"New Wave" and the 1980s - one-hit wonders and biggest hits

[Passing_Stranger]

^
Speaking of Iva doing a Dave, his band certainly does do a Dave on 'No Promises' which is from 1986. The melody is reminiscent of the then year old 'This Is Not America' by David Bowie and the Pat Metheny Band...

Yes, "No promises" is such a delight! Should've been such a bigger hit than it was! The first song by Icehouse I ever heard - and it never fails to compel, even to this day. Davies had this knack of, let's say, doing his musical paintings - quite a few of his songs have this dreamy quality with mythical, quasi-historical themes, he's really a master in this field (which is quite unexpected from an Australian guy). And he can do songs by others equally as good - please sample his cover of "Love like blood", it's a masterpiece!
Speaking of Sylvian - a fun fact: who plays drums on "No promises"? That's one Steve Jansen

And speaking of Sylvian again - my, how I tried to tolerate his "singing"! God knows I did my best - but years passed while I couldn't enjoy the music of Japan (barring their great instrumentals). Only fairly recently something eased inside me, probably I simply learned to hear his singing as another instrument or something. I even prefer Ferry to him, I think his style during Japan years was a bit too much (still better than post-1980 Numan, though). So I can't actually lose myself in their music, only admire them from a distance (and I didn't really have a nerve or inclination to try Sylvian solo records - though from the scant few I've heard he seems to sing normally on them). I'm afraid vocals are the deciding part for me in most cases.

And Gambo, I hear what you say about feeling comfortable singing "Hey little girl"! I regularly try that (when no-one's around) and am convinced I could pull it off! Not that I really have a nerve to try karaoke ;)

[Passing_Stranger]

Now, the band I'm aware of, but know very little about in a way of music. Their discography is a bit intimidating, though I always meant to investigate. And it's a much-loved band in their home country (we're still in Australia, of course ). Like quite a few bands from there, they had a worldwide hit (well, almost) - and it's the one I'm going to feature. Great uplifting song, though somehow seems longer than it actually is. Like many of their compatriots they weren't able to replicate the success, but the song's still remembered fondly - so here it is:

P.S. Should I add videos here, too?

[Passing_Stranger]

113. LIVE IT UP by Mental as Anything

Written by: Andrew McArthur "Greedy" Smith
Produced by: Richard Gottehrer
Country of origin: Australia
Date of release: 20 May 1985
Note: from the OST "Crocodile" Dundee

Australia
3 June 1985 - #2 - 23 weeks

Austria
Der Musikmarkt: 1 May 1987 - #15 - 10 weeks

Belgium
Het Belgisch Hitboek: 19 April 1986 - #40 - 1 week

Finland
3 May 1987 - #7 - 5 weeks

(West) Germany
13 April 1987 - #6 - 15 weeks

Ireland
22 February 1987 - #2 - 7 weeks

Israel
8 March 1987 - #2 - ?

The Netherlands
Nationale Hitparade: 5 April 1986 - #42 - 1 week

New Zealand
11 August 1985 - #6 - 15 weeks

Norway
8 April 1987 - #4 - 14 weeks

Sweden
Topplistan: 20 May 1987 - #20 - 2 weeks

UK
Music Week: 24 January 1987 - #3 - 15 weeks
The Network Chart: 7 February 1987 - #2 - 13 weeks
Melody Maker: 14 February 1987 - #6 - 10 weeks
New Musical Express: 21 February 1987 - #3 - 10 weeks

[Robbie]

I quite liked 'Live It Up'. As Alan Jones reported in Record Mirror when the record first charted in the UK in early February 1987 the song dates back to 1983, presumably when it was first recorded as a demo. The single itself was recorded in 1984.

I'm surprised the single wasn't a hit in the US. It had been released as a single in February 1986 (the same month it was first released in the UK) but unlike the UK it doesn't seemed to have been re-released when the film became a box-office success.

I'd like you to add videos but I'll go along with what others think. I nearly always access ukmix on a computer so videos don't cause me a problem. Some people may access the site on a mobile device and may have a different preference.

[Metalweb]

I really like Live It Up, though it was obviously only a hit here because of the Crocodile Dundee connection - oddly, as far as I can remember it was barely in the film at all, just on in the background during a party sequence.

[Gambo]

Always a favourite of mine, and such an infectious melody - one of those tunes when just mere mention of it gets it firmly-lodged in one's head for the rest of the day!

Interesting about the song's genesis being in '83/'84; obviously I'd worked-out that it dated back to '86 because of the film that eventually brought it the attention it deserved, but three years before is news to me.

Oh and regarding vids: yes please! I wish we'd had links inserted on the original 'new wave' thread.

[anpt]

In a first phase I didn't care about the song but in 1987 I started to like it. It seems to have had little success in Holland and Belgium but it was in 1986 before the film.

[Passing_Stranger]

In a first phase I didn't care about the song but in 1987 I started to like it. It seems to have had little success in Holland and Belgium but it was in 1986 before the film.

It still is strange - usually a hit in the UK is a hit not only in Ireland, but also in Belgium and the Netherlands, in fact it's almost automatic. Which makes the situation in 1987 strange - did their record company decide to concentrate on the UK market exclusively? Why didn't they re-run the single in those countries too? Very strange.

Just learned that the writer and singer on this song, "Greedy" Smith, died only several months ago. Sad news. RIP!

[anpt]

Just check in some M&M issues ) Music & Media 30/05/1987 #74 (14 weeks) - G A Sw N Fi 07/03/1987 #41 (2 weeks) Uk Ir

[Passing_Stranger]

Hey, time to excavate this thread! Let's see something upbeat again, shall we? This project is seen as something of an epitome of early 1980s cheese and naff - but I have to confess I actually quite like quite a few of their songs (yes, they had more than one! ). Even the one I'm going to feature. An interesting and not banal take on some of the themes, ranging from horror stuff to relationship. All rather jokey, but actually there's colour, playfulness and unorthodoxy that endears. And it can be argued that such themes in this presentation could only emerge in that post-punk era of late 1970s to early 1980s. I wish they had a couple more hits in their homeland (and in some other countries they had), would've been interesting to see their evolution. Alas it was not to be - still, a noticeable worldwide hit is a great outcome!

[Passing_Stranger]

114. I EAT CANNIBALS by Toto Coelo

Written by: Barry Blue/Paul Greedus/Roy Nicolson
Produced by: Barry Blue
Country of origin: UK
Date of release: 30 July 1982

Australia
29 November 1982 - #4 - 26 weeks

Denmark
4 February 1983 - #4 - 12 weeks

France
Top 75: 7 November 1982 - #27 - 12 weeks

Ireland
22 August 1982 - #11 - 5 weeks

Israel
20 September 1982 - #4 - 9 weeks

New Zealand
27 February 1983 - #38 - 9 weeks

South Africa
27 May 1983 - #3 - 18 weeks

Sweden
7 December 1982 - #2 - 16 weeks

UK
Music Week: 7 August 1982 - #8 - 10 weeks
Record Business: 9 August 1982 - #8 - 10 weeks
New Musical Express: 21 August 1982 - #7 - 7 weeks
Melody Maker: 21 August 1982 - #7 - 6 weeks

USA
Cash Box: 26 March 1983 - #65 - 10 weeks
Billboard: 16 April 1983 - #66 - 6 weeks

[anpt]

I prefer "No No No" and "Made In Japan" by Nancy Nova that was big hits in Portugal

Nancy Nova is the daughter of one-time UK game show host Bob Holness and sister of Ros Holness of pop group Toto Coelo. Indeed, she was noted by Paul Gambaccini in the British Hit Singles for being in the charts the same week as her sister (4th September 1982).

https://www.discogs.com/artist/47843-Nancy-Nova

[Metalweb]

I Eat Cannibals is a fun song - I remember the lyrics were considered quite risqué at the time!

The band had to be renamed Total Coelo (which made no sense) in America to avoid confusion with the band Toto.

[Passing_Stranger]

Still cannot get my head around that renaming business. What were they smoking in USA to even think that the girls could be confused with Toto the AOR kings! Or did they do this just to be contrary? Very strange and bizarre even.

[Robbie]

I quite liked 'I Eat Cannibals'. Although a bit of a silly song it was also an enjoyable one.

[Passing_Stranger]

I prefer "No No No" and "Made In Japan" by Nancy Nova that was big hits in Portugal

Nancy Nova is the daughter of one-time UK game show host Bob Holness and sister of Ros Holness of pop group Toto Coelo. Indeed, she was noted by Paul Gambaccini in the British Hit Singles for being in the charts the same week as her sister (4th September 1982).

https://www.discogs.com/artist/47843-Nancy-Nova

Nancy has actually been a part of the early line-up of Toto Coelo - but left for a solo carrier before they even recorded anything. An ambitious lady

I have her "Made in Japan" 7" - saw in unexpectedly at a record fair and bought on sight. Great song - and I remember its video were doing small rounds on blogs about 10 years ago - some people expected it to go viral, but sadly it didn't. What is interesting about it is that there was a mooted Japanese invasion on the UK music scene in 1982 - after the success of synth bands that proclaimed Yellow Magic Orchestra as an influence (Visage, Japan etc) the record companies decided to mass-release the real thing: YMO themselves and their "clan": solo stuff by Sakamoto and Takahashi, Logic System, Sandii & The Sunsetz, Ippu-Do etc. "Record Business" even dedicated an article to this attempt (1 March 1982, p. 12).

It all failed rather miserably, though - perhaps the labels' efforts were not enough, perhaps the presented music was too exotic or, on the contrary, wasn't exotic enough (admittedly lots of stuff sounded like a retread of Roxy Music and Japan). Anyway, only Sakamoto had any kind of chart success, always aided by David Sylvian. But this wave was accompanied by songs from the UK performers like that one by Nova - another one is "My private Tokyo" by Vicious Pink Phenomena (Soft Cell backing singers as it were), a cult hit on "minimal synth" scene, also some songs by A Flock of Seagulls ("Modern love is automatic", "Tokyo") and I simply must mention one of my absolute favourites, "Kamikaze eyes" by Steve Hillage. That's by no means all of it, Japanese theme became a popular setting or theme of songs, both in the UK and in Europe, across all genres. I tried it make a list and currently have about 110 titles - and it's only the 1980s, and I'm sure I'm very far from approaching the end!

[anpt]

also Aneka's Japanese Boy and The Vapors's Turning Japanese.

[Passing_Stranger]

An of course the mighty "Yellow pearl"!

[Metalweb]

The Vapors' debut album New Clear Days had something of a Japanese vibe throughout - it wasn't just the Turning Japanese single. Check out closing track Letter From Hiro...

[Gambo]

Very interesting to find that Nancy Nova was Bob Holness's daughter!! I suppose because she never really hit her stride here commercially that little nugget would've easily escaped me and I've never really thought anything about her until she popped up here. Used to love Bob, who we in the UK all probably got to know best as the host of 'Blockbusters' from 1983. He was the very epitome of a decent, measured, genial gent who put young contestants at their ease (kind of the antithesis of Jeremy Paxman on 'University Challenge'!) and although he had many talents - not least laying claim (very modestly in typical Bob style) to being the first person technically cast in the role of James Bond for a radio serialisation of 'Casino Royale' in South Africa in the 1950s - he was really the ideal gameshow host for family-friendly afternoon-aired entertainment. I used to wonder what he must've made of Ros and Toto Coelo but perhaps he thought himself lucky that his other daughter didn't stick with it!

There were indeed numerous Japanese/Chinese-themed or inspired songs to emerge from the early '80s and it's a facet of the music I have always enjoyed, although I never listened to real Oriental pop then or now. My Mum always used to say "oh you like that because it sounds Chinesey"! And she was usually right. There was the obvious stuff whose lyrics dealt with matters-oriental as well as setting the scene very obviously in the melody - 'The Chinese Way' by Level 42, 'Big In Japan' by Alphaville, 'Turning Japanese' by The Vapors, anything by Japan et al. But there were tracks that were apparently non-oriental lyrically yet sported musical features that made them sound as if they could've originated from that region - one of my all-time faves 'Wishing' by A Flock Of Seagulls is to me the most obvious in this category. I can also hear more subtle Eastern influence suggested in the melody line of say 'Love My Way' by The Psychedelic Furs, 'Underpass' by John Foxx and 'The Walk' by The Cure.

Sadly, the global phenomenon that is known as 'K-Pop' seems to take few cues from its homeland tradition, which is a shame as a less manufactured, globalised over-produced modern approach might've led some of Korea's younger artists back to doing the sort of pop that for whatever reason seemed to burrow its way into the conscious and subconscious of so many new wave artists 40 years ago.

[Passing_Stranger]

Thank you, Gambo, lots of interesting points! Never knew much about Mr Holness, nice to know he was a decent man. However, Ros clearly saw much more in Toto Coelo than he ever did - she stuck with the band right until the very end in 1986!

I took have a soft spot for Oriental-sounding songs, quite a few of them may sound cheesy, but there are some real gems ("Japan" by Scarlett & Black, and also "Japon" by Spanish band Mecano just came to mind regarding the namesake country, and there's a little-known but no less great for that "Welcome to China" by Zoom Lens + "Living in China" by Men Without Hats). It quite often sounded mysterious and intriguing, which added something extra to the song's appeal.

As for real Oriental pop, I never quite warmed to it (perhaps predictably). Especially K-pop, that even irritated me, and I cannot understand the current craze about it. But what always seemed strange to me is how mass-market pop in China, Japan etc (well, what little I heard from it) took so little from their own music traditions, sounding instead ultra-Western, to the point of parody. While YMO actually showed you can do wonders mixing modern technology with traditional melodies. Still, there's a long tradition of shame about their own history in the East and wanting to be like Westerners, maybe that's why. More's the pity.

Oh well, time to continue the thread, I guess. And here's the band that, while originating in the UK (of course) and going global in their first years of activity, actually found their most lasting success and appreciation in Japan! One of the leading lights of "sophisti-pop", mixing dance rhythms with jazz and soul stuff. I don't really have much time for it, to be honest, but this song proved to be quite a hit for the genre. Irritatingly, though, that's the one that missed out in Italy - while they had a string of hits there. Hate when something like this happens!

[Passing_Stranger]

115. Breakout by Swing Out Sister

Written by: Andy Connell/Corinne Drewery/Martin Jackson
Produced by: Paul Staveley O'Duffy
Country of origin: UK
Date of release: 25 September 1986

Australia
23 March 1987 - #12 - 30 weeks

Belgium
Het Belgisch Hitboek: 17 January 1987 - #17 - 5 weeks

Canada
RPM: 18 July 1987 - #18 - 24 weeks

(West) Germany
26 January 1987 - #27 - 11 weeks

Ireland
9 November 1986 - #6 - 5 weeks

Israel
23 November 1986 - #16 - 5 weeks

Netherlands
Nationale Hitparade: 13 December 1986 - #34 - 5 weeks
De Nederlandse Top 40: 3 January 1987 - #30 - 4 weeks

New Zealand
5 July 1987 - #4 - 17 weeks

Spain
AFYVE: 3 October 1987 - #28 - 10 weeks
Superventas: 10 October 1987 - #17 - 14 weeks

UK
Music Week: 18 October 1986 - #4 - 16 weeks
New Musical Express: 1 November 1986 - #3 - 13 weeks
The Network Chart: 1 November 1986 - #4 - 14 weeks
Melody Maker: 8 November 1986 - #4 - 10 weeks

USA
Billboard: 15 August 1987 - #6 - 23 weeks
Cash Box: 22 August 1987 - #5 - 25 weeks
Radio & Records: 11 September 1987 - #6 - 12 weeks

[Gambo]

I'm almost as keen a listener of sophisti-pop as new wave, so I'm content to find this offering here, as there's a clear overlap between styles, especially as some of the new wavers developed more refinement musically through the decade. It's often held up retrospectively as a key track that defined the genre, though in truth the sort of act that one could think of as belonging to it is quite diverse, and just trailing it with the neo-jazz/soul coffee table artists keeps too narrow a grasp of what it was in my opinion. I still enjoy 'Breakout' and it's evocative of a pleasant period in my earlier life, but I remember at the time becoming decidedly bored of it as it got to be one of those radio-friendly hits that stations simply couldn't stop playing - to the death, in the case of my (now-defunct) local ILR station Radio Mercury. That often sours one's appreciation of even the best of pop songs. But it's long-since been forgiven.

[Robbie]

I do like 'Breakout' though as Gambo has posted it did suffer somewhat from radio airplay overkill. Even so, the record still takes me back to late 1986, a period I look back on with a lot of affection and this is one of the songs that stands out from then (another song from then that also takes me back is 'Take My Breath Away' by Berlin and coincidentally both entered the UK top 75 in the same week and both records were in the top 5 at the same time).

Martin Jackson, the drummer in Swing Out Sister, had already appeared on Top Of The Pops - he was part of the excellent post-punk group Magazine and can be seen playing drums on the still brilliant 'Shot By Both Sides' which the band performed on the show in February 1978. It would be 8¾ years before he made his next appearance, this time with Swing Out Sister. Quite a change in musical styles.

[Metalweb]

Also 14 weeks on The Record charts, peaking at 14.