Pop Said... Explained

Pop Said...
Type:	Album
Artist:	the Darling Buds
Cover:	Darling Buds - Pop Said CD album cover.jpg
Released:	Feb 1989
Recorded:	The Greenhouse, London 1987 & 1988
Genre:	Indie, twee pop
Length:	32:28
Label:	Epic Cherry Red
Producer:	Pat Collier
Next Title:	Shame on You
Next Year:	1990

Pop Said... is the debut album by the Welsh band the Darling Buds, released in 1989 via Epic Records.^{[1] [2]} The album charted at number 23 on the UK Albums Chart.^[3]

The album was re-released by Cherry Red Records in 2006 in an expanded 21-track edition, including B-sides and rarities from the era.

Production

The songs were written by Harley Farr and Andrea Lewis. Pop Said... was produced by Pat Collier.

Critical reception

Trouser Press called the album "a dozen upbeat songs about love (of the puppy, crummy and lost varieties), all well sung and solidly played," writing that "repeated listenings may cause a sugar rush."^[4] The Boston Globe wrote that "each of the dozen tunes here is crafted like a classic pop single: killer hooks, race-and-roar guitar lines, telling catchphrases, girl-boy conflicts and emotional kicks."^[5] The Jerusalem Post deemed the album "replete with consummate pop songs."^[6] The New York Times wrote that "as the guitars surge and the catchy choruses pile up, the Darling Buds supply unrepentant pop pleasure."^[7]

Track listing

Original

All songs written by Harley Farr and Andrea Lewis

1. "Hit the Ground" (2:19)
2. "Burst" (2:51)
3. "Uptight" (2:48)
4. "The Other Night" (2:22)
5. "Big Head" (2:24)
6. "Let's Go Round There" (3:26)
7. "She's Not Crying" (2:07)
8. "Shame on You" (2:01)
9. "You've Got to Choose" (2:17)
10. "Spin" (2:41)
11. "When It Feels Good" (3:44)
12. "Things We Do for Love" (3:18)

2006 re-release bonus tracks

1. "Just Say So" (3:11)
2. "Pretty Girl" (2:43)
3. "If I Said" (3:19)
4. "Turn You On" (2:55)
5. "Different Daze" (4:01)
6. "Mary's Got to Go" (2:02)
7. "I'll Never Stop" (3:25)
8. "Shame on You – Slightlydelic Version" (4:35)
9. "It's All Up to You – Flip Flop Version" (2:21)

Credits

• Andrea Lewis – vocals
• Geriant "Harley" Farr – guitar
• Chris McDonogh – bass
• Richard Gray "Bloss" – drums

Charts

Chart (1990/91)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)^[8]	139
UK Albums (OCC)	23

Notes and References

1. Web site: Artist Biography by Craig Harris . AllMusic . 1 April 2021.
2. Pick . Steve . CRITIC'S CHOICE . St. Louis Post-Dispatch . 16 June 1989 . E5.
3. Web site: Official Charts Company. www.officialcharts.com.
4. Web site: Darling Buds . Trouser Press . 1 April 2021.
5. Sullivan . Jim . DARLING BUDS 'POP SAID . . .' COLUMBIA . The Boston Globe . 27 Apr 1989 . 8.
6. Goldberg . Andy . HOT WAX . The Jerusalem Post . 12 May 1989 . 6.
7. Pareles . Jon . HOME ENTERTAINMENT/RECORDINGS: RECENT RELEASES . The New York Times . 28 May 1989 . A22.
8. Web site: The Darling Buds ARIA Chart history complete to 2024. ARIA. Imgur.com. 26 July 2024. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.