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The One-Hit Wonder File: “How Long”

how long

There are some songs that are memorable for their lyrics, others that stand out because of their instrumental grooves, and still others that resonate with us based on the strength of the vocals. When all of those ingredients come together, it’s usually the recipe for a hit. That was the case for the British band Ace, who scored a top ten hit in the US in 1975 with “How Long.” The Sheffield-based group started performing in 1972. Ace was comprised of veteran musicians who’d played in a number of other bands. The band was originally known as Ace Flash and the Dynamos but later shortened their name to Ace.

The band’s original lineup included Phil Harris on lead guitar, Alan “Bam” King on rhythm guitar, Terry “Tex” Corner on bass, Steve Witherington on drums, and Paul Carrack on keyboards. Their dynamic mix of pop, soul, and funk sounds made them a popular fixture on the pub circuit in England. Their debut album, Five-A-Side, was recorded in England in 1974. The single “How Long,” written by Carrack, became a major hit on both sides of the Atlantic, landing in the Top 20 in the US and the UK in 1975. The unforgettable lead vocal on the song was provided by Carrack, and the striking guitar solo was played by Harris.

 

The melancholy tone and sorrow-laced lyrics of “How Long” conjure up images of a cheating lover, but that’s not the actual topic of the tune. Paul Carrack has noted in interviews that the song was really about Terry Corner, the band’s bass player, who was moonlighting with other bands at the time and thinking of leaving the group. Ace recorded two more albums, Time for Another, and No Strings, before disbanding in 1977. Steve Witherington and Phil Harris departed Ace before they broke up, and were replaced by Fran Byrne and Jon Woodhead, respectively. Ironically, Corner, the subject of “How Long,” was part of the band until they disbanded. “How Long” was the band’s only sizable hit, though one other tune from Five-A-Side, “Rock & Roll Runaway,” managed to reach the lower rungs of the US charts later in 1975, hitting number 71.

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“How Long” has been covered by a number of artists, including Rod Stewart, Barbara Mandrell, and Bobby Womack. If Carrack’s soulful voice sounds familiar, you probably know him from his work with Roxy Music, Nick Lowe, Squeeze, and Mike and The Mechanics. He’s the lead vocalist on hit songs such as “Tempted” and “The Living Years.” Carrack is also an in-demand session musician who’s toured and recorded with Roger Waters, Ringo Starr, and Elton John, among many others. He scored a solo hit with “Don’t Shed A Tear” in 1987 and later re-recorded “How Long” for his 1995 album Blue Views. “How Long” was just the first salvo in a long burst of memorable songs from this talented singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist, who’s still going strong.

-John Visconti

Photo: Fair Use image of the single

PS. We first ran this post in 2021, but love the song so much we needed another look.

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John Visconti is a lifelong music and movies aficionado with wide-ranging tastes, from The British Invasion and Motown, to the blues, a dash of jazz, on through to power pop, funk, retro soul, folk, bubblegum and metal. He digs film noir, screwball comedies, classic B movies, and Toho’s original Godzilla series. In the late 1980s, John was a writer and editor for the KISS fanzine Fire. A friend once called him “the human incarnation of an entertainment encyclopedia.” After long stints in the worlds of publishing and IT, he’s currently working in healthcare. You can check out his blog, John V's Eclectic Avenue at http://jveclectic.blogspot.com.

8 comments on “The One-Hit Wonder File: “How Long”

  1. Carrack is a legend!

  2. Mark Hudson

    Great singer. Great song. Ace had another single, “No future in your eyes”, that should have been a hit. Saw them at the Cooks Ferry Inn back in the day. Happy times.

  3. Only a singer/songwriter in a group could conjure up the same emotions as a cheated on lover when their bandmate is being courted by another band. I love this story.

  4. Mark Donald Chergosky

    I wish this was live instead of lip-synched.

  5. Bruce Halper

    I’m curious about the background vocals. They are so good, they make the song. It has a sort of MoTown production quality. I wonder who’s decision and harmonies are on there?

    • Agree! Definite Motown influence and the rhythm and keyboards run parallel with Steely Dan’s “Do It Again.” Loved it my senior year in high school and every time heard since. Not much of an oldies fan but this single holds up!

  6. Marty Mongan

    Thanks to this article, I listened to a song that I’ve been hearing over the past 47 years with fresh ears.

  7. Funny, I just heard this song on John Mayer’s SiriusXM channel, Life with John Mayer. I hadn’t heard it in years, and it’s so good. I had no idea that was Paul Carrack on vocals! He has one of the smoothest voices in rock music.

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