''Deep Sea Skiving'' is the debut studio album by British vocal group

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. Thei ...

, released in 1983. The album peaked at number seven on the UK Albums Chart and was certified Silver by the BPI. The inner-sleeve of the vinyl release contained numerous photos of the group, several of them in childhood. These pictures were reproduced in the 2013 Deluxe Edition CD/DVD re-issue. On 19 March 2007, Bananarama's first six studio albums (including ''Deep Sea Skiving'') were re-issued 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 o ...

. All tracks on ''Deep Sea Skiving'' were remastered and it included several bonus tracks, consisting of B-sides, remixes and a

cover Cover or covers may refer to: Packaging * Another name for a lid * Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package * Album cover, the front of the packaging * Book cover or magazine cover ** Book design ** Back cover copy, part of co ...

of the

Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...

song "No Feelings".

Background and recording

Two of the album's tracks, " Really Saying Something" and "

Aie a Mwana "Aie a Mwana" is a song originally written by the French-Belgian writing and production team of Daniel Vangarde and Jean Kluger. It was first recorded in 1971 under the title "Aieaoa" on the album ''Le Monde fabuleux des Yamasuki''. In 1975, a v ...

", were drawn from previously recorded singles. Bananarama recorded three tracks (" Shy Boy", "

Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye) "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" is a 1969 song written and recorded by Paul Leka, Gary DeCarlo and Dale Frashuer, attributed to a then-fictitious band they named " Steam". It was released under the Mercury subsidiary label Fontana and became ...

", and "Boy Trouble") with Jolley & Swain producing, but dismissed the duo in the middle of the album's recording and recruited

Barry Blue Barry Blue (born Barry Ian Green, 4 December 1950) is an English singer, producer, and songwriter. As an artist, he is best known for his hit songs "Dancin' (on a Saturday Night)" and "Do You Wanna Dance" (both 1973). Blue has also been a pro ...

to produce the rest of the album.

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 ...

explained, " olley & Swainwanted us to do their songs, not ours. They wanted a 1980s version of the old girl groups, disembodied voices. They didn't see us as voices with ideas." Despite this, Jolley & Swain would be brought back as producers for Bananarama's next two albums.

Track listing

Standard edition #" Shy Boy" – 3:16 (

Steve Jolley Steve Jolley (born October 15, 1975) is a retired American soccer defender, who spent ten seasons in Major League Soccer and one in the Premier Development League. Today, Jolley provides color commentary for the New York Red Bull’s games on ...

, Tony Swain) produced by Steve Jolley and Tony Swain #"Doctor Love" – 3:42 ( Paul Weller) produced by Barry Blue #"What a Shambles" – 3:34 (

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 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 "Ven ...

, Terry Sharpe) produced by Barry Blue #" Really Saying Something" – 2:45 ( Norman Whitfield, William "Mickey" Stevenson,

Edward Holland Jr. Edward Holland Jr. (born October 30, 1939) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Holland was born in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Although he was an early Motown artist who recorded minor hit singles such as "Jamie", he ...

) produced by Dave Jordan #" Cheers Then" – 3:31 (Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward, Terry Sharpe, John Martin) produced by Barry Blue #"

" – 3:36 ( Jean Kluger,

Daniel Vangarde Daniel Bangalter (, born 1947), known in his musical career as Daniel Vangarde, is a French songwriter and producer. He co-wrote and produced a number of hit records in the 1970s, including " Aie a Mwana", "D.I.S.C.O." (recorded by Ottawan), and ...

, Joseph Avion) produced by Big John Martin and Little Paul Cook, remixed by John Luongo #" Young at Heart" – 3:13 (Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward, Robert Hodgens) produced by Barry Blue; piano arranged by John Martin #"

" – 3:30 (Gary DeCarlo, Dale Frashuer, Paul Leka) produced by Steve Jolley and Tony Swain #"Hey Young London" – 3:55 (

, Stan Shaw, Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward) produced by Barry Blue #"Boy Trouble" – 3:14 (Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward) produced by Steve Jolley and Tony Swain #"Wish You Were Here" – 3:41 (Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward) produced by Barry Blue (Note : the original US LP omits "Aie a Mwana", and has a slightly altered running order.) Japanese version #

" He's Got Tact" – 2:57 (Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward) 2007 CD re-issue bonus tracks #

"Give Us Back Our Cheap Fares" – 4:24 (Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward, Vaughn Cotillard) #"Girl About Town" – 3:28 (Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward) #" He's Got Tact" – 2:57 (Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward) #"Tell Tale Signs" – 3:08 (Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward) #"No Feelings" – 2:33 ( Paul Cook,

Steve Jones Steve or Steven Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Steve Jones (English presenter) (born 1945), English musician, disk jockey, television presenter, and voice-over artist *Steve Jones (musician) (born 1955), English rock and roll guita ...

, Glen Matlock, Johnny Rotten) Notes *The version of "Give Us Back Our Cheap Fares" used is the Extended Version. *The version of "Girl About Town" used is a slightly longer version with an additional 4 bars just before the instrumental break (roughly 1:45 – 1:59) than the original vinyl 7" version (3:10). 2013 Deluxe Edition CD/DVD re-issue Disc 1 #

" He's Got Tact" – 2:59 #"Girl About Town" – 3:13 #"Tell Tale Signs" – 3:15 #"No Feelings" – 2:33 #"

" (Extended Version) – 5:45 #" Really Saying Something" (Extended Version) – 5:39 #" Shy Boy" (12" Mix) – 5:50 #" Cheers Then" (Extended Version) – 5:18 #"

" (12" Version) – 4:52 Disc 2 #"

" (7" Version) – 3:48 #" Really Saying Something" (U.S. 7" Mix) – 3:46 #" Shy Boy" (U.S. 7" Mix) – 3:35 #"No Feelings" (Alternative Mix) 2:35 #"Give Us Back Our Cheap Fares" – 2:45 #"Boy Trouble" (Extended Version) – 4:20 #"Girl About Town" (Extended Version) – 5:31 #"Tell Tale Signs" (Extended Version) – 4:45 #"

" (U.S. Extended Version) – 6:45 #" Really Saying Something" (U.S. Extended Version) – 7:54 #" Shy Boy" (U.S. Extended Version) – 7:20 #"Give Us Back Our Cheap Fares" (Extended Version) – 4:23 #"

" (U.S. Dub) – 4:38 #" Shy Boy" (U.S. Dub) – 9:23 #"

(Na Dub Hey) – 4:12 #"

" (Dubwana) – 3:40 DVD #"Really Saying Something" – Directed by

Midge Ure James Ure (born 10 October 1953) is a Scottish musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. His stage name, Midge, is a phonetic reversal of Jim, the diminutive form of his actual name. Ure enjoyed particular success in the 1970s and 1980s ...

Chris Cross Chris Cross (born Christopher Thomas Allen, 14 July 1952, Tottenham, London) is an English musician, best known as the bass guitarist in the new wave band Ultravox. Biography Early years Cross went to Belmont Secondary Modern School, ...

#"Shy Boy" – Directed by Midge Ure & Chris Cross #"Cheers Then" – Directed by Keith "Keef" MacMillan #"Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)" – Directed by Keith "Keef" MacMillan #"Really Saying Something" – performance on ''

Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British Record chart, music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show ...

'' #"Shy Boy" – performance on ''6.55 Special'' #"Boy Trouble" – performance on ''6.55 Special'' #"Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)" – performance on ''

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Personnel

;Bananarama *

–

lead vocals The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...

and

backing vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are use ...

, fretless bass on " Shy Boy" and electric bass on some other tracks *

– lead vocals and backing vocals,

electric guitar An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gui ...

synthesizers A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and ...

and drum machine *

– lead vocals and backing vocals, bass ;Technical *

John Mackswith John Anthony Mackswith (born 1948, Islington, London) is an English sound engineer. Since the late 1960s, he has engineered the recordings of an array of notable performers at Landsdowne Studios & Utopia Studios in London and at various studios ...

, Squid Palmer – engineer *Peter Barrett – design *Bay Hippisley – photography

Charts

References

{{Authority control Bananarama albums 1983 debut albums Albums produced by Jolley & Swain London Records albums