Johnny Delusional FFS

The collaboration between Franz Ferdinand and Sparks - two bands with wildly different sensibilities - in the form of supergroup FFS yields a song that thrives on tension. At its core, 'Johnny Delusional', from the band's 2015 eponymous album, is about the humiliating ache of unreciprocated affection. The protagonist knows he's delusional, yet can't stop longing.

Musically, the track is a marvel. Sparks' eccentric, operatic flourishes meet Franz Ferdinand's taut, radio-ready guitar lines, creating a sound both off-kilter and irresistibly driving. The chorus surges with manic energy, its repetition hammering home the futility of Johnny's desire.

That juxtaposition - despair wrapped in exuberant hooks - gives the Sparks-brothers Ron and Russell Mael-written song, its strange power. It's not just sad, it's sadness that dances.


When Russell sings, 'Tell me, are persistence and stupidity the same?/ Tell me, is resistance so enticing? Please explain,' this is a genuine line of inquiry, before the chorus line of tragic clarity comes crashing   down like a crushed tiara, 'Though I want you/ I know I haven't a chance/ Still I want you/ Johnny Delusional here.'

Heartbreak, FFS tells us with feet manically tapping, can be loud, absurd and even triumphant in its expression.