Bananarama

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  • Artist: Bananarama
  • Rating: StarStarStarStar
  • Release Date: 1984 05
  • Total Time: 34:14
  • Genre: Rock

Review

For their second album, Bananarama underwent a telling change in persona, from the flyaway-haired, overall-clad everygirls of Deep Sea Skiving into a sleeker and glammier look. Similarly, the album has a much more polished feel than the occasionally scattershot debut, which is not always a good thing; sticking with Tony Swain and Steve Jolley to produce the whole thing (the duo had shared production duties with three others on the debut), Bananarama traded their early tropical-tinged playfulness and ironic overtones for a more commercial sound that scored well on the charts (the terrific opener "Cruel Summer" was a worldwide hit, and several other tracks were U.K. hits) but was less unique than before. What's most unusual about Bananarama is the content of the songs. Lyrically, the album is surprisingly serious, with topics ranging from sectarian violence in Ireland ("Rough Justice") to domestic violence ("King of the Jungle") to drug use ("Hot Line to Heaven"), none of which are in keeping with the trio's frothy image. Indeed, under the singalong chorus, the album's best track, "Robert de Niro's Waiting," turns out to be the traumatized musings of a teenage rape victim, set to an improbably dreamy, carefree melody. Even comparatively light songs like "State I'm In" and "Dream Baby" have an oddly paranoid tone to them. Of course, the detour into mature themes didn't last long, as the group's next album introduced the chart-bound frivolity of Stock-Aitken-Waterman into the picture, but Bananarama in an intriguing and often excellent side trip. Important discographical curiosity: original U.S. copies of Bananarama included an extended seven-minute take of "Hot Line to Heaven." After the fall 1984 release of the single "The Wild Life" (the theme to Cameron Crowe's second movie), U.S. copies of Bananarama were altered to include the new single at the start of side two, followed by the superior single edit of "Hot Line to Heaven." ~ Stewart Mason, Rovi

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Wikipedia on Answers.com:

Bananarama (album)

Top
Bananarama
Studio album by Bananarama
Released April 1984
Recorded April 1983 - February 1984
Genre Pop, New Wave
Length 34:14
Label London
Producer Tony Swain, Steve Jolley
Bananarama chronology
Deep Sea Skiving
(1983)
Bananarama
(1984)
True Confessions
(1986)

Bananarama is the second album released by the British girl group Bananarama. Released in 1984, the album peaked at no.16 on the UK album chart and was certified Silver by the BPI.

The group continued their association with producers Jolley & Swain (who had produced some tracks on their debut album, Deep Sea Skiving). With this album, Bananarama had their first significant U.S. success with the single "Cruel Summer", which became a top ten hit there (the song had also been a top 10 hit in the UK in 1983). Further hits from the album included "Robert De Niro's Waiting..." (UK #3) and "Rough Justice" (UK #23). The track "Hot Line to Heaven" was also released as a single in the UK but failed to reach the top 40.

The original vinyl release came in an embossed sleeve and included a poster which, as well as the album lyrics and a photo of each member of the group, contained the message: "Well, a year is a long time, people change & maybe we have too – hopefully for the better! Anyway here are results of our hard work over the past twelve months. This is for you – we hope you like it. Best Wishes, love Keren X, All the best, love Sarah x, and Lots of love, Siobhan xx".

The album was dedicated to the memory of their friend Thomas ‘Kidso’ Reilly, who had recently been killed in Belfast.[citation needed]

On March 19, 2007, Bananarama's first six studio albums were re-issued by Rhino Records. All re-issues are remastered and each includes several bonus tracks, consisting of B-sides and remixes.

Track listing

CD, LP and cassette versions

  1. "Cruel Summer" — 3:35 (Steve Jolley, Tony Swain, Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward)
  2. "Rough Justice" — 5:07 (Steve Jolley, Tony Swain, Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward)
  3. "King of the Jungle" — 3:28 (Steve Jolley, Tony Swain, Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward)
  4. "Dream Baby" — 3:01 (Cindy Ecstasy, Rick Holliday)
  5. "Link" — 1:31 (Steve Jolley, Tony Swain, Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward)
  6. "Hot Line to Heaven" — 7:19 (Steve Jolley, Tony Swain, Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward)
  7. "State I'm In" — 2:48 (Steve Jolley, Tony Swain, Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward)
  8. "Robert De Niro's Waiting..." — 3:43 (Steve Jolley, Tony Swain, Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward)
  9. "Through a Child's Eyes" — 3:40 (Steve Jolley, Tony Swain, Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward)


CD and LP US versions

  1. "Cruel Summer" — 3:35
  2. "Rough Justice" — 5:07
  3. "King of the Jungle" — 3:28
  4. "Dream Baby" — 3:01
  5. "Link" — 1:31
  6. "The Wild Life" (album version) — 3:50 (Steve Jolley, Tony Swain, Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward)
  7. "Hot Line to Heaven" (single version) — 3:50
  8. "State I'm In" — 2:48
  9. "Robert De Niro's Waiting..." — 3:43
  10. "Through a Child's Eyes" — 3:40


2007 CD re-issue plus bonus tracks

  1. "Cruel Summer" — 3:35
  2. "Rough Justice" — 5:07
  3. "King of the Jungle" — 3:28
  4. "Dream Baby" — 3:01
  5. "Link" — 1:31
  6. "Hot Line to Heaven" — 7:19
  7. "State I'm In" — 2:48
  8. "Robert De Niro's Waiting..." — 3:43
  9. "Through a Child's Eyes" — 3:40
  10. "Cairo" — 3:44 (Sandosa)
  11. "Push!" — 4:10 (Steve Jolley, Tony Swain, Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward)
  12. "Rough Justice" (single version) — 3:38
  13. "Live Now" — 3:04 (Steve Jolley, Tony Swain, Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward)
  14. "Hot Line to Heaven" (album edit version) — 3:54
  15. "The Wild Life" (album version) — 3:50

Some mid-80's US LP and CD versions

  • "Link" was not identified as an individual track on original LP issues, and an alternative version had originally appeared, also uncredited, preceding "Push!" on the B-side of the 12" of "Robert De Niro's Waiting...".


Personnel

Bananarama

Additional Personnel

Charts

Chart (1984) Peak
position
UK Albums Chart 16
U.S. Billboard 200 30

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