My partner gifted me an awesome, “throwback” box set of vinyl called Life Moves Pretty Fast. The John Hughes Mixtapes. It is a curated collection of music from his signature films, all put together like mixtapes – side A’s and B’s – with songs chosen from his various movies. I was listening to Mix 1, Side A and came across Furniture’s “Brilliant Mind”. It is a track not available to stream on Spotify, though I was able to find it on YouTube (see video below). “Brilliant Mind” is from the John Hughes’ movie, Some Kind of Wonderful, from 1987. It is the lesser known/loved Hughes teen “rom coms” that I’ve always loved. For me, the music from Some Kind of Wonderful is tied with Pretty In Pink as the best 80’s soundtracks. I used to own both on cassette. Listening to these songs are on this collection is a sonic time travel machine taking me right back to my teenage bedroom, and the movies and music I adored back then.

“Brilliant Mind” by Furniture
from the movie, Some Kind of Wonderful (1987)
Throwback Thursday

“Brilliant Mind” by Furniture – from the album, The Wrong People (1986)

“And I’m at the stage,
where I want my words said and no one wants to listen.
No one wants to listen ’cause everybody’s yelling.
About you and yours and how I’d have the answer if only I’d open up up up and let you in.”

Furniture

“Brilliant Mind” is by British New Wave Furniture, released in 1986 as the lead single from the band’s second studio album, The Wrong People. It was written by Jim Irvin, Hamilton Lee, Sally Still, and Tim Whelan, and produced by Mick Glossop. It was featured in John Hughes’ film Some Kind of Wonderful, and made it to #21 in the UK Singles Chart, in the same year. It was the band’s “one hit” that ever charted. (from Wikipedia)

Furniture were active from 1979 to 1991. Since the band broke up, Furniture has retained a cult appeal, partly due to a continuing high reputation for songwriting and partly due to the nature of the band’s career. (from Wikipedia)

Noted for the bad luck and practical frustration that prevented them from making a long term-breakthrough, Furniture have been described as “one of the most unfortunate of bands, and a salutory lesson for any young hopefuls being courted by minor labels.”(quote from Article on Furniture, written by Neil Nixon, in The Rough Guide to Rock)

Furniture