Banana Republic

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Banana Republic

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Does anyone have the 'stats' for this, as we did for Rat Trap? Interesting to see how quickly it worked its way up the charts.

Mike menzies · V Deep

I know it was no3 in early December ( ihad just started working at John Menzies )! Ithink about 5th dec 1980

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Jules wrote:
Does anyone have the 'stats' for this, as we did for Rat Trap? Interesting to see how quickly it worked its way up the charts.

Yes, the Gospel according to me.

http://theboomtownrats.blogspot.co.uk/2005/02/boomtown-rats-uk-singles-discography.html

BONGO1 Banana Republic/Man at the Top
22/Nov/1980
3
23-9-{3}-5-7-11-11-13-30-52-74
11 weeks

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Speedier climb and faster fall. Should have been a number one.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Jules wrote:
Speedier climb and faster fall. Should have been a number one.

I thought it would be because Abba seemed to be losing grip with Souper Trouper but I had not banked on some school children from Stockport heading to the top spot with Grandma. They went 35 - 16 - 2 - 2 - 1.

-- Edited by Mark L on Monday 9th of November 2015 07:42:10 AM

Mike menzies · V Deep

Just after release of banana &zits chart stint there were rumours of hyping in the charts ( as you know I worked for Menzies. Who sold 7 inch singles banana was no1, on our chart a& was outselling other stuff at time but hey that's only personal observation ) so you never know?

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Mark L wrote:
Jules wrote:
Speedier climb and faster fall. Should have been a number one.
I thought it would be because Abba seemed to be losing grip with Souper Trouper but I had not banked on some school children from Stockport heading to the top spot with Grandma. They went 35 - 16 - 2 - 2 - 1.

Well there was John Lennon dying as well. They dropped outside the top ten due to three or four Lennon singles. In retrospect, #3 was pretty good for a serious song in a pre-Christmas market, there was always bound to be a couple of novelty singles. Not sure it quite had the universal lowest common denominator appeal to make #1 but that position was more than credible.

A lot of acts had their chart positions at the time impacted by Lennon's death. Adam & The Ants and Jona Lewie probably lost out on a number one, as did Phil Colic, but let's brush over that.

The Grandma song was the most perfectly designed Christmas #1, as I am sure that every grandmother in the UK got a copy.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

I've never liked the live version of Banana Republic, but on record it is pretty good, nice production and sung properly, not that infantile way Geldof does it live. A sort of rap mixed with babytalk when he starts singing the 'banana republic' lines. Really mangles the melody and it sounds less impressive then the record.

Also all those monkeying around live performances of a song with serious lyrics/subject matter taints it a bit.

Mark L · Loudmouth

ArrGee wrote:
Mark L wrote:
Jules wrote:
Speedier climb and faster fall. Should have been a number one.
I thought it would be because Abba seemed to be losing grip with Souper Trouper but I had not banked on some school children from Stockport heading to the top spot with Grandma. They went 35 - 16 - 2 - 2 - 1.
Well there was John Lennon dying as well. They dropped outside the top ten due to three or four Lennon singles. In retrospect, #3 was pretty good for a serious song in a pre-Christmas market, there was always bound to be a couple of novelty singles. Not sure it quite had the universal lowest common denominator appeal to make #1 but that position was more than credible.
A lot of acts had their chart positions at the time impacted by Lennon's death. Adam & The Ants and Jona Lewie probably lost out on a number one, as did Phil Colic, but let's brush over that.
The Grandma song was the most perfectly designed Christmas #1, as I am sure that every grandmother in the UK got a copy.

Yes, in retrospect, John Lennon's death and his subsequent single releases impacted numerous acts. At the time, I hadn't really factored that in as a young teenager; I just recall those two thoughts about Abba and St Winifred's. Neither of my grandmothers received a copy, but clearly lots must have.

Interesting that 'Starting Over' was released as the latest Lennon single before he was tragically and fatally shot. I wonder how it would have fared without that incident. The Rats may have sneaked to 2?

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Mark L wrote:
Interesting that 'Starting Over' was released as the latest Lennon single before he was tragically and fatally shot. I wonder how it would have fared without that incident. The Rats may have sneaked to 2?

Starting Over had crept into the top ten and had fallen out of the top 20 before the shooting.

The Rats sneaking to #2 due to the Lennon shooting ignores the fact that Jona Lewie and Madness leap frogged it before that.

I suppose it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that if Blondie and Abba hadn't released lead singles off their albums at the same time, Lennon hadn't been shot and kids hated their grandmothers then The Rats would have been #1 at Christmas

http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19801214/7501/

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Mark L wrote:
Neither of my grandmothers received a copy, but clearly lots must have.

Not from me, but my cousins could well have got it for her. Only had one granny at the time.

Probably quite a few grannies had a few copies of it, cos if your cousin was getting it, your parents would make sure you got it as well so as to not lose out on the inheritance evileye As I stated, the perfectly designed Christmas #1, people bought it to give it away!

-- Edited by ArrGee on Monday 9th of November 2015 04:28:08 PM

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

I'd forgotten what was going on around that time. How could a song like BR possibly get to no 1 when there was a classic like Grandma around? Silly me considering such a thing.

Neither of my grandmothers received a copy. We were the only two grandchildren, they wouldn't have got it from us. I'm not quite sure what the reactions might have been.

.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Jules wrote:
I'd forgotten what was going on around that time. How could a song like BR possibly get to no 1 when there was a classic like Grandma around? Silly me considering such a thing.

The classic that did miss out due to the unfortunate events was Stop The Cavalry. Maybe 35 years later there is a case for everyone to download the song to its rightful position.

Still nothing compared to the travesty of Fairytale of New York not making the #1 slot thanks to the Pet Shop Boys Elvis cover!!!!

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Jules wrote:
Neither of my grandmothers received a copy. We were the only two grandchildren, they wouldn't have got it from us. I'm not quite sure what the reactions might have been. .

Had I given it to her aged 16, I would have got a very puzzled look. However, my younger cuter girl cousins would probably have milked it for all it was worth.

Cousins, eh! I did have a cousin called Kevin...

.. but I always beat him at Subbuteo!

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

My sister was 19 at the time, I think she'd have some very strange looks indeed.

Mike menzies · V Deep

Yeh I was 17 had a red denim jacket with rats patches on back &brats badges on front

Mark L · Loudmouth

ArrGee wrote:
Mark L wrote:
Interesting that 'Starting Over' was released as the latest Lennon single before he was tragically and fatally shot. I wonder how it would have fared without that incident. The Rats may have sneaked to 2?
Starting Over had crept into the top ten and had fallen out of the top 20 before the shooting.
The Rats sneaking to #2 due to the Lennon shooting ignores the fact that Jona Lewie and Madness leap frogged it before that.
I suppose it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that if Blondie and Abba hadn't released lead singles off their albums at the same time, Lennon hadn't been shot and kids hated their grandmothers then The Rats would have been #1 at Christmas
http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19801214/7501/

A decade earlier, though, Clive Dunn had taken 7 weeks to get to number 1 when 'Grandad' looked odds on to be the Christmas number one. Why couldn't 'Grandma' have delayed hitting the top spot until January, like 'Grandad'.

My missus, who is getting snippets of this sat next to me on the settee, says that this is no surprise as most women are always that much ahead of men smile

Last week she told me she knows what I am thinking before I have even thought it. How alarming is that? smile

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Talking of Sh@t songs What about the one Awwwwww shut up a ur a face. What's the matter u Hiiiiiiiiiii why you look so sad it's a not too bad. I'm starting to get a wee bit worried that I know the words to this. I bet you are all singing it now Ha ha

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

manatthetop wrote:
Talking of Sh@t songs What about the one Awwwwww shut up a ur a face. What's the matter u Hiiiiiiiiiii why you look so sad it's a not too bad. I'm starting to get a wee bit worried that I know the words to this. I bet you are all singing it now Ha ha

That was responsible for blocking Vienna from hitting the top slot. What did Grandad block? Something like Whiskey in a Jar?

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Jules wrote:
manatthetop wrote:
Talking of Sh@t songs What about the one Awwwwww shut up a ur a face. What's the matter u Hiiiiiiiiiii why you look so sad it's a not too bad. I'm starting to get a wee bit worried that I know the words to this. I bet you are all singing it now Ha ha
That was responsible for blocking Vienna from hitting the top slot. What did Grandad block? Something like Whiskey in a Jar?

T.Rex - Ride A White Swan

http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19710124/7501/

Anyway Shaddup Your Face is better than Vienna. That Midge Ure never stops bleating about it, but frankly Ultravox were cr@p.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

I like Ultravox.

.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

I remember one of our teachers at school knew Joe Dolce, who sang Shut up a your face. In front of the school assembly he told us this was an old school friend, expecting everyone to be impressed. Silence fell over the assembly. A moment of awkwardness for that teacher.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Anyone remember Fiddlers Dram with The Day We Went To Bangor? Or Matchbox with When You Ask About love. Or Susan Fassbender with Twilight Cafe?

Great memories of late night Radio Luxembourg from about 1978-83 when I should have been getting a proper night's sleep in time for school the next day. smile So many 'lost songs' that you never hear on the radio anymore.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
So many 'lost songs' that you never hear on the radio anymore.

Chris Evans is having a go at playing them all on Radio 2. Bellamy Brothers Let Your Love Flow this morning.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06nnfcc - Chris Evans this morning

I miss XFM in the morning.

Chris Moyles. One song in the first forty five minutes. What a pr!ck.

http://www.radiox.co.uk/playlist/2015/november/10/the-chris-moyles-show/

I did hear Ricky "The Voice of The Kaiser Chiefs" in the car at weekend and he was pi$$ poor as well. Fortunately I am at work when Vernon Kay is on.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
Anyone remember Fiddlers Dram with The Day We Went To Bangor? Or Matchbox with When You Ask About love. Or Susan Fassbender with Twilight Cafe?

Sadly I remember a couple of them, but Twilight Cafe I have never heard of. If it is as cr@p as the other two, then best I don't!

suss · In the Long Grass

noelindublin wrote:
Anyone remember Fiddlers Dram with The Day We Went To Bangor?

Not only remember it but have the 7" in my collection. Always was a sucker for novelty songs. Not all mind...had to have a good hook. Grandparent tributes missing for that reason, and not bought/inflicted for same reason.

Separate thread for who owns naffest song? Can all put in an entry or two and see what the forum votes. I smell victory... smile

noelindublin · Loudmouth

ArrGee wrote:
noelindublin wrote:
Anyone remember Fiddlers Dram with The Day We Went To Bangor? Or Matchbox with When You Ask About love. Or Susan Fassbender with Twilight Cafe?
Sadly I remember a couple of them, but Twilight Cafe I have never heard of. If it is as cr@p as the other two, then best I don't!

Twilght Cafe was a minor hit and did get a lot of airplay back in the day, early 1981 if I remember correctly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEjGmA7Fqp8

noelindublin · Loudmouth

suss wrote:
noelindublin wrote:
Anyone remember Fiddlers Dram with The Day We Went To Bangor?
Not only remember it but have the 7" in my collection. Always was a sucker for novelty songs. Not all mind...had to have a good hook. Grandparent tributes missing for that reason, and not bought/inflicted for same reason.
Separate thread for who owns naffest song? Can all put in an entry or two and see what the forum votes. I smell victory...

Really a folk song that found a pop audience. i always liked it.

In my collection but on one of those cheap K Tel discs is Cats Uk with the brilliant Luton Airport. Great tune and lyrics, travelling through Luton always brings this to mind. Again probably a 'lost' song that is never played on the radio. Real late seventies kitsch now though at the time it probably was meant to be contemporary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dldJCeZjcBo

Mark L · Loudmouth

Embarrassingly, I liked the Wurzels Combine Harvester song.....a bit. Well quite a bit.

By the way, my car is showing 19c today. What is happening with the weather?

Derek The Dane · V Deep

Police and priest.....and priest.....and imams....and priest.....and imams.....and priest......**** off!.You have got to love this live.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

suss wrote:
Separate thread for who owns naffest song? Can all put in an entry or two and see what the forum votes. I smell victory...

I have plenty of cr@p in my collection in all formats, but they may have just sneaked in on a compilation, being a freebie or alternatively a result of being in the pile of records I took from my parent's house. Well that's my excuse!

A couple I remember my Dad playing endlessly from my pre-teen days are Billy, Don't Be a Hero and Lonely This Christmas. I fcuking hate both with a vengeance.

I just checked my Google Play account, which has almost everything I have ever ripped and bought, and I do have a Genesis track and three Phil Collins tracks. My instinct is to delete all trace of them, but in doing so I leave gaps in the original compilations.

I will have to think of the naffest song I actually like. I looked at this list http://www.everyhit.com/worstever.html, and found quite a few I liked.

How did The Laughing Gnome get on it? And Everything I Do by Bryan Adams is at #14? There are 100s worse than that. Also if it is so bad how come it spent about 18 weeks at #1. Likewise Love Is All Around is a great song! And Vindaloo should definitely not be on that list. I have all of them on Google Play along with the Meat Loaf song. All 12 minutes of it!

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Derek The Dane wrote:
Police and priest.....and priest.....and imams....and priest.....and imams.....and priest......**** off!.You have got to love this live.

I'd prefer if he was more off the cuff with his comments.Anyone who has seen Geldof in action a few times can predict what he is going to say. He wasn't like that back in the day, as he normally always has more topical and spontaneous banter to impart.

I wonder would he bring up Obamas alleged spying on European government's if he was to meet him? I doubt it. Same with the Facebook 'mining your soul' thing. Geldof likes the idea of big glamorous tech companies being based in Ireland yet says things like this about them too. Funny that he doesn't mention their tax arrangements.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Mark L wrote:
Embarrassingly, I liked the Wurzels Combine Harvester song.....a bit. Well quite a bit.

Should that count? Isn't it just their oh so funny (NOT!) lyrics on another song, Brand New Key which was also obviously about shagging.

The Barron Knights will win naffest song ever cos they put even naffer lyrics on some of the naffest songs ever!

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
Derek The Dane wrote:
Police and priest.....and priest.....and imams....and priest.....and imams.....and priest......**** off!.You have got to love this live.
I'd prefer if he was more off the cuff with his comments.Anyone who has seen Geldof in action a few times can predict what he is going to say. He wasn't like that back in the day, as he normally always has more topical and spontaneous banter to impart.
I wonder would he bring up Obamas alleged spying on European government's if he was to meet him? I doubt it. Same with the Facebook 'mining your soul' thing. Geldof likes the idea of big glamorous tech companies being based in Ireland yet says things like this about them too. Funny that he doesn't mention their tax arrangements.

One of Geldof's companies tags kids. So if you play hooky, Geldof's goons will be after you!!!

http://www.groupcall.com/

Mark L · Loudmouth

Arrgee wrote:

"remember my Dad playing endlessly from my pre-teen days are Billy, Don't Be a Hero and Lonely This Christmas. I fcuking hate both with a vengeance"

Got to agree with you on 'Billy, don't be a hero' and it's Johnny Hates Jazz 80s equivalent, 'I don't want to be a hero'.

Not so sure about dissing Mud. Just for comedy value, seeing Les Gray with that dummy and all the fake snow is reason to watch it on one of those Christmas hits tv shows.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Mark L wrote:
"remember my Dad playing endlessly from my pre-teen days are Billy, Don't Be a Hero and Lonely This Christmas. I fcuking hate both with a vengeance"
Not so sure about dissing Mud. Just for comedy value, seeing Les Gray with that dummy and all the fake snow is reason to watch it on one of those Christmas hits tv shows.

One Christmas Eve many years ago (I suppose 1974) my dad came home late from the pub and played Lonely This Christmas over and over again. It went on for hours. Now I don't know why he did that, I never asked but because of that I fcuking hate that song. It's a sh!t enough song anyway as an Elvis pastiche. I didn't think Mud were that bad prior to that. Crazy, Hypnosis and Dyna-mite were all OK-ish Sweet rejects and Tiger Feet is quite good fun but Lonely This Christmas is a low for yuletide songs. Not only bad in itself but also spawning numerous Elvis pastiche acts like Shaky Stevens .

Though I shouldn't knock Shaky, his scrap with Richard Madeley is comedy gold! Alan Partridge would be outraged!