The recent release of the movie 'Flashbacks Of A Fool' has brought new interest in the Roxy Music song If There Is Something which features prominently in the film. I've had so much interest in the song from correspondents, I thought I would write a piece on it. The film also features Roxy's Virginia Plain.

The movie stars James Bond star Daniel Craig as a fading British actor whose once-successful Hollywood career is on the slide. The death of his childhood best friend prompts him to journey back home to his English seaside hometown. He begins to think about his life over the years, and more specifically his teenage years. Craig's character relives his experiences of this time, including the tragedy that forced him to flee for a new life.

See a trailer at the official site here

The film went on general release in the UK on Friday 18th April 2008.

There is a soundtrack album available, which has the following tracks:

Sons Of - Scott Walker
Sea Beyond - Richard Hartley
Regina Coeli Laetare - Various
It Ain't Easy - David Bowie
Ruth's House - Richard Hartley
Virginia Plain - Roxy Music
Runaway - Richard Hartley
If There Is Something - Roxy Music
Jean Gemie - David Bowie
Simple Things - Richard Hartley
What Goes Up Must Go Down - War Zone

If There Is Something is the third track on Roxy Music's debut album, and begins almost as a pastiche of country music, with bluegrass guitar and a honky tonk style piano while Bryan Ferry warbles theatrically over the top.

The mood of the song changes with an repeated descending instrumental interplay between Phil Manzanera's guitar and Andy Mackay's saxophone, Ferry's vocals return, the lyrics taking on a bathetic quality as Ferry sings about his desire for an idyllic life.

The refrain 'when you were young' sung as a call-and-response is a major feature of the song, with Ferry recalling his pony-tailed lost love.