A Personal History of Music, Day 22: “Something That You Said,” by The Bangles
Posted on June 22, 2022 Posted by John Scalzi 11 Comments

There’s a natural progression to the careers of most (successful) bands: The scrappy “new kid” phase, where the band is starting out and struggling, and maybe has a couple of songs passed around by their “first in,” fans; the “rising star” phase, where they get picked up by a major label, get their first Billboard hits and gold records; the “Imperial” phase, which is where the big hits that define their career happen; and then everything else. The “everything else” phase is not a bad thing, per se — you can make a lot of money touring in the “everything else” phase! — but from a creative and legacy point of view, it means that everything you do in that period has a tendency to be overlooked or an afterthought. This is why, at a concert from a band in the “everything else” phase of their career, the phrase “this is from our new album” is so frequently taken as the cue to hit the bathroom.
The Bangles had their imperial phase in the 80s, with hits like “Walk Like an Egyptian,” “Manic Monday” and “Eternal Flame,” and then broke up at the end of the decade, sitting out most of the 90s before coming back with their sole first post-imperial studio album, Doll Revolution, in 2003. Doll Revolution went essentially nowhere on the charts; Wikipedia tells me that it got to number 23 on the US Independent Albums list. It’s too bad, because the album itself is pretty good (if, like so many albums of the CD era, overlong — it has 15 tracks where it should have ten or eleven at most). It also has, in my opinion, one of the finest singles the Bangles ever put out.
That would be “Something That You Said.” Sonically, it’s right in line with the band’s poppier output, and would not be out of place on Different Light or Everything, the band’s two biggest albums. Lyrically, on the other hand, I suspect it could have only been written outside of the band’s imperial era, after the individual members of the band had gotten a chance to step back from the treadmill of constant fame and were able to, you know, live different lives than those of being a rock star. The song is about being in a place and time in one’s own life where one has the perspective to actually appreciate love, and the effort it takes from both parties. It’s a grown-up pop song! Which is nice.
Not for nothing, the listed songwriters for the track include Charlotte Caffey, best known as a member of the Go-Gos and the writer or co-writer of most of that band’s big hits. The Go-Gos followed a very similar arc to the Bangles: Big in the 80s, sat out most of the 90s, popped out an album in the early 00s. That album included “Talking Myself Down,” a co-write with Susannah Hoffs, so perhaps “Something That You Said” is Caffey returning the favor. Whether it is or not, what is true enough is, like the members of the Bangles, Caffey did her own time away from the spotlight. I’m pretty sure it informed the songwriting.
Which was fine by me. I was 34 when this song came out, and lyrically and sonically, it hit a spot in my psyche that no other Bangles song had previously managed. I was ready for that song because of my own life experience at the time. Basically, the band and I had aged into each other just a little bit. I had liked the Bangles well enough before this song, but this song became and remains essential to me, and for years was my one “go-to” song from the band (in the fullness of time I have also become fond of their cover of “Going Down to Liverpool”). Should I ever manage to see the Bangles live, I will be the one cheering for this song the loudest. I don’t mind being an outlier in that crowd.
What does “Something That You Said” tell us about the nature of pop and songwriting — and, dare I say it, creativity in general? Mostly that no matter how or when an artist’s “imperial period” happens, they are likely to creative interesting, excellent and sometimes cherished work outside it; this in itself is a reason for fans and others to explore their work, and for artists to keep creating, whether “the market” cares if they do so or not. Those works can still matter to people, like this song matters for me.
— JS
I am pleased to be able to point you at the Bangles album “Sweetheart of the Sun” which was released in September 2011.
I saw the Bangles live before they became stars as the opening act for Cyndi Lauper. Cyndi was great but the Bangles were also good enough that I went out and found whatever they had released at that point. It may have even been an LP and it wasn’t easy to find in those pre-internet days.
Thanks! Updated.
Am I really the first to point out that Doll Revolution is NOT their “sole post-imperial studio album”? There was also 2011’s Sweethearts of the Sun (although that one was without bassist Michael Steele).
creative -> create
I’ve been a big Bangles fan since the late 80’s. I love the album “Sweetheart of the Sun.” Although “Different Light” was the first album I bought and it has a special place in my heart.
I got to see the Bangles about a decade ago when they decided to leave SoCal and do a few county fair tours.
Still as wonderful as I remembered them from the 80s.
For me, I love the whole Different Light album but the 2 songs sung by then-bassist Michelle Steele i always enjoyed, especially the dark ballad Following. It really captured, in hindsight, those post bad-breakup relationship feelings of a teen (which i had, ex’s had and friends had).
But the whole album is still on my playlists.
My favorite artist, Bruce Hornsby, has made a lot of interesting, enjoyable music since he went in a jazzier direction in the mid-1990’s. He’s now Spike Lee’s house composer, too.
The Bangles were always great – did you know they used to jam with Prince?
Ellid:
Fun fact: My friend George Marinelli was the guitarist for Bruce Hornsby and the Range. He’s currently with Bonnie Raitt.
I saw the Bangles at House of Blues in San Diego in 2007 I think and they were AMAZING. One of the best shows I’ve been to. The cozy venue was part of that.
Never heard that song. But I loved Manic Monday and Walk Like A Egyptian. I had little cassette tapes with those songs on them.