Song You Have (Probably) Never Heard (But That Might Change Your Life) #1: Almost Prayed - The Weather Prophets

So, I have my favourite bands, and then I have the weird obsessions with artists that no one has listened to for the past fifty thousand years. One of my little obsessions are the Loft and the Weather Prophets, both formed by Peter Astor in the 80s (the Weather Prophets succeeded the Loft, their sound is extremely similar). They are a perfect blend of Smiths-like melancholy, cheerfully despondent twinkling guitars, catchy melodies, and touching lyrics. Their albums are ridiculously hard to track down, but much easier to find is the amazing compilation Creation Soup (the first 50 singles released on Creation Records), which features some of my absolute favourite little-known songs and artists.
Anyway, here's my personal love from the Weather Prophets, 'Almost Prayed'

Upbeat yet ridiculously sad, makes me want to dance and cry at the same time and then sit for hours reflecting on the ironies and pains of life. The imagery is just the right mix of poetic, urban, and outré. And that piano and the catchy refrain drive me absolutely insane! It would not be too much to say that this song changed the way I look at music; the combination of the almost-bubbly-60s-pop sound and incredible dejection of mood gave me a new perspective on the way music can function. Pretty sure that songs like this were integral in the developing of Britpop several years later.