An unassuming, bittersweet duet that stands the test of time, Carson and Gaile’s “Something Stupid” has been handed down, dusted off, and tried on with different hats since its original release in 1967. Unrequited love at its most auditory, the lilting male vocalist leads the emotional highs and lows, while the female vocalist remains a steadfast, harmonizing force countering his outpour.
In the midst of melodrama built by interlocking guitar flourishes and orchestral accompaniments, the line, “And then I go and spoil it all / By saying somethin’ stupid / Like, ‘I love you’” is sung by both parties with such tender surrender that you can’t help but smile.
Lola Marsh’s version has become iconic in its own right as the soundtrack to the relationship between textbook antihero Jimmy McGill — better known as Saul Goodman — and his beacon of goodness Kim Wexler: two sides of the same lawyer coin. Its twangy Americana polish and flamenco guitar motifs give it a bent-but-unbroken gravitas, perfectly suited to the dusty American West backdrop of “Better Call Saul.”
Listen to the rest of the playlist here!
