FULL REVIEW - 'Signing Off' by UB40 (1980, Graduate)

LP - Side One

1. Tyler

2. King

3. 12 Bar

4. Burden of Shame

LP - Side Two

1. Adella

2. It's Going to Rain Today

3. 25%

4. Food for Thought

5. Little by Little

6. Signing Off

EP - Side One

1. Madam Medusa

EP - Side Two

1. Strange Fruit

2. Reefer Madness

Finding UB40’s debut LP ‘Signing Off’ in near mint condition (Italian import) at a flea market was the reward of months & months of hunting for that elusive great vinyl record.  Over the years I was intrigued by this British reggae band with the odd name.  The album cover is strikingly iconic, representing the front and back portion of the UK Unemployment Benefit form 40 or ‘Ubby.’  I have followed UB40’s career over the years, and casual music fans likely associate the band with ‘Red Red Wine,’ their break-out hit from ‘Labor of Love’ in 1983.

It was with eagerness that I listened to this entire LP for the FIRST time ever! What a GEM of a record!  I had heard of a few ‘singles’ from this LP, but nothing prepared me for the aural assault and accomplished musicianship of this band, unsigned to any major label at the time. This LP is an excellent example of what fuels my passion for vinyl, with the entire record being greater than the sum of the individual songs. 

This eight member multi-cultural band was formed in Birmingham UK in 1978, while they were struggling with unemployment, learning to play their instruments and performing local gigs.  It was at such a pub that Chrissie Hynde saw UB40 perform and invited them to be an opening act for her band, the Pretenders. 

Original Vinyl LP Recording

‘Signing Off’ was recorded on local independent label ‘Graduate records’ in three sessions (21-24Dec 79, 31Mar-10Apr 80 & 16June-1July 80).  A bonus three song 12’ EP record was included and recorded 18-19-20 July 80.  Musically the band incorporated a sophisticated combination of synthesizer, dub, reggae, psychedelic guitar and saxophone stylings to create a unique sound. Lyrically the songs are topical, political and reflective of the tough angry times the young band members grew up in.

Side 1 Song 1 Tyler opens with a bang (and reverb), setting the tone for the rest of the LP.  The rhythm is pronounced, with abrupt false stops and the lyrics confront racial injustice. The song was written about a young black American Gary Tyler, who was convicted of murdering a 13-year-old white boy. “Tyler is guilty, the white judge has said so / They show him no mercy, they won't let him go”

King was the band’s first single and a hit, cracking the UK Top 10 without backing of a major label. The music is dream-like and hypnotic, with chorus spoken as in a fog. The song was written about Martin Luther King, Jr., questioning the direction of his followers. ”King, where are your people now? / Chained and pacified”

12 Bar is a rocking, upbeat infectious dub instrumental with some vocal toasting from Astro. I dare anyone to sit still through this purely joyous tune. 

Burden of Shame is a stunning admission of British guilt for past sins (ie colonization/imperialism). "I'm a British subject, not proud of it / While I carry the burden of shame". The music is downbeat and somber until the last several minutes where it kicks up in a frenzy of emotion.  So ends Side 1, just as it began, with a bang!

Side 2 continues with Adella, a sweet sunny instrumental (homage to a girlfriend perhaps?) featuring smooth saxophone. One can hear birds at beginning of song, as it was recorded outdoors!!

I Think It’s Going to Rain Today written by Randy Newman was included as a second single. The tone is somewhat somber and the lyrics ironic; ”Human kindness is overflowing / And I think it's going to rain today“

25% is yet another instrumental, but more morose this time. Could the 25% refer to the high unemployment rate amongst the youth in the UK at that turbulent time?  Recent fiscal measures in UK have led to highest youth unemployment rate not seen since 1977 when punk rock exploded!

Food for Thought was an attempt to raise awareness of the Ethiopian famine and criticize politicians for their role in allowing it to happen: “Ivory Madonna, dying in the dust / Waiting for the manna, coming from the west.”   Remember this was four years before Band-Aids “Do They Know It’s Christmas.”  Released as a double A-side single with King.

Little by Little is a direct affront on the inequality of the socio-economic class system, like other good reggae rebel music such as ‘Them Belly Full, But We Hungry’ by Bob Marley. The lyrics leave little to the imagination:

“Little by little by little
And stone by stone
Rich man’s mountain
Comes crumbling down

Poor boy sleeps on straw
The rich boy sleeps in bed
That fat boy fills his belly
My poor boy’s a dead”

Signing Off is a fourth instrumental, a fitting closing, with an incredible upbeat rhythm that punctuates the song. Each of the band musicians is cleverly given 10-25 sec solos to ‘sign off’ from the LP, in following sequence: dub/bass, drum, guitar, sax, synthesizer/keyboards. The tongue-in-cheek title may also refer to the band members no longer requiring unemployment benefits, or signing off on the UB40 form.

Extended Play 45 rpm Bonus Vinyl Record

After recording the 10 tracks for the LP, the band still had more material that they were anxious to record.  Within less than a month, a bonus three track 12’ EP was completed.

Madam Medusa is a most damning indictment on Margaret Thatcher’s unpopular economic and political policies. In my mind, this song is as subversive as “Stand Down Margaret’ by the English Beat or even ‘God Save the Queen’ by Sex Pistols. Musically, the 12 min song expresses anger/anguish with a relentless reggae beat and dub echo punctuated by a prominent sax.  The lyrics don’t mince words: “Run for your life before she eat you alive.”  The final 4-5mins shifts to dub with refrain “Run for life…mash up the place” repeated as if in a trance. Click Madam Medusa Link for full lyrics.

                                                   

Strange Fruit is a cover of the 1939 classic sung first by Billie Holiday about racism and lynching of African Americans.  The tone is slower and more somber: “Blood on the leaves and blood at the roots / Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze.”

Reefer Madness is a fifth and final instrumental, a joyous up tempo tune with a repeated hook. An effective use of alternating percussion, sax and drum as well as horn/synthesizer inflections.

Assessment

In conclusion, I am extremely impressed with the unique sound and assured musicianship of young unemployed men who felt they had a better chance at success through music.  The twist and turns, stops and starts and unrelenting trance-like groove of the music still sounds fresh and different today.  And the angry blunt attacks on politics, poverty, unemployment are still heard today from angry protesters against Greece austerity measures, US housing crisis or more generally against the 1% that control the world’s wealth. Thirty years after UB40’s ‘Signing Off’ send off stark message of concern/warning, sadly not much has changed at all!

LP Rating:                  5/5

Vinyl Rating:              NM

COMPLETE SONG LYRICS – Madame Medusa, UB40

Madam Medusa (1980)

From the land of shadows

Comes a dreadful sight

Lady with the marble smile

Spirit of the night

See the scourge of innocence

Swinging in her hand

Hear the silent suffering

Echoes through the land

From the tombs of ignorance

Hates and greed and lies

Through the smoke of sacrifice

Watch her figure rise

Twinging in her shadow

The sick, the poor, the old

Basking in her radiance

Men of blood and gold

In her bloody footsteps

Speculators prance

Men of dreams are praying

For that second chance

Round her vacant features

Gilded serpents dance

Tree of evil knowledge

Sprouts a special branch

Madam Medusa

Madam Medusa

Madam Medusa

Knock her right down

And then she bounce right back

Knock her right down

And then she bounce right back

She gone off her head

And got to shoot her dead

She gone off her head

And got to shoot her dead

Run for your life before she eat you alive

Run for your life before she eat you alive

Move out of the way 'cos you're blocking out the day

Move out of the way 'cos you're blocking out the day

Knock her right down

And then she bounce right back

She gone off her head

And got to shoot her dead

Run for your life before she eat you alive

Move out of the way 'cos you're blocking out the day

Move out of the way 'cos you're blocking out the day

Run for your life before she eat you alive

She gone off her head

And got to shoot her dead

Run for your life before she eat you alive

RECENT LIVE MUSIC - Templarios (All Blacks Irish Pub, Sao Paulo/Brazil, April 13)

At the end of a long but productive work week in Sao Paulo Brazil in early April, I was invited to hear live music with a work colleague, Silvo Favero.  I jumped on the opportunity to experience music in a new setting, Brazil!  I did not know what to expect but was assured the music was 70's and 80's rock music.  That was good enough for me. What made it further intriguing was that the lead singer was also a work colleague who supported the Legal department.  Intriguing to say the least!

So on a Friday the 13^th of April, I wait for Silvio and his wife to pick me up from the Mercure hotel at 10:00pm (told that nothing starts before this time).  At 10:45 they arrive and we do not find the pub until 11:30pm.  I’m thinking “what’s the point,” it will be over by 1:00am like in Canada.  How wrong I was!

Even at 30 minute before the midnight hour, there is still a line-up to get into the All Black Irish Pub in the heart of Sao Paulo. Once inside, after charging the $40 Brazilian Real entry fee against an electronic tab card, I was stunned with the number of people packed tightly into this small pub. It was impossible not to brush into people.  More than half the audience was young Brazilian women. Making my way to the bar and back for draft Heineken beers was quite an ordeal. The beer was watered down and the band was playing 90s music.  What an initial letdown!  But as I was to discover, this was only the first of three sets by the band Templarios, eventually moving to the 70s/80s and finally 50s/60s. 

In between sets, I finally recognized a new wave classic song (albeit in a modern cover version).  I was surprised that many were singing along to Talking Heads Psycho Killer “…fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa, better run, run, run, run, run away.”  I was now becoming a little more animated as the clock struck midnight.  I ordered a Guinness Hamburger and awaited Set two.

In between mouthfuls of this most delicious hamburger, the Templarios kick into gear, playing the kind of high energy new wave music I was hoping for.  I hear the opening chords of “Message in the Bottle” by the Police, and can only make it to the edge of bar. I jump on a stool and start moving to the fantastic rhythm.  The waitress is concerned that I am a safety violation, so I eventually get down as the song concludes.  Man can the lead singer, Gustavo Correia, belt out the tunes.  I make it to the front of the band, rejoining my friends, and we groove to “Down Under” by Men at Work. This is followed by “Dancing with Myself” by Billy Idol and all heck breaks loose as we pogo and jump to this punk anthem. The band continues its charge and we are treated to “Boys Don’t Cry” by the Cure. What an interesting choice of music.  Not your typical fare!!  The band continues the new wave theme with more current songs “Last Night” by the Strokes, culminating in a fever pitch with one of my personal favourites “Take Me Out” by Franz Ferdinand. The kinetic stop-start and piercing guitar hook from this song were extremely well played by the Templarios.  Definitely the highlight of the night for me!!

After a much needed rest between sets, the band moved farther into rock and roll past, performing faithful and energetic covers of early Beatles “I Saw Her Standing There”, Elvis “Suspicious Minds,” Doors “Love Me Two Times,” Pink Floyd “Another Brick in the Wall” and ended the night at 2:00am with “Easy” by the Commodores.

What a fun night enjoying a versatile and eclectic song mix from accomplished part-time musicians who clearly are enthusiastic about rock music, playing selections that are fresh and exciting in a live setting.  The pub was hopping, beer was flowing, the band was rocking, the music was loud and the crowd was bopping!!!   What more could one ask for in a near perfect night in Sao Paulo, Brazil?  Only that more friends and family could have been here to share in this experience.

For more information on the Templarios band, please click on this link to their website www.bandatemplarios.com.br.

Formada em 2005, seus integrantes Artur Horta (Baixo), Emerson Inoguti (Teclado/Vocal), Felipe Horta (Bateria), Gustavo Correia (Vocal/Guitarra) e Rodrigo Gonçalves (Guitarra/Vocal) 

FLASHBACK and FAST FORWARD: The English Beat, The Phoenix, Toronto April 5, 2012

Funny story about how I happened to attend this live concert in downtown Toronto this past Thursday.  I had recently re-connected with a dear high school / university friend Santino Bellasario after being apart for 26 years.  We shared a common interest in literature, movies and especially new wave music in our formative years.  In particular, we attended a number of live concerts together in the early 80s, the defining ones being two separate English Beat performances at the old Masonic Temple / Concert Hall venue in Toronto (more about this later).  I was calling him several weeks ago, and he serendipitously mentioned that the English Beat would be in town.  We booked our tickets immediately!

The English Beat to Santino and I represented the voice of our generation in the late 70s / early 80s; wildly energetic inter-racial two-tone band, trying to cope with Thatcher’s harsh economic policies, promoting a message of love and unity, with a unique sound that fused ska, punk, reggae and pop.  They released three albums in three years (1980-82), but the standout was their first record, ‘I Just Can’t Stop It’ which still today sounds fresh, kinetic, relevant and undiminished.  I have listened to songs from this album non-stop over the past 30 years, receiving heavy rotation on my mp3 player while I train for my marathons (it is perfect up-tempo music!).

The Concert – Then (1981/2), Masonic Temple

The day of the concert, the three of us (Santino, Barb and I) left early and took the Finch bus and Yonge St. subway to downtown Toronto.  We were able to get to the front and center of the stage (general admission with no seats on main floor).  If I recall correctly, the opening band for the second concert was a relatively unknown group, Huey Lewis and the News, who had just released a song called ‘Do You Believe in Love?’  Needless to say, the audience could not wait to see them leave the stage!

The English Beat came on stage to the raucous roar from the tightly packed fans and quickly started into their high energy non-stop performance.  The original band members consisted of lead singers Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger, guitarists Andy Cox & David Steele, drummer Everett Morton, and the ultra-cool seated legendary saxophonist Saxa. The band was gyrating, jumping to the infectious sound that seemed to vibrate through our bodies.  It was as an intense accelerated wall of sound!  They played the majority of their songs from the two released albums at the time, with no-holds-bared punky songs from the first album ‘I Just Can’t Stop It’ juxtapositioned nicely with more roots-oriented sounds from ‘Wha’happen?’  For example “Click-Click” was followed with “Dream House in NZ.”  Other standouts were “Ranking Full Stop,” “Get-a-Job” as well hits “Mirror in the Bathroom” and “Tears of a Clown”

On the floor, I had to barricade my arms around Barb to keep her from being crushed from the swaying, pogo-ing, jumping mass of fans. At times it felt like this wave of bodies was trying desperately to get closer to the Beat, with several jumping on stage.  It was an exhausting, exhilarating, sauna-like, totally draining, never to be repeated, experience.  At one point, Santino lost his glasses, went down to pick them up, and promptly fainted from the heat exhaustion.  My first thought was “OMG, he is going to be trampled by the crowd.”  Luckily, he was lifted to his feet still unconscious, his body carried by the crowd over their heads, in unison, until he was transported to the safety of the back row.  To this day Santino remembers little of the incident other than reaching for his glasses, passing out, and then staring up at the ceiling, as he was being carried over people’s heads, when he had revived.  Later, on way home on the subway, we laughed about it and compared bodily fluids on our completely drenched clothes (evidence of blood, sweat and tears!).  We all instantly recognized that we had experienced the Concert of Our Lives!!

Below is an English Beat video that is an accurate representation of the kinetic energy from their music and live performances from the early 1980s.



The Concert – Now (2012), The Phoenix

Thirty years later, Santino and I are once again riding the subway to see the English Beat in downtown Toronto (some things change, some stay the same)!  It is weird riding the subway after so long, but we once again arrived at our destination early.  We locate a large bus that belongs to David Wakeling of the English Beat across the Phoenix, and see fans eagerly seeking autographs and photos, of which he obliges. Once inside the concert venue, I undergo a weird case of deju vu, with the layout of the Phoenix very much like the Masonic temple and we are once again front row center before the stage, only this time there is a steel barrier separating the band and bouncers from the throng of the audience. The crowd slowly saunters in and is a fascinating mix of old loyal fans and younger hipper 20/30 somethings.  As we immediately realize, these could be children exposed to music of late Boomers/Gen Xers like Santino and I or simply curious Gen Yers who have broad musical interests via the Internet and iTunes.  The crowd ultimately swells to more than 1000 strong, filling the hall to capacity.

The opening band, the Half-Beats (no kidding) are extremely young school kids who make up for lack of seasoning by pure heart and guts.  After a lengthy wait, this version of the English Beat enters the stage at 9:45 pm.  The only original member on the stage is Wakeling, who is touring within the US supported by a solid group of musicians. Ranking Ranking is doing a similar tour within the Britain as the English Beat UK.  Andy Cox and David Steele went on to have success as Fine Young Cannibals in 1985. Everett Morton and Saxa played as the Internal Beat from 1990-95. 

The first thing you notice is that Wakeling is older (what did I expect?), declaring that the Beat just celebrated their 33^rd anniversary, in contrast with his more youthful supporting band. But he is smiling, joking, self-deprecating and clearly enjoying what he is doing.  And his voice is still strong.  Some memorable lines; “In your 20s be careful what you say, because you’ll have to remember it in your 50s,” “I don’t remember the 80s, was the Beat before General Public or vice versa?”

The song selections were heavily tilted towards the ‘I Just Can’t Stop It’ album, with eleven choices, including the entire Side 1 of the original vinyl record, much the delight of adoring fans.  Wakeling was surprised that most fans were familiar with and singing along to the words of the songs.  There were three songs from ‘Special Beat Service,’ two from ‘General Public’ and one from his solo phase.

The music was efficient, but did not have the chemistry and excitement of those early 80s concerts.  Nonetheless, instead of frenetic assault from early 20s angry young men of the past, this was more a time for savoring and stretching out of these same songs.  The pacing was good, with the band performing without a break until 11:30pm, or nearly two hours.  The set started with a mellow “Roughrider”, hit its stride with “Click Click” (about teenage suicide in the late 70s UK) and “Stand Down Margaret” (“Thatcher did not look like Meryl Streep but your brother-in-law with hemorrhoids and a hangover”) and ended with rousing renditions of “Tenderness” and “Mirror in the Bathroom.” 

After all these years, Wakeling still has the magic!  For a moment at the end, I felt transported back to the Masonic Temple in the front stage hanging on for dear life!  This time Santino did not pass out, even though it was just as bloody hot!  At one point, Wakeling sang his solo hit, “I’ll Take You There” and I don’t think he realized how true those words were for us. Thank you David Wakeling for sending Santino and I to back to that special time and place!!

Phoenix

Concert Set Song Listing:

Roughrider

Tears of a Clown

Hands Off She’s Mine (extended)

Twist and Crawl

I’ll Take You There

I Confess

Click Click

Sooner or Later

Whine and Grine

Stand Down Margaret

Two Swords

Can’t Get Used to Losing You

Sole Salvation

Never You Done That

(Want the Ska)

Ranking Full Stop

Tenderness

Mirror in the Bathroom

COVERS - Jamaican vs. UK Ska & Reggae

Take the music Challenge below and Vote on the Original vs. Cover Version of important Ska & Reggae songs. Hopefully this will expose you to the relatively unheralded masters who crafted these classic songs that have captivated a future generation of musicians!

Check out the Specials and Clash live videos to get a sense of the crazy kinetic energy of the music and concerts at that time!!!

Let us hear your thoughts!

To enjoy the Full audio / visual experience of this great music, please select the Full Screen option and the far bottom right hand corner on the videos.


1. Monkey Man - Toots & The Maytals (1969) vs. The Specials (1979)



2. Police & Thieves - Junior Murvin (1969) vs. The Clash (1979)

FAVORITE Original Videos - Ska

Check out these original videos from Madness, The Specials, The English Beat, and Squeeze!

I believe it captures the fun and exciting sound from that British Ska era.

To enjoy the Full audio / visual experience of this great music, please select the Full Screen option and the far bottom right hand corner on the videos.

ANSWERS - ULTIMATE QUIZ: 100 Essential New Wave Song Lyrics

Well, how did you do in the Ultimate New Wave Name That Song Quiz?

As promised, below are the answers to the 100 Essential New Wave Song Lyrics Quiz.

The first number corresponds to the alphabetically listed song lyric from last month, while the second numbers represents the songs listed in my Top 100 New Wave Songs list (SEE BELOW post).

For example, lyric #1 corresponds to Song 97 (Free Nelson Mandela by the Specials AKA), lyric #2 to Song 27 (Warm Leatherette by the Normal) etc....

RATING:
This was not an easy Quiz, so if you scored 30 correct answers, that is GOOD, you are aware of several New Wave gems.  If you scored 50 correct answers, that is VERY GOOD, you grew up during this era.  If you scored 70 or more, congratulations, that is EXCELLENT and you are a dedicated follower and fan of New Wave music (and could challenge my knowledge of this fascinating genre).

Please send me a comment with you scores.  It will be helpful in developing future blogs!!!

1        97      21 years in captivity, shoes too small to fit his feet        

2        27      a tear of petrol is in your eye       

3        29      always get it up from the touch of the younger kind       

4        36      better think of the future, or else you’ll wind up in jail      

5        34      Bobby OD’d on Drano on the night that he was wed     

6        68      boy meets girl, and love, love is on its way        

7        22      but all I get is bitter and a nasty little rash           

8        32      but I want nothing this society’s got        

9        90      but shoot it in the right direction, making it your intention           

10      87      chance is buried just below the blinding snow   

11      69      don’t make a sound, just move out         

12      80      dreams stay with you, like a lover’s voice across the mountainside     

13      44      feel the rain like an English summer      

14      83      flying through hyper-space in a computer interface       

15      91      Gloria, the last taboo was shattered by her tongue one night    

16      19      he has his future in a British steel          

17      45      here we are stranded, somehow it seems the same    

18      76      hielten sich far Captain Kirk, das gabein grosses Feuerwerk    

19      51      I believe in truth though I lie a lot 

20      4        I can’t control my fingers, I can’t control my brain          

21      40      I don’t know why sometimes I get frightened      

22      43      I feel safest of all, I can lock all my doors           

23      55      I know I’m only fifteen, I like to kick, I like to scream       

24      56      I might like you better if we slept together           

25      11      I need excitement, oh I need it bad         

26      41      I want a doctor to take your picture, so I can look at you from inside as well    

27      65      I wish I was in Tijuana, eating barbecued iguana           

28      10      I won’t share you with another boy         

29      46      I’d drive a million miles, I wanna test them with you       

30      12      I’d like to take her home that’s understood         

31      15      I’m damned pretty angry young man, and it’s no good to shout 

32      63      I’m floating in a beam of light with you    

33      96      I’ve asked myself, how much do you commit yourself? 

34      78      ich lieb’ dich nicht, du liebst mich nicht  

35      95      if a girl walks in and carves her name in my heart, I’ll turn and run away          

36      35      It makes me cream my jeans when she comes my way          

37      88      it’s so hard to get old without a cause, I don’t want to perish like a fading horse           

38      74      it’s tearing apart my blue, blue heart       

39      37      just a thousand reflections of my own sweet self, self, self       

40      49      look now, look all around, there’s no sign of life 

41      58      me I go from one extreme to another     

42      9        me, myself and I is all I’ve ever know     

43      79      move out of my way, it’s time to make it happen           

44      38      my job is very boring, I’m an office clerk 

45      20      Na Na Na Na, NaNaNaNa           

46      93      O, why can’t I live a life for me?  

47      33      oh maybe, maybe, I’m gonna have a baby         

48      52      Once I ran to you, now I run from you    

49      7        one day maybe next week, I’m gonna meet you

50      23      phone whispering in my ear, tell me all the things that I wanna hear         

51      13      phony Beatlemania has bitten the dust  

52      89      pushed around  and kicked around, always a lonely boy           

53      48      questions questions, give me no answer           

54      42      right now I can’t afford the gas, a brand new convertible is out of my class      

55      71      rolling and falling, I’m choking and calling, name after name after name           

56      99      see I’ve already waited too long, and all my hope is gone          

57      2        see my tailor, he’s called Simon, I know it’s going to fit 

58      25      she drove a Plymouth Satellite, faster than the speed of light   

59      67      she is the one in front of me, the siren and the ecstasy

60      92      she moves among men, they would seek to have her as a prize          

61      6        she’s been a bad girl, she’s like a chemical       

62      3        she’s got me going up and down

63      59      slip and slide in your wet delight, feel the blood flow      

64      72      so sweet you make my mouth water     

65      70      so the FBI they rewarded him, because they like a guy who will stab a friend  

66      85      some boys take a beautiful girl, and hide her away from the rest of the world  

67      73      some of them want to abuse you, some of them want to be abused    

68      39      step on a crack, break your momma’s back      

69      81      straight off the boat, where to go?          

70      66      take away my right to speak, take away my dignity        

71      77      tell me how does it feel, when your heart grows cold    

72      17      tell me what they’re wearing this year    

73      75      the dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had           

74      94      the grass is always greener over there  

75      61      the more you live, the faster you will die 

76      54      the one who insists he was first in line, is the last to remember her name       

77      14      the record shows, I fucked a bloke         

78      18      the silicon chip inside her head gets switched to overload        

79      100    there’s a world outside your window, and it’s a world of dread and fear

80      28      they think I’m crazy, so I tell them “oh ya”          

81      24      they took the credit for your second symphony  

82      16      this ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco       

83      21      this is the heavy heavy monster sound, the nuttiest sound around       

84      47      this kiss you give, it’s never ever going to fade away     

85      82      we bite and scratch and scream all night           

86      64      We can act like we come from out of this world, leave the real one far behind 

87      50      we slip and slide as we fall in love          

88      1        we’re the flowers in the dustbin  

89      84      well Cleopatra died for Egypt, what a waste of time      

90      53      well I wait so long for my love vibration   

91      30      when routine bites hard, and ambitions are low 

92      57      why can’t I get just one screw, baby I know what to do  

93      62      why don’t they do what they say, say what they mean  

94      98      words are so cheap, but they can turn expensive          

95      60      you in that dress, my thoughts I confess, verge on dirty

96      5        you only seen me for the clothes that I wear      

97      86      you pull back the curtains, and the sun burns into your eyes    

98      8        you’ve got your nuclear boots and your drip drop glove 

99      31      your eyes make a circle, I see you when I go in there    

100    26      your love gives me such a thrill, but your love won’t pay my bills           

ULTIMATE QUIZ - NAME THAT SONG: 100 Essential New Wave Song Lyrics

For my New Wave aficionados, take the following Quiz matching the Lyric snippets listed alphabetically below to the song title and artist.  HINT - the lyrics correspond to my listing of 100 Essential New Wave songs (1977-1984) in the previous post.  To make it simple, indicate the Top 100 Song # against each lyric (ie 'God Save the Queen' is song #1, 'How Soon is Now' is song #99 etc.)  Good Luck and Have Fun!  

P.S.  The answers will be revealed in a new post on Sunday, March 18th, 2012.

Song   Lyric sample

1          21 years in captivity, shoes too small to fit his feet

2          a tear of petrol is in your eye

3          always get it up from the touch of the younger kind

4          better think of the future, or else you’ll wind up in jail

5          Bobby OD’d on Drano on the night that he was wed

6          boy meets girl, and love, love is on its way

7          but all I get is bitter and a nasty little rash

8          but I want nothing this society’s got

9          but shoot it in the right direction, making it your intention

10        chance is buried just below the blinding snow

11        don’t make a sound, just move out

12        dreams stay with you, like a lover’s voice across the mountainside

13        feel the rain like an English summer

14        flying through hyper-space in a computer interface

15        Gloria, the last taboo was shattered by her tongue one night

16        he has his future in a British steel

17        here we are stranded, somehow it seems the same

18        hielten sich far Captain Kirk, das gabein grosses Feuerwerk

19        I believe in truth though I lie a lot

20        I can’t control my fingers, I can’t control my brain

21        I don’t know why sometimes I get frightened

22        I feel safest of all, I can lock all my doors

23        I know I’m only fifteen, I like to kick, I like to scream

24        I might like you better if we slept together

25        I need excitement, oh I need it bad

26        I want a doctor to take your picture, so I can look at you from inside as well

27        I wish I was in Tijuana, eating barbecued iguana

28        I won’t share you with another boy

29        I’d drive a million miles, I wanna test them with you

30        I’d like to take her home that’s understood

31        I’m damned pretty angry young man, and it’s no good to shout

32        I’m floating in a beam of light with you

33        I’ve asked myself, how much do you commit yourself?

34        ich lieb’ dich nicht, du liebst mich nicht

35        if a girl walks in and carves her name in my heart, I’ll turn and run away

36        It makes me cream my jeans when she comes my way

37        it’s so hard to get old without a cause, I don’t want to perish like a fading horse

38        it’s tearing apart my blue, blue heart

39        just a thousand reflections of my own sweet self, self, self

40        look now, look all around, there’s no sign of life

41        me I go from one extreme to another

42        me, myself and I is all I’ve ever know

43        move out of my way, it’s time to make it happen

44        my job is very boring, I’m an office clerk

45        Na Na Na Na, NaNaNaNa

46        O, why can’t I live a life for me?

47        oh maybe, maybe, I’m gonna have a baby

48        once I ran to you, now I run from you

49        one day maybe next week, I’m gonna meet you

50        phone whispering in my ear, tell me all the things that I wanna hear

51        phony Beatlemania has bitten the dust

52        pushed around and kicked around, always a lonely boy

53        questions questions, give me no answer

54        right now I can’t afford the gas, a brand new convertible is out of my class

55        rolling and falling, I’m choking and calling, name after name after name

56        see I’ve already waited too long, and all my hope is gone

57        see my tailor, he’s called Simon, I know it’s going to fit

58        she drove a Plymouth Satellite, faster than the speed of light

59        she is the one in front of me, the siren and the ecstasy

60        she moves among men, they would seek to have her as a prize

61        she’s been a bad girl, she’s like a chemical

62        she’s got me going up and down

63        slip and slide in your wet delight, feel the blood flow

64        so sweet you make my mouth water

65        so the FBI they rewarded him, because they like a guy who will stab a friend

66        some boys take a beautiful girl, and hide her away from the rest of the world

67        some of them want to abuse you, some of them want to be abused

68        step on a crack, break your momma’s back

69        straight off the boat, where to go?

70        take away my right to speak, take away my dignity

71        tell me how does it feel, when your heart grows cold

72        tell me what they’re wearing this year

73        the dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had

74        the grass is always greener over there

75        the more you live, the faster you will die

76        the one who insists he was first in line, is the last to remember her name

77        the record shows, I fucked a bloke

78        the silicon chip inside her head gets switched to overload

79        there’s a world outside your window, and it’s a world of dread and fear

80        they think I’m crazy, so I tell them “oh ya”

81        they took the credit for your second symphony

82        this ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco

83        this is the heavy heavy monster sound, the nuttiest sound around

84        this kiss you give, it’s never ever going to fade away

85        we bite and scratch and scream all night

86        we can act like we come from out of this world, leave the real one far behind

87        we slip and slide as we fall in love

88        we’re the flowers in the dustbin

89        well Cleopatra died for Egypt, what a waste of time

90        well I wait so long for my love vibration

91        when routine bites hard, and ambitions are low

92        why can’t I get just one screw, baby I know what to do

93        why don’t they do what they say, say what they mean

94        words are so cheap, but they can turn expensive

95        you in that dress, my thoughts I confess, verge on dirty

96        you only seen me for the clothes that I wear

97        you pull back the curtains, and the sun burns into your eyes

98        you’ve got your nuclear boots and your drip drop glove

99        your eyes make a circle, I see you when I go in there

100      your love gives me such a thrill, but your love won’t pay my bills