Artist:   Wreckless Eric
Song:   "Whole Wide World"
Album: Greatest Stiffs
Label:   Metro Music
Year:    1978

The late ‘70s were a time of total invention. The railings had been ripped off the road and anyone with an attitude and even a small amount of ability could create a new noise. England’s Stiff Records excelled in helping those take that leap into the unknown: Nick Lowe, Ian Drury, Elvis Costello, the Damned, Madness, Tracy Ullman and, yes, Wreckless Eric. Who? That’s what a lot of people say now, but there was a time in 1978 when this song soared. With only a rudimentary guitar riff and a drummer with a monster left hand behind him, the singer staked his claim on stardom. Oh yeah, and an absolutely stunning song. Who cared if Wreckless Eric couldn’t really sing? In those days that didn’t much matter, because he believed in himself enough to land on a tropical beach looking for true love, professing a passion unmatched  on the entire planet. Not only that, he was smart enough to plant Hot Chocolate’s “You Sexy Thing” guitar riff in the background, and make sure the beat stayed bashing--not to mention rhyming “me” and “Tahiti.” That’s genius. There comes a point in pop music when reality has to be rearranged, and for those who can do it, even if it’s only for three minutes, there’s a promise of instant immortality. Now, thirty years later, Wreckless Eric is back, singing with Amy Rigby and making another run at rock & roll certitude. Once again, Chuck Berry was right: “It goes to show you never can tell.”