I could be retroactively ascribing insight to my band of college radio cohorts, but I do believe there were times when we knew–really knew–a band was going to be amount to little more than one great song. The Liverpudlian band the Farm had other successes besides “Groovy Train,” especially in their native land. Hell, the follow-up single, “All Together Now,” actually charted higher everywhere, including on the stateside Modern Rock lists. But even now I hear that track and I’m struck by the weary idle of its gleaming pop, like it was pulled together by a compromise committee in order to hastily fill a gap in the release schedule of the Madchester scene. “Groovy Train,” on the other hand…well, “Groovy Train” was something else.

“Groovy Train” was the lead single from the Farm’s debut album, Spartacus, arriving in the summer of 1990, just it time to greet college kids returning from summer break, looking for the good cheer anthem that had eluded them during the summer. The song melds a psychedelic retro vibe with a modern sharpness (modern for the time, that is; the head-bob pop sound is now so locked into its era that it seems feasible to extract its DNA to clone dinosaurs), adding a ludicrously simple but still cool guitar part and an intoxicating rhythm. I don’t think it was the sort of song that inspired any of us to excitedly seek out more, more, more from the band, but it sure sounded nice on the radio. With the chilly bluster of the fall threatening, it was a reminder of the joys of throwing the windows open and filling the outdoors with the sweet sound of music. Surely we played other songs from the Farm, but “Groovy Train” is the only one I really remember. It’s the only one I need.

Listen or download –> The Farm, “Groovy Train”

(Disclaimer: It looks to me like Spartacus is out of print. I’m sure “Groovy Train” made its way onto plenty of compilations, maybe even soundtracks. So it could be available for purchase, but my research team–meaning me–can only devote so much time to tracking down every potential iteration of a track out there in the wild record store world. Let’s just type this: at the point I’m posting this song, I don’t believe in can be readily purchased through a means that will provide due compensation to both the artist and the proprietor of your favorite local, independently-owned record store. So it seems to me that there’s no real harm being done to anyone by putting it in this humble corner of the internet. Despite my convictions, if I’m asked to remove it by someone with due authority to make such a request, I will gladly and promptly comply.)