Listen Yourself Warm...

Mandy Smith - Mandy’s Theme (I Just Can’t Wait) (Cool and Breezy Jazz Version)

Brrrr... I’m sure, like me, if you live in the UK you’re bored stupid of people banging on about how cold it is. But it really is cold and it made going back to work on Monday after a couple of weeks off even worse than usual. So, as always, I turned to music to put a smile back on my face and transport me away from the Arctic capital and towards memories of summer holidays and being warm...

1998, the Greek island of Naxos, a nameless beach bar, a battered old backgammon board, endless pints of Amstel and chain smoking Lucky Strikes... The guy who ran the bar only had one tape - well, one tape that he actually played, he might have had a mighty collection of C90s for all I knew. Side A was some Richard Clayderman comp - I’ll spare you that now, but 'Ballade Pour Adeline' will always have a special place in my heart. Ahem. Anyway, over on the flip was an awesome collection of Balearic grooves, which I have since deduced must have been 'Balearic Beats Vol.1', as it’s the only compilation I can find which has Nitzer Ebb and Mandy Smith on it. The owner of the bar was definitely a huge fan of Bill Wyman’s child bride, as the ‘Cool and Breezy Jazz Version’ of ‘Mandy’s Theme (I Just Can’t Wait)’ often got a rewind. I’m a bit of a fan too - it’s a classic Stock, Aitken and Waterman production, and luckily there’s not too much of Miss Smith’s vocal (which is drowned in reverb so she sounds generic - it could any one of Banarama singing). But I love the cheesy Euro guitars and evocative chord sequences in a totally non-ironic way. It’s just a corking track, and one that is guaranteed to add a bit of sunshine and warmth to your life. Listen yourself warm...

Search eBay for 'Balearic Beats Vol. 1'
A Smash Hits interview with Mandy Smith
Stock, Aitken and Waterman website