WELCOME TO Throwback Tunes, DailyEdge.ie’s new series looking back at some classic Irish pop albums and asking: Do they still hold up in 2017?
For our first ever Throwback Tunes, I listened to Boyzone’s first album, Said And Done. It was awful, and you can read about that painful experience here.
This week, I’m hoping for an easier time with The Corrs’ Forgiven, Not Forgotten, their 1995 debut that set them on course for international fame. They were even invited on Beverly Hills 90210 to perform the title track at the Peach Pit’s New Year’s Eve party, which seems… a rather dour choice.
So we’re revisiting it. As always I’m looking for hidden bangers and songs that haven’t stood the test of time, and you’re free to listen along with me. Let’s go!
1. Erin Shore (Instrumental)
0.20 - I forgot that The Corrs were extremely trad when they first started out. This is a short intro that bleeds directly into the title track, and it’s nice? Sharon gets the spotlight with the fiddle, good on you Sharon.
2. Forgiven, Not Forgotten
0:03 – The opening notes of this are so dramatic after the diddley-eye! VERY EFFECTIVE SHARON.
1:01 – “And the one-eyed furry toy that lies upon the bed.” This line is really weird and jarring, mostly because I don’t believe Andrea Corr has ever possessed a one-eyed furry toy. She is a mystical woman with no need for such earthly comforts.
1:37 – Here comes Jim! It’s a lot rockier than I remembered. And emo, lyrics-wise. Many references to bleeding hearts and icy graves and black nights. Is it any wonder I turned to emo, when this is what I was exposed to as a child?
3:58 - This was a great way to introduce themselves to the world. Lots of drama, bit of trad. How life should be, TBH.
3. Heaven Knows
0:03 – They’re giving Caroline a moment to drum away here at the start, which is very good of them. Caroline was always the quieter sister, wasn’t she? According to Wikipedia fans nicknamed her ‘The Chick With Stick’. God help us.
0:35 – This could be a Eurovision song from somewhere like Azerbaijan.
2:38 – It’s the kind of Eurovision song you’d think was nice, then forget what it sounded like three minutes later. Maybe it would come 15th thanks to bloc voting. What I’m saying is, it’s fine.
4. Along With The Girls (Instrumental)
0:26 – Another wee trad piece that speeds along and ends before you even know it’s there. Complete trad interlude or no trad interlude, in my esteemed opinion.
5. Someday
0:14 – Do you think Andrea was listening to a lot of Jagged Little Pill around this time? Because this is very Alanis Lite. Alanis without any of the bite.
2:00 – I can imagine this being played in a harmless 2000s romcom when the lead has just broken up with her no good boyfriend, and she’s throwing out his things and feeling free.
3:51 – Please allow me a moment to rant: I HATE FADE OUTS. I hate them. Finish your goddamn song! It’s the least you can do!
6. Runaway
0:05 – This song is so good and it should be the national anthem. These are my feelings on the subject.
0:51 – COS IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEYAAAA-HIHI! I legit have goosebumps.
1:22 – The “By candlelight, make love to me through the night” lyric is racy, though. I definitely sang along to this as a child! Mortified for myself! They’re going to have to make some amendments if this is to be the national anthem. Give me a ring lads.
2:47 – I love the big dramatic guitar bit before the last chorus. It makes no sense with the rest of the song but get it, Jim.
3:37 - WITH YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUU! Am I crying? Maybe.
7. The Right Time
0:07 – This intro is very Fleetwood Mac.
0:14 – Oh no, the actual song is reggae-influenced. Why are Irish bands always trying to involve reggae in things? CEASE AND DESIST.
2:34 – The Right Time was produced by a bunch of lads who previously worked with Ace of Base, so let’s blame them. You can actually sing the chorus of The Sign over the melody. They clearly love to change things up.
8. The Minstrel Boy (Instrumental)
0:20 – I don’t know who in 2017 is listening to The Corrs for their instrumental covers of old Irish tunes, but fair play if so.
1:52 – This was definitely a way to reassure the rest of the The Corrs that their spotlight wasn’t being pinched by Andrea. No way guys, look! You have… The Minstrel Boy.
9. Toss The Feathers (Instrumental)
0:15 – The Minstrel Boy goes straight into this one, which is much livelier. You can imagine some auld fella giving a big “YEEEEOOOO!” when this kicks off.
1:40 – I kind of want to give a big YEEEEOOOO. My toes are tapping, people.
2:20 – This is the kind of instrumental number I expect from The Corrs. Rousing as f**k.
10. Love To Love You
0:27 – This is a mid-tempo ballad that could also be inserted into a montage scene in a romcom, maybe when the lead is a bit sad and confused about where her relationship is going? She could stare out a window pensively to it.
0:32 – Who decides on the soundtrack for movies, and can it be me? I think I have a natural gift.
2:55 – The Corrs have way better mid-tempo ballads than this one (What Can I Do, Runaway). It’s aggressively bland.
3:02 – And now to address a more trivial matter: How stunning are the Corr sisters? Apologies to all the foreigners who were mislead into thinking Ireland was teeming with Andreas and Carolines and Sharons. No, they are very much out on their own.
11. Secret Life
0:10 – I think I know who wrote most of the lyrics to this song. There are lots of references to “fantasy” obscuring the truth, and you know who believes people are obscuring the truth? That’s right: Jim Corr.
1:34 – The second verse rails against Scientology (!) and features perhaps the only use of the word ‘codology’ in a pop song:
Evangelists, scientologists, and others I won’t mention/Offer lessons in codology to all with good intention
2:49 – They chant “I think, therefore I am” in the middle eight. HELLO JIM.
12. Carraroe Jig (Instrumental)
0:35 – Things just start getting good with the addition of a bodhran, then the song starts fading out. I do not understand you, Corr siblings. I do not.
13. Closer
0:41 – This is a truly dull ballad in which Andrea wonders if she could cheer up a sad person. She probably could, being a mystical woman and all.
1:34 – An aside: Remember the ‘Beautiful Corrs’ SMTV Live sketches?
2:42 – She manages to make the word ‘closer’ sound absolutely nothing like the word ‘closer’ (more like ‘closaaaaaaaaaair’), which is a talent in itself.
14. Leave Me Alone
0:01 – I’ve honestly been excited to get to this song based on the title alone, because it’s me AF. Is it going to be a screaming punk song? I hope so.
0:04 – The intro sounds like “Yvan eht nioj!” from The Simpsons. Maybe if we play it backwards we will discover a hidden message from Jim.
0:33 – Well… it’s not punk, but it’s as close as we’ll ever get from The Corrs (which is Fleetwood Mac minus the cocaine and love rectangles), so I’m still on board.
2:48 – Actually, I change my mind. This is boring. You can’t call a song Leave Me Alone and make it boring! It’s just rude.
15. Erin Shore (Instrumental)
0:45 – As you may have guessed, this is the full version of the intro we heard so many moons ago, and it’s still fine.
2:50 – The middle part goes full Les Miserables with rolling snare drums and flutes going ninety (I did Leaving Cert music, can you tell) but I am afraid to say I’ve checked out. I’m gone, Corrs.
Overview
Forgiven, Not Forgotten was The Corrs leaning hard into their trad roots before realising that Celtic-tinged pop was more where it’s at. The main singles (Forgiven, Not Forgotten and Runaway) are good, as are one or two of the instrumentals, but the rest is largely forgettable – I’m glad I listened to it again though, mostly because it confirmed that Jim Corr has always been into conspiracies. I am your people, Jim.
I leave you with this picture of a man with a tattoo of all the Corr siblings, and I will see you next week with another album.
