Martyn Ware and Ian Craig-Marsh from Heaven 17 didn't have enough work on their hands, so they devoted part of their time to the 'side project' British Electric Foundation, a.k.a. B.E.F. As B.E.F. they released - so far - three albums called 'Music of quality and distinction', on which they recorded cover versions of wellknown songs using the vocals of various guest performers.
This single takes two tracks from the second volume of these albums, with guest vocalists Green Gartside (core member of Scritti Politti) and Billy Preston. They perform songs originally recorded by Stevie Wonder and The Beatles respectively. Purists will hate these versions, but I find them very enjoyable indeed.
I never actually took the time to compare them, but I do have the suspicion that all the versions of 'The word girl' included on this 12" single are actually different from the two versions on the 7" single. And if that isn't so, at least there's the extra extended version of the track on the B-side.
That B-side version was remixed by Julian Mendelsohn, one of the top remixers and producers of the Eighties. The track also features Ranking Ann, who I think is a complete unknown. But then again, I might just be missing some information there.
My collection: 12" single no. 321 Found: Record Exchange, London Cost: 50p Tracks: 'The word girl', 'Flesh & blood' / 'The word girl / Flesh & blood (version)'
The single 'Hypnotise' by Scritti Politti was released in 1984, at a time when extended versions always used to be longer versions of existing tracks instead of totally overhauled tracks with only fractions of the original track in them.
I bought the 7" single of Hypnotise in 1989, but held off on buying the 12" single until now. Since I already have a few 12" singles by Scritti Politti, I had a hard time finding out whether I had it or not. As it turned out, I didn't - so now I have.
My collection: 12" single no. 531 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010 Cost: 2,5 euro Tracks: 'Hypnotise (long)', 'Hypnotise (short)' / 'Hypnotise (version)'
Roger Troutman was well known for his use of the talkbox, a device that is connected to an instrument (frequently a keyboard) to create different vocal effects.After scoring a hit with 'I want to be your man' in 1987, he collaborated with Green Gartside from Scritti Politti on the single 'Boom! There she was'.
Released in November 1988, 'Boom! There she was' reached number 55 in the UK singles chart. Scritti Politti then disappeared from the scene for three years.
My collection: 7" single no. 809 Found: May 6, 1989 Cost: 3 guilders Tracks: 'Boom! There she was' / 'World come back to life'
Scritti Politti is a band that repeatedly surprised me as the Eighties went on. Their reggae-influenced singles circa 1985 please me a lot, but 'Oh Patti' sounded nothing like that and it still thrilled me.
And then there was 'First boy in this town (Lovesick)'. I can vividly remember hearing that single for the first time, when my sister had just bought it and played it to me. I thought it would never be a hit, but I also knew I had to get it myself. Well, I was right on both counts of course: in the UK this single only reached number 63 and I got the copy only a year after its release.
My collection: 7" single no. 1001 Found: HMV, London, October 16, 1989 Cost: 2 pounds Tracks: 'First boy in this town (Lovesick)' / 'World come back to life'
'Oh Patti (Don't feel sorry for loverboy)' is a track on Scritti Politti's 1988 album 'Provision'. It features Miles Davis, who plays a trumpet solo. The single reached number 13 in the UK singles chart and number 29 in the Dutch Top 40.
This very attractive limited edition box set features the single plus three postcards and a sect of stamps. The colour poster that should be in it as well is missing, so I hope I can find a complete box set one day.
My collection: 7" single no. 761 Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, March 2, 1989 Cost: 5 guilders Tracks: 'Oh Patti (Don't feel sorry for loverboy)' / 'Oh Patti (instrumental)'
'The word girl' was released as the fourth single from Scritti Politti's 1985 album 'Cupid & Psyche 85'. It turned out to be the band's biggest hit, peaking at number 6 in the UK singles chart. It also charted in the Netherlands, where it reached number 16 in the Dutch Top 40.
The song has a similar sound to many of the other group's songs, with a reggae rhythm, a smooth R&B-inspired sound with Green Gartside's soulful vocals on top.
My collection: 7" single no. 462 Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1986 Cost: 3 guilders Tracks: 'The word girl' / 'Flesh & blood'
Scritti Politti originally consisted of lead vocalist Green Gartside (born Paul Julian Stromheyer), Nial Jinks as bass player, Tom Morley as drummer, and Matthew Kay as the manager who sometimes played the keyboard. Gartside and Jinks had gone to school together in South Wales, and Gartside met Morley at Leeds Polytechnic, a college they both attended. Disillusioned and bored with art school, Gartside and Morley left in June 1978 and moved into a squat in Camden Town, London. Jinks was invited to join the band.
Gartside recorded a demo of one of his new songs, 'The "Sweetest Girl"' in January 1981. The song was included on a compilation of songs given out with the March issue of NME. The song prompted many major labels to offer Gartside record contracts, but he decided to stay with Rough Trade, who released the track as a single in the autumn. It reached number 64 in the UK singles chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 2779 Found: Record Exchange, London, October 31, 1996 Cost: 30p Tracks: 'The "Sweetest Girl"' / 'Lions after slumber'
Back in 1985, the lucky buyer of 'Perfect way' in the UK could get this limited edition version of the single, featuring not only a gatefold sleeve, but also a poster with a monochrome photograph of founding member Green Gartside.
'Perfect way' was the fifth single taken from Scritti Politti's 1985 album 'Cupid & Psyche', and their only big hit stateside, reaching number 11 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the UK, the single only got to number 48.
My collection: 7" single no. 1864 Found: January 30, 1993 Cost: 5 guilders Tracks: 'Perfect way' / 'Perfect way (version)'
Scritti Politti's main member Green Gartside moved to New York in 1983 to begin working on what was to become his band's signature sound.
Collaborating with producer Arif Mardin, David Gamson and Fred Maher, the first recording to emerge from these sessions was the single 'Wood Beez (Pray like Aretha Franklin)'. A series of hits in the style of this track followed, including 'Hypnotize', 'The word girl' and this single, 'Absolute'.
'Perfect way' was released in September 1985 and reached no. 45 in the UK singles chart. Not an impressive success, despite its catchy hooks. In America it did far better, reaching no. 11. The 12" single was remixed by François Kevorkian, who remains best known for his work with Kraftwerk.
I bought my copy of the 12" as a bargain in London. I was always interested in those eighties singles by Scritti Politti and the extended versions seemed like a good addition to my collection.
My collection: 12" single no. 264
Found: Record Exchange, London, 1995
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'Perfect way (extended mix)' / 'Perfect way (version) (extended mix)'
'Hypnotise' is the least successful of the four singles that were released from Scritti Politti's 1985 album 'Cupid & Psyche', despite (or maybe because of) the fact that it didn't sound radically different from other tracks on this album. With a great hook and the signature vocals of Green Gartside, the single only reached no. 68 in the UK singles chart.
When I was on holiday in London in 1989, I went around the town visiting every record shop I could find. It was my first encounter with the Record Exchange shops, that were offering hundreds of old vinyl singles for discount prices. I had a chance to buy many singles I wanted to have for years, and so I did...
My collection: 7" single no. 1026
Found: Record Exchange, Notting Hill, London, October 17, 1989
