Moving from Otis Redding to a rolling rockney number from the north London duo may seem unlikely, but it’s a fitting tribute on the passing of pianist and singer Chas Hodges with this song’s strong melody and seamlessly emotional key changes. In fact, this 1982 hit, from their album Mustn’t Grumble, might be Hodges’s and Dave Peacock’s finest moment. They may be best know for jokier songs such as Gertcha and Rabbit, but this song’s resigned pain about getting over a relationship that doesn’t work has real strengths, and stands up even without the orchestration, because its key smooth transition and key changes are indisputably strong. Chas, like Dave, was also one of the finest session multi-instrumentalists the UK has produced, pre-dating the Beatles, playing with, and learning from Jerry Lee Lewis, Gene Vincent, Richie Blackmore and Phil Lynott to name but a few, the former being a huge influence on Hodges’s piano playing. You don’t get much more rock’n’roll than that. RIP Chas.
Well, I've built my life around you, did what I thought was right
But you never cared about me, now I've seen the light
Oh, darlin'
There ain't no pleasing you
You seemed to think that everything I ever did was wrong
I should've known it all along
Oh, darlin'
There ain't no pleasing you
You only had to say the word
And you knew I'd do it
You had me where you wanted me
But you went and blew it
Now everything I ever done
Was only done for you
But now you can go and do
Just what you wanna do
I'm telling you
'Cause I ain't gonna be made to look a fool no more
You done it once too often, what do you take me for?
Oh, darlin'
There ain't no pleasing you
You seem to think that everything I ever did was wrong
I should've known it all along
That, darlin'
There ain't no pleasing you
You only had to say the word
And you knew I'd do it
You had me where you wanted me
But you went and blew it
Now everything I ever done
Was only done for you
But now you can go and do
Just what you wanna do
I'm telling you
'Cause I ain't gonna be made to look a fool no more
You done it once too often, what do you take me for?
Oh, darlin'
There ain't no pleasing you
And if you think I don't mean what I say and I'm only bluffing
You've got another thing coming, I'm tellin' you that for nothing
Oh, darlin', I'm leaving
That's what I'm gonna do.
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