Squeeze

To change the mood a little I've been posing down the pub;
On seeing my reflection, I'm looking slightly rough.
I fancy this, I fancy that, I want to be so flash.
I give a little muscle and I spend a little cash.
But all I get is bitter and a nasty little rash,
And by the time I'm sober I've forgotten what I've had,
And everybody tells me that it's cool to be a cat,

It's cool for cats.

—"Cool For Cats", Squeeze

Squeeze is a new wave band from Deptford, South London. The group formed in 1974 when Glenn Tilbrook answered an advertisement Chris Difford posted looking for a guitarist and bandmate. The two began writing music together, and were soon recording and publicly performing. Their first hit came in 1978 with “Take Me, I’m Yours”. The band experienced great success with songs that followed, including “Cool For Cats”, “Up The Junction”, “Tempted”, “Labelled With Love” and “Black Coffee In Bed”.

The group broke up for the first time in 1982 due to artistic and personal tensions in the band, especially between main songwriters Difford and Tilbrook. Realizing that their songwriting partnership was too valuable to be scrapped, Difford and Tilbrook collaborated again in 1984 to release a Squeeze-unaffiliated album (aptly titled Difford &Tilbrook) before reforming in 1985 as Squeeze once again. Further chart success followed, including the US hit “Hourglass” in 1987. The band continue to tour and record today.

Glenn Tilbrook and and Chris Difford have remained the two constants in the band’s lineup through their many years together. Other notable and long-standing members in the band include keyboardists Jools Holland and Paul Carrack, bassists John Bentley and Keith Wilkinson, and drummer Gilson Lavis. The current line-up consists of Tilbrook, Difford, Bentley, keyboardist Stephen Large and drummer Simon Hanson.

Discography

• Squeeze (1978)
• Cool For Cats (1978)
• Argybargy (1980)
• East Side Story (1981)
• Sweets From A Stranger (1982)
• Difford & Tilbrook (Difford & Tilbrook) (1984)
• Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti (1985)
• Babylon And On (1987)
• Frank (1989)
• Play (1991)
• Some Fantastic Place (1993)
• Ridiculous (1995)
• Domino (1998)
• Spot The Difference (2010)

Squeeze provides examples of the following tropes:

• Age Progression Song: "Up The Junction", the baby is created, born and learns to walk.
• All Drummers Are Animals: Gilson Lavis had this said about him prior to sobriety
• Album Title Drop: “Cool For Cats”, ‘’And everybody tells you that it’s cool to be a cat’’
• Creator Backlash: “853-5937” Glenn Tilbrook is not a big fan of this song.
• A Date with Rosie Palms: “Touching Me Touching You”, the opening line is ‘’I’m always touching myself’’
• Intercourse with You: Many Squeeze songs fit into this category with “Loving You Tonight”, being very blunt, ‘’Sometimes I can’t see the trees for the wood, but loving you tonight feels good’’
• Obligatory Bondage Song: “Sex Master”
• Ode to Intoxication: “Slightly Drunk”, ‘’Slightly drunk once again all alone with my pen’’
• Revolving Door Band: Those that aren’t Difford or Tilbrook tend to change, although Gilson and Jools both came back post break up
• Sequel Song: “Vicky Verky” to “Up the Junction” and possibly “Labelled with Love”