Welcome to yet another edition of Outloud. This week we are going to be taking a look at one of punk rock’s great one hit wonders – Wreckless Eric [Official Site] Now I know what you are thinking how could a punk rocker be a one hit wonder? Aren’t those bands and artists supposed to work outside of the system and stay out of the charts? This maybe true but in the early years of punk rock record sales were still important.

Even though indie record labels like Stiff, Factory, and 4AD, existed, each of them were still controlled by cash. It cost a ton to record, press, promote and distribute albums, and without digital distribution to fall back on, its clearly a far cry from the music industry that we see now. If your single wasn’t a hit, you rarely got to do an album. If the album didn’t hit than you were probably not going to get a follow up, not because the labels and fans didn’t like it but because they simply couldn’t afford it. This is why you find many punk bands who were never recorded or only have a collection of singles to show for a extended period of playing.

Learn more about Wreckless Eric “after the jump”

One of the greatest examples of this aspect of the business leaving out a unique talent is the case of Wreckless Eric (aka Eric Goulden). At his height, Wreckless Eric, was seen as one of the brightest stars of the Stiff and was along with Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe and Ian Drury was seen as one of punk rock’s great songwriters. He released his self titled debut album to underground acclaim (originally Stiff had planned on having Elvis Costello and Wreckless Eric release a split debut album, to save money). On that album was his first single and future classic (I’d Go The) Whole Wide World”. His backing band in this clip features Ian Drury (drums) and Davey Payne (sax) both were in the Blockheads and reprise their roles from the record.

Take a listen.

“Whole Wide World” [mp3]

Whole Wide World
by Wreckless Eric

When I was a young boy
My mama said to me
There’s only one girl in the world for you
And she probably lives in Tahiti

I’d go the whole wide world
I’d go the whole wide world
Just to find her
I’d go the whole wide world
I’d go the whole wide world
Find out where they hide her

Despite the harshness of Eric’s voice and the simple punk rock nature of the song (it’s only two chords! just E and A, so go ahead kids and play along at home) it is exactly quite a tender song about a guy wondering when love will finally find him. After the “hit,” Eric got to do two more albums: The Wonderful World of Wreckless Eric and Big Smash. After the release of Big Smash, Eric was dropped by Stiff and he retreated to France, where he got married. So true love was apparently waiting in France and not in Tahiti. He continues to record to this day but on a much smaller scale than his early days.

“Whole Wide World” and some of his other songs have been covered by countless bands including The Proclaimers, The Monkees, Cliff Richard and Will Ferrell. Yes, I mean that Will Ferrell; he covered the tune in 2006’s Stranger Than Fiction, strumming the tune and having wild and crazy sex with Maggie Gyllenhaal. I don’t guarantee this will work for everyone who plays it on acoustic guitar but, hell, it’s worth a shot.

“Whole Wide World” is so great that I think it is kind of sad that it gets placed merely as a great punk single. I think that it is one of the great singles in pop history. I hope you enjoy the song, learn it and get to nail Maggie or Jake Gyllenhaal, which ever one you prefer.

‘Til next time kids.

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