Classic or Dud: Robyn Hitchcock, "So You Think You're In Love?"

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The single that introduced me to the charms of Mr Hitchcock, I think it holds up rather well, as does its parent album Perspex Island. It was one of the few times he could balance mercenary instincts with his talent for quietly subversive 12-string janble pop, and was duly rewarded with his biggest American hit (college hit, of course).

What say you?

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 26 October 2005 00:10 (twenty years ago)

Pleasant. I remember the chorus readily enough and I've only heard the song a couple of times.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 26 October 2005 00:11 (twenty years ago)

Speaking of mercenary instincts, it was one of Peter Buck's better moments too.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 26 October 2005 00:12 (twenty years ago)

It's nice, but I prefer my Robyn in wantonly surreal mode.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 26 October 2005 00:38 (twenty years ago)

I like it, but it does certainly sound like Robyn was trying to get a song on the soundtrack to some early nineties romantic comedy. but i certainly enjoy it whenever it comes on. is it true that the song actually dates from the 70s? I think it says so in the liner notes to A Can Of Bees.

― tylerw, Wednesday, 26 October 2005 01:35 (twenty years ago)

Too much pop.

― kephm (kephm), Wednesday, 26 October 2005 02:26 (twenty years ago)

Pop is never too much!

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 26 October 2005 02:34 (twenty years ago)

Oh you say that NOW...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 26 October 2005 02:35 (twenty years ago)

pop, but a wet noodle of a song. he lost me with "balloon man" and this didn't bring me back.

― mitya can't remember his frigging password, Wednesday, 26 October 2005 20:56 (twenty years ago)

one of the only robyn hitchcock songs I can listen to these days

― kyle (akmonday), Wednesday, 26 October 2005 21:32 (twenty years ago)

In an old bit of refraction, I always thought it was too derivative of The House Of Love's "I Don't Know Why I Love You." Of course, early House Of Love was definitely influenced more than a bit by Mr. Hitchcock including sharing the same producer.

I much prefer "Madonna Of The Wasps" for his A&M years... classic tune, though wish it a more dramatic ending.

― hector savage, Wednesday, 26 October 2005 22:48 (twenty years ago)

It's one of the better songs on the record, but then that record's near the bottom of my list if I order his catalog by greatness.

I'm with Alex preferring Surreal Robyn or at least Odd Point-of-View Robyn (a la My Wife and my Dead Wife which isn't quite surreal but isn't really direct either).

― martin m. (mushrush), Wednesday, 26 October 2005 23:30 (twenty years ago)

I really love Perspex Island, and this is coming from a Fegmania fan. His unbearable whimsical tendencies are held in check by a big fat recording major-label recording budget, Peter Buck, and the clearest love songs he'll ever write ("She Doesn't Exist" and "Lysander").

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 26 October 2005 23:41 (twenty years ago)

I do like that song a bunch, partly because of its not-especially-concealed gay subtext and partly because it's the best use Robyn's made of that Roger McGuinn A-Asus4-A-Asus4 routine since "Queen of Eyes."

― Douglas (Douglas), Wednesday, 26 October 2005 23:51 (twenty years ago)

I do like that song a bunch, partly because of its not-especially-concealed gay subtext

Hmm yes, I never quite thought of that! True!

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 26 October 2005 23:57 (twenty years ago)

My only beef with "She Doesn't Exist" is the same beef I have with several songs from around that same time. Namely, the song would be perfect if not for Stipe. He doesn't exactly ruin it for me, but he sounds like he's not supposed to be there.

(See also Kristin Hersh's "Your Ghost" which is fucking brilliant were it not for Stipe who makes it merely a good song. I was made very aware of this because the "demo" version that appears on the Warner Trademark of Quality sampler from '93 is damn near identical to the one on her first record except there's no Stipe on it. And that version is perfection.)

― martin m. (mushrush), Thursday, 27 October 2005 01:10 (twenty years ago)

We are in agreement about the suspended fourth.

― martin m. (mushrush), Thursday, 27 October 2005 01:11 (twenty years ago)

Even more gay subtext: "Balloon Man." I mean, seriously.

― Douglas (Douglas), Thursday, 27 October 2005 01:18 (twenty years ago)

Even more gay subtext: "Balloon Man." I mean, seriously.

In a "Sesame Street" kinda way.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 27 October 2005 01:30 (twenty years ago)

eleven months pass...

My only beef with "She Doesn't Exist" is the same beef I have with several songs from around that same time. Namely, the song would be perfect if not for Stipe. He doesn't exactly ruin it for me, but he sounds like he's not supposed to be there.

Dark Green Energy from around the same time greatly benefits from his voice however.

― dan. (dan.), Monday, 9 October 2006 14:20 (nineteen years ago)

eleven months pass...

This still works.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Monday, 1 October 2007 00:54 (eighteen years ago)

A light bit of Robyn fluff. "I Feel Beautiful" treds similar ground but is much better.

― Mr. Odd, Monday, 1 October 2007 03:59 (eighteen years ago)

Hmm. I don't remember liking this song much, though I usually like Hitchcock. Perspex Island was a difficult album. Not very memorable. In fact, all I really remember about it was the bus station where I listened to it possibly only one time.

The Queen Elvis album was what drew me into the Hitchockian web, if I recall correctly. I would choose "Madonna of The Wasps" over this song. I think they were both trying to acheive the same thing (a hit?).

― Bimble, Monday, 1 October 2007 06:25 (eighteen years ago)

This has always been one of my favorites from the pop side of Robyn's catalogue. Peter Buck was all over this record iirc, which may have something to do with how much I like it...but this song especially.

Still, from a few years earlier, "Balloon Man" and "Vibrating" have a definite leg up.

― Johnny Fever, Monday, 1 October 2007 07:02 (eighteen years ago)

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