BSPH: Del Shannon - One Track Mind

"One Track Mind" is a song by american rock'n'roll singer Del Shannon. It was originally recorded in the late 70s during Shannon excursion into Ireland but left floating in the bootleg dimension until recently being reissued on an album titled "The Dublin Sessions".

Stylistically "One track mind" is the answer to a hypothetical question "what will happen if you combine sloppy jumping hangover swagger of The Rolling Stones with the stoic swamp vibe of John Fogerty and Creedance Clearwater Revival?". It is hard pounding rock song with a genuine emotion bringing it on another level.

Musically, there is not much going on. The song is built on an incredibly catchy Ray Charles-channeling electropiano riff around which the rest of the arrangement is built. The guitar lines are clearly inspired by Keith Richards start-stop bounce, while the drums provide a solid backbone to the proceedings.

The lyrics are by-the-numbers "abstract kitchen sink relationship stuff" about things getting under the skin and then a bit hedgehoggy with tough verbal exchanges.

What makes it interesting is that Shannon sells it like it is the lowbrow high drama with that particular indelible smirk that points out the unreliable narrator flavor behind the performance.

While the text treats the situation as sacramental "these stupid things", the way Shannon performs it suggests that the narrator doesn't take the accusations seriously and is partially delusional about his behavior. This suggests that there is much more obsession involved than it seems.

Del Shannon's story is one of the biggest injustices of rock history. He deserved better. The man wrote one of the most heartwrenching heartbreak songs of all time "Runaway" and spent the rest of his long career in the shadow of this song. While his later works never reached the exposure of his early - the man never stopped to move forwards and update his aesthetic. "One Track Mind" is one of the highlights of his later career.