My Top 1000 Songs #993: True Confessions

[I've been writing up my Top 1000 songs on a daily basis--you can see them all in descending order by hitting the All My Favorite Songs tag.]

Returning yet again to The Undertones' 1979 debut, one of those records where I could just randomly pick a bunch of tracks for this list and be perfectly happy...

"True Confessions" has a couple versions, but the one I adore is the "flange" version, with the tricked out percussion, giving the simple, insistent pop song--highlighted by some wonderful vocal interplay between Feargal Sharkey and the rest of the boys--a bit of psychedelic flair. Not that the stripped-down, more punk-flavored guitar version (from an early b-side) isn't an acceptable substitute in a pinch.

Less cool but still fine b-side version:

Live on Old Grey Whistle Test, 1979:

Post-Sharkey reunited band live 2017: