The Only Good Thing That I’ve Got

Formulars Dance Band “Never Never Let Me Down”

It’s pretty easy to get sucked into the gravitational pull of this song. There’s something about the way that gentle groove, tinny guitar, and softly buzzing keyboard come together that’s slightly off in exactly the right way. The notes seem to shake slightly in the air, the treble sounds like a dim glow. And then there’s this guy’s voice, which is the richest, deepest tone in the mix, and delivers English lyrics with what sounds to me like a Nigerian accent approximating an American accent. He’s singing about this fraught relationship, and though his passion is obvious, there’s also this sorta serene quality to his voice.

There’s one lyric in this song that really gets to me, partly because I know it in another context: “You’re the one good thing that I’ve got.” George Michael sings that in “Freedom ’90,” and it’s something that always stings me. I know that feeling too well, that desperate, sad thing of clinging to something you feel sure of – a talent, an achievement, a person, whatever – because it’s the only thing that keeps you from thinking you’re pathetic. The line feels different here, though. Whereas George Michael sings it with a lot of ego, this guy sounds very humble. He’s holding on to something, but more out of love for someone else than a fear of losing his sense of self.

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