Ear worm and pop hit bar none | Paul Carrack ‘How Long'

On this date in Feb 23 1975, ACE released the single HOW LONG in the U.S.

"How long has this been going on" sure sounds like something a guy would say to his cheating lover, but this song has a very different meaning. Ace bass player Terry Comer was working with other bands - he played briefly with The Sutherland Brothers and Quiver - and he didn't tell his bandmates, who felt cheated when they found out.

Ace lead singer Paul Carrack wrote the song; when he appeared on the BBC Breakfast news programme on June 29, 2009 he was asked about the inspiration. Rather than being about a two-timing lover it was, he said, about another band who were "trying to nick our bass player."

Surprisingly, Terry Comer returned in time to play on the original recording! His excellent bass introduction is borrowed from "Traveling Song" by the British folk rock group Pentangle.

"How Long?" was one of the first songs Paul Carrack ever wrote and remains one of his biggest hits. It was released on the Anchor label in 1974, backed by "Sniffin' About" and produced by John Anthony for Neptune Productions. It has been recorded many times since.

The song was taken from band's album Five-A-Side and peaked at #3 in the US and Canadian charts, and No. 20 in the UK chart. This was Ace's only hit. They broke up in 1977. Paul Carrack went on to sing for Squeeze and Mike And The Mechanics and had a solo hit with "Don't Shed a Tear."

Great song and he is able to wheel it out whenever and wherever and with whomever he is playing whether its Squeeze, Mike and The Mechanics or Eric Clapton