Josie’s On a Vacation Far Away

Song: Your Love (1985)

Artist: The Outfield

Album: Play Deep

Writer: John Spinks

Most people instantly recognize this song by the opening lyrics, concerning Josie and her vacation. For some reason, they just hit you in the face. Who is Josie? And, why are they singing a song about her? The song is called Your Love and it was a smash hit for The Outfield on their debut album, Play Deep. We never really find out who Josie is, but since the song is about the singer talking to someone else and telling them, “I just want to use your love, tonight,” we can guess that Josie is a wife or girlfriend who is away and someone is feeling some sort of way. It turns out that the song is about the new girlfriend being away and a one-night stand with the old girlfriend.

“Your Love” exemplifies driving 80’s rock, except with tight harmonies delivered by Tony Lewis and John Spinks that set it apart. It reached no. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has become a classic, one of those songs that cover bands must cover and get will roars from the audience as soon as the first words are sung. To listen to the singing, and judging by the name, you’d think the Outfield was an American group. Their name came from baseball and all their success was in the U.S. They were actually from London, formed in 1984 by Tony Lewis, John Spinks, and Alan Jackman.

They knew nothing much about baseball. John Spinks apparently got the idea for the name from watching the movie The warriors about New York street gangs. One of the gangs dressed up in Yankees pinstripes and carried about baseball bats. Their original name was actually “The Baseball Boys.”

The Outfield is often called a one-hit-wonder band. That is only because people do not associate their other hits, which were minor compared to Your Love, with the band. For example, their song “For You,” was a no. 21 hit and will be remembered by many listeners. Their debut album, Play Deep, in fact, went double platinum and had four hit singles. “Say It Isn’t So,” reached no. 18 on the Mainstream Rock Songs chart. “Everytime You Cry” reached no. 20, and “All the Love (in the World) no. 14.

Their 1987 album Bangin went gold, with another memorable hit “Since You’ve Been Gone.”

No, The Outfield was not a one-hit-wonder. They were a highly successful band. But, that success only lasted until around 1988. Grunge was becoming popular and the band’s drummer, Alan Jackman, quit. Tony Lewis and John Spinks went ahead as a duo, recording two more albums, Diamond Days (1991), and Rockeye (1992), but after these albums failed to get much attention, they returned to London, where they played locally, only to start recording and touring again in 1998.

John Spinks died of liver cancer in 2014, at age 60.

Your Love – The Outfield Official Video