Wet Wet Wet dominated the charts in the 80’s and 90’s with one song that was so popular it became almost unavoidable when listening to the radio.
From tracks like Sweet Surrender in 1989 to the number one smash Goodnight Girl two years later, Wet Wet Wet’s songs are instantly recognizable and always stuck in your head.
But frontman Marti Pellow insists it’s really the cover songs that really skyrocketed the former band to the top of the charts.
“The thing is, I’ve had more number one hits with other people’s songs than my own,” the Stargazer singer said. Metro with laughter.
‘I just love songs,’ Marti, 59, continued. ‘I don’t care where the songs come from (but the content) is brilliant as a songwriter and storyteller, that’s the value of a good song.’
Wet Wet Wet’s chart-topping hit was a cover of The Beatles’ With a Little Help from My Friends, recorded as a charity single for Childline in 1988.
The single, released as a double A-side record with She’s Leaving Home covered by Billy Bragg and Cara Tivey, stayed in the top slot for four weeks.
While this solidified the band’s pop star status, it was their version of Love Is All Around that propelled them to stratospheric heights.
On 21 May 1994, the Scottish singer released a version of the Troggs hit and it went to number one thanks to Richard Curtis’ Four Weddings and a Funeral.
Despite not writing his own hits, Marti feels that he is part of the ‘fabric’ of his history as an artist. He once played for Reg Presley, lead singer and songwriter of the Troggs.
‘I remember playing a song for Reg Presley, he came to see me when we were on tour,’ Marti recalls. ‘I remember him picking me up and he was quite emotional.
‘He said, “I love what you’ve done with our song”. And for me, it’s a big compliment just from the point of view that I use the song and it’s the same with him. It’s part of my makeup.’
Wet Wet Wet’s now iconic Love Is All Around spent 15 weeks at number one in the UK, securing the label for the third longest UK chart reign of all time.
It continued to dominate the charts for another 20 weeks, with some stations resorting to banning it from the airwaves as exhaustion set in before it finally dropped off the hot list.
Unfortunately, this reprieve was short-lived as the song appeared just nine years later on another Richard Curtis classic – Love Actually.
The Christmas twist shows the ‘diversity’ of Love Is All Around according to Marti, who said: ‘That’s the beauty of a well-crafted song. You can paint in many different ways.’
Over 30 years after the version, singer Julia Says is still approached by fans who share memories with her when the song touched her life.
‘It’s the kind of song you hit people with and they say, ‘My daughter was born that time” or “We got married to that song”. Even “That’s the song we love”, he said.
‘That’s when you realize that a song has an extension, it weaves its way into the fabric of people’s lives. It’s a sign of good pop music that three and a half minutes escape because real life is on pause.
‘Some of those songs, you’re playing people’s memories, so if you change the goalposts, sometimes they might say, “Don’t bother.”
‘You must be super respected that.’
Wet Wet Wet split in the late 90s due to personal issues but reformed in 2004, with Marti releasing solo music alongside band projects.
He is coming out with a bang in 2017 and has released several studio albums with original tracks as well as cover albums.
The Scottish singer has also dabbled in musicals, working on iconic shows like Evita and Chicago in the West End and Broadway.
Marti told Metro that she had never worked in musical theater but enjoyed the ‘pleasant surprises’ of her career.
‘This is a small anomaly that has not planned for, I love it,’ explains. ‘I think a lot of it is down to serendipity and being in the right place at the right time.
‘I always have a wee chuckle to myself when that happens to me.’
He added: ‘I’m sure if you do what you do, you’ll come back. I’m just that kind of person. I think there comes a time in your life when you start to understand.
‘If you are always chasing something, sometimes you may not get it and when you sit back just looking at the window, you will get a ring on your phone and something will offer itself up for you.
Excited to see Marti Pellow live?
You can get more information and tickets for Marti’s 30th birthday show here
‘I love those little moments because they have to be cherished. It doesn’t matter if you’re a pop star or an ordinary person, everyone will get her – it’s recognizing her because of her beauty.’
Earlier this summer, Marti went to Newcastle for his Summer Lovin’ Live in Newcastle, but has since announced he will be back on the road in 2025 for his 30th anniversary UK tour, where he will perform a mix of new songs and Wet Wet Wet. hits.
Marti will perform at eight venues in the UK including London’s The O2 in October.
Referring to the summer show, Marti said that while he has prepared a set list, after decades in the business, the singer just plays ‘whatever I want to do today’.
He laughed: ‘I always find reading a crowd because you don’t get the same results every night. I will look and see join in the moment, which I think is a bit of a nightmare for my band.
‘It’s the last big gig of the summer so it will be nice just to get up there and play out those songs.’
This article was originally published on August 22, 2024.
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