"If I Let You Go" by Westlife (1999)

Westlife: lasting memories

I may have heard the song "Fool Again" by Westlife way back in 2000, during the summer afternoons, everytime I boiled hot water for next morning's milk. I thought the title of the song was "Born Again".

Late that year, everyone at (high) school was singing "My Love", another song of theirs. I didn't care much about popular music then. I was heavy into trading cards and toys: I collected Dragon Ball Z, Digimon, and Pokemon cards from my classmates, and also bought a set of tiny Digimon toys from my history teacher.

After the Yuletide break, a classmate brought his Christmas purchase, the first album of the record-breaking Irish vocal group. I would buy that cassette months later, after I bought a bootlegged copy of British group A1's third album "Learn To Fly".

At the school's Valentine's Day program, some bloke from the sophomores performed a solo rendition of "If I Let You Go". I don't know what hit me or took hold of me, but the song instantly became my last song syndrom (LSS). It would eventually land in my top 100 favorite songs.

Image from mahkarani.blogspot.com

Westlife's 2nd UK chart-topper off the first album was my ultimate LSS in the first quarter of 2001. In what was one of my favorite summers, their rendition of the Billy Joel classic "Uptown Girl" took over as LSS.

14 years has passed, but "If I Let You Go" remains my most favorite Westlife song, my most favorite pop song. It was the catalyst for my great interest in music, one that fueled my attraction to Britney Spears, Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance, AKB48, and Nogizaka46.

Like every other song that I like, "If I Let You Go" brings back certain memories. While writing this post, I suddenly remember my former crush (a sophomore) and another schoolmate (a classmate's boyfriend) who always played the song (on his guitar) at my request. May God bless them wherever they are now.

And how could I forget when four other classmates and I sang the song ala-Westlife during the convocation program, when my class hosted the event? Days later we would sing "Flying Without Wings" at another school program.

Too bad I can never turn back time to relive those memories. At least, I can enjoy those moments in my memory, with the song playing in the background.

"Uptown Girl" by Westlife (2000)

Westlife cover is LSS of summer 2001

One of the best summer singles ever (in my list) ranking alongside "Helena" by My Chemical Romance and "Cry" by Mandy Moore (I will blog about this song some other time). This song was really in my head in the summer of 2001 until August 2001, and living through the years ahead, I have never forgotten this song.

10 summers ago, my mother bought me a book about Westlife. The book contains interesting details about the band's beginnings up to the recording of their third magnum opus World Of Our Own. The lads were lucky to land famous supermodel Claudia Schiffer as their leading lady for the music video, and member Mark Feehily had a crush on her. And yes, ten summers ago too, he came out of the closet. Hats off to Mark, one of the gay artists that I truly respect.

Picture time. Westlife with German model Claudia Schiffer (image from Angelfire.com)

Cassette tape memories

I even borrowed the cassette single from a second degree cousin, who was lucky enough to own Millennium by the Backstreet Boys and The A List by A1. It will be a year before I bought a pre-loved Coast to Coast album from a former classmate. To date, I have two Westlife cassettes given to me by my mother, two preloved cassettes I bought from my classmates, and two bootlegged ones.

Years later another old classmate gave me a bootlegged CD of their 2005 album Face to Face.

Ignorance

Due to the lack of access to information (or was it ignorance or people not telling me what I should know), I thought this was a Westlife original. I was wrong. I learned it was a Billy Joel hit few years later. I was not surprised. Westlife did an amazing job with other artists' hits - they made other artists' songs theirs. If there are any artists that can cover original hits, Westlife can do better. The Irish pop vocal band is the king of covers.

Due to the mentioning of the word "backstreet guy", I thought Westlife was poking fun at the Backstreet Boys. I used to believe there was a sort of bitter rivalry between the two. How wrong I was! If I could still remember, Westlife thanked the Backstreet Boys in one of their albums.

Should you listen to "Uptown Girl", Westlife version?

You should. This is a great song. Take it from me.

Westlife is now gone but their memories remain. Their songs still get airplay and are still being sung in karaoke bars.