1972 Rod Stewart: You Wear It Well

Rod Stewart's previous single 'Maggie May' had him pondering his future outside of a dead end relationship:

"I suppose I could collect my books and get on back to school,
Or steal my daddy's cue and make a living out of playing pool,
Or find myself a rock and roll band that needs a helping hand"

In many ways, 'You Wear It Well' is a kind of sequel to that song, a snapshot of what happened next a few years on. Essentially a postcard home from Minnesota where he's working (school, poolhall, recording studio - Rod doesn't say), it's possible to square the circle and take it as being addressed to Maggie herself, though no doubt Rod had plenty of women on the go to make it 'about' somebody else entirely. It's up to the listener.

And the 'Maggie May' similarities don't end there - 'You Wear It Well' is another incredibly wordy, character based song that's hung on a nodding rock backing from The Faces. Except this time that backing is more subdued, more low key and more laid back. The sparkling mandolin that ran through 'Maggie May' is absent and there's a tired, worldly wise feel to the song that befits its tired, worldly wise lyrics.

Like 'Maggie May' there's no chorus as such, save the recurring shout of the title and a follow up line of reassurance that the woman he's singing/writing to could never do any wrong in his eyes. Again, the complete absence of a laddish put down gives 'You Wear It Well' a tender edge, one that casts Rod as the rough diamond with a good heart and which makes the song impossible to dislike.

Virtually everything I said about 'Maggie May' applies here also except....well except that 'You Wear It Well' is the lesser song of the two in my eyes. And it's the lesser because it's less interesting; 'Maggie May' vividly sketched two characters and breathed life into them by describing their circumstances in the style of a short soap opera. By contrast, the insight in 'You Wear It Well' is basically one way traffic; Stewart's caught at a low ebb feeling home and heartsick - there's no indication of why the couple split or if she feels the same way or it the letter will ever get to her: "After all the years I hope its the same address. Since you've been gone it's hard to carry on"

It's a far more insular, self contained track than 'Maggie May' - more personal too, but although there are some smart and evocative observations ("Remember them basement parties, your brothers karate. The all day rock and roll shows") there's not quite enough in there to make us care about the outcome. You kind of expect Stewart to sober up and carry on as normal, but if he doesn't then the only reaction I can generate is a shoulder shrug; Rod doesn't give enough away to make me believe this is anything other maudlin self pity that he'll snap out of as soon as another pretty face appears to take his mind off it.

But I'm picking at the loose thread on a fine cashmere coat now - 'You Wear It Well' oozes literate intelligence and honest emotion, two qualities you don't normally find paired in a number one single. That Stewart managed it twice on the bounce is an achievement that suggests a talent to make any 'Greatest Hits' album a rare treat. And as long as it limits itself to 1970-1975 then indeed it is, but any compilation that casts its net wider leaves you wanting to give Stewart a damn good boot up the arse.