Feel The Benefit

Kevin Godley and Lol Creme left the band. But Graham Gouldman and Eric Stewart soldiered on as 10cc and had their biggest hit in the U.S. ever with “The Things We Do for Love,” a one listen smash. A seeming parody of Top Forty hits, it was sing-songy, with incredible changes, incredible harmonies and even great lyrics…”You think you’re gonna break up, then she wants to make up.” I was living that at the time. And I was proud one of my favorite acts was now known by everybody. Well, there was that forever hit, “I’m Not In Love,” but that was the kind of track people could see as a one hit wonder, whereas “The Things We Do for Love” was right in 10cc’s wheelhouse, smart and funny yet catchy, like “Rubber Bullets” from their very first album, never mind the prescient non-hit from their second LP, “The Wall Street Shuffle.”

So I bought “Deceptive Bends,” the LP containing “The Things We Do for Love,” immediately, which I would have done sans hit, I owned all of 10cc’s LPs. And to be honest, I prefer the follow-up, “Bloody Tourists,” which opens with “Dreadlock Holiday,” but also contains “Old Mister Time,” but I played “Deceptive Bends” over and over, I know every lick, including those contained in the almost twelve minute opus that closes the album, “Feel the Benefit ((Pts. 1, 2 & 3)).”

And just a few days ago I received an e-mail from a guy ironically named Graham which said:

“I went to see 10cc play last night in Guildford, England.

I can honestly say it was one of the best gigs I’ve ever been to and I’ve been to many.

An amazingly tight band, incredible musicianship and awesome four part vocals.

All the members except for one are in the 70s, my age groups I feel very inspired.

Good to know the old boys can still do it! Definitely was seeing if you have the opportunity.”

I forwarded this to the Graham in the band, Mr. Gouldman, and he sent me two reviews from the group’s performance at the London Palladium. And the second rave was from the “Daily Telegraph,” which gave the concert four out of five stars, but in typical rock scribe fashion overanalyzed the show and had to find some fault in order to maintain the writer’s credibility. And after mentioning “The Things We Do for Love,” he wrote it “sounded considerably less dated than multi-part folk-prog epic “Feel the Benefit,” and ever since then I’ve been unable to get the song out of my head. I called out to Alexa to play it last night, I woke up with the song in my brain and on this gray day it not only fit my mood, it contained the feeling of life, which is not always bright and sunny, the right musical number can lift you up and give you power to engage with the day.

But it’s really the final section that resonates, which returns to the “Dear Prudence” intro, contains all the elements of “Part 1” yet throws everything in and becomes more majestic.

There are strings, taking the number into the stratosphere, and then:

“If all the people in the world would stay together

We’re all black and white, we’re all day and night

If all the people in the world could sing together

How would it sound, what would we feel

We’d all feel the benefit”

Might sound trite today, but there was the belief that music could save the world back then, there were optimistic songs, the creators really thought they could make a difference, they knew people were listening for messages, musicians were atop the cultural totem pole, they influenced people, and not to buy products, but to think.

And right after the above words there’s a stinging guitar solo and then everything but the kitchen sink is thrown in, the coda builds and builds, and then ends suddenly.

Do I think non-fans will cotton to “Feel the Benefit” almost fifty years later? No, no one has the time anymore. They do have time for that which is immediate, like “The Things We Do For Love,” but no one lies on their bed or the floor and stares at the ceiling anymore as the music sets them free.

Feel The Benefit

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