The sound of being stuck in a call centre queue
After the success of The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays and numerous baggy chancers in the early 90s, major record companies lost their minds and started throwing money at anyone who possessed a dose of “Manc attitude” and a pair of flares. Thus, we were subjected to horrors like Northside, The Paris Angels and these particular bunch of tuneless morons.
The Mock Turtles represent the absolute nadir of the Madchester scene and “Can you dig it?” sums them up to a tee. It was their only hit and later resurfaced as (surprise surprise) a marketing jingle for a mobile phone company in the UK – which is kind of it’s natural level. You can imagine being stuck in a call centre queue for endless hours while this plays away in the background.
“Can you dig it?” is a record company A&R mans distillation of whats hip with the kids – and as a result, it falls flat on it’s face. A tuneless dirge with the obligatory jingle jangle guitars, seemingly meaningful and cryptic lyrics that actually are meaningless:
Can you dig it (oh, yeah)
Can you dig it (oh, yeah)
Can you dig it (oh, yeah)
Can you dig it what I’m saying
One little kiss isn’t anything
You keep insisting on everything
I won’t be sad
Ah, someone turn the lights off
Can you dig it
Can you dig it
Can you dig it
Can you dig it
The video featured a moonfaced goon (interestingly enough Steve Coogan’s less successful brother) prancing around and attempting to give the impression that he is “one on, matey” – in reality, he is probably just “on” a low alcohol shandy.
All in all a sickening example of major label indie that has now thankfully found it’s home in the 50p bin in Oxfam.
Our Opinion: “Your call is important to us – please continue to hold”
