Sounding a little like Morrissey having just gotten his hands on a sampler, SIMON’s ‘Great Uncle Kenneth’ is filmed on location in London. Layers of vocals, lush synths and bubbling basses tell the story of a boy from across the water’s romantic thoughts of Big Ben and Uncle Ken.
lyrics
Maybe I'm just in awe of you
Since you come from the land of the BBC
Since I was a child,
I admired that unique brand of sarcasm, quick wit and self-deprecation,
How weird it is
You're familiar yet exotic,
While I'm outside looking in
I wonder what I'd see if I were inside
You come from the land of dons and Received Pronunciation,
Of cassocks and sight-reading,
I've a major inferiority complex
Growing up in the shadow of Great Uncle Kenneth
Oh the romance of living in London (sing it, I want you to sing it now)
The romance, the romance
Oh the romance of living in London (sing it, I want you to sing it now)
The romance
Union Jack has got your back
I've often dreamt of sharing things -
Witticisms, sardonic comments and criticisms
While all the while,
Going out with a cute articulate brunette called Becky, Rachel or Jessica
You're familiar yet exotic,
While I'm outside looking in
I wonder what I'd see if I were inside
You come from the land of dons and Received Pronunciation,
Of cassocks and sight-reading,
I've a major inferiority complex
Growing up in the shadow of Great Uncle Kenneth
Oh the romance of living in London (sing it, I want you to sing it now)
The romance, the romance
Oh the romance of living in London (sing it, I want you to sing it now)
The romance
Union Jack has got your back
Sing it, sing it, I want you to sing it now
Sing it, sing it, I want you to sing it
[chorus]
credits
released March 18, 2016
Simon MacHale - voice, composition, synths, programming
Dominic MacHale - voice
Cormac O Connor - engineering and mixing
Simon's songs blend classical training with an intuitive instinct for pop hooks. Carefully crafted melodies and close vocal harmonies feature prominently, and the influence of folk, pop and classical music can be heard in equal measure.
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