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Those who are unaware might think of Squeeze as one-hit wonders. After all, “Tempted” still finds its way onto commercials and classic rock radio while the rest of the band’s output is forgotten, especially in the U.S. But there was a time when the group’s songwriting duo was considered their generation’s Lennon and McCartney. Here is a song-by-song look back at East Side Story, a 1981 album that captured them at the peak of their powers.

East Side Story (1981, A&M Records)

Side A

  A1. “In Quintessence”
Although the rest of this album was co-produced by Elvis Costello and Roger Bechirian, this opener was produced by Dave Edmonds, which might have something to do with its recklessly propulsive nature. You get an early sense of both the melodic flair of singer/guitarist Glenn Tilbrook, who wrote the group’s music, and the clever and incisive wordplay of rhythm guitarist Chris Difford, who penned the lyrics. Ironically, the song casts an unsentimental eye on the very teenagers who were likely scooping up Squeeze records at the time.

  A2. “Someone Else’s Heart”
Notable for the solid bass work of John Bentley which establishes the tense mood and the great harmonies of Difford (who sings lead here) and Tilbrook, this tale of un-trusting lovers is expertly rendered.

  A3. “Tempted”
The nomadic career of Paul Carrack led him to Squeeze for East Side Story, and on his lone lead vocal he produced the group’s most enduring song and a primer in blue-eyed soul singing. Speaking of singing, that’s Costello taking the low parts in the second verse. Carrack would leave the band after just the one album (he returned briefly in the 90’s), but his contribution was one for the ages.

  A4. “Piccadilly”
At times, Difford’s lyrics can be more impressive than affecting, and this breathless, horn-filled romp is an example of that.

  A5. “There’s No Tomorrow”
The production tries to emulate the drunken stupor of the lyrics and creates a suitably surreal air, but the pace is too sludgy by half.

  A6. “Heaven”
This song is a bit of an odd duck, what with Difford’s wobbly lead vocal, a discordant three-note keyboard riff, and an Egyptian-flavored guitar solo. But those killer harmonies damn near redeem it.

  A7. “Woman’s World”
The band takes a look at a desperate housewife. Tilbrook’s melody plays perfectly to the built-in ache in his voice, and the empathy of Difford’s lyrics is unmistakable. Just a gorgeous song.

Side B

  B1. “Is That Love?”
Frenetic would be the only proper way to describe the pace here. Squeeze often gets lumped in with New Wave music, and this song falls closest to that genre out of all the songs on this album. Tilbrook’s sprinting guitar solo is a keeper.

  B2. “F-Hole”
A one-night stand goes awry, as the band’s sense of humor shines through. The string-laden, thumping arrangement keeps things tense, but the one-liners win the day. Sample: “We watched each other closely/She looks like Bela Lugosi”.

  B3. “Labelled With Love”
The group knocked this out-of-left-field country weeper into the cheap seats and wound up with an unlikely Top 10 hit in their native Britain. They tread the line of genre parody ever so deftly, thanks to Difford’s winningly blunt characterization of a spinster. The way the song effortlessly spans her life from youthful promise to weary old age really elucidates how quickly it all passes.

  B4. “Someone Else’s Bell”
Featuring some booming drumming from Gilson Lavis, Difford’s rhythm guitar lick, and a swaggering vocal turn from Tilbrook, this is another example of the group turning what would be album filler in lesser hands into a memorable track.

  B5. “Mumbo Jumbo”
Difford’s maniacally clever lyrics here are something to admire, but give credit to Tilbrook for delivering those lyrics without hyperventilating and ending up with his tongue in a sailor’s knot.

  B6. “Vanity Fair”
If you want to compare Difford and Tilbrook to Lennon and McCartney, then this song would be their “Eleanor Rigby,” a string-laden character sketch of a lonely girl. Her indefatigable hopefulness is almost heartbreaking when you consider the limitations that are clear to everyone else but her.

  B7. “Messed Around”
The band closes things out on a low-key but charming rockabilly note, featuring a solo from Tilbrook that would make Carl Perkins proud.

The Bottom Line

The songs on this album are endlessly catchy and yet have a lyrical and musical depth to them that suggest something much more profound than just another hit record. I’m not sure why Squeeze never made it into the upper echelon of the rock world, but East Side Story deserves to be mentioned among the very best albums of the 1980’s.

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