''Wow!'' (stylised in

all caps In typography, all caps (short for "all capitals") refers to text or a font in which all letters are capital letters, for example: "THIS TEXT IS IN ALL CAPS". All caps may be used for emphasis (for a word or phrase). They are commonly seen in ...

) is the fourth studio album by English 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 on 4 September 1987 by

London Records London Recordings (or London Records and London Music Stream) is a British record label that marketed records in the United States, Canada, and Latin America for Decca Records from 1947 to 1980 before becoming semi-independent. The London nam ...

. The album was entirely produced and co-written with the

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 considered ...

production trio. Tensions between group member

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 Stock, Aitken and Waterman regarding songwriting input and lyrical content (particularly with the track "Strike It Rich") prompted Fahey's departure from Bananarama five months after its release. The group's sound successfully shifted towards dance-oriented Europop under the direction of

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 Waterm ...

, 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 outside of suggesting song titles. By the time the album's fourth single, "I Want You Back", was released in March 1988, Fahey had been replaced with

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 ...

, who re-recorded the vocals for the single version of the song. Fahey would resurface later in 1988 with her new band,

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 ...

. The album reached number 26 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 ...

and number 44 on the US ''Billboard'' 200, while peaking at number one in Australia. The album was certified gold by the

British Phonographic Industry British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with th ...

(BPI) on 3 February 1988. ''Wow!'' was reissued in 2013 as a three-disc deluxe edition, including "Reason for Living", which is an early version of "I Want You Back".

Track listing

All songs written by

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 ...

, Mike Stock,

and

, except where noted. LP version #" I Can't Help It" – 3:32 #"

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 ...

" – 3:25 #"Some Girls" – 4:19 #" Love in the First Degree" – 3:33 #"Once in a Lifetime" – 4:05 #"Strike It Rich" – 3:25 #"Bad for Me" – 3:39 #"Come Back" – 3:40 (Richard Feldman, Nick Trevisick) #" Nathan Jones" – 5:12 (

Kathy Wakefield Kathleen Wakefield (also Kathy Wakefield) is an American songwriter, singer and fiction author known for co-writing The Supremes' hit single " Nathan Jones" that was released by Motown and used as a soundtrack for the film ''Rain Man'' and for c ...

Leonard Caston Leonard "Baby Doo" Caston (June 2, 1917 – August 22, 1987) was an American blues pianist and guitarist. He is best noted for the tracks "Blues at Midnight" and "I'm Gonna Walk Your Log". Life and career Leonard Caston Sr. was born in S ...

) #"

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 ...

" – 3:53 CD and cassette version #" I Can't Help It" – 3:32 #"

" – 3:25 #"Some Girls" (12" Version) – 5:47 #" Love in the First Degree" – 3:33 #"Once in a Lifetime" – 4:05 #"Strike It Rich" (12" Version) – 6:01 #"Bad for Me" – 3:39 #"Come Back" – 3:40 (Richard Feldman, Nick Trevisick) #" Nathan Jones" – 5:12 (Kathy Wakefield, Leonard Caston) #"

" – 3:53 Australian CD version (CDLIB5146) #" I Can't Help It" – 3:32 #"

" – 3:47 (Single Mix, unreferenced with no mention to O'Sullivan) #"Some Girls" (12" Version) – 5:47 #"Strike It Rich" (12" Version) – 6:01 #" The Bananarama Mega-Mix" – 7:31 Limited double vinyl edition #" I Can't Help It" – 3:32 #"

" – 3:53 #" The Bananarama Mega-Mix" – 7:26 #"Mr. Sleaze" (Rare Groove Remix) #"Ecstasy" (Wild Style) – 5:37 2007 CD re-issue plus bonus tracks #" I Can't Help It" – 3:32 #"

" – 3:25 #"Some Girls" – 4:21 #" Love in the First Degree" – 3:33 #"Once in a Lifetime" – 4:05 #"Strike it Rich" – 2:18 #"Bad for Me" – 3:39 #"Come Back" – 3:40 (Richard Belman, Nick Trevisick) #" Nathan Jones" – 5:12 (Kathy Wakefield, Leonard Caston) #"

" – 3:53 #"Clean Cut Boy" (Party Size) – 4:39 (Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward, Ian Curnow) #"Mr. Sleaze" – 4:44 #"Ecstasy" (Wild Style) – 5:37 #" Nathan Jones" (Psycho 7-inch edit) – 3:03 (Kathy Wakefield, Leonard Caston) #"

" (Single Version) – 3:47 #"Amnesia" (Theme from ''The Roxy'') – 6:28 (Mike Stock, Matt Aitken, Pete Waterman) #" Nathan Jones" (Single Version) – 3:18 (Kathy Wakefield, Leonard Caston) 2013 Deluxe Edition 2CD/DVD re-issue Disc 1 #" I Can't Help It" – 3:32 #"

" – 3:25 #"Some Girls" – 4:19 #" Love in the First Degree" – 3:33 #"Once in a Lifetime" – 4:05 #"Strike It Rich" – 3:25 #"Bad for Me" – 3:39 #"Come Back" – 3:40 (Richard Belman, Nick Trevisick) #" Nathan Jones (Bass Tone Mix)" – 5:34 (

) #"

" – 3:53 #"Clean Cut Boy arty Size - 4.43 #"Mr Sleaze" - 4.49 #"Ecstasy" - 4.11 #"Amnesia" 2” Extended Version- 6.26 #"

" oroscope Mix- 5.57 #" Love in the First Degree" ailers Mix With Intro- 6.19 #" I Can't Help It" xtended Club Mix- 8.03 Disc 2 #" Love in the First Degree"

ove In The House Mix Ove or OVE may refer to *Ove (given name) *Ové, a surname *Ove Peak in Antarctica *''A Man Called Ove (novel)'', a novel by Fredrik Backman *'' A Man Called Ove'', a 2015 Swedish film based on the novel *Danish Organisation for Renewable Energy (O ...

- 8.33 #"

ouse Mix Ouse may refer to: Places Rivers in England * River Ouse, Yorkshire * River Ouse, Sussex * River Great Ouse, Northamptonshire and East Anglia ** River Little Ouse, a tributary of the River Great Ouse Other places * Ouse, Tasmania, a town in Au ...

- 7.22 #" I Can't Help It" he Hammond Version Excursion- 6.33 #" Reason for Living" 2" Master- 6.08 #"Some Girls" 2” Version- 5.46 #"Strike It Rich" 2” Version- 5.59 #"

" riginal 12" Mix- 7.06 #" Nathan Jones" riginal 12” Mix- 5.45 #"

" riginal 12” Mix- 7.18 #"Ecstasy" hicago House Stylee- 5.57 #"

" ub- 5.18 #"Mr Sleaze" are Groove Remix- 6.02 DVD #"

" #" Love in the First Degree" #"Mr Sleaze" #" I Can't Help It" #"

" #"

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 ...

" #" Nathan Jones" #"

Help! ''Help!'' is the fifth studio album by the English Rock music, rock band the Beatles and the soundtrack to their Help! (film), film of the same name. It was released on 6 August 1965. Seven of the fourteen songs, including the singles "Help! ( ...

" #" I Can't Help It" 2” Version#"

" lternative Version#"

" n 'Top Of The Pops'#"

" n 'Going Live'#"

" n 'Top Of The Pops'#" Nathan Jones" n 'Wogan' Notes on "Some Girls" and "Strike It Rich" *The original LP release of the album included album versions of both songs (respectively 4:19 and 3:25). *The original CD included 12-inch versions (respectively 5:47 and 6:00). *The 2007 re-issue of ''Wow!'' contains the album version of "Some Girls" and contains the shortened faded version of "Strike it Rich" (12" Version) from the "Love, Truth & Honesty – The Remixes" 12" Single – 2:18.

Personnel

Bananarama *

– vocals *

– vocals Musicians * Mike Stock – keyboards and Linn programmes *

– guitar, keyboards and Linn programmes *John O'Hara – keyboards *A. Linn – drums *

– additional drum patterns *Ian Curnow – Fairlight programming ;Technical *Pete Hammond – mixer * Phil Harding – assistant mixer * Mark McGuire - engineer *Burni Adams - tape operator *Freddy Bastone – mixer on " Nathan Jones" Additional personnel *Hillary Shaw – manager *Peter Barrett – sleeve design *Andrew Biscomb – sleeve design * Andy Earl – photography *Carrie Branovan – additional photography *

Herb Ritts Herbert Ritts Jr. (August 13, 1952December 26, 2002) was an American fashion photographer and director known for his photographs of celebrities, models, and other cultural figures throughout the 1980s and 1990s. His work concentrated on black a ...

- Gatefold sleeve photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end chart

Certifications

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wow! (Bananarama Album) 1987 albums Albums produced by Stock Aitken Waterman Bananarama albums London Records albums