Celebration of "The Allnighter"

[sodascouts]

I know it's hard to believe, but Glenn released The Allnighter 25 years ago today. While I don't think it's his best work, the unforgettable "Smuggler's Blues" is on there - my personal favorite. I also really enjoy "I Got Love." I've grown to appreciate "Lover's Moon" and "New Love" as well - sweet simplicity. I think "Lover's Moon" is absolutely timeless. Indeed, when I first heard it, I assumed Glenn was covering an old standard. I was very surprised to see it was new original work when I looked on the album credits!

To celebrate, I mined YouTube (although some of the videos are also on GFO):

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGqii46fKYw"]Sexy Girl[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tBLoPiRczo"]Smuggler's Blues[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N43njsqlVxA"]Lover's Moon (fan video)[/ame]

[Maleah]

Yay!!!!! It's the same age as me!!!

[Ive always been a dreamer]

The Allnighter is 25 today - that is hard to believe! It is probably my least favorite of all of Glenn's solo albums, but it definitely has some fine moments. However, it, unfortunately, has some weak moments as well. My favorite tracks are Smuggler's Blues (very awesome), the title track (very hot and sexy), and I Got Love (very catchy melody).

Sexy Girl is one of those songs that I find okay - the cute video actually helps make the song more likable. I like Lover's Moon, but I personally think the melody is a little bland. Better in the USA is catchy, even if the lyrics aren't the most polished (nice sweater, baby). I think New Love is one of Glenn's weaker ballads - just doesn't do much for me.

But, as I have said before, it's the falsetto that brings the album down for me. IMO, Somebody Else and Living in Darkness would both be better songs if sung in Glenn's normal register. I love the music in Somebody Else. As far as Let's Go Home - the falsetto kills this song. IMO, if Glenn had sung the entire song in the same deep, throaty voice he uses in the "Let's Go Home" line, this would be an incredibly gorgeous, sexy song. I believe it would rank up there with the best of his solo work. When I try to visualize Glenn singing the song with his deep, vulnerable, smooth voice, my mind wanders to incredible places. If a man wants me to go home with him, I want him to ask me like a real man, not in a whiny, high-pitched, plaintiff wail.

[Freypower]

OK. Be warned - this will be long. I still remember when I bought the album. Memories!

It is, however, ranked third out of the four (!!! when, WHEN is this number ever going to increase) solo albums for me. But the songs which drag it down for me aren't the same as Dreamer's.

The Allnighter - incredibly pulsating and very sexy. Dig all those whispered 'yeahs'. He plays some excellent guitar on it too, lest we forget. I honestly believe it would still go down well if played live.

Sexy Girl - hmmm. It is well constructed. The bridge is the highlight. BUT. BUT. I still find the song extremely hard to defend. I did not want Glenn to paint himself into a corner the way he seemed to with this song. If only he'd cut out the repetitive backing vocals which also mar It's Cold In Here and (to a lesser extent) Partytown.

I Got Love - this is so slight, it barely registers. He is a better songwriter than this and he knows it. I still cringe at 'if it ain't all honey/still it's right on the money'. Really.

Somebody Else - this is where Dreamer & I part company. I absolutely love this and I love the way he sings it, the way he purrs his way through it. I love listening to his phrasing and the emotion he pours into it.

Lover's Moon - this is an almost classical sounding song which has grown in stature and which SHOULD have been included in Hell Freezes Over (for those who don't know it was performed during rehearsals). Very simple but deeply affecting. 'I know she's waiting'. Yes, Glenn.

Smuggler's Blues - utter masterpiece which I was lucky enough to see the Eagles perform in 1995. It is still urgent, still timely and it still rocks.

Let's Go Home - oh, Dreamer, you say his voice is 'whiny' here! I'm sorry, but it sweeps me away every single time. Yes, it is a good moment when he descends to his normal register (wanna tell you how much I miss you baby) but is what happens to me whenever I hear it.

Better In The USA - If you can't say something nice.... WHY?! All I will say is it improves slightly when it gets to the 'nobody's perfect' verse (quite). But the spoken part just ruins it. I do not know why he does this. Even in Big Life he had to insert a spoken part.

Living In Darkness - I suppose I am in a minority but this is one of the most innovative and exciting things he's ever done. The falsetto here is clear and pure. The bridge is sung in his normal voice and is just wonderful. I am not going to speculate on who the song might be about.

New Love - for years I thought this was terminally bland, but the black backing singers give it a soulful dimension. He can do better, though.

[sodascouts]

I have to say I'm with Dreamer when it comes to the falsetto. I'm still mystified as to why Glenn did so much of that on the Allnighter, especially when songs like "After Hours," which he sings in his rich and evocative natural voice, apparently got nixed in favor of songs like "Somebody Else" and "Living in Darkness" (sorry FP, I'm with Dreamer here too). Maybe he was listening to a lot of Bee Gees music at the time.

One interesting thing about the Allnighter is that apparently it gave Glenn a chance to start workin' the sexy. He goes from looking like a frat boy on the No Fun Aloud cover to looking like a seductive fantasy man on The Allnighter sleeve. Nice.

In defense of "I Got Love" - yes, it's simplistic (athough I'm not sure how much Glenn had to do with the lyrics), but I love the way he uses horns to pep it up, and the tune brings a smile to my face. I give it a thumbs up.

Here's some live MP3s of Glenn performing songs from the album:

I Got Love (Del Mar 1985)


Better in the USA (Del Mar 1985)


Smuggler's Blues (Del Mar 1985)


Sexy Girl (Tokyo 1986)


The Allnighter (Tokyo 1986)


Lover's Moon (Osaka 1992)

[GlennLover]

I loved this version of "Lover's Moon"! I had never listened to it before. I liked the instrumentation much better in this version than the original, although I always loved the song. Does anyone know who played lead guitar on the live one?

[Ive always been a dreamer]

GL - I could be wrong, but I don't think there is any video of that show. However, my guess is that Glenn himself or either Danny Grenier is playing the guitar there.

I Got Love - this is so slight, it barely registers. He is a better songwriter than this and he knows it. I still cringe at 'if it ain't all honey/still it's right on the money'. Really.

FP - I think you know that I always respect everyone's right to their own opinion, but I have to say, I am dismayed by your comment here. I don't understand at all what you mean by "He is a better songwriter than this and he knows it." It sounds to me as if you are saying that Glenn intentionally wrote a sub-standard song. As Soda said, first of all, we don't really know whether the lyrics in the song are written by Jack Tempchin, Glenn, or both of them. Secondly, since you didn't comment on the music, I'm not sure what you think about that. I personally think the song is very catchy and enjoyable and, IMO, there are certainly a lot worse songs out there than this one.

[Freypower]

Perhaps I should have phrased it this way: 'he is capable of writing better songs than this one'. I have to say that the live version of it is a distinct improvement on the original because it has more energy (the tune, that is. I ignore the lyrics). I maintain that it is an extremely minor piece of work.

But let me say that I totally agree with Soda's comments about the 'image change'. All I can say about that is.... yes.

And YES, 1,000,000 times, to 'After Hours should have been included' but Sexy Girl & Better In The USA should have been dropped, not Somebody Else & Living In Darkness. If I am alone in liking these songs that cannot be helped.

[chaim]

I had this CD years ago, but I sold it because I had money problems and I didn't care for it.
I decided to buy it again and I ordered it via e-Bay. I just received it today. I've been listening to it, and I have to say that it's, much, much, much, much, much, much better than I remembered.
Even Better In The U.S.A. works when I think of it like it was a Randy Newman song - a joke song, but not without affection underneath. The "riff" is dumb, but in a hilarious way - perfect for this lyric.

[Freypower]

I had this CD years ago, but I sold it because I had money problems and I didn't care for it.
I decided to buy it again and I ordered it via e-Bay. I just received it today. I've been listening to it, and I have to say that it's, much, much, much, much, much, much better than I remembered.
Even Better In The U.S.A. works when I think of it like it was a Randy Newman song - a joke song, but not without affection underneath. The "riff" is dumb, but in a hilarious way - perfect for this lyric.

You make a very interesting point here when you mention Mr Newman. I have never thought of this song in this way. Glenn is a huge Newman fan, as am I. Sadly, however, I feel that BITUSA is not a joke, or ironic, or anytihng like I Love LA & It's Money That Matters. It seems that Glenn got caught up in the jingoistic spirit of the Reagan years. That was his right, of course, but I can barely listen to the song. And the spoken part at the end just makes it so much worse.