"Bang Bang", a song by Squeeze, was the second

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

released from their debut album '' Squeeze''.

Background

"Bang Bang" was one of two songs on Squeeze's debut album that the band produced without the album's primary producer

John Cale John Davies Cale (born 9 March 1942) is a Welsh musician, composer, singer, songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the American rock band the Velvet Underground. Over his six-decade career, Cale has worked in various styl ...

, who was "too ill to work" at the time according to

Chris Difford Christopher Henry Difford (born 4 November 1954) is an English singer, musician, songwriter and record producer. He is a founding member and songwriter of the rock group Squeeze. Musical career Born in Greenwich, London, Difford has written ly ...

. Difford and Tilbrook had written the song at a cafe in Greenwich near the home that the two shared at the time. Difford claimed that the song "was written after a heavy week of sulphate abuse when all I could hear was my heart going bang-bang, bang-bang." Like the band's 1987 single "

853-5937 "853-5937" is a song by English rock band Squeeze released on the band's 1987 album ''Babylon and On''. Released as the fourth UK single and the second US single from the album, "853-5937" was a moderate chart hit in both nations, reaching nu ...

", "Bang Bang" is a song that Squeeze mainstays

Glenn Tilbrook Glenn Martin Tilbrook (born 31 August 1957) is the lead singer and guitarist of the English band Squeeze, a band formed in the mid-1970s who broke through in the new wave era at the decade's end. He generally wrote the music for Squeeze's son ...

and

are not fond of. Tilbrook opined, "I think the song's rubbish. Like all novelty songs, it had its moment. I think we thought it tremendously funny at the time but I have to say I don't laugh anymore." Difford was more ambivalent, stating, "I used to disown tracks ike 'Bang Bang'... utI listen to 'Bang Bang' now and respect it because it sums up the attitude of us at the time."

Release

"Bang Bang" was released as the second single from the band's debut album, following "

Take Me I'm Yours "Take Me I'm Yours" is the debut single (music), single by English New wave music, new wave band Squeeze (band), Squeeze. It established the band's trademark vocal style, with Chris Difford singing an octave lower than Glenn Tilbrook. Backgrou ...

", the other song on the album that the band produced without Cale. Tilbrook later commented, "We recorded both this and '

' when John was ill and they ended up as the two singles from the album, which tells you all you need to know really". The song peaked at number 49 on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

. Due to the Difford and Tilbrook's distaste for the song, it has largely been omitted from compilation albums. Despite this, the band has occasionally revived the song in its live setlists starting in 2012. In an interview from that year, Difford reflected, "What's been happening over the last five years is, Glenn and I are re-investigating our history, and we're putting songs in the set that I never, ever thought we'd be playing at this stage in our lives—songs like 'Revue' and 'The Knack' and 'Bang Bang'. We felt that we had to move on, and to move on we sort of moved back."

Track listing

# "Bang Bang" (2:03) # "All Fed Up" (4:00)

References

External links

Squeeze discography at Squeezenet
{{authority control Squeeze (band) songs 1978 singles Songs written by Glenn Tilbrook Songs written by Chris Difford 1977 songs A&M Records singles