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Exotica (Bananarama Album)
''Exotica'' is the eighth studio album released by the British female vocal duo Bananarama. This is Bananarama's third album as a duo, and was produced by Pascal Caubet and issued only in France in 2001 on the M6 Interactions label. The work is a combination of new compositions along with re-recordings of past Bananarama hits, including a Latin pop version of the U.S. and UK Top 10 hit, " Cruel Summer". Two promo-only singles were released from the album: "If" (which was abandoned mostly before release) and a cover version of George Michael's "Careless Whisper". The album was not a commercial or critical success for Bananarama, but the few copies of "If" which made it to the French market have become one of the rarest items ever by the band, heavily sought after by fans and collectors. Track listing France CD version #"If" — 3:52 (P. Caubet, S. Dallin, K. Woodward) #"Starz" — 3:45 (S. Dallin, T. Moran, Bassey Walker) #"What You Gonna Do" — 4:32 (S. Dallin, B. Walker) #" Cr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bananarama
Bananarama are an English pop duo from London, formed as a trio in 1980 by friends Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey and Keren Woodward. Fahey left the group in 1988 and was replaced by Jacquie O'Sullivan until 1991, when the trio became a duo. Their success on both pop and dance charts saw them listed in the ''Guinness World Records'' for achieving the world's highest number of chart entries by an all-female group. Between 1982 and 2009, they had 30 singles reach the Top 50 of the UK Singles Chart. The group's UK top-10 hits include " It Ain't What You Do..." (1982), "Really Saying Something" (1982), "Shy Boy" (1982), " Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" (1983), " Cruel Summer" (1983), " Robert De Niro's Waiting..." (1984), " Love in the First Degree" (1987), "I Want You Back" in 1988 and charity track "Help!" in 1989. In 1986, they had a U.S. number one with another of their UK top-10 hits, a cover of "Venus". In total, they had 11 singles reach the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 (1983†... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Careless Whisper
"Careless Whisper" is a song written by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. Released on the 1984 Wham! album ''Make It Big'', the single release was credited either to ''Wham! featuring George Michael'' (in North America and several other countries) or solely to ''George Michael'' (in the United Kingdom and some European countries) as it became apparent, that at some point in the near future, Michael would be embarking on a solo career. The song features a prominent saxophone riff, and has been covered by a number of artists since its first release. It was released as a single and became a huge commercial success around the world. It reached number one in nearly 25 countries, selling about 6 million copies worldwide—2 million of them in the United States. Background Composition and writing In 1981, Michael was working as a DJ in the Bel Air restaurant near Bushey, Hertfordshire. Michael explained in his autobiography, ''Bare'', that he conceptualised "Careles ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Keren Woodward
Keren Jane Woodward (born 2 April 1961) is an English singer and, with Sara Dallin and Siobhan Fahey, a founding member of the girl group Bananarama. In 1986, the trio reached number one on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 with their version of "Venus". Woodward and Dallin are the only constant members of Bananarama, and both have been a part of the group for over 40 years since 1979. Early life Woodward is a classically-trained pianist; she sang in choirs and performed in amateur dramatics with Dallin, whom she has known since childhood. After leaving school, Woodward worked at the BBC in Portland Place, London. Career Woodward formed Bananarama with Dallin and Fahey, releasing their first single " Aie a Mwana" in 1981. They went on to have a string of UK top-ten hits and top the American charts in 1986 with "Venus". Fahey left the band in 1988, to be replaced by Jacquie O'Sullivan, who left in 1991. Woodward and Dallin performed as a duo from 1991 to 2017. They briefly reunit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sara Dallin
Sara Elizabeth Dallin (born 17 December 1961) is an English singer and a founding member of the pop group Bananarama. The group has achieved 28 UK top 50 and 11 US top 100 singles, including a US number one with "Venus" (1986). Other hits include " Cruel Summer" (1983), "I Heard a Rumour" (1987) and " Love in the First Degree" (1987). Dallin and bandmate Keren Woodward are the only performers to appear on both the 1984 and 1989 Band Aid versions of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" Bananarama have sold over 30 million records and entered the ''Guinness Book of World Records'' for achieving most UK chart entries by an all-female group, a record they still hold. Early life Dallin is of English, French and Irish ancestry. She studied journalism at the London College of Fashion (University of Arts) in 1980–81. She formed the group Bananarama with Keren Woodward, her childhood friend, and Siobhan Fahey, whom she met at college. In 1980, Dallin and Woodward met Paul Cook, ex-member ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Waterloo (ABBA Song)
"Waterloo" is the first single from the Swedish pop group ABBA's second album of the same name, and their first under the Epic and Atlantic labels. This was also the first single to be credited to the group performing under the name ABBA. The title and lyrics reference the 1815 Battle of Waterloo, and use it as a metaphor for a romantic relationship. The Swedish version of the single was backed with the Swedish version of "Honey, Honey", while the English version featured "Watch Out" on the B-side. "Waterloo" won the Eurovision Song Contest 1974 for Sweden, beginning ABBA's path to worldwide fame. It topped the charts in several countries, and reached the top 10 in the United States. At the 50th anniversary celebration of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2005, it was chosen as the best song in the competition's history. It received the same honour in a 14-country open vote in the run-up to the Eurovision Song Contest 2021, placing first above Sweden's winning songs in 2012 and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robbie Van Leeuwen
Robbie van Leeuwen (born 29 October 1944) is a Dutch musician who was a guitarist, sitarist, background vocalist and main songwriter for Dutch bands, including The Motions and Shocking Blue. In 1967 he played guitar on the only single ever released by "The Six Young Riders" titled "Let the Circle Be Unbroken". As of January 2021, he is the only surviving member of Shocking Blue's best known four-piece lineup. Career In 1970 he was in the band Shocking Blue, which had a No. 1 hit with the single "Venus". In 1974 he left Shocking Blue and released the successful single "Long Hot Summer" with his new band Galaxy-Lin. He was the founder and main composer for this band which released two albums: "Galaxy Lin" in 1974 and "G" in 1975. The singer was Rudy Bennett, with whom van Leeuwen had already collaborated in another band, called The Motions. Galaxy-Lin disbanded in 1976. Together with Rick van der Linden, van Leeuwen founded "Mistral" in 1977. This group scored three hits during ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Venus (Shocking Blue Song)
"Venus" is a song by Dutch rock band Shocking Blue, initially released as a single in the Netherlands in the summer of 1969. Written by Robbie van Leeuwen, the song topped the charts in nine countries. The song has been covered dozens of times by many artists. In 1986, English girl group Bananarama covered "Venus" for their third studio album, '' True Confessions'', with the single reaching number one in six countries. The composition has been featured in numerous films, television shows and commercials. Composition and recording The song was written by Robbie van Leeuwen, Shocking Blue's guitarist, sitarist and background vocalist. Van Leeuwen wrote new lyrics set to music based on "The Banjo Song" by Tim Rose and the Big 3, which is in turn lyrically a modification of the 19th century song "Oh! Susanna" by Stephen Foster. Influences from other songs include the opening guitar riff that is similar to The Who's " Pinball Wizard". The song was recorded on a two-track machine in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
I Heard A Rumour
"I Heard a Rumour" is a song by English girl group Bananarama from their fourth studio album, ''Wow!'' (1987). It was released on 29th June 1987, as the album's lead single. It was also featured in the 1987 comedy film ''Disorderlies'' and is included on its soundtrack. "I Heard a Rumour" peaked at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart,. It was one of Bananarama's highest-charting singles in the United States – it reached number four on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and became their third and final top ten hit. It was also their last top 40 hit on that chart. It was also successful in nightclubs, reaching number three on the '' Billboard'' Dance Club Songs. The track bears notable similarities in part to Michael Fortunati's "Give Me Up", which was released in early 1986. However, producer Mike Stock denied the track was based excessively on that record, insisting "I Heard A Rumour" was simply broadly inspired by Europop trends at the time. "We didn't do sampling... There's no si ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Andrew Ridgeley
Andrew John Ridgeley (born 26 January 1963) is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer, best known for his work in the 1980s in the musical duo Wham!. Early life Ridgeley was born in Windlesham, Surrey, England, to parents Jennifer John (née Dunlop) and Alberto Mario Zacharia (who later changed his surname to Ridgeley); his mother is Scottish and his father is of Italian/Egyptian descent. Ridgeley grew up in Bushey, Hertfordshire, and attended Bushey Meads School. His mother was a schoolteacher at Bushey Heath Primary School while his father worked for Canon. When George Michael George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou; 25 June 1963 – 25 December 2016) was an English singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the most significant cultural icons of the MTV generation and is one of the best-selling musici ... enrolled at school, Ridgeley volunteered to take him under his wing. Career After years of playing in various music groups, mos ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robert De Niro's Waiting
"Robert De Niro's Waiting..." is a song written by Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward, Steve Jolley, and Tony Swain, recorded for English girl group Bananarama's self-titled second album. Produced by Jolley & Swain, it was released as the album's second single on 20 February 1984. It namechecks American actor Robert De Niro. The single is one of the group's strongest-performing releases, peaking at number three in the UK Singles Chart. It made a brief appearance on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, peaking at number 95. ''Billboard'' ranked the song at number 74 on their list of the "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time". An extended version of the song is available on the 12-inch single. The B-side of both 7-inch and 12-inch singles is a song called "Push!". The version of "Push!" on the 12-inch single is not extended but preceded by an unlisted alternate version of the brief track that would be called "Link" at the end of side one of the ''Bananarama'' album. Bana ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Michael
George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou; 25 June 1963 – 25 December 2016) was an English singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the most significant cultural icons of the MTV generation and is one of the best-selling musicians of all time, with sales of over 120 million records worldwide. Michael was known as a leading creative force in music production, songwriting, vocal performance, and visual presentation. He achieved seven number-one songs on the UK Singles Chart and eight number-one songs on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Michael won numerous music awards, including two Grammy Awards, three Brit Awards, three American Music Awards, twelve ''Billboard'' Music Awards, and four MTV Video Music Awards. In 2015, he was ranked 45th in '' Billboard''s list of the "Greatest Hot 100 Artists of All Time". The Radio Academy named him the most played artist on British radio during the period 1984–2004. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pop Rock
Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, early pop rock was influenced by the beat, arrangements, and original style of rock and roll (and sometimes doo-wop). It may be viewed as a distinct genre field rather than music that overlaps with pop and rock. The detractors of pop rock often deride it as a slick, commercial product and less authentic than rock music. Characteristics and etymology Much pop and rock music has been very similar in sound, instrumentation and even lyrical content. The terms "pop rock" and "power pop" have been used to describe more commercially successful music that uses elements from, or the form of, rock music. Writer Johan Fornas views pop/rock as "one single, continuous genre field", rather than distinct categories. To the authors Larry Starr and Chri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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