Track of the Week - XTC: Life Begins at the Hop

One of our colleagues returns to Scotland next week and I accepted his invitation for a farewell drink on Thursday*. That took place at Old Town's Hop Inn and I struggle to think of that establishment without it triggering this song.

From 1979 it has the post-punk sound of the time while also managing to be a great pop tune. While  it missed the UK top 50, it preceded the band's most commercially successful period.

I remember a bit of a buzz around school when it was released. A Swindon band was bordering the big time and taking out adverts in the music press saying that the early copies of the single would come with a free record player. What you got was a picture of a record player on see-through plastic so it looked like the arm was on the vinyl inside.

There's a charming innocence to the lyrics like "There's nuts and there's crisps and c-c-c-cola on tap." The video's a shocker though!


*Good luck David