"Still The Same" | ||||
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UK/European cover of "Still the Same".
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Single by Slade | ||||
from the album You Boyz Make Big Noize | ||||
B-side | "Gotta Go Home" | |||
Released | 2 February 1987 | |||
Format | 7" Single, 12" single | |||
Recorded | 1986 | |||
Genre | Pop rock | |||
Length | 3:53 | |||
Label | RCA Records | |||
Songwriter(s) | Noddy Holder, Jim Lea | |||
Producer(s) | John Punter, Jim Lea | |||
Slade singles chronology | ||||
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Audio sample | ||||
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Alternative Cover | ||||
UK Commemorative 21 Years Double Pack of "Still the Same".
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"Still the Same" is a song from rock band Slade which was released as the leading single from the 1987 album You Boyz Make Big Noize. The song was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea. It was produced by John Punter.
Following the band's moderate success with the 1985 album Rogues Gallery, the band started recording their next album in 1986. The band hoped that the album, if it could become a commercial success, would catapult the band to where they felt they belonged. The song "Still the Same" was chosen as the album's leading single, where it was released in February 1987. The key decision was to avoid the Christmas period of 1986, as the band's 1973 festive hit "Merry Xmas Everybody" had often given Slade the image of being a Christmas only band. As a result, Slade usually exploited the seasonal attention by releasing new product. Although this benefited the band in some ways, Slade's connection with the festive season had not allowed Slade to develop the commercial and artistic credibility that they felt they deserved. This led the band and their record label, RCA Records, to hold back "Still the Same" from release until two months after Christmas. The song was chosen by the record company as a single, as they hoped the track's anthemic sing-a-long style would reproduce the success of "My Oh My" - a power ballad hit the band had in 1983. Released over a year since the last Slade single "Do You Believe in Miracles", which caused rumours of the band's split, "Still the Same" failed to become a big hit, largely due to lack of radio play, and peaked at #73 in the UK, lasting a total of four weeks in the Top 100. This immediately raised the question of whether the single would have done better at Christmas, although, despite the radio-friendly sound, the song's lyrical message was not a happy message. Writer Chris Ingham, who wrote the notes for Slade's remastered CD releases via Salvo, described the song as being "about a couple's inability to evolve", and as a result was not festive fare. The song has been reported as being personal to Holder, with the lyrics dealing with his own marriage to Leandra Holder, which ended in 1984 largely due to his touring commitments with Slade.