My Best Day

Track fourteen. So we move from a song you co-wrote with Ian Brodie
For your album, to a song you co-wrote with Ian for his album. "
My Best Day" was written for The Lightning Seeds'
Nineteen ninety-four album, Jollification, and was
Later added to the deluxe edition of Essex. What was it
About this song that you felt key to your songwriting?

Oh, well, I think it was, it was key to, to my forty years'

Experience, you know. It was one of the rare times that I've

Written with somebody else who's not a bona fide songwriting partner
You know, me chancing it like that. And it worked well because
It was as, you know, it's what worked well for me, to send me
Over a track and I'd write it on my own. You know, as long as I'm
On my own, I'm kind of all right. But, uh, a- also, you know, he
He, he does great melodies and, you know, uh, and that kind of
Stuff. And I, I, I like the song. I like the song, and it was a
Significant moment in my career. You know, it's like one of the
Very f- rare times I've ever done a duet, and to actually have a
Song on another contemporary artist's album was pretty significant

And also, of course, on the original version
Both you and Ian Brodie share vocals

Mm

But going from a duet to a solo song
Does that impact how you adapt it for key?

The way that I do, I don't think it's impacted the way that Sean did
But, you know, th- we'll, we'll come to that. I mean, I, I would
Still have liked to have done a duet, but it was... Again, you know
It's like there's that thing I was saying to you before about singers
With me, when I'm, I'm, I'm quite, uh... I've got that kind of
Accent going, and I've, I've got a very particular clip kind of way
Of, uh, phrasing things that are very idiosyncratic. And so it takes
Someone either kind of really knowing me or coming from Basildon

... For, for that to sit well with. I mean, it, it, I mean, it did
Work with Ian. So when we do it live, and, and I've just
Kind of really started i- introducing it on the latter
Dates that we've done, Sean and I sing it together, and
Sean is my dream singing partner on that. Uh, uh, but
The trouble is with Sean, he gets very stubborn sometimes

I, I have nothing but great respect for him, but he, he is like
You know, once he's, once he's decided, he's decided. And he-
It was just, it was one of those things
Where I just, I had so much to consider-
You did, yeah
... Across this whole record. I couldn't hack the
Responsibility of, of singing on it as well. It was
Just, it was one step too far, because I was already-

Yeah, no, I get this. I have ev- I, you know, I
I, I ha- I... We should have chosen otherwise
Mm-hmm
I, I don't deny that, but I've never told you otherwise than that
But I, I do empathize with you. You had a, an awful lot of
Responsibility, and I can imagine with the weight of all
Of that, and then still having to feel like you, you're
Gonna have to take judgment on how you sing together. But
I mean, Sean does have a beautiful voice, and we do sing really
Really well together, and we will do it as a duet live

Yeah, I'll happily do it on the tour-
Mm

... 'Cause the pressure's off

No, but I mean, yeah, I mean, it was a lot, it was a lot. I do
Get that. I do get that it was a lot for you to, you know, h-
Have to anticipate. I mean, he's already, you know, having to
Me- y- we know that you're always gonna deal with people who
Are outraged that you have redressed their babies, you know?

But, um, but so, you know, we, we're already kind of like, you know
Prepared for that. But, uh, then I guess to do that, and then to have
To get compared with another singer, and then to have to get the
You know, the, the stuff that comes with anything once you raise your
Head above the parapet. Like I say, I'm, I'm kind of, uh, you know
Old and ugly, and it's like I can kind of deal with it. I think for
Anybody fresh to that table, it's
It's, it's always a bit unpleasant

I mean, conversely, compared to, um, "So Am I,"
This one I've kept an awful lot of what Ian did

Yes

I've recreated a lot of his parts and sounds, and the place I've
Concentrated on making the changes are really in the, in the rhythm
Track. The two things that are different, it's got a very overtly
Electronic rhythm track, and again, Richard's on guitar on this
One. So he gives it some kind of, sort of rocky heft, if you like
Whereas I've got this very tough, overtly synthetic kind of kick
Drum, snare, and bass line thing happening. Um, but the, what's
Happening above that isn't too dissimilar, really, from what, um-
Mm ... was on the original. So I think it's a nice kind of
Sort of cross-pollination of the two things, really

Yeah
It works very well
I might be jumping ahead or jumping behind, but was there a
Particular song that you found the most challenging to adapt?

The ones I found the hardest were the
Ones that were the most well-known
Mm

And I really, really, really struggled with "Love Resurrection."
Yeah, no, I, I really like what you've done with that
I'm still not-
And so I was kind of quite surprised at the end that
You're still a little bit reticent over that one. Was-
Yeah, I'm still not sure about it, really

Oh, you know what? Oh, I like it
Oh, well, we'll come to that bit in a second