THE BEST BEFORE DATE - 1973 - Pyjamarama - Roxy Music

Roxy Music's Virginia Plain; reached No 4 in the charts, a quite remarkable feat for a debut single. This one song introduced everyone to the bizzare unearthly delights of early Roxy Music. As a follow up to such a huge hit; Pyjamarama found itself struggling to break into the top ten. But it remains a fond favourite of mine. From its opening chiming thrang of guitar, to the popping keyboard sound that Eno, on Top of The Pops, pretended to play with drum sticks whilst wearing glittery gloves. This had a sense of something extraordinarily special about to arrive, and when it does it slides into a song that unfolds a fabulous mood. A sound uniquely, dramatically, all their own.

This also was the first time you see Bryan Ferry wearing his classic white jacket and black dicky bow tie. The moment he shifts from the slightly sinister, predatory lounge lizard to the louche lounge singer he was very soon to become famous for. Their second album For Your Pleasure was soon to be released. As was the late exit of Brian Eno. His sound treatments of instruments is all over this track. Manzanera's introductory guitar riff clangs like a bell in an echo chamber, and afterwards sounds as if he's playing partly submerged under water. The song building to a crashing crescendo,with wailing guitars and thunderous drums, determined to go out on a high.

Upstaging Mr Ferry, say not so.

Virginia Plain you could dance to, just about, but Pyjamarama it's unclear quite what's expected of you, other than to listen. It was a very strange choice of follow up single when you think about it. But I suspect it was a track they liked, but didn't quite fit with the new albums more refined style. It still bears the lingering hallmarks of the rougher more experimental debut album. It was soon to be followed by the single Street Life, which points out the direction Roxy Music were now intent on heading. Eno left because he didn't feel he needed to be part of this ultra slick version of Roxy Music, and went on to do, well, we know what he went on to do.