JOHN WAITE – When You Were Mine [Music On CD reissue 2020] *EXCLUSIVE*

Music On CD Records has just reissued the out of print JOHN WAITE album “When You Were Mine“, one of his most personal recordings, and according to Waite, including some of the best songs he ever wrote. There’s also a co-write tune with Mark Spiro, and a bunch of talented musicians playing.

The former The Babys and Bad English frontman approached his sixth solo album from many different backgrounds. Always melodic and faithful to his roots, the album is musically really varied.
Waite comments; “A song like “Suicide Life” is dark. A really dark song. But it’s also a true story in some ways. It’s my take of being in the belly of Hollywood at night. It’s about the people that inhabit the streets… the ones behind the neon. The society of people that take over when no one is looking. I love singing that song”.

“I think “Bluebird Café” is great because it’s just me and a guitar, with a little violin in the back somewhere. It’s a story. And I like story songs. Those are my roots. I grew up listening rock and roll, bluesy Western-songs, and I love this type of tunes”.

On the other hand, the upbeat twanging of “I-95” is a fast paced tune about starting over and how great it is to be alive. The lovely title track “When You Were Mine” is a trip down memory lane with your old flame, and what a fun trip it is, then “Have You Seen Her My Friend?” was co-pened with Spiro, and you can hear these two talented songwriters magic.

“When You Were Mine” is a very strong album, showcasing Waite can turn his hand to anything.
Many of the songs are like new shoes, they need walk-in gently and with care, rewarded are who persevere with an original rendition of Dylan’s “Just Like A Woman” and then onto the more lyrical, acoustical tracks like the aforementioned “Bluebird Café” about a waitress who’s going be a star one day.

This is true ‘songwriter’ album, the type they don’t make anymore, a disc to listen to and enjoy entirely like in the good ‘ol times.
The Music On CD reissue is excellent, perfectly mastered.
Highly Recommended

01 – When You Were Mine
02 – Imaginary Girl
03 – Let’s Get Out Of Here
04 – Suicide Life
05 – Just Like A Woman
06 – Bluebird Cafe
07 – I-95
08 – Show Me How To Love You
09 – Valentine
10 – Have You Seen Her My Friend?
11 – All I Want For Christmas

John Waite – Lead & Backing Vocals
Shane Fontayne – Guitar, 6-String Bass
Jeff Golub – Guitars
Donnie Nossov – Electric and Acoustic Basses
Chuck Kentis – Piano, Hammond Organ
Tony Bread – Drums
Mark Spiro, Tommy Funderburk – Backing Vocals

BUY IT
www.amazon.de/When-Were-Mine-John-Waite/dp/B082BY394S