Howard Jones – No One Is To Blame

You can feel the punishment, but you can’t commit the sin

You can probably count how many 80s ballads I like on one hand but… I liked this ballad when I heard it in the mid-80s. I could relate to it at the time and still can. The song was a hit, but Jones got a chilly reception from his American record company. He was told “I think it’s a B side” by an executive. It taught Jones to listen to himself and not the higher-ups.

There were two versions of this song. The original one was stripped down but the second had Phil Collins drumming and doing backups. I think it was a requirement in the 1980s to have Phil Collins on your record. This song was his biggest hit in the United States.

The song peaked at #4 on the Billboard 100, #12 in Canada, and #16 in the UK Charts in 1986. Howard Jones had 5 top twenty songs and 2 top ten songs in the 1980s. Altogether he had 11 songs in the top 100.

Howard Jones: “Well, I think we can all relate to the main theme of the song. But I was in San Francisco, and I was doing a promotion with the local record company guy, and we were crossing the street to go to the radio station, and he said to me, ‘Howard, what do you think of all the amazing women here in San Francisco?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, they’re great, they’re fantastic.’ And he said, ‘Well, you can look at the menu, but you don’t have to eat.’ And I’ve never actually heard anybody say that before. And so that was it, a good spark for a huge idea coming for a song.”

Howard Jones: “It was originally on the Dream Into Action album, and it’s quite stripped down. And I always thought I could probably get more out of the song. It was suggested I work with Phil, and I’d worked with Phil on the Prince’s Trust concerts here in England. And I’ve been in a band and so I knew Phil. So it was really great working with him. But I’ll tell you what, the fans all like the original version best.” I think it’s because it’s less slick and it’s got more emotion in it. Personally, I prefer the Phil Collins version. But I understand why they like the first one. On this tour when we’re playing the song, I play the original version. I don’t do the second one.”

The original version

No One Is To Blame

You can look at the menu, but you just can’t eat
You can feel the cushion, but you can’t have a seat
You can dip your foot in the pool, but you can’t have a swim
You can feel the punishment, but you can’t commit the sin

And you want her, and she wants you
We want everyone
And you want her and she wants you
No one, no one, no one ever is to blame
You can build a mansion, but you just can’t live in it
You’re the fastest runner but you’re not allowed to win
Some break the rules, and let you cut the cost
The insecurity is the thing that won’t get lost

And you want her, and she wants you
We want everyone
And you want her and she wants you
No one, no one, no one ever is to blame

You can see the summit but you can’t reach it
It’s the last piece of the puzzle but you just can’t make it fit
Doctor says you’re cured but you still feel the pain
Aspirations in the clouds but your hopes go down the drain

And you want her, and she wants you
We want everyone
And you want her and she wants you
No one, no one, no one ever is to blame

No one ever is to blame
No one ever is to blame

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

27 thoughts on “Howard Jones – No One Is To Blame”

  3. A pretty good song. I like these two lines from your post:
    ‘You can probably count how many 80s ballads I like on one hand’, and
    ‘I think it was a requirement in the 1980s to have Phil Collins on your record’.
    Haha.

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  6. HoJo is one of my favorite “80s” artists, liked all of his singles and still find they hold up well to me. This one, like the crowd, I prefer the Phil collins version but it’s nice to hear the original once in awhile too. Glad he went that route and got the star touch and remix to let him hit a wider audience.

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  14. Considering what else was playing that year, this was a welcome pleasant sound. My comment sort of falls in line with the ‘B-side’ comment by his American record company. It didn’t knock my socks off, but it was better than most of what else was on the radio at the time. If I’d paid more attention to the lyrics, I might have been more enthusiastic about it. I like the comment about Phil Collins. He really was everywhere back then. Coincidentally, Howard Jones is doing a special UK tour in October, and Radio Caroline is promoting it on their home page.

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    1. I agree it was better than most of the songs on. Yea it was the lyrical part that got me thinking. That was an interesting angle to write a song.
      Like I said…80s ballads and I don’t get along well…but this one I let in…I could also relate to it.

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