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Bananarama are an English pop duo from London, formed as a trio in 1980 by friends
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 includ ...
,
Siobhan Fahey Siobhan Maire Fahey (; born 10 September 1958) is an Irish singer whose vocal range is a light contralto. She was a founding member of the group Bananarama, who have had ten top-10 hits including the US number one hit single "Venus". She later ...
and Keren Woodward. Fahey left the group in 1988 and was replaced by
Jacquie O'Sullivan Jacquie O'Sullivan (born 7 August 1960)'' Smash Hits'', 1988. Personal File: Jacqui O'Sullivan, p. 11 is an English singer and songwriter, best known as a member of the pop group Bananarama from 1988 until 1991, replacing Siobhan Fahey, wh ...
until 1991, when the trio became a duo. Their success on both pop and dance charts saw them listed in the ''
Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
'' 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 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 ...
. The group's UK top-10 hits include " It Ain't What You Do..." (1982), "
Really Saying Something "He Was Really Sayin' Somethin' is a soul song written by Motown songwriters Norman Whitfield, William "Mickey" Stevenson, and Edward Holland, Jr. in 1964. The song is notable in both a 1964 version by American Motown girl group the Velvelet ...
" (1982), "
Shy Boy "Shy Boy" is a 1982 song recorded by English girl group Bananarama which was written and produced by the production team of Steve Jolley and Tony Swain and marked the first in a long line of studio collaborations between them and Bananarama. R ...
" (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 "I Want You Back" is the first national single by the Jackson 5. It was released by Motown on October 6, 1969, and became the first number-one hit for the band on January 31, 1970. It was performed on the band's first television appearances, on ...
" in 1988 and charity track "
Help! ''Help!'' is the fifth studio album by the English rock band the Beatles and the soundtrack to their film of the same name. It was released on 6 August 1965. Seven of the fourteen songs, including the singles " Help!" and " Ticket to Ride", ...
" in 1989. In 1986, they had a U.S. number one with another of their UK top-10 hits, a cover of "
Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never fa ...
". In total, they had 11 singles reach the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 (1983–1988), including the top-10 hits " Cruel Summer" (1984) and "
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 i ...
" (1987). They are associated with the
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
-driven
Second British Invasion The Second British Invasion consisted of music acts from the United Kingdom that became popular in the U.S. during the early-to-mid 1980s primarily due to the cable music channel MTV. The term derives from the similar British Invasion of the U. ...
of the US. The trio performed on "
Do They Know It's Christmas? "Do They Know It's Christmas?" is a charity song written in 1984 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. It was first recorded by Band Aid, a supergroup assembled by Geldof and Ure consisting of pop ...
", a UK chart-topping collaborative charity single released in 1984. They topped the Australian
ARIA In music, an aria (Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompanime ...
albums chart in June 1988 with ''
Wow! WideOpenWest (doing business as WOW!) is the sixth largest cable operator in the United States with their network passing 3,248,600 homes and businesses. The company offers landline telephone, cable television, and broadband Internet services ...
'' (1987), and earned
Brit Award The BRIT Awards (often simply called the BRITs) are the British Phonographic Industry's annual popular music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain", or "Britannia" (in the early days the awards were sponsored ...
nominations for Best British Single for " Love in the First Degree", and Best Music Video for their 1988 hit cover of
the Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful ...
single " Nathan Jones". Fahey left the group in 1988 and formed
Shakespears Sister Shakespears Sister is an alternative pop and rock musical duo based in the United Kingdom that was formed in 1988 by singer-songwriter Siobhan Fahey, a former member of Bananarama. Shakespears Sister was initially a solo act, but became a duo ...
, best known for the UK number one "
Stay Stay may refer to: Places * Stay, Kentucky, an unincorporated community in the US Law * Stay of execution, a ruling to temporarily suspend the enforcement of a court judgment * Stay of proceedings, a ruling halting further legal process in a tri ...
" (1992). She was replaced by
Jacquie O'Sullivan Jacquie O'Sullivan (born 7 August 1960)'' Smash Hits'', 1988. Personal File: Jacqui O'Sullivan, p. 11 is an English singer and songwriter, best known as a member of the pop group Bananarama from 1988 until 1991, replacing Siobhan Fahey, wh ...
. This line-up had UK top-five hits with "I Want You Back", (1988) and a cover of The Beatles' "Help!" (1989) recorded with comedy duo
French and Saunders ''French and Saunders'' is a British sketch comedy television series written by and starring comedy duo and namesake Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders that originally broadcast on BBC2 from 1987 to 1993, and later on BBC One until 2017. It is a ...
and comedian
Kathy Burke Katherine Lucy Bridget Burke (born 13 June 1964) is an English actress, comedian, writer, producer, and director. She achieved fame with her appearances on sketch shows such as ''French and Saunders'' (1988–1999) and her recurring role as Mag ...
for the charity Comic Relief. They also charted with "
Love, Truth and Honesty "Love, Truth and Honesty" is a song by English girl group Bananarama from their first greatest hits album, '' Greatest Hits Collection'' (1988). Co-written and produced by the Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) trio, the song was released on 12 Septemb ...
" and " Nathan Jones". In 1989, they embarked on their first world tour and had another hit with a new remixed version of "Cruel Summer". In 1990 and 1991, they had top-30 hits with " Only Your Love", "
Preacher Man "Preacher Man" is a song recorded by English girl group Bananarama. It appears on the group's fifth studio album, '' Pop Life'' (1991), and was released as the album's second single. The track was co-written and produced by Youth with additio ...
" and "
Long Train Running "Long Train Runnin" (or "Long Train Running") is a song recorded by the Doobie Brothers and written by band member Tom Johnston. It was included on the band's 1973 album '' The Captain and Me'' and was released as a single, becoming a hit and pe ...
" and new studio album '' Pop Life'', which featured these singles and a fourth, " Tripping on Your Love", which was released soon after the album. After O'Sullivan's late-1991 departure, Dallin and Woodward continued Bananarama as a duo, with further top-30 hits including " Movin' On" (1992), "
More, More, More "More, More, More" is a song written by Gregg Diamond and recorded by American artist Andrea True (credited to her recording project Andrea True Connection). It was released in February 1976 as the first single from her debut album by same nam ...
" (1993), " Move in My Direction" (2005) and "
Look on the Floor (Hypnotic Tango) "Look on the Floor" is a dance-pop song written by Sara Dallin, Keren Woodward, H. Korpi, M. Wollo, M. Malavasi and S. Micheli for Bananarama's album ''Drama'' (2005). The song was produced by Korpi and BlackCell. Contained in "Look on the Floor" ...
(2005)". Fahey rejoined Bananarama in 2017 and they toured the UK and North America between November that year and August 2018.


Career


1980–1982: Early years

Bananarama formed in September 1980 when teenagers and childhood friends Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward moved from
Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
to London and met Siobhan Fahey. Dallin and Fahey were studying journalism at the London College of Fashion (University of Arts) and Woodward was working at the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
in Portland Place. Dallin and Woodward were living at the YWCA and were about to be made homeless until
Paul Cook Paul Thomas Cook (born 20 July 1956) is an English drummer and member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. He was also called "Cookie" by his friends on the punk music scene. Early life and career Cook was raised in Hammersmith and atte ...
, with whom they had become friends after meeting at a club, offered them a place to live above the former Sex Pistols rehearsal room in Denmark Street,
Charing Cross Charing Cross ( ) is a junction in Westminster, London, England, where six routes meet. Clockwise from north these are: the east side of Trafalgar Square leading to St Martin's Place and then Charing Cross Road; the Strand leading to the City; ...
. They took their name, in part, from the
Roxy Music Roxy Music are an English rock band formed in 1970 by Bryan Ferry—who became the band's lead vocalist and principal songwriter—and bassist Graham Simpson. The other longtime members are Phil Manzanera (guitar), Andy Mackay (saxophone ...
song " Pyjamarama". The trio were ardent followers of the punk rock and
post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-roc ...
music scenes during the late 1970s and early 1980s. They often performed impromptu sets or backing vocals at gigs for such bands as
The Monochrome Set The Monochrome Set are an English post-punk/ new wave band, originally formed in London in January 1978. The most recent line-up consists of Bid, Andy Warren, Athen Ayren and Stephen Gilchrist. History Original band: 1978–1985 The Monoc ...
, The Professionals,
Subway Sect Subway Sect were one of the first British punk bands. Although their commercial success was limited by the small amount of recorded material they released, they have been credited as highly influential on the Postcard Records scene and the in ...
,
Iggy Pop James Newell Osterberg Jr. (born April 21, 1947), known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter and actor. Called the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Godfather of Punk", he was the vocalist and lyricist of ...
, Department S,
The Nipple Erectors ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
and
The Jam The Jam were an English mod revival/ punk rock band formed in 1972 at Sheerwater Secondary School in Woking, Surrey. They released 18 consecutive Top 40 singles in the United Kingdom, from their debut in 1977 to their break-up in December 1 ...
. In 1981, Bananarama recorded their first demo, " Aie a Mwana", a cover of a song by
Black Blood William Albert Haynes III (born July 10, 1953) is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Billy Jack Haynes. Professional wrestling career Early career (1982–1984) Haynes started wrestling in 1982 at the ag ...
, sung in Swahili. The demo was heard at
Demon Records Demon Music Group (DMG) is a record company owned by BBC Studios that is mainly concerned with back-catalogue rights and re-issuing recordings as compilations on physical media (CDs and vinyl) via supermarkets and specialist stores. History DM ...
, who consequently offered Bananarama their first deal. The song was an underground hit (UK #92) and Bananarama were signed by Decca (later London Records) and remained on the label until 1993. UK music magazine ''
The Face The face is a part of the body, the front of the head. Face may also refer to: Film * ''The Magician'' (1958 film) or ''The Face'' * ''The Face'' (1996 film), an American television film * ''Face'' (1997 film), a British crime drama by Antonia ...
'' featured an article on Bananarama after the release of their first single. This caught the attention of ex- Specials member Terry Hall, who invited them to collaborate with his new vocal group
Fun Boy Three Fun Boy Three were an English new wave pop Fun Boy Three Allmusic bio/ref> band, active from 1981 to 1983 and formed by singers Terry Hall, Neville Staple and Lynval Golding after they left the Specials. They released two albums and had seve ...
on their album and the single "
It Ain't What You Do (It's The Way That You Do It) "Tain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)" is a song written by jazz musicians Melvin "Sy" Oliver and James "Trummy" Young. It was first recorded in 1939 by Jimmie Lunceford, Harry James, and Ella Fitzgerald, and again the same year by Na ...
". In 1982, the song hit the Top 5 in the UK and gave Bananarama their first significant mainstream success. Fun Boy Three then guested on Bananarama's single, "
Really Saying Something "He Was Really Sayin' Somethin' is a soul song written by Motown songwriters Norman Whitfield, William "Mickey" Stevenson, and Edward Holland, Jr. in 1964. The song is notable in both a 1964 version by American Motown girl group the Velvelet ...
", later that year.


1982–1985: ''Deep Sea Skiving'' and ''Bananarama''

Bananarama experienced their greatest success during the period 1982 to 1989, with their first three albums primarily produced and co-written with
Jolley & Swain Steven Nicholas Jolley (born April 1950) and Tony Swain (born 20 January 1952, London, England) were a successful songwriting and record production duo in the United Kingdom in the early to mid-1980s, producing some of the top artists and song ...
. Their debut album, '' Deep Sea Skiving'' (UK #7, US #63) (1983) contained several hit singles – "
Really Saying Something "He Was Really Sayin' Somethin' is a soul song written by Motown songwriters Norman Whitfield, William "Mickey" Stevenson, and Edward Holland, Jr. in 1964. The song is notable in both a 1964 version by American Motown girl group the Velvelet ...
" (UK #5) and "
Shy Boy "Shy Boy" is a 1982 song recorded by English girl group Bananarama which was written and produced by the production team of Steve Jolley and Tony Swain and marked the first in a long line of studio collaborations between them and Bananarama. R ...
" (UK #4) – and included a
cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
of " Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" (UK #5). " Cheers Then" (#45) was released as the third single, with little chart success, but very positive reviews from critics. The band recorded a version of the Sex Pistols' song "No Feelings" in late 1982 for the soundtrack of the British teen-comedy film, '' Party Party''. During 1982 and 1983, Bananarama did several promotional US press tours and TV appearances on '' American Bandstand'' and '' Solid Gold''. Success in the United States came in 1984 with a Top Ten hit " Cruel Summer". Their second album, ''
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. T ...
'' (UK #16, US #30) (1984) was a more socially conscious effort. The group wanted to be taken more seriously, so they wrote songs that focused on heavier topics. " Hot Line To Heaven" (UK #58) is a stand against the drugs-are-cool culture. Meanwhile, " Rough Justice" (UK #23) was written about Thomas "Kidso" Reilly, the band's road manager and brother of Fahey's boyfriend
Jim Reilly James G. Reilly (born 9 May 1957) is the second drummer for the Northern Ireland based punk band Stiff Little Fingers, with whom he played from 1979 to 1981. He played on the LPs '' Nobody's Heroes'', '' Go for It'' and '' Hanx''. In 1981, he ...
(drummer of the Northern Irish punk band
Stiff Little Fingers Stiff Little Fingers are a punk rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland. They formed in 1977 at the height of the Troubles, which informed much of their songwriting. They started out as a schoolboy band called Highway Star (named after the De ...
), who was shot and killed by a British soldier in Belfast in August 1983. The album also contained the hit singles, " Robert De Niro's Waiting...," (UK #3) and their first US Top 10 hit, "Cruel Summer" (UK #8, US #9) (1983), which was included in the film ''
The Karate Kid ''The Karate Kid'' is a 1984 American martial arts drama film written by Robert Mark Kamen and directed by John G. Avildsen. It is the first installment in the ''Karate Kid'' franchise, and stars Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue an ...
.'' The trio also recorded the single, " The Wild Life" (US #70) for a 1984 American film of the same name. In 1984, Bananarama featured on the Band Aid single, "
Do They Know It's Christmas? "Do They Know It's Christmas?" is a charity song written in 1984 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. It was first recorded by Band Aid, a supergroup assembled by Geldof and Ure consisting of pop ...
," and were the only artists to appear on both the original 1984 Band Aid and the 1989 Band Aid II versions (Fahey appeared on the 1984 version while O'Sullivan appeared on the 1989 version). 1985 was a quiet transitional year for Bananarama. The single " Do Not Disturb" (UK #31), which would appear on their next album, maintained their public profile.


1986–1987: ''True Confessions'' and international success

1986 saw the release of their third Jolley/Swain album, '' True Confessions''. Later editions contained other tracks and extra production duties by Mike Stock,
Matt Aitken Matthew James Aitken (born 25 August 1956) is an English songwriter and record producer, brought up in Astley, Greater Manchester, best known as the creative force behind the 1980s and early 1990s songwriting/production trio Stock Aitken Waterman ...
and
Pete Waterman Peter Alan Waterman, (born 15 January 1947) is an English record producer, songwriter, radio and club DJ, television presenter, president of Coventry Bears rugby league club and a keen railway enthusiast. As a member of the Stock Aitken Water ...
known as
Stock Aitken Waterman Stock Aitken Waterman (abbreviated as SAW) are an English songwriting and record production trio consisting of Mike Stock, Matt Aitken, and Pete Waterman. The trio had great success from the mid-1980s through the early 1990s. SAW is considere ...
(SAW). The move resulted in the international number one hit, "
Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never fa ...
", (a remake of
Shocking Blue Shocking Blue was a Dutch rock band formed in 1967 in The Hague. It was part of the music movement in the Netherlands that was generally known by the name Nederbeat. The band had a number of hits throughout the counterculture movement during ...
's song from 1969, which had been a number 1 hit in 1970). The dance-oriented production typified the SAW approach to pop music. Bananarama had tracked the producers down after hearing "
You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" is a song by English pop band Dead or Alive, featured on their second album, '' Youthquake'' (1985). Released as a single in November 1984, it reached No. 1 in the UK in March 1985, taking 17 weeks to get ...
" by Dead or Alive. The song won a Juno Award in Canada for International Single of The Year. Also in 1986, Dallin and Woodward were featured as backing vocalists on two songs on ''Family Album,'' produced by John Lydon. The
music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
for "Venus" received heavy airplay on
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
in the United States. It featured the group in various costumes including a
devil A devil is the personification of evil as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. Jeffrey Burton Russell states that the different conceptions of t ...
, a French temptress, a
vampire A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mi ...
, and Greek goddesses. The video marked a pivotal shift towards a more glamorous and sexy image, which contrasted with their tomboyish appearances in their earlier work. Follow-up singles "
More Than Physical "More Than Physical" is a song by English girl group Bananarama from their third studio album, '' True Confessions'' (1986). It was released on 11 August 1986 as the album's third single. It was co-written and produced by the Stock Aitken Waterm ...
" (UK #41) and " A Trick of the Night" (UK #32) were less successful, which unfortunately had less promotion. Woodward was pregnant with her son Thomas at the time and was unable to tour or physically promote the album or its subsequent singles. "More Than Physical" marked the beginning of Bananarama's songwriting relationship with Stock Aitken Waterman. It was a collaborative process that Stock has described as troubled, despite producing a string of hits. “It’s very difficult to be creative if someone’s just going to mock you, or laugh at you,” he said. “With Bananarama it was just awkward, all the time very awkward, and I didn’t feel comfortable writing with them.” During a press tour in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, the group also recorded a song "Riskin' a Romance" featured in the film '' The Secret of My Success'' (1987). The track was notable because it featured Fahey taking lead vocals, and
Daryl Hall Daryl Franklin Hohl (born October 11, 1946), known professionally as Daryl Hall, is an American rock, R&B and soul singer and musician, best known as the co-founder and principal lead vocalist of Daryl Hall and John Oates (with guitarist and ...
was the producer. During this trip, the group also re-recorded the vocals for their next UK release "More Than Physical" and "A Trick of the Night" with Mike Stock in Miami. In March 1987, Bananarama participated in the recording of the single "
Let It Be Let It Be most commonly refers to: * ''Let It Be'' (Beatles album), the Beatles' final studio album, released in 1970 * "Let It Be" (Beatles song), the title song from the album It may also refer to: Film and television * ''Let It Be'' (1970 ...
" (UK #1) as members of the charity supergroup
Ferry Aid Ferry Aid was a British- American charity supergroup, brought together to record the song " Let It Be" in 1987. The single was released following the Zeebrugge Disaster; on 6 March 1987 the ferry had capsized, killing 193 passengers and crew ...
. All sales from the single were donated to charity in response to the capsizing of the ferry MS ''Herald of Free Enterprise'', which killed 193 people. Among the featured singers was Woodward, who sang with Nick Kamen.


1987–1988: ''Wow!'' and Fahey's departure

In the wake of the success of "Venus," Bananarama began work on the album ''
Wow! WideOpenWest (doing business as WOW!) is the sixth largest cable operator in the United States with their network passing 3,248,600 homes and businesses. The company offers landline telephone, cable television, and broadband Internet services ...
'' The group's sound successfully shifted towards dance-oriented Europop under the direction of Pete Waterman, but the creative process on the project was often fraught, with
Matt Aitken Matthew James Aitken (born 25 August 1956) is an English songwriter and record producer, brought up in Astley, Greater Manchester, best known as the creative force behind the 1980s and early 1990s songwriting/production trio Stock Aitken Waterman ...
describing the band's contribution to song writing as minimal. ''Wow!'' was released on 4 September 1987 by London Records. It topped the Australian ARIA album charts for one week in June 1988. "
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 i ...
" (UK #14, US #4) was their strongest performing international hit from this album. The track bears notable similarities in part to Michael Fortunati's "
Give Me Up "Give Me Up" is a song by Italian singer Michael Fortunati released as a single in 1986. A pioneering work of Eurobeat, it has since been recorded by several Japanese artists including BaBe, Beni Arashiro, Melon Kinenbi, Yōko Nagayama, Nami T ...
", which was released in early 1986. However, producer Mike Stock denied the track was based excessively on that record, insisting "I Heard A Rumor" was simply broadly inspired by
Europop Europop (also spelled Euro pop) is a style of pop music that originated in Europe during the mid-to-late 1960s and developed to today's form throughout the late 1970s. Europop topped the charts throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with revivals and ...
trends at the time. "We didn't do sampling... There's no similarity in the lyric, there's no actual similarity in terms of note-for-noteness in the tune," he said. "We were doing Europop." " Love in the First Degree" (UK #3), one of their biggest UK hits, was nominated at the 1988
Brit Awards The BRIT Awards (often simply called the BRITs) are the British Phonographic Industry's annual popular music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain", or "Britannia" (in the early days the awards were sponsored ...
for best single. Producer
Pete Waterman Peter Alan Waterman, (born 15 January 1947) is an English record producer, songwriter, radio and club DJ, television presenter, president of Coventry Bears rugby league club and a keen railway enthusiast. As a member of the Stock Aitken Water ...
claimed he had to threaten to pull SAW off the ''Wow!'' project in order to force the release of the track as a single, after it was dismissed by the band and label as too commercial. A further single, " I Can't Help It" (which boasted a semi-controversial video featuring the group in a milk bath filled with fruit and half-naked men), was also a hit (UK #20). After the third single from ''Wow!'' was released in early 1988, Fahey – who had married
Eurythmics Eurythmics were a British pop duo consisting of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart. They were both previously in The Tourists, a band which broke up in 1980. The duo released their first studio album, '' In the Garden'', in 1981 to little succ ...
' Dave Stewart – left the group. Her last performance as a member of the group was "Love in the First Degree" at the Brit Awards in February 1988. She would later resurface in the BRIT Award–winning pop duo
Shakespears Sister Shakespears Sister is an alternative pop and rock musical duo based in the United Kingdom that was formed in 1988 by singer-songwriter Siobhan Fahey, a former member of Bananarama. Shakespears Sister was initially a solo act, but became a duo ...
with
Marcella Detroit Marcella Levy (born June 21, 1952), known professionally as Marcy Levy and (later in her career) Marcella Detroit, is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. She co-wrote the 1977 Eric Clapton hit " Lay Down Sally" and released her debut a ...
.


1988–1991: Second line-up, ''Greatest Hits'', ''Pop Life'' and world tour

After Fahey's exit,
Jacquie O'Sullivan Jacquie O'Sullivan (born 7 August 1960)'' Smash Hits'', 1988. Personal File: Jacqui O'Sullivan, p. 11 is an English singer and songwriter, best known as a member of the pop group Bananarama from 1988 until 1991, replacing Siobhan Fahey, wh ...
(formerly of the
Shillelagh Sisters The Shillelagh Sisters were a British female group composed of Jacquie O'Sullivan (vocals), Lynder Halpin (double bass), Patricia "Trisha" O'Flynn (saxophone) and Maria "Mitzi" Ryan (drums). Their music style was a mixture of rockabilly and ...
) joined the group in March 1988. The single "
I Want You Back "I Want You Back" is the first national single by the Jackson 5. It was released by Motown on October 6, 1969, and became the first number-one hit for the band on January 31, 1970. It was performed on the band's first television appearances, on ...
" (UK #5) was re-recorded with O'Sullivan, as was
The Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful ...
cover " Nathan Jones" (UK #15) which was nominated for best video at the 1989 Brit Awards. "
Love, Truth and Honesty "Love, Truth and Honesty" is a song by English girl group Bananarama from their first greatest hits album, '' Greatest Hits Collection'' (1988). Co-written and produced by the Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) trio, the song was released on 12 Septemb ...
" (UK #23) was released as a single from their 1988 retrospective compilation, '' Greatest Hits Collection'' (UK #3). At the same time, Bananarama entered the '' Guinness Book of World Records'' as the all-female group who have the most UK chart entries in history, a record they still hold. Initial tensions began to appear within the new lineup around this time, with O'Sullivan complaining that there were no photographs of her displayed at the Soho launch of ''Greatest Hits Collection'', and tour preparation marked by her bandmates' discomfort with her partying lifestyle. As a fundraising charity single for
Comic Relief Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension. Definition Comic relief usually means a releasing of emotional or other tension resulting from a comic episo ...
in 1989, Bananarama recorded a cover of
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
' song "
Help! ''Help!'' is the fifth studio album by the English rock band the Beatles and the soundtrack to their film of the same name. It was released on 6 August 1965. Seven of the fourteen songs, including the singles " Help!" and " Ticket to Ride", ...
" with Lananeeneenoonoo (UK #3), a mock girl-group created by British female comedy duo
French and Saunders ''French and Saunders'' is a British sketch comedy television series written by and starring comedy duo and namesake Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders that originally broadcast on BBC2 from 1987 to 1993, and later on BBC One until 2017. It is a ...
, with fellow comedian
Kathy Burke Katherine Lucy Bridget Burke (born 13 June 1964) is an English actress, comedian, writer, producer, and director. She achieved fame with her appearances on sketch shows such as ''French and Saunders'' (1988–1999) and her recurring role as Mag ...
. Also in 1989, the band embarked upon their first world tour, which included shows in North America, East Asia, and the UK. Bananarama's 1991 album, '' Pop Life'', saw Dallin and Woodward's songwriting collaboration with their friend Youth. They worked with a variety of producers including
Youth Youth is the time of life when one is young. The word, youth, can also mean the time between childhood and adulthood ( maturity), but it can also refer to one's peak, in terms of health or the period of life known as being a young adult. You ...
,
Shep Pettibone Robert "Shep" Pettibone (born 10 July 1959) is an American record producer, remixer, songwriter and club DJ, one of the most prolific of the 1980s. Career Shep Pettibone surfaced after his work with Arthur Baker on Afrika Bambaataa & the Jazz ...
, and Steve Jolley of Jolley & Swain. They also incorporated a wider range of musical genres including
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
,
flamenco Flamenco (), in its strictest sense, is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and ...
guitar, and acid house. Singles " Only Your Love" (UK #27), "
Preacher Man "Preacher Man" is a song recorded by English girl group Bananarama. It appears on the group's fifth studio album, '' Pop Life'' (1991), and was released as the album's second single. The track was co-written and produced by Youth with additio ...
" (UK #20), a cover of the
Doobie Brothers The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band formed in 1970 in San Jose, California, known for their flexibility in performing across numerous genres and their vocal harmonies. Active for five decades, with their greatest success in the 1970s, ...
' "
Long Train Running "Long Train Runnin" (or "Long Train Running") is a song recorded by the Doobie Brothers and written by band member Tom Johnston. It was included on the band's 1973 album '' The Captain and Me'' and was released as a single, becoming a hit and pe ...
" (UK #30), and " Tripping on Your Love" (UK #76) were the group's final releases with O'Sullivan. This album received some of the strongest and most positive reviews of their career.


1992–2001: Duo re-launch, ''Please Yourself'', ''Ultra Violet'' and ''Exotica''

In 1992, Dallin and Woodward returned as a duo and had a UK top 30 hit with " Movin' On" (UK #24), which was the first single from the 1993 album ''
Please Yourself ''Please Yourself'' is the sixth studio album by English pop act Bananarama. It was released on 29 March 1993 by London Records, the group's last release under the label. It is also the first album from Bananarama as a duo – with original m ...
''. Other singles from the album were "Last Thing on My Mind" (UK #71) and a cover of the 1976 Andrea True Connection song "More, More, More" (UK #24). This album was Bananarama's last one on London Records. Their next offering was 1995's ''
Ultra Violet Ultraviolet (UV) is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelength from 10 nm (with a corresponding frequency around 30  PHz) to 400 nm (750  THz), shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays. UV radiation i ...
'' (entitled ''I Found Love'' in Japan) on a new label. The album and its three singles — "I Found Love", " Every Shade of Blue", and " Take Me to Your Heart" — were only released in some European countries, North America, Japan, and Australia, but not in Britain. In 1998, Dallin and Woodward asked Fahey to join them to record the track " Waterloo" (a cover of the classic
ABBA ABBA ( , , formerly named Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida) are a Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The group's ...
song) for the Eurovision celebration ''A Song for Eurotrash'' on
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
. However, Fahey made it clear that this was a one-off and that she was not formally rejoining the group. In 1999, Dallin, Woodward, and Fahey were interviewed together for an episode of the BBC music documentary series ''Young Guns Go For It'' dedicated to the group. Jacquie O'Sullivan also took part in the programme. In 2001, Dallin and Woodward, who had been frequently working in France, had recorded the album ''
Exotica Exotica is a musical genre, named after the 1957 Martin Denny Exotica (Martin Denny album), album of the same name that was popular during the 1950s to mid-1960s with Americans who came of age during World War II. The term was coined by Simon Wa ...
'' with the French label M6. The album also included a cover of George Michael's "Careless Whisper", Latin- and R&B-influenced dance songs, and reinterpreted versions of their earlier hits.


2002–2006: ''Drama''

By 2002, Bananarama had sold 40 million records worldwide. That year, they released another greatest hits album, ''
The Very Best of Bananarama ''The Very Best of Bananarama'' is a greatest hits album by English group Bananarama, released on 15 October 2001 by Warner Strategic Marketing and London Records. It was released to celebrate the group's 20th anniversary, including their singles ...
'', in the UK. They also recorded the song "Love Him, Leave Him, Forget Him" for Sky TV's show ''
Is Harry on the Boat? ''Is Harry on the Boat?'' Is a 2001 British made-for-TV film, based on the lives of holiday reps in Ibiza. A television drama series then followed, airing on Sky One from 2002 to 2003. Background It is based on the book of the same name by Co ...
'' as well as the song "U R My Baby" for a German disco project. With Siobhan Fahey returning as a special guest for a performance of "Venus", the group celebrated the 20th anniversary of their first hit with a gig at
G-A-Y G-A-Y is a long-running gay nightclub, based at Heaven in Charing Cross, London. It started in 1976, and for many years was based at the London Astoria. History G-A-Y started in 1976 in the Sundown club in the basement of the London Astoria (l ...
at the
London Astoria The London Astoria was a music venue at 157 Charing Cross Road, in London, England. Originally a warehouse during the 1920s, the building became a cinema and ballroom. It was converted for use as a theatre in the 1970s. After further develop ...
, in front of an audience of 3,000 people. With 1980s retro in vogue, Bananarama made a comeback in the British dance charts in 2005. Solasso remixed their early hit "Really Saying Something." A video was filmed with models from '' Britain's Next Top Model'' TV show. In 2005, Dallin and Woodward collaborated with Swedish hit makers Murlyn, writing and recording in Sweden for 6 months to produce the album 'Drama'. The first single "Move in My Direction" reached #14. The second single "Look on the Floor (Hypnotic Tango)" entered and peaked at #26 on the UK charts. In the US on the Billboard Dance Chart, "Look on the Floor" peaked at #2 and "Move in My Direction" reached #14 in July 2006.


2006–2011: Remasters and ''Viva''

Summer 2006 saw the
Warner Bros. Records Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
release of ''
The Twelve Inches of Bananarama ''The Twelve Inches of Bananarama'' is a compilation album by English girl group Bananarama, released on 2 October 2006 by Warner Bros. Records. The collection contains twelve remixes of Bananarama songs, spanning the years 1982 to 1991, many ...
'', a compilation of twelve remixes on CD for the first time. The collection includes the rare George Michael remix of " Tripping on Your Love", among others. On 19 March 2007, Bananarama's first six studio albums were reissued by
Rhino Records A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species ...
on CD with bonus material, including alternative versions, remixes, and B-sides. On 7 May 2007, another best-of collection titled '' Greatest Hits and More More More'' was released by
Warner Bros. Records Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
. Dallin and Woodward performed a set along with other 1980s acts at ''Retro Fest'' on 1 September 2007 at
Culzean Castle Culzean Castle ( , see yogh; sco, Cullain) is a castle overlooking the Firth of Clyde, near Maybole, Carrick, in South Ayrshire, on the west coast of Scotland. It is the former home of the Marquess of Ailsa, the chief of Clan Kennedy, but is ...
in Ayrshire, Scotland. By February 2007, Bananarama were back in the studio recording new material. A cover version of "
Voyage Voyage "Voyage, voyage" () is a song by French singer Desireless, released as the first single from her debut studio album, ''François'' (1989). It was written by Jean-Michel Rivat and Dominique Dubois, and produced by the former. Sung entirely in Fr ...
" was performed at a concert in France. Bananarama also confirmed they were contributing vocals as guest artists on the song "Ultra Violet" (not to be confused with Bananarama's seventh album ''
Ultra Violet Ultraviolet (UV) is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelength from 10 nm (with a corresponding frequency around 30  PHz) to 400 nm (750  THz), shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays. UV radiation i ...
'') by new dance act Block Rocker, a teaming up of producers/remixers Digital Dog and Ashiva. However, the song never surfaced. In 2008, Bananarama appeared on the ''Here and Now Tour'' with other 1980s artists such as
Belinda Carlisle Belinda Jo Carlisle ( ; born August 17, 1958) is an American singer. She gained fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, the most successful all-female rock band of all time, and went on to have a prolific career as a solo artist. Raised in ...
,
Paul Young Paul Antony Young (born 17 January 1956) is an English musician, singer and songwriter. Formerly the frontman of the short-lived bands Kat Kool & the Kool Cats, Streetband and Q-Tips, he became a teen idol with his solo success in the 1980s. ...
,
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
, and
Rick Astley Richard Paul Astley (born 6 February 1966) is an English singer, songwriter and radio personality, who has been active in music for several decades. He gained worldwide fame in the 1980s, having multiple hits including his signature song " Ne ...
. They also planned to record a new album of disco cover versions and new songs. In August 2008, Bananarama were back in the studio recording a track with
Rev Run Joseph Ward Simmons (born November 14, 1964), better known by the stage name Run, Rev. Run or DJ Run, is an American rapper, producer, DJ and television personality. Simmons is one of the founding members of the influential hip hop group Ru ...
from
Run-D.M.C. Run-DMC (also spelled Run-D.M.C.) was an American hip hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York City, founded in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell. Run-DMC is regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of ...
who had a new album in the pipeline. He wanted to sample " Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" for his track but then decided to ask Dallin and Woodward to sing it instead. The title of the track was not confirmed but was to be credited as be "Run-D.M.C. featuring Bananarama". The song, 'Invincible', credited as Rev Run featuring Bananarama, did not surface until late 2014 on Rev Run's solo album ''Red Rhythm Rewind''. In June 2009, Bananarama performed at the Isle of Wight Festival. In August 2009, they performed at the 80s Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames alongside other '80s acts which included
Rick Astley Richard Paul Astley (born 6 February 1966) is an English singer, songwriter and radio personality, who has been active in music for several decades. He gained worldwide fame in the 1980s, having multiple hits including his signature song " Ne ...
,
Belinda Carlisle Belinda Jo Carlisle ( ; born August 17, 1958) is an American singer. She gained fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, the most successful all-female rock band of all time, and went on to have a prolific career as a solo artist. Raised in ...
, and Kim Wilde. The duo also performed at The Manchester Gay Pride Festival over the August Bank Holiday weekend. Bananarama released a new single entitled "
Love Comes "Love Comes" is a song recorded by British girl group Bananarama. It was released on 6 September 2009 as the lead single from their tenth studio album ''Viva (Bananarama album), Viva''. Song information "Love Comes" was released on 6 September ...
" (UK #44) and a new album '' Viva'' (UK #87) in September 2009. The album was produced by
Ian Masterson Ian Kenneth Masterson is a British media composer, electronic musician and pop producer. Biography Since the early 1990s, he has produced and remixed songs for a range of pop acts including Dannii Minogue, Geri Halliwell, Kylie Minogue, Girl ...
and released through Fascination Records. A second single was released from the album in April 2010, a new remix of the song " Love Don't Live Here" (UK #114) backed by Ian Masterson's 2010 reworking of the 1995 single " Every Shade of Blue" and "The Runner" (originally recorded by
The Three Degrees The Three Degrees is an American female vocal group formed circa 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Although 16 women have been members over the years, the group has always been a trio. The current line-up consists of Helen Scott, Valerie Holi ...
), remixed by Buzz Junkies. Other covers recorded during this period included Bryan Adams' "Run To You", Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence", and Bryan Ferry's "Tokyo Joe". These were included as B-sides to the released singles and as bonus digital tracks to the parent album. In September 2010, Bananarama were back in the studio with producer Ian Masterson, and recorded a Christmas song titled " Baby It's Christmas" (UK #199). The track was written by Dallin and Masterson and was released on 13 December in the UK and Europe as a digital EP. The track was also included on a US digital Christmas compilation entitled ''Super Dance Christmas Party, Volume 3''. "Baby It's Christmas" reached #19 on the UK Indie Singles chart and #199 on the main UK Singles Chart. In April 2011, Bananarama appeared on ITV's hit comedy '' Benidorm'' and performed " Love in the First Degree", " Robert De Niro's Waiting...", and " Movin' On". In October 2011, Bananarama performed at ''Retrolicious 2011'' in Singapore, together with
The Human League The Human League are an English synth-pop band formed in Sheffield in 1977. Initially an experimental electronic outfit, the group signed to Virgin Records in 1979 and later attained widespread commercial success with their third album ''Dare' ...
and
Belinda Carlisle Belinda Jo Carlisle ( ; born August 17, 1958) is an American singer. She gained fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, the most successful all-female rock band of all time, and went on to have a prolific career as a solo artist. Raised in ...
. Dallin and Woodward continued to perform live since 2002, with highlights including headlining the festival of the
Handover of Hong Kong Sovereignty of Hong Kong was transferred from the United Kingdom to the China, People's Republic of China (PRC) at midnight on 1 July 1997. This event ended 156 years of British rule in the British Hong Kong, former colony. Hong Kong was establ ...
, The Isle of Wight Festival, and the Singapore Grand Prix. In 2012, they embarked upon a 10-date USA tour for the Pinktober Hard Rock charity and released and EP 'Now or Never'. In 2016, they played a sell-out tour of Australia and as well as dates in Japan.


2012–2016: ''30 Years of Bananarama'' and ''Now or Never''

On 9 July 2012, Warner Music imprint
Rhino Records A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species ...
released a greatest hits CD and DVD Collection '' 30 Years of Bananarama'' to celebrate the band's 30th anniversary. The album charted at #62 on the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...
. On 9 August 2012, the band performed at the men's final of the beach volleyball at the London Olympics. They performed a medley of " Cruel Summer", " Love in the First Degree" and "
Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never fa ...
". On 28 October 2013, Bananarama's first six albums '' Deep Sea Skiving'', ''
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. T ...
'', '' True Confessions'', ''
Wow! WideOpenWest (doing business as WOW!) is the sixth largest cable operator in the United States with their network passing 3,248,600 homes and businesses. The company offers landline telephone, cable television, and broadband Internet services ...
'', '' Pop Life'' and ''
Please Yourself ''Please Yourself'' is the sixth studio album by English pop act Bananarama. It was released on 29 March 1993 by London Records, the group's last release under the label. It is also the first album from Bananarama as a duo – with original m ...
'' were reissued by Edsel Records, each of them consisting of Deluxe 2CDs plus DVD. Bananarama are also confirmed to perform in 2014 at Let's Rock Bristol! (7 June), Let's Rock Leeds! (21 June) and Let's Rock Southampton! (12 July). On 9 November 2013, Bananarama revealed on the BBC show ''
Pointless Celebrities ''Pointless'' is a British television quiz show produced by Banijay subsidiary Remarkable Television for the BBC. It is hosted by Alexander Armstrong. In each episode four teams of two contestants attempt to find correct but obscure answers t ...
'' that they were recording a new album in Nashville and that it would be influenced by country and pop. In March 2015, Edsel Records released '' Megarama'', a 3 CD collection of remixes that was followed in August with a 33 CD singles collection box set entitled '' In A Bunch'', which contains all single releases from " Aie a Mwana" right through to "
More, More, More "More, More, More" is a song written by Gregg Diamond and recorded by American artist Andrea True (credited to her recording project Andrea True Connection). It was released in February 1976 as the first single from her debut album by same nam ...
". In 2016, Bananarama toured Australia in February and showcased their new song "Got to Get Away". On 9 March 2016, Sara confirmed on her Twitter page that Bananarama had signed a new deal with BMG. In November 2016, an excerpt of a song with the working title "Looking For Someone" was posted on the official Twitter page of the band. In December 2016, '' Billboard'' magazine ranked them the 94th most successful dance artist of all time.


2017–present: Original line-up tour, ''In Stereo'', ''Really Saying Something'' and ''Masquerade''

On 23 April 2017 Fahey rejoined Bananarama. The Original Line-up Tour saw them perform 23 sell-out dates across the UK in November and December 2017. They performed many of their hits such as " Nathan Jones", " Robert De Niro's Waiting...", " Cruel Summer", "
Really Saying Something "He Was Really Sayin' Somethin' is a soul song written by Motown songwriters Norman Whitfield, William "Mickey" Stevenson, and Edward Holland, Jr. in 1964. The song is notable in both a 1964 version by American Motown girl group the Velvelet ...
", "
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 i ...
", " I Can't Help It", "
Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never fa ...
", and " Love in the First Degree" as well as the
Shakespears Sister Shakespears Sister is an alternative pop and rock musical duo based in the United Kingdom that was formed in 1988 by singer-songwriter Siobhan Fahey, a former member of Bananarama. Shakespears Sister was initially a solo act, but became a duo ...
hit "
Stay Stay may refer to: Places * Stay, Kentucky, an unincorporated community in the US Law * Stay of execution, a ruling to temporarily suspend the enforcement of a court judgment * Stay of proceedings, a ruling halting further legal process in a tri ...
". In February 2018, they played four dates in North America: Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York in the United States; and Toronto in Canada. Their performances at London's Eventim Apollo
Hammersmith Theatre The Lyric Theatre, also known as the Lyric Hammersmith, is a theatre on Lyric Square, off King Street, Hammersmith, London.
and
Newcastle City Hall The Newcastle City Hall (currently known as O2 City Hall Newcastle for sponsorship reasons) is a concert hall located in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It has hosted many popular music and classical artists throughout the years, as well as stan ...
were released on CD, DVD, and Blu-Ray through
PledgeMusic PledgeMusic was an online direct-to-fan music platform, launched in August 2009. It was started to facilitate musicians looking to pre-sell, market, and distribute projects; such as recordings and concerts. It bore similarities to other artist p ...
in July 2018. Their final dates as a trio were in August 2018. In November 2018, Bananarama's first six London albums, '' Deep Sea Skiving'', ''
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. T ...
'', '' True Confessions'', ''
Wow! WideOpenWest (doing business as WOW!) is the sixth largest cable operator in the United States with their network passing 3,248,600 homes and businesses. The company offers landline telephone, cable television, and broadband Internet services ...
'', '' Pop Life'', and ''
Please Yourself ''Please Yourself'' is the sixth studio album by English pop act Bananarama. It was released on 29 March 1993 by London Records, the group's last release under the label. It is also the first album from Bananarama as a duo – with original m ...
'' were released as coloured vinyl and limited-edition cassettes. On 22 December 2018, Dallin and Woodward again appeared as contestants on the Christmas Special of the game show ''Pointless Celebrities'', which featured musical acts with Christmas number one hits. Dallin and Woodward (who had Christmas number ones with the original Band Aid and Band Aid II) won the episode, winning the £2,500 jackpot for their charities of choice. On 19 April 2019, Dallin and Woodward released their new album '' In Stereo'' (UK #29). The first track from the album that served as a taster was "Dance Music", followed by the first official single "Stuff Like That", which was released on 7 March. An accompanying video to the single was directed by Andy Morahan, who had also directed the videos for many former singles from "
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 i ...
" to "
Preacher Man "Preacher Man" is a song recorded by English girl group Bananarama. It appears on the group's fifth studio album, '' Pop Life'' (1991), and was released as the album's second single. The track was co-written and produced by Youth with additio ...
". On 30 March the album track "Looking for Someone" premiered on ''The
Graham Norton Graham William Walker (born 4 April 1963), better known by his stage name Graham Norton, is an Irish actor, author, comedian, commentator, and presenter. Well known for his work in the UK, he is a five-time BAFTA TV Award winner for his comed ...
Show'' on BBC Radio 2 and was released as the second single from ''In Stereo''. The album was supported by a five-date promo tour in the UK, which later that year was released as a live album entitled ''Live in Stereo''. On 29 October 2020, Dallin and Woodward released their autobiography, entitled ''Really Saying Something''. On 29 April 2022, Dallin and Woodward released the taster track "Favourite" from their twelfth album '' Masquerade'', which was released on 22 July 2022. On 15 June 2022, the album title track "Masquerade" was released as the first official single, and its music video followed two days later. A second taster track entitled "Velvet Lies" followed on 18 July 2022. On 12 August 2022, "Forever Young" was released as the official second single. On 14 October 2022, "Running With The Night" was released as the official third single.


Awards and nominations

{, class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" , - ! scope="col" , Award ! scope="col" , Year ! scope="col" , Category ! scope="col" , Nominee(s) ! scope="col" , Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable", , - ! scope="row" rowspan=10, Billboard Music Awards , rowspan=6, 1986 , Top Hot 100 Artist , rowspan=3, Themselves , , rowspan=6, , - , Top Dance Club Play Artist , , - , Top Dance Sales Artist , , - , Top Hot 100 Song , rowspan=3, "
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" , , - , Top Dance Club Play Single , , - , Top Dance Sales Single , , - , rowspan=4, 1987 , Top Hot 100 Artist , rowspan=2, Themselves , , rowspan=4, , - , Top Dance Club Play Artist , , - , Top Hot 100 Song , rowspan=2, "
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 i ...
" , , - , Top Dance Club Play Single , , - ! scope="row" rowspan=2,
Brit Awards The BRIT Awards (often simply called the BRITs) are the British Phonographic Industry's annual popular music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain", or "Britannia" (in the early days the awards were sponsored ...
, 1988 , British Single of the Year , " Love in the First Degree" , , , - , 1989 ,
British Video of the Year The Brit Award for British Video of the Year was an award given by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), an organisation which represents record companies and artists in the United Kingdom. The accolade is presented at the Brit Awards, an annua ...
, " Nathan Jones" , , , - ! scope="row" rowspan=2, Classic Pop Readers' Awards , 2018 , Group of the Year , Themselves , , , - , 2020 , Album of the Year , '' In Stereo'' , , , - ! scope="row" rowspan=2,
International Dance Music Awards The International Dance Music Awards or IDMAs is an annual awards ceremony held in Miami Beach, Florida, United States as a major part of the Winter Music Conference. The awards have been held every year since the conference's creation in 1985 e ...
, rowspan=2, 2007 , Best HiNRG/Euro Dance Track , rowspan=2, " Look on the Floor" , , rowspan=2, , - , Best Dance Music Video , , - ! scope="row",
Smash Hits Poll Winners Party The Smash Hits Poll Winners Party was a British awards ceremony which ran from 1979 (as the Smash Hits Readers' Poll) to 2005. Each award winner was voted by readers of the '' Smash Hits'' magazine. It ended with the closure of the magazine in F ...
, 1989 , Best Group , Themselves , ,


Members


Current members

*
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 includ ...
* Keren Woodward


Former members

*
Siobhan Fahey Siobhan Maire Fahey (; born 10 September 1958) is an Irish singer whose vocal range is a light contralto. She was a founding member of the group Bananarama, who have had ten top-10 hits including the US number one hit single "Venus". She later ...
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Jacquie O'Sullivan Jacquie O'Sullivan (born 7 August 1960)'' Smash Hits'', 1988. Personal File: Jacqui O'Sullivan, p. 11 is an English singer and songwriter, best known as a member of the pop group Bananarama from 1988 until 1991, replacing Siobhan Fahey, wh ...


Timeline

ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:30 PlotArea = left:110 bottom:55 top:05 right:05 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1980 till:31/12/2022 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom ScaleMajor = increment:3 start:01/01/1980 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:01/01/1980 Colors = id:Sara value:Blue id:Keren value:Purple id:Siobhan value:Green id:Jacquie value:Yellow id:album value:black legend:Studio_album id:other value:gray(0.7) legend:Other_significant_release LineData = layer:back at:07/03/1983 color:album at:21/04/1984 color:album at:12/07/1986 color:album at:04/09/1987 color:album at:18/05/1991 color:album at:03/04/1993 color:album at:27/05/1995 color:album at:12/03/2001 color:album at:14/11/2005 color:album at:14/09/2009 color:album at:19/04/2019 color:album at:25/09/2012 color:other at:14/10/1988 color:other BarData = bar:Sara text:"Sara Dallin" bar:Keren text:"Keren Woodward" bar:Siobhan text:"Siobhan Fahey" bar:Jacquie text:"Jacquie O'Sullivan" PlotData= width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(11,-4) bar:Sara from:01/01/1980 till:end color:Sara width:11 bar:Keren from:01/01/1980 till:end color:Keren width:11 bar:Siobhan from:01/01/1980 till:01/01/1988 color:Siobhan width:11 bar:Siobhan from:23/04/2017 till:01/08/2018 color:Siobhan width:11 bar:Jacquie from:01/03/1988 till:31/12/1991 color:Jacquie width:11


Discography


Studio albums

*'' Deep Sea Skiving'' (1983) *''
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. T ...
'' (1984) *'' True Confessions'' (1986) *''
Wow! WideOpenWest (doing business as WOW!) is the sixth largest cable operator in the United States with their network passing 3,248,600 homes and businesses. The company offers landline telephone, cable television, and broadband Internet services ...
'' (1987) *'' Pop Life'' (1991) *''
Please Yourself ''Please Yourself'' is the sixth studio album by English pop act Bananarama. It was released on 29 March 1993 by London Records, the group's last release under the label. It is also the first album from Bananarama as a duo – with original m ...
'' (1993) *''
Ultra Violet Ultraviolet (UV) is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelength from 10 nm (with a corresponding frequency around 30  PHz) to 400 nm (750  THz), shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays. UV radiation i ...
'' (1995) *''
Exotica Exotica is a musical genre, named after the 1957 Martin Denny Exotica (Martin Denny album), album of the same name that was popular during the 1950s to mid-1960s with Americans who came of age during World War II. The term was coined by Simon Wa ...
'' (2001) *''
Drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...
'' (2005) *'' Viva'' (2009) *'' In Stereo'' (2019) *'' Masquerade'' (2022)


Concert tours

* Lovekids Tour (1988) * Bananarama World Tour (1989) * Ultra Violet/Dance Mix 95 Tour (1995–1996) * Bananarama Australian Tour (1997) * Bananarama & Culture Club UK Tour (1999) * Drama Tour (2005–2006) *
Here and Now Tour The Here and Now Tour is a series of concert tours, which began in 2001, featuring groups and singers famous in the 1980s. The Tour takes in arenas and theatres around the UK and still runs today. The tours are organised by Tony Denton Promotions. ...
(2007–2009) * Viva Tour (2009–2010) * The Bananarama USA Tour (2012) * Europe Tour (2014–2015) * The 2016 Australian Tour (2016) * The Original Line Up UK Tour (2017) * The Original Line Up North America and European Tour (2018) * The 2019 Australian Tour (2019) * In Stereo UK Tour (2019)


List of all record labels

* London Records (UK, USA, and Canada, 1981–1993) * ZYX Records (Germany, 1994–1996) * avex trax (Japan, 1995 / Taiwan, 2006) *
Quality Records Quality Records was a Canadian entertainment company which released music albums in Canada on behalf of American record labels. They also released recordings by Canadian artists. The company operated between 1950 and 1985 with offices in Toron ...
(Canada, 1995) * Mega Records (Denmark, 1995) * DigIt International (Italy, 1995) *
Festival Records Festival Records (later known as Festival Mushroom Records) was an Australian recording and publishing company founded in Sydney, Australia, in 1952 and operated until 2005. Festival was a wholly owned subsidiary of News Limited from 1961 to ...
(Australia, 1995) * Popular Records (Canada 1996) * Curb Records (USA,1996) * M6 Interactions (France, 2000) * A&G Productions (UK, 2004–2006) * The Lab (USA, 2006) *
True North Records True North Records is a Canadian independent record label. History True North Records was founded in Mississauga, Ontario in 1969 by Bernie Finkelstein. By 1971, True North was producing albums for various Canadian musicians, including Bruce ...
(Canada, 2006) * Edel Company (Germany, 2006) * EQ Music (Singapore and Malaysia, 2005) * Phantom Imports (Hong Kong, 2006) * Central Station (Australia, 2005) *
Pony Canyon , also known by the shorthand form , is a Japanese mass media publishing company founded on October 1, 1966. The company publishes mainly physical home media on compact discs, including music, films and TV shows and video games. It is affi ...
(Japan, 2006) *
Universal Records Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
(Philippines, 2005) *
Blanco y Negro Records Blanco y Negro Records ( Spanish: "White and Black"), a subsidiary of WEA Records Ltd., was established in 1983 by Geoff Travis of Rough Trade Records and Mike Alway of él Records. Michel Duval of Les Disques du Crépuscule was also involv ...
(Spain,1995–2006) * Megaliner Records (Russia, 2005) * Nice Records (France, 2007) *
Fascination Records Fascination Records is a United Kingdom-based record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as an imprint of Polydor Records. The label was launched in spring of 2006, and is managed by former TOTP Magazine editor Peter Loraine ...
(UK, 2009–2010) * BMG (UK, 2016–19) * Absolute Label Services (UK, 2019–)


See also

*
Girl group A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups, many of who ...
*
List of best-selling girl groups A girl group is a popular music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. Girl groups have been popular at least since the heyday of the Boswell Sisters beginning in the 1930s, but the term "girl group" also denot ...


References


External links


Bananarama official websiteBananarama Community
{{Authority control Musical groups established in 1981 British new wave girl groups British Eurodance groups English pop music duos Dance-pop groups Deram Records artists English dance music groups British Hi-NRG groups English new wave musical groups English dance girl groups English pop girl groups London Records artists British musical trios Musical groups from London Polydor Records artists ZYX Music artists Female musical duos Second British Invasion artists