Song · The Trash Can Sinatras
“Only Tongue Can Tell” by The Trash Can Sinatras
From the album Cake (1990)
“Only Tongue Can Tell” by The Trash Can Sinatras appears on 7 radio countdowns from 4 stations between 1990 and 2002. It was first released in 1990 on the album Cake. Its best result is #7 on the KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1990. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #36 alternative song of 1990 and #5,337 alternative song of all time.
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Video from YouTube (Trashcan Sinatras Official). Pressing play loads YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube
"Only Tongue Can Tell" was the Trash Can Sinatras' follow-up to "Obscurity Knocks," the second single from the Scottish band's 1990 debut album, Cake, and they produced it themselves. Francis Reader sings, John Douglas and Paul Livingston's guitars jangle and chime, George McDaid and Stephen Douglas hold down bass and drums, and Alexander Clark Sorley adds keyboards, with Tony Harris mixing.
The press couldn't agree. The Liverpool Echo's Penny Kiley loved the catchy guitars and harmonies and heard a son-of-Morrissey croon, and the NME's David Quantick warmed to its bright, folky jangle and a twangy solo worthy of Duane Eddy, while Melody Maker's Chris Roberts dismissed it as yet another Housemartins or Aztec Camera. Mike Bell's video broke out on MTV.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
RockLists rankings
Alternative & Modern Rock
All Rock Formats
Year-end countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 7 | KROQ Los Angeles, CA | KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1990 | 107 |
| 1990 | 81 | 91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana | 91X Top 91 Songs of 1990 | 91 |
| 1990 | 8 | Live 105 San Francisco, CA | Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of 1990 | 105 |
All-time and decade countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 256 | Live 105 | Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1991) | 302 |
| 1992 | 296 | Live 105 | Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1992) | 299 |
| 1994 | 437 | Live 105 | Live 105 Revolutionary 500 (July 1994) | 500 |
| 2002 | 1610 | Fred (XM 44) | Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002) | 2002 |
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