I just found this band recently, and this song caught my attention. It’s part jazz, soul, blues, and pop, and Carmel McCourt has a voice that makes you stop and listen. I can hear a few decades in the music, and I like that.
Carmel formed in Manchester in 1981 with McCourt on vocals, Jim Parris on bass, and Gerry Darby on drums and percussion. They were basically a trio, but they could sound much larger. Their music wasn’t easy to fit into a single category. They could move from jazz to gospel and blues with ease. They appeared at the ICA Rock Week in 1983, which helped lead to a deal with London Records. The band also sold out Ronnie Scott’s famous jazz club.
Bad Day was released in 1983 and became their breakthrough. One name in the credits jumped out at me immediately. Steve Nieve of Elvis Costello and the Attractions played keyboards on the song. Helen Watson and Rush Winters added backing vocals, which help give the record its gospel feel. The song later appeared on Carmel’s album The Drum Is Everything.
What caught me was how little this sounds like a typical record from 1983. There aren’t many production tricks getting in the way. The rhythm section is strong, along with McCourt’s powerful vocal. I can hear jazz in it, but I hear just as much soul and blues. The song peaked at #15 in the UK in 1983.
Bad Day
A hoo, hoo, a hoo, hoo, a hoo, hoo, a hoo, hoo
Ba ba ber dun ba ba, ber dun ba ba, ber dun ba ba
Bad day, bad day
Bad day when you wake up and you find out your dreams flown away
Don’t run away now, don’t be afraid be strong yeah, be strong now (?) Oh no
You better trust your faith, you better hide your tears (don’t, don’t cry, don’t, don’t cry)
Now everything you had has gone
This world keeps rolling on! Bad days come and bad days go away (?) oh no, oh no yeah!
Ah ah ah ah, ah ah ah ah, ah ah ah ah, ah ah ah ah
I heard, I heard about this (?) (What you say? What you say? What you say?)
I heard, i heard about this (?) (What you say? What you say? What you say?)
I say bad day, (bad day) bad day (bad day) now bad day (bad day)
Bad day you better go away now!
Now you better run away yeah!
I’m giving hope!
I’m giving hope!
I’m giving hope!
I’m giving hope yeah!
So bad day, bad day, bad day, ah you better run away now!
Ah you better go away
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Wow, new to me. I like it! Don’t know how you find this stuff. Selling out Ronnie Scott’s is a true badge of honour!
I guess some folks caught this great sound Randy. That trio is infectious.
One of the hidden gems dug up by guys like you and Max!
Thanks man…it was a referred by a friend…I liked it right away.
I have to second-wow Randy here. “Bad Day’ sounds smoking hot. Carmel who are all new to me remind me a bit of another UK act, blue-eyed soul and jazz vocalist: Sam Brown who seemingly came out of nowhere in 1988 with her great debut album “Stop!” The title track became her biggest hit, peaking at no. 9 on the UK singles chart. In Germany the song reached a more moderate no. 56. Given how often “Stop!” was on my favorite pop radio station at the time, I would have thought its chart performance there was stronger!
They sound like a lot of different styles into one…I love it. That bass is great as well…love stand up basses…I will be a little late to your page today…I’m working on a friends computer.
No worries, I’m sure your friend appreciates your help. Computer issues can be nerve wracking! My post will still be there whenever you get to it! 🙂
Thanks dude…sorry. This weekend has been full of projects
Seriously, don’t stress out! 😀
Interesting, timeless sound. I quite like it, the minimalist music is not half bad. I’d never heard of her though. Ahh the ’80s- I had a shirt much like the one she has in in the video. I loved that shirt!
LOL…I do that as well…I’ll see someone wearing something I did at one time. I like this! Yes it is timeless and that is what I like about it.
I really love that, “A hoo, hoo” part of this song.
This is one of those great one-hit wonders
I like this a lot…yea they had some indie hits there but this was the major one.
That live version hits the spot. Bass organ and drums laying it down so McCourt can feel it. And she delivers. “Bad day go away” Love that lyric.
I echo your sentiment, CB. I would love to hear Tedeschi Trucks Band cover this. Please, TTB, if you’re reading this…
They tune into Mx on a regular basis. To my ear Carmel sounds so much better than the overproduced popular stuff that gets the play. Maybe some choreographed dancing etc would have helped.
I do love that stand up bass. This has a lot of feel CB…and I love they didn’t rely on an 80s production…they kept it clean.
Keep it “clean”. Absolutely. I just said something like that to Lisa.
I have a built in “over produced” dector about the 80s…but they passed the test. That could have been recorded in any decade…I love it.
Im with you. It has that smokey “Fever’ sound that the Boss got on that song. All those genres thrown into the mix.
After listening to it…it sounded familiar…that could be because of all the times I’ve listened to it. All of them were winners….Nice weekend of music CB… 10cc, Yayhoos, Carmel, and the Mott!
Very good choices Max. I was tuned in.
Thank you CB!
I’d never heard of them – i guess its confusing when the UK also had Carmen and Camel in the 1970s. Good though – I liked it when the backing vocals hit at the end.
I found more info about Camel than I did Carmel when I searched. I really like liked this.
I’ve heard this way back somewhere, somehow, though I didn’t know who it is. It’s a real ‘throw what you’ve got into the pot’ and see how it tastes/sounds. Theres jazz, there’s soul, a touch of blues, a dollop of torch singing, its all weird but it works. One that was well forgotten by me but it really deserves to be heard.
This is something usually outside of my usual scope…but this one stuck.
yes it’s a goodie, very old-skool with a lot of passion
I didn’t know this song…I wish I would have at the time!