The Forty Elephant Gang are about to get a tangential boost to their name from the new Disney Plus series "A Thousand Blows" by Stephen "Peaky Blinders" Knight which will no doubt graphically tell the story of who they are named after. Lovely as that is, much more gratifying one would imagine would be a light shone on their rather wonderful "Please Say Goodbye" single.
Here at #TEAMw21 we are always suckers for a mandolin so Forty Elephant Gang were half way to getting a good review before the opening ten seconds of this single were complete, once matched to a glorously meandering tune, that but for the style of delivery could have come from anywhere in the last seventy years, they were all but home and hosed.
Opening to the sound of the aforementioned mandolin, along with bass and guitar, there soon appears a vocal that seems a little resigned to how things are going to play out. It's an acceptance that things have been good, but that they will one day end.
"I don't need a Doctor
Don't need pills to dull my eyes
All I need is the sun upon my face
And when you leave you say "Goodbye"
Had enough confusion
Sick and tired of silly lies
All I know is when the leaves are turning red
When you go please say "Goodbye"
There is a shift in pace and a rise in backing vocals as the Forty Elephant Gang play out this most intruiging set of circumstances against an almost bluesy backing. The yearning of wanting someone to stay versus the realisation that the person is still destined to go.
"Tell me one thing, I can see
I know i'm not enough to keep you now
Lord above me, hear me please
I'm gonna need your help this time around"
There is a break in proceedings during which we have quite possibly one of the gentlest solos in recorded history. It leads to a sort of fragile compromise, to make the most of things while they can
"I don't want your pity
Had enough for this one life
All I want is your loving while you're here
And when you leave please say "Goodbye""
The final two lines are repeated, indeed the closing line gets a third outing at the end, sung in the saddest most pained and accepting manner you could imagine.
Without doubt it's another inventive addition to the Forty Elephant Gang catalogue.