Why Can't I Be You?

The whole idea of a "single" is to get radio airplay to promote an album for a fleeting period of time until the next "thing" comes up to re-focus your attention so you forget the other and on and on.. Not to sit and ponder the greatness of the written tune in the context of the album it's presented within.

The idea of a single in itself is awful, but they do give us the option of a b-side.. And what wonderful b-sides were made available in those years....

Back on topic: - In that scenario of throwaway pop there's no way on Bob's green earth that How Beautiful You Are would gain the attention and momentum from the general public that Why Can't I Be You? did. HBYA is a fantastic song BUT it's more of a CurePurist song than a RadioPopMasterpiece... As to which song is "better", well that's a moot point isn't it? Seeing as "better" is an opinion - there is no way of there being a right answer, only each of our opinions...

I reckon WCIBY? is better as a single as it's more radio-friendly, shorter, has "better radio instrumentation" for the time (compare the guitars - WCIBY has the main guitars are electrics strummed much faster than the acoustic on HBYA), has more immediacy from a radio listener's perspective, is happier sounding.... The bass bobs and bounces along and the snare hits are fast and repetitive so as to make you nod your head, bounce your knee or dance along. It has a faster tempo....All these things add up to a "better" single...

If you want to try something crazy play HBYA then follow it with WCIBY? or play the album on random... Sometimes listening to an album in the same order for years makes you feel stale.....

Also, KM KM KM shoulda been a triple album - throw the b-sides in the playlist to make it so and it's just epic.... I mean, c'mon.. A Japanese Dream not on the record???? Sugar Girl??? c'mon.... <end rant>