By Johnny Cole
“Dedicated to Annie”
Back in 1989 when I first became aware of the Scottish band, Texas, I quickly recognized something very special about them, in particular their lead singer Sharleen Spiteri. She and Johnny McElhone founded Texas in 1986. They took their band name from the 1984 Wim Wenders movie Paris, Texas. The band released their debut album Southside in 1989, along with the debut single “I Don’t Want a Lover”, which went top ten in the U.K. Throughout the years that followed, they continued to deliver with one great song after another – easily becoming one of my favorite bands of the 1990s and 2000s. Sharleen’s voice has this incredible seductiveness to it. Plus, she has that natural star quality in front of the camera as seen in all the music videos she has done with Texas or as a solo music artist.
1997’s #1 White on Blonde, the 6X platinum-selling album became their most successful album (#5 album of 1997 in the U.K.) Two of their their albums Hush (1999) and The Greatest Hits (2000) also reached multi-platinum status. To date, Texas has sold nearly 50 million records.
I never quite understood why the band was not as big in America as elsewhere, but I always made a point to see them perform even if it meant traveling abroad, including a trip to South Africa.
Top Photo: Sharleen Spiteri (from the Daily Mail); above photo: latest album cover, 2023.
My 60 favorite singles released by Sharleen Spiteri & Texas (all songs written by Johnny McElhone and Sharleen Spiteri except when noted):
● 1. “Put Your Arms Around Me” (White on Blonde, 1997) *written by McElhone, Spiteri, Eurthymics’ Dave Stewart, and Robert Hodgens
● 2. “In Our Lifetime” (Hush, 1999)
● 3. “Say What You Want” (White on Blonde, 1997)
● 4. “Inner Smile” (The Greatest Hits, 2000) *written by McElhone, Spiteri, New Radicals’ Gregg Alexander, and Rick Nowels
● 5. “Black Eyed Boy” (White on Blonde, 1997) * written by McElhone, Spiteri, Robert Hodgens, Eddie Campbell, and Richard Hynd
● 6. “When We Are Together” (Hush, 1999)
● 7. “Halo” (White on Blonde, 1997)
● 8. “Summer Son” (Hush, 1999) *written by McElhone, Spiteri, Eddie Campbell, and Robert Hodgens
● 9. “I Don’t Want a Lover” (Southside, 1989)
● 10. “In Demand” (The Greatest Hits, 2000) *written by McElhone, Spiteri, and Dallas Austin
● 11. “So in Love with You” (Rick’s Road, 1994)
● 12. “So Called Friend” (Rick’s Road, 1993)
● 13. “Xanadu” (The Movie Songbook by Sharleen Spiteri, 2009) *written by Jeff Lynne and originally recorded by Electric Light Orchestra and Olivia Newton-John; from the 1980 movie of the same name.
● 14. “Insane” (White on Blonde, 1997)
● 15. “I’ll See It Through” (Careful What You Wish For, 2003) *written by McElhone, Spiteri, and Guy Chambers
● 16. “Everyday Now” (1989)
● 17. “The Conversation” (The Conversation, 2013) *written by McElhone, Spiteri, Amanda Ghost, and Ian Dench
● 18. “Stop, I Don’t Love You Anymore” (Melody by Sharleen Spiteri, 2008)
● 19. “All the Times I Cried” (Melody by Sharleen Spiteri, 2008)
● 20. “Getaway” (Red Book, 2005)
● 21. “Keep on Talking” (The Very Best of 1989 – 2023, 2023)
● 22. “After All” (The Very Best of 1989 – 2023, 2023)
● 23. “Start a Family” (Texas 25, 2015) *written by McElhone, Spiteri, Karen Overton, and Jack McElhone
● 24. “Mothers Heaven” (Mothers Heaven, 1991)
● 25. “Tired of Being Alone” (The Greatest Hits, 2000) *written and originally recorded by Al Green
● 26. “Unbelievable” (Hi, 2021)
● 27. “Say What You Want (All Day, Every Day)”, featuring Method Man and RZA from Wu-Tang Clan (re-released as a double A-side remix with “Insane” in 1998)
● 28. “Parisian Pierrot” (Twentieth-Century Blues: The Songs of Noël Coward, 1999) *written by Noel Coward
● 29. “Like Lovers (Holding On)” (Titan A.E. – Music from the Motion Picture, 2000) *written by McElhone, Spiteri, and Glen Ballard, known for his work with Alanis Morissette, Wilson Phillips, Michael Jackson, and more.
● 30. “Sleep” featuring Paul Buchanan (Red Book, 2005)
● 31. “It Was You” (Melody by Sharleen Spiteri, 2008) *written by McElhone, Spiteri, and Bernard Butler
● 32. “Are You Ready” (Texas 25, 2015)
● 33. “Tell That Girl” (Jump on Board, 2017) *written by McElhone, Spiteri, and Karen Overton
● 34. You Owe it All to Me” (Rick’s Road, 1993)
● 35. “Can’t Control” (Jump on Board, 2017) *written by McElhone, Spiteri, Jack McElhone, Jack Flanagan, and Angelica Bjornsson
● 36. “Guitar Song” (The Greatest Hits, 2000) *written by McElhone, Spiteri, and Serge Gainsbourg
● 37. “Dry Your Eyes” (The Conversation, 2013) *written by McElhone, Spiteri, and Richard Hawley
● 38. “Thrill is Gone” (Southside, 1989)
● 39. “Detroit City” (The Conversation, 2013) *written by McElhone, Spiteri, Karen Overton, and Robert Hodgens
● 40. “Mr. Haze” (Hi, 2021) *written by McElhone, Spiteri, Robert Hodgens, and Jack McElhone; features a sample of Donna Summer’s “Love’s Unkind” written by Giorgio Moroder, Pete Bellotte, and Donna Summer.
● 41. “Midnight” (Jump on Board, 2017) *written by H One
● 42. “In My Heart” (Mothers Heaven, 1991)
● 43. “Prayer for You” (Southside, 1989)
● 44. “You’ll Never Know” with Soul Renegades (The Acid House – Music from the Motion Picture, 1999)
● 45. “I Can’t Get Next to You (Live)” (Live & Loud, 1997) *written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong; originally recorded by The Temptations in 1969.
● 46. “Hi” with Wu-Tang Clan (Hi, 2021)
● 47. “Carnival Girl” with Kardinal Offishall (Careful What You Wish For, 2003) *written by McElhone, Spiteri, and Jason Harrow
● 48. “Let’s Work It Out” (Jump on Board, 2017) *written by McElhone, Spiteri, Angelica Bjornsson, and Jack McElhone
● 49. “Can’t Resist” (Red Book, 2005)
● 50. “You Can Call Me” (Hi, 2021)
● 51. “Why Believe in You” (Mothers Heaven, 1991)
● 52. “Until the Next Time” with Moonlight Matters “Sebastiaan Vandevoorde” (single, 2017)
● 53. “Don’t Keep Me Waiting” (Melody by Sharleen Spiteri, 2008) *written by Sharleen Spiteri, Bernard Butler, and George Miller
● 54. “What Do I Get?” (Change Your Tune, 2007) *written by Pete Shelley and originally recorded by The Buzzcocks in 1978.
● 55. “Alone with You” (Mothers Heaven, 1991)
● 56. “What About Us” (Red Book, 2005)
● 57. “Fade Away” (Rick’s Road, 1993)
● 58. “Moonstar” (Hi, 2021)
● 59. “I Shall Be Released” with Stephan Eicher (Duos Taratata, 1995) *written by Bob Dylan
● 60. “Don’t Talk to Me About Love” (Sounds of the 80s: Unique Covers of Classic Hits, 2014) *written and originally recorded by Altered Images in 1983, a band in which Texas’ Johnny McElhone played bass.
● An Extra: “Nous, on veut vivre nous (I want it all)” with Louise Attaque (Planète Terre, 2022) *written by McElhone, Spiteri, Gaëtan Roussel, and Arnaud Samuel)
Links:
Texas’ official website
To Learn more about Texas (the band)
To Learn more about Sharleen Spiteri
Page Designed & Edited by Johnny Cole
Additional editing by Deborah Chatham
© The Southland Music Line. 2023.
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