Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 82 - Erasure - Oh L' Amour

Considering Erasure are one of my all-time favourite bands, they haven't been featured much in my list of favourite songs so far.

Oh L'Amour was Erasure's third single from their debut album Wonderland, and it was released on the 21st April 1986 to a very luke-warm reception where it only managed to reach 85 in the UK Singles Charts.  Fortunately, time has been kind to the track, and when it was re-released in 2003, it managed to peak at a much more respectable (and well-deserved) 13th position.

I've been meaning to include this one in my list for quite some time but with the song being featured in Renaults' television advertisement for their Clio model car, I thought now would be a good time.

Sit back and enjoy the incredible synths of Vince Clarke, along with the ever-flamboyant Andy Bell and his amazing voice.

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 67 - Erasure - Fingers and Thumbs (Cold Summer's Day)

It's been a month since I last posted my previous favourite tune, so I've decided to go back to one of my all-time favourite bands.  Today's track is Erasure's Fingers and Thumbs (Cold Summer's Day), an absolute corker from their 1995 self-titled album "Erasure".

It only peaked at number 20 in the UK charts in December 1995 which is dreadful considering the amount of tat that was filling the charts at that time (yes, I'm talking about you Oasis, Boyzone and, East 17), but considering the band were not considered 'mainstream' at the time, it was still a respectable position.  Remember, this was before the internet and online streaming was a thing.

This is the single version, but the one featured on the album was a 6-minute and 44-second masterpiece, featuring an extended instrumental section between the second and third choruses.

An absolute classic of track.

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 48 - Erasure (Sometimes)

So here we are with my 48th track, and it's surprising that I've only had one Erasure song on the list so far considering how much of a fan I am of the synth-pop duo.  Well, here we are with track number two!

For me, 'Sometimes' is one of the defining synth songs of the mid to late 1980s.  It's amazing and deservedly sat in the UK charts for an impressive 23 weeks, peaking at Number 2 in December 1986, and only being beaten from the top spot by Europe's "The Final Countdown".

Guaranteed to cheer me up when I feel down (which is a lot these days, but hey ho),  

It does make me think back to a comment my son Kieran made a few weeks ago about how happy songs sounded in the 1980s compared to what is in the popular charts today.

"It's not the way you lead me by the hand into the bedroom

It's not the way you throw your clothes upon the bathroom floor

Been thinking about ya, I just couldn't wait to see

Fling my arms around ya as we fall in ecstasy"

You know the rest :)

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 7 - Stop! (Erasure)

People who know me well will know what a big Erasure fan I am.  

Although I had heard and liked their previous songs, "Stop!" is probably the song that first caught my attention and made me really like the group,  It was a few years later when I really became a fan and followed them.

"Stop!" was featured on Erasure's Christmas EP "Crackers International" back in 1988 where the album reached a very impressive number 2 on the UK charts.

This song always reminds me of Christmas thanks to it being released during the festive period, and once again I remember it originally being on a compilation tape that my sister made for me.