1996 Robson And Jerome: What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted?

Robson and Jerome rode the crest of the fame wave on a blend of nostalgia and patriotism built on the basis of their 'Soldier Soldier' TV series/personas and through a careful selection of 'golden oldie' covers designed to appeal to those who remembered when it was safe to leave your front door unlocked at night. In other words, a niche in the market was spotted and duly filled in a way that earned my grudging tolerance, if not my respect. However, in covering this Jimmy Ruffin Motown classic and giving it a pop spin I'm filled with a definite sense of this social contract of acceptance being broken, of the duo going off piste to chance their arms at plugging the Take That gap by going all boy band on us.*

If that is the case, then they picked the wrong song to do it with: Ruffin's version is definitive and his vocal poses the question as downbeat and hypothetical; he wishes he wasn't in any position to find out the answer but is in one anyway while sympathetic backing from The Originals and The Andates try to ease Ruffin's pain but only add to the song's tightly wrapped claustrophobia with their ghostly wails. Stock and Aitken's dancey production cracks the gloom to let in some light and Jerome Flynn strides out into the sun with a vocal snap that's glad to meet the challenge of the title head on. And even though he does a passable turn as a karaoke Ruffin, it and the dancey strut of the arrangement undermines the song's inherent aim somewhat. Ah who am I kidding, it makes it superfluous in every way.


* I'm not being entirely fair here; the boy's 1995 debut album had covers of a similar ilk ('The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Any More', 'Daydream Believer' etc), but as these were never let loose on the singles chart then I can't say that they represented an aim to spread their wings any further than their original audience roped in by the show. And I should point out here that they only ever released three singles and all three made number one, a record that I doubt will ever be beaten. So kudos for that at least.