Here are the Bangles doing a great cover of Jules Shear’s “If She Knew What She Wants”, on the old Letterman show, back in 1987. I remember watching this particular show; I was a big fan of the group, and had been getting into the whole Paisley Underground thing.
Apart from the fine performance, and how much Shaffer and the house band are into it, it’s an illustration of the tensions that led to a decade-long breakup of the band; to wit, the attention given to guitarist/singer Susanna Hoffs. The cutest person to ever play a Rickenbacker, (and the first woman to have one named for her), she had it — cameras loved her. Watch the director’s choices during this song; I think she’s in every single frame. The medium shots all include her, and the tight shots are exclusively her.
Stuff like that generated intra-band resentment that was also probably aggravated by the production on their second and third releases, Different Light, and Everything. Unlike the great All Over The Place, these albums downplayed the band’s musicianship, and emphasized vocals (see “Walk Like An Egyptian”.) Likewise, Hoffs sang lead on Manic Monday” and“Eternal Flame”; huge hits that ironically sounded nothing very much like what led to the band’s critical acclaim.
All four of the group were equally strong singers (and to a lesser extent, composers), but whether she wanted it or not, to the media and public, Hoffs = the Bangles. Eventually, it proved too much.
Though in 2003, older, wiser,and each with kids to put life in perspective, the band reunited, and put an album out last year, Sweetheart of the Sun.
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