LISTENING TO - Do Things My Own Way by Sparks

 

A new Sparks album Mad! is a few months away, with album cover and date of release not yet publicised. However, we will be teased by a slow dropping of tracks over those months, of which Do Things My Own Way is undoubtedly only the first. And what a treat it is. 

Its become a staple of recent Sparks albums that a simple lyric pattern through repetition and intervals of clever variation is delightfully strung out to the length of three minutes plus. Do Things My Own Way is something of a masterpiece in this respect. Great use of clangy guitar breaks, adding to the verbal staccato rhythm that drives this track along. The title Do Things My Own Way could easily be read as Sparks manifesto, because this is exactly what they always have done.  But I wouldn't rule out there being a satirical poke at individualism and maybe even the Trumpian era we are in. It bodes well for the album, whenever that finally reveals itself.  

Gotta run
Gotta fly
Gonna do things my own way

Fall behind
Bye bye bye
Gonna do things my own way

Feelin' right
Feelin' tight
Gonna do things my own way

Got the fuel
Broke the rules
Gonna do things my own way

Snooty twits
Havin' fits
Gonna do things my own way

They wanna lunch
Don't wanna lunch
Gonna do things my own way

Lookin' good
Understood
Gonna do things my own way

Out the way
Out the way
Gonna do things my own way

Feelin' cool
Feelin' schooled
Gonna do things my own way

I'm Howard Hughes
In Jordan twos
Gonna do things my own way

Do things my own way
Do things my own way
Do things my own way
Do things my own way

Not a faze
All my days
Gonna do things my own way

Not a fad
Is that so bad
Gonna do things my own way

Unabashed
Totin' cash
Gonna do things my own way

Unaligned
Simply fine
Gonna do things my own way

Do things, gotta run
Do things, gotta go
Do things, gotta stay
Do things, gotta play
Do things, gotta run
Do things, gotta go
Do things, gotta stay
Do things, gotta play

Saw the Pope
Told him, 'nope'
Gonna do things my own way

My guru
Told him too
Gonna do things my own way

My advice
No advice
Gonna do things my own way

Roll the dice
Roll the dice
Gonna do things my own way

Anywhere
Anytime
Gonna do things my own way

I don't care
I don't care
Gonna do things my own way

Gonna do things my own way
Gonna do things my own way
Gonna do things my own way
Gonna do things my own way

Lyrics by Ron & Russell Mael