Showing posts with label Bananarama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bananarama. Show all posts

Thursday 15 October 2009

I heard a rumour - Bananarama

'I heard a rumour' was the first single from Bananarama's 1987 album 'Wow!', which was their second album to be produced by Stock, Aitken & Waterman. The song has all the features of a SAW production: a steady beat, lots of synth sounds and an accesible pop treatment. It has to be said that the B-side is a weird one, featuring samples from Princess's 'Say I'm your number one' amongst other things.

My copy was released as a limited edition with a poster sleeve. The single reached number 14 in the UK singles chart and number 17 in the Dutch Top 40. In America the single was even more successful, reaching number 4.

My collection: 7" single no. 547
Found: Tower Records, London, October 1987
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'I heard a rumour' / 'Clean cut boy (Party size)'

Monday 5 October 2009

Really saying something - Bananarama

'He was really sayin' somethin'' was written by Motown songwriters Norman Whitfield, William "Mickey" Stevenson and Edward Holland, Jr. in 1964. The song was originally recorded by the Velvelettes in 1964.

Bananarama recorded their version of the song as the first single from their debut album 'Deep sea skiving'. Fun Boy Three provided backing vocals, after they had a hit with Bananarama earlier in the year with 'It ain't what you do (It's the way that you do it'. With this single they had another hit together, peaking at number 5 in the UK singles chart and number 11 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1976
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, October 17, 1993
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Really saying something' / 'Give us back our cheap fares'

Friday 25 September 2009

Movin' on - Bananarama

Bananarama was literally 'Movin' on' with this single, released in August 1992. In 1991, Jacquie O'Sullivan had left the group, and remaining members Keren Woodward and Sara Dallin chose not to search for a replacement this time. Instead, they continues as a duo.

While they were moving on, they also moved back: they reunited with Stock and Waterman as producers - who similarly had parted ways with Aitken. The two duos worked on the album 'Please yourself', of which this single was the first one. It reached number 24 in the UK singles chart and number 32 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4071
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received September 25, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Movin' on' / 'Treat me right'

Tuesday 22 September 2009

Love comes - Bananarama

Disc two features Keren Woodward on the picture disc and the B-side 'Voyage voyage', originally performed by Desireless. The tracks were all produced by Ian Masterson, who previously had success as part of the remix team Trouser Enthusiasts, producer of Dannii Minogue and also producing Kim Wilde's surprise hit 'Loved' in 2001.

'Love comes' is a track from Bananarama's latest album 'Viva', released last week.

My collection: 7" single no. 4054
Found: Townsend Records, UK, received September 22, 2009
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Love comes (radio edit)' / 'Voyage voyage'

Love comes - Bananarama

'Love comes' is the brand new single by Bananarama, released on September 6 - just two weeks ago. Much to my delight, the single was released as two separate 7" picture discs. Since they are a duo these days (and have been since 1993), each disc portrays a member of Bananarama.

Picture disc number one features Sara Dallin and the B-side is a cover of Bryan Ferry's song 'Tokyo Joe'. 'Love comes' peaked at number 44 in the UK singles chart earlier this month.

My collection: 7" single no. 4053
Found: Townsend Records, UK, received September 22, 2009
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Love comes (radio edit)' / 'Tokyo Joe'

Tuesday 15 September 2009

Long train running - Bananarama

'Long train running' was written by Tom Johnston and originally recorded by the Doobie Brothers in 1973 for their album 'The captain and me'. Released as a single, it was a top 10 hit in America and the UK.

Bananarama's version appeared on their fifth studio album 'Pop life' and was released as the album's third single in the UK. The album was produced by Youth and the girls of Bananarama discovered the song while they were browsing through his record collection. They completed their album with this one cover version. The Gypsy Kings provided flamenco guitar on this recording, and UK single Zoë provided backing vocals. The single peaked at number 30 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4021
Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Long train running' / 'Outta sight'

Tuesday 11 August 2009

I want you back - Bananarama

'I want you back' was the first single by Bananarama after the departure of Siobhan Fahey. She was replaced by Jacquie O'Sullivan. 'I want you back' was featured on Bananarama's fourth studio album 'Wow!' and originally recorded with Fahey. For the single release, the track was re-recorded with O'Sullivan. No further singles from 'Wow!' were released.

The audience responded well to this release, as it peaked at number 5 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 3978
Found: Record Exchange, London, August 5, 2009
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'I want you back' / 'Bad for me'

Love in the first degree - Bananarama

Released in October 1987, 'Love in the first degree' was the second single from Bananarama's fourth studio album 'Wow!'. Like the rest of the album, the track was produced by Stock, Aitken & Waterman and includes many of their trademark sounds. The lyrics were written by Siobhan Fahey and built upon by SAW and the other two Bananarama members Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward.

The single was the band's biggest selling single in the UK, peaking at number 3 (like two other singles by them). As one of their final performances with Fahey, the group performed the song at the BRIT Awards with a large entourage of male dancers dressed only in black bikini briefs. The song was nominated for best British single at the BRIT Awards, but lost to Rick Astley's 'Never gonna give you up'.

I bought this single together with three others in the basement of the Berwick Street branch of the Music & Video Exchange in London.

My collection: 7" single no. 3976
Found: Record Exchange, London, August 5, 2009
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'Love in the first degree' / 'Mr. Sleaze'

Wednesday 22 July 2009

Cruel summer 89 - Bananarama

Record company executives have brilliant ideas sometimes. Take for instance this single. Bananarama released a compilation album in 1989. Entitled 'The greatest hits collection', it comprised all of the trio's big hits and became their biggest success, peaking at number 3 in the UK albums chart.

The executives wanted to promote the album with a single release. What to do? The recipe was as follows: take a catchy song such as 'Cruel summer', take out all the life and soul, replace it with generic beats and a dull throbbing rhythm, and you've got a potential new hit! Except it wasn't. The single still made number 19 in the UK singles chart, but flopped everywhere else. In short: this is a rather disappointing release by the Bananaramas.

My collection: 7" single no. 3885
Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, July 20, 2009
Cost: 0,25 euro
Tracks: 'Cruel summer (Swing beat version)' / 'Venus (The greatest remix)'

Thursday 9 July 2009

Trick of the night - Bananarama

Before I bought the 12" single of 'Trick of the night', I found this ep featuring four tracks. Just like on the 12" single, 'Trick of the night' was featured in two different versions: one produced by Tony Swain and Steve Jolley, and one by Stock, Aitken & Waterman.

The single peaked at number 32 in the UK singles chart, whereas it peaked at number 76 in the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. This ep was released in a beautiful gatefold sleeve, the inner side featuring an illustration of the trio plus the lyric of the song.

My collection: 7" single no. 2765
Found: House of Rhythm, October 29, 1996
Cost: 40p
Tracks: 'Trick of the night #1', 'Cut above the rest' / 'Trick of the night #2', 'Set on you'

Saturday 4 July 2009

It ain't what you do it's the way that you do it - Fun Boy Three with Bananarama

'It ain't what you do (It's the way that you do it)' was originally written by jazz musicians Melvin 'Sy' Oliver and James 'Trummy' Young. It was first recorded in 1939 by both Jimmie Lunceford and Ella Fitzgerald.

It was transformed to a ska/pop song in 1982, when Fun Boy Three recorded their debut album.
Terry Hall of the trio owned a copy of Bananarama's previous single 'Aie a mwana' and after reading an article about them he decided he wanted them to sing background vocals on this song, solely based on the fact that he liked their look. It became the first chart success for Bananarama and the start of their long and fruitful career. In the Netherlands, both bands debuted in the chart with this song, reaching number 3.

My collection: 7" single no. 3831
Found: Zeeheldenfestival, Den Haag, July 4, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'It ain't what you do it's the way that you do it' / 'The 'Funrama' theme'

Sunday 7 June 2009

Cruel summer - Bananarama

Looking out the window today, I know exactly what a 'Cruel summer' is: expecting the sun, and getting nothing but rain. Bananarama recorded a song with this title back in 1983.

'Cruel summer' was a top ten hit in Britain in 1983, but wasn't an international success until it was included in the 1984 movie 'The Karate kid'. The group didn't allow the song to be included in the film's soundtrack, but it was still their first top ten hit in the USA.

My collection: 7" single no. 1914
Found: Record fair, Leiden, May 22, 1993
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Cruel summer' / 'Summer dub'

Sunday 19 April 2009

Rough justice - Bananarama

It's hard to tell from this image, but the sleeve of this single has a 3D postcard on the front. It's this kind of collectable issues that always draws me in. I had to buy 'Rough justice' anyway, because it's one of those tracks that take me right back to the year 1984, the year in which I avoided homework by watching music videos on television every day.

The socially conscious 'Rough justice' deals with social apathy towards children, poverty and starvation. The single peaked at number 23 in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 3670
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 18, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Rough justice' / 'Live now'

Wednesday 28 January 2009

Trick of the night - Bananarama

There are basically two versions of Bananarama's 1986 single 'Trick of the night': one is produced by Steve Jolley and Tony Swain, the other is produced by Stock, Aitken and Waterman. Personally I always preferred the former, whereas the latter signalled a change in direction for the group: in 1987 they would release their next album, fully produced by the trio that was responsible for Kylie Minogue, Mel & Kim and Rick Astley's phenomenal success in that year.

The lyric of the song is about someone who has gone to seek his fortune in the big city and ended up a rentboy. The 12" single featured a remix version of both versions of the song, plus the B-side track 'Set on you', which has all the trademarks of a Stock/Aitken/Waterman remix written all over it.

My collection: 12" single no. 354
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 1999
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Trick of the night (Number One remix)' / 'Trick of the night (Tricky mix)', 'Set on you'
Download: here

Monday 12 January 2009

Shy boy - Bananarama

Bananarama's first single without the Fun Boy Three (with whom they recorded 'It ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it' and 'Really saying something') was this single: 'Shy boy'. It was another top 5 hit for them in the UK, and it reached number 12 in the Netherlands. It was taken from their debut album 'Deap sea skiving', which was full of cheerful pop tunes. The B-side was called 'Don't call us', but appeared on the album as 'Boy trouble'.

I bought this single recently, realising what fun the music of these three girls was in the first half of the eighties. When they hooked up with Stock, Aitken and Waterman, it all became more serious and less bubbly.

My collection: 7" single no. 3510
Found: Concerto, Amsterdam, December 27, 2008
Cost: 0,75 euro
Tracks: 'Shy boy' / 'Don't call us'
Download: Album 'Deep sea skiving', including both tracks (part 1 / part 2)

Friday 9 January 2009

Move in my direction - Bananarama

While most recognised for their eighties work, Bananarama are still around today. Of course, they are not a trio anymore, as only Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward are still at it. 'Move in my direction' was released in 2005, a track from their latest album 'Drama!'. It reached number 14 in the UK singles chart. It was their 24th UK Top 40 hit, and their first since their 1991 single 'Preacher man'.

My collection: 7" single no. 3416
Found: HMV, London, 2005
Cost: 2,5 pounds
Tracks: 'Move in my direction (radio edit)' / 'Move in my direction (Angel City remix edit)'

Sunday 28 December 2008

Cheers then - Bananarama

'Cheers Then' appeared on Bananarama's debut album 'Deep Sea Skiving' and was released as the third single in December 1983. After having had three consecutive top-ten hits, 'Cheers Then' peaked at a disappointing number 45 in the UK singles chart.

The music video was a recreation of the musical film The Sound of Music. The girls re-enact many of the scenes from the film, including the step-jumping scene for 'Do-Re-Mi' and running in the hills.

My collection: 7" single no. 2565
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, November 19, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Cheers then' / 'Girl about town'
Download: here

Thursday 25 December 2008

Do they know it's Christmas? - Band Aid

The song that embodied the Christmas spirit in the Eighties was Band Aid's 'Do they know it's Christmas?'. The project initiated by Midge Ure and Bob Geldof started when the two met up and worked out this song Bob had written in a rather rudimentary way. They phoned up the musician friends they knew and before you knew it you had a media spectacle of unprecedented size.

I bought the single as soon as it came out, although, strangely, I didn't like the song that much. There were just so many of my eighties idols participated that I felt I couldn't pass up on this historic single. Two decades later, it's somehow reassuring (or troubling) that everything has stayed the same in Africa: it's still a continent of war, hunger and drought.

My collection: 7" single no. 249
Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1984
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Do they know it's Christmas?' / 'Feed the world'
Download: 12" single 'Do they know it's Christmas?', including both tracks (password: burningtheground-djpault.blogspot.com )

Thursday 11 December 2008

Last thing on my mind - Bananarama

'Last thing on my mind' was a big hit for Steps in 1998. I did like the song but the track sounded a bit too bland for my liking. I didn't think that the guys and girls of Steps could sing, and that put the track down a bit. So I was pretty glad when I found out that it was a cover of a Bananarama track.

Bananarama have of course been around for ages. They started out with Fun Boy Three on 'It ain't what you do it's the way that you do it' and had another series of hits only a couple of years ago with their comeback album 'Drama' (2005). Their version of 'Last thing on my mind' is a pop gem.

My collection: 7" single no. 3011
Found: Record fair, Netherlands, August 20, 1998
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Last thing on my mind' / 'Another lover'
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