Madness were far from one trick ponies. Although many of their songs are good natured whimsical fun, with a pop ska style, they are firmly rooted in the British ska scene.
“My Girl” however, is neither an instrumental anthem like “One Step Beyond” or a cheeky hit like “Baggy Trousers”. It’s a lot slower, and although the tone is quite serious compared to a lot of Madness’ stuff, it still has a certain “lads down the pub” feeling.
The lyrics are about a bloke (and here the word is fully appropriate) who’s having a bit of grief off his girlfriend because he just wants to watch a bit of telly, have a bit of alone time, and then he feels she’s just not listening and overreacting.
Although it was written by the keyboardist Mike Barson, ther lead singer Suggs is perfectly suited for the track, laying the London accent on thick.
The song is on the seminal 1979 Madness album One Step Beyond… and was released as a single, reaching 3rd place.
The likes of Madness will never be seen again!