Marc Almond has had a long and varied career spanning circa 40 years. During this time, after a career with Soft Cell and Marc and the Mambas, he has collaborated with an extremely wide range of artists including Antony and The Johnsons, Jools Holland, Siouxsie Sioux, Nick Cave, P.J. Proby, Nico, Kelli Ali of the Sneaker Pimps, Neal X (on the albums Fantastic Star and Open All Night), Marie France, Agnes Bernelle, Lydia Lunch, Gene Pitney on the #1 UK single "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart", Foetus (a.k.a. J. G. Thirlwell), Jimmy Somerville of The Communards and Bronski Beat, Psychic TV, Coil, Sally Timms of Mekons, King Roc, John Cale and David Johansen of The New York Dolls and German band Rosenstolz.
Almond initially shot to fame in the early 1980s as one half of synth duo Soft Cell, whose combination of drama and peep show sleaze set to an electronic beat gave them hits such as "Tainted Love" (UK #1), "Bedsitter" (UK #3), "Torch" (UK #2), "Say Hello Wave Goodbye" (UK #3), "Soul Inside" (UK # 16), "What?" (UK #3) and the club hit "Memorabilia". They were first spotted by David Oddie, boss of Wakefield based Ambergris Records in a Bradford club, who passed his enthusiasm onto Dead Good Records in Lincoln, famous for their Hicks From The Sticks compilation, who in turn approached Polygram, the newly formed amalgam of Polydor and Phonogram. Although Soft Cell disbanded in 1984 just before the release of fourth album, This Last Night In Sodom, the duo reunited in 2001 for live shows and in 2002 released a new album entitled Cruelty Without Beauty, from which the single "The Night" (UK #39) was taken.
His biggest UK hits as a solo artist have been cover versions; the aforementioned 1989 number one duet with Gene Pitney and another near chart-topper in 1991 with David McWilliams' "The Days of Pearly Spencer", which peaked at #4. In 1985, he duetted with Jimmy Somerville and Bronski Beat on a cover of Donna Summer's "I Feel Love (Medley)" and it hit #3. The highest UK positions his self-penned singles have reached so far have been "Stories of Johnny" (#23 in 1985), "Tears Run Rings" (#28 in 1988) and "Adored and Explored" (#25 in 1995).
Almond's work runs the gamut from electronica and dance music to French chanson, traditional piano ballads, and Russian romance songs, as exhibited on his 2003 album Heart on Snow. Influences include David Bowie, a childhood hero of his, as well as early 1960s Northern Soul and disco. Other major influences have been Scott Walker from Walker Brothers and Jacques Brel, 12 of whose songs Almond reworked in English for his 1989 album Jacques. Almond's own lyrics are a creative expression of what he sees and are not to be confused with his own life. He also operates a record label, Blue Star Music, on which he has released many of his solo and collaborative records in the UK.
Almond currently lives in the Bermondsey area of south east London. In his autobiography he describes previously living in Earl's Court, in a converted church in Fulham and most memorably in Soho's Berwick Street, where he lived in a flat overlooking the Raymond Revuebar.
The Days of Pearly Spencer
Marc Almond Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Walked and worn by shoeless feet
Inside it's long and so complete
Watched by a shivering sun
Old eyes in a small child's face
Watching as the shadows race
Through walls and cracks and leave no trace
And daylight's brightness shuns
The days of Pearly Spencer
The race is almost run
Nose pressed hard on frosted glass
Gazing as the swollen mass
On concrete fields where grows no grass
Stumbles blindly on
Iron trees smother the air
But withering they stand and stare
Through eyes that neither know nor care
Where the grass is gone
The days of Pearly Spencer
The race is almost run
Pearly where's your milk white skin
What's that stubble on your chin
It's buried in the rot gut gin
You played and lost not won
You played a house that can't be beat
Now look your head's bowed in defeat
You walked too far along the street
Where only rats can run
The days of Pearly Spencer
The race is almost run
The days of Pearly Spencer
The race is almost run
The race is almost run
A tenement, a dirty street
Remember worn and shoeless feet
Remember how you stood to beat
The way your life had gone
So Pearly don't you shed more tears
For those best forgotten years
Those tenements are memories
Of where you've risen from
The days of Pearly Spencer
The race is almost won
The song "The Days of Pearly Spencer" is a poignant and evocative exploration of the harsh realities of poverty and the way it can crush the spirit of those forced to live in its grip. This is illustrated through the vivid use of descriptive language and imagery that underscores the bleakness of the conditions the song's narrator is depicting.
The tenement referred to in the opening lines is a symbol of the poverty and hopelessness that characterizes the neighborhood in which the song is set. The shoeless feet of its inhabitants suggest a lack of resources and the harsh reality of daily life. The shivering sun and old eyes of the small child illustrate the desperate conditions they must endure while the shadows race by, an ominous foreboding of the future that awaits them.
In contrast to the dirt and decay of the tenements, the lyrics reference the iron trees that now dominate the area, further emphasizing the industrialization and loss of the natural world around them. Pearly Spencer himself is a downcast figure, his former beauty now buried beneath the filth of the street and the hard living he has endured.
* Marc Almond first heard "The Days of Pearly Spencer" as a child in 1967 and later recorded his version in 1992.
* The song was originally written and performed by the Northern Irish singer-songwriter David McWilliams.
* McWilliams released "The Days of Pearly Spencer" as a single in 1967, but it failed to chart in the UK.
* The song fared a little better in continental Europe and was a number one hit in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.
* Despite its commercial failure when it was first released, "The Days of Pearly Spencer" has since become regarded as a classic of its era.
* The title character is believed to be a real-life figure from McWilliams' hometown of Ballymena in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
* The song has been covered by a number of artists over the years, including the Bee Gees, The Smashing Pumpkins and The Orchestra.
* The chorus of the song was used in an advertisement for the Fiat Punto in the late 1990s.
* "The Days of Pearly Spencer" has been used in a number of television shows and films, including the British drama "Our Friends in the North" and the French film "Nocturama."
* The song has been described as an example of the "Irish melancholic ballad" genre and is often cited as one of the best songs of the 1960s.
Chords: Em, Em7, G6, A7, D, G, G7/C, D7, Am7, B7.
Line by Line Meaning
A tenement, a dirty street
The place where Pearly Spencer grew up was a rundown and dirty area.
Walked and worn by shoeless feet
Pearly Spencer walked the streets barefoot like many others who lived there.
Inside it's long and so complete
Despite its condition, the tenement was a complete home for those who lived there.
Watched by a shivering sun
The sun provides light to the area, but it appears to be shivering, as if it's too cold for comfort.
Old eyes in a small child's face
Despite being a child, Pearly has seen and experienced a lot.
Watching as the shadows race
Pearly is watching the shadows race around the walls and floors of the tenement.
Through walls and cracks and leave no trace
The shadows move quickly and silently, leaving no mark.
And daylight's brightness shuns
In contrast to the shadows, daylight brings no brightness and joy to the area.
The days of Pearly Spencer
This line represents the past, and how Pearly remembers his life before.
The race is almost run
The end of Pearly's life is approaching.
Nose pressed hard on frosted glass
Pearly is pressing his nose against the glass, looking out into the cold world.
Gazing as the swollen mass
He is looking at the mass of people walking by.
On concrete fields where grows no grass
The area is full of concrete and there isn't a blade of grass in sight.
Stumbles blindly on
Despite the obstacles, people still stumble forward in their lives.
Iron trees smother the air
The buildings tower over the people like iron trees.
But withering they stand and stare
The buildings are slowly decaying, but they still loom over the people.
Through eyes that neither know nor care
The buildings don't have emotions or concerns, they just exist.
Where the grass is gone
The area has been stripped of any natural beauty.
Pearly where's your milk white skin
Someone is asking Pearly about his appearance.
What's that stubble on your chin
They are questioning why he has stubble there.
It's buried in the rot gut gin
Pearly has turned to drinking cheap alcohol to get through life.
You played and lost not won
Pearly has made some poor choices in life.
You played a house that can't be beat
Pearly tried to beat the odds and lost.
Now look your head's bowed in defeat
The consequences of his actions have led to him feeling defeated.
You walked too far along the street
Pearly has traveled down a difficult path.
Where only rats can run
The only creatures that thrive in the area are rats.
So Pearly don't you shed more tears
Someone is comforting Pearly and instructing them not to cry anymore.
For those best forgotten years
They are advising Pearly to let the past go.
Those tenements are memories
The tenements are part of Pearly's past and should be left there.
Of where you've risen from
Pearly has come a long way and should be proud of what they've accomplished.
The days of Pearly Spencer
This line represents the present, Pearly's current situation.
The race is almost won
Despite the hardships, Pearly is close to achieving their goals.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID MCWILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@michaelsantos8708
Great song. Timeless.
@kevinallcock1946
What an amazing artist .
@adelesteff3902
Merveilleux chanteur ! Il peut tout chanter, du morceau le plus pointu jusqu'à la chanson la plus kitsch, tout devient extrêmement intéressant et jouissif interprété par lui et cette voix magnifiquement timbrée, souple, puissante, sans maniérisme, j'adore ce chanteur !!!
@cauldronmoon
Marc, I love you and all of your songs, originals and covers.
@MrAdamMovies
Love this song!
@sharksport01
Every song on this cd is excellent, mine has a LOT of mileage!
@EddyFong
How good is this!!!
@kevinallcock1946
Incredible , fantastic , superb . running out of superlatives .
@kadeem2000
Great old song!
@Mikke157799
Great Song......!!!