23 April 1983
The occasional snatches of its chorus on radio and TV for the rest of the ’80s, often on some ad for a romantic hits compilation, were all I’d previously heard of ‘Words’ by F.R. David, and I wasn’t impressed: simpering vocals, saccharine keyboards, the whole sensitive-guy routine. So, I had this down as maudlin mush and wasn’t keen on a full dose, but I’ve committed to listening to each of these songs. (It’s up there in the header, typed in blood.) Once more unto the breach, dear friends.
And I must say, this isn’t as bad as I had feared. With a less slushy production, this could have been a passably okay ’80s new wave track; there’s a solid enough song underneath the candy floss, and the mid-section lets F.R. indulge in a bit of muscular post-punk riffing that would have done the rest of the track a power of good.
I’ve no doubt, though, that it’s the ghastly tremulous chorus of tender love and constipated feelings that propelled ‘Words’ to number one across Europe (and number two in the UK), so that’s how we must judge it.
