Yesterday evening I made something of a night of it. It's not a bad idea once in a while. Just to remind yourself that you're still alive, even though I've been being highly frugal, sensible and stay at home of late. Thinking of my health and future, sticking to my flat and being sensible.
But as it was Friday night I pushed the boat out a bit. And I'm glad I did. I met up with my good friend Ian and we wandered down to Newcastle Quayside. Had a few pints and great discussions about life. When Ian took his metro back to Monkseaton, I thought I'd go on for one more. Headed off to one of my former haunts back in the days, The Newcastle Arms where I really used to push the boat out far too often back in the day.
I bought myself a pint, put some songs on the jukebox an got myself a window set to watch the nightlife outside. My choices were mostly my general obscure fare. Television, R.E.M, Velvet Underground, The Chills, The Go Betweens, Can, (one belatedly for Damo Suzuki). The revellers in the bar probably didn't notice. If they did they were probably surprised I didn't just put on five Oasis songs. I thought everything sounded just great.
For my last song I put on Madonna's Borderline. Probably with the thought of writing this half in my head. Also because it's a song I love and have been thinking of and listening to a lot recently. It's my favourite Madge moment and still speaks to me all these years down the line.
When it came on, a couple of things struck me. One it's still a great song. It tugs on the heartstrings in a way very few Madonna songs do. It's clearly written with someone in mind, from the time when you're getting embroiled in your first love affairs. The ones that really matter.
The second thing that struck me is that it both is and isn't a great vocal delivery. Madonna is straining for the notes and not hitting them. But it doesn't matter because it's all coming from her heart and aiming to hit a place in yours.
Whatever you think of Madonna, and she's one of the more divisive performers Pop music has produced, I think this is a special moment, for me her most special one. She was someone who had to fight hard to make it and I think the fight is evident here. A sense that she had to leave something behimd, and that it was very painful for her to do so, in order to get to the place where she wanted to go.
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