A very beautiful song musically and lyrically. I much prefer this piano/vocal version from the Becoming more like Alfie CD single to the rather over-orchestrated one on the album "Casanova"

In what is another of Neil Hannon's best songs, we hear his superb bittersweet lyrics emerging from an intricate and intermittently lush backing. As usual, the chords are not particularly complicated or unusual, but are extremely well-chosen.

Brilliant, in spite of the strange choice of sangria near the beginning, with its forced accent on the second syllable.

An irresistible blend of Bach, Pet Shop Boys, Abba, and maybe Momus and ELO.

Not on the excellent "Bang Goes the Knighthood" album, instead supposedly only available as an i-tunes download with that album. How bonkers is that?

Cover of indie shoegazer band Ride's 1992 song. I never knew the original, which this sounds extremely similar to. As ever I am very quick to enjoy the use of labels with which to typecast.

The song evinces what I consider to be a kind of poetic genius. Musically it mirrors the lyric in its absolute simplicity.