'Who's Sorry Now' had been kicking around since 1923 before Connie Francis gave it definition and made it her own. And make it her own she did - all previous versions that I've heard (Marion Harris et al) present it as a wistful jazzy ballad, but Francis turned it into a Patsy Cline-alike gloatathon - there's no question mark in that title, Connie knows who's sorry and by god he's going to pay.There's an understated yet unmistakably country tinged arrangement to the song, though it keeps to the background seemingly too scared to challenge Connie when she's in this mood - whatever her guy has done, her steely "You had your way, now you must pay. I'm glad that you're sorry now" would make you feel sorry for Hitler if he was on the sharp end of it. It's unusual to see so much bitterness at number one yet undeniably refreshing - a good put down always strikes a prescient chord with me and 'Who's Sorry Now' makes a fine change from the usual boo hoo, spurned lover as victim tragedies that clog up the charts with their goo.
No comments:
Post a Comment