I first heard the 'bones' of Lexicon of Love' live in a Sheffield University student union bar in 1981 (I think!) as the band played punkier versions of the songs (including 'Tears are not Enough') in their earlier incarnation as ABC Radical Dance Faction. They were great that night, with Martin Fry already acting like he was a star, but it all worked so much better once they 'glammed' everything up!
In the 80s, I pooh poohed a lot of Top 40 New Wave, trending closer to punk, with just a few exceptions *COUGH*duranduran*COUGH* and by the mid-1980s I was listening to classic rock, metal, southern rock, anything with a guitar. Zeppelin, The Stones, Aerosmith, Van Halen (not Van Hagar), et.al. Anything that "had a good beat, was easy to dance to" was scoffed at.
Now, in my fifties, in the car, whenever this stuff comes on the radio, I start bouncing in the seat and singing at the top of my lungs in that British-y sounding way that they all did, like how they put breathy H-sounds at the beginning of each word. Tears for Fears was the worst about it, but they all kinda did it.
I think I like it all better now that (A) it's not in hourly rotation in my life, and (B) it's not being sung and enjoyed by people I thought were terrible in high school. I guess I've always had those hipster tendencies...
The extended mix makes this more tolerable, but this one’s a no for me. I was 7 in ‘82, and this one didn’t get any air time in my rural neck of the woods, so it’s only vaguely familiar.
My husband Mike was 12 at the time that album was released. He lived in a suburb of a major city in the South. He doesn’t know it either. So we went through some of their other songs until we landed on one we recognized. “When Smokey Sings” from their 1987 album, “Alphabet City.” I guess it took a few years for them to catch on down here.🤣
One of my favourite bits of music trivia: That's Martin Fry's ex-girlfriend saying "goodbye" after Fry sings "when your girl has left you out on the pavement". As in, the woman who broke his heart and inspired this whole album. Trevor Horn got her in without consulting Fry.
I think they were able to join the New Romantic “wave” of the time, no doubt helped by the popularity of Duran Duran and their (Duran’s and ABC’s) prevalence on MTV. I personally have a softer spot for “How To Be a Zillionaire” (song and album) but Lexicon of Love and Beauty Stab still both get played fairly regularly at home.
I wore through my copy of "How To Be a Zillionaire" as a kid, and listened to it quite a few times again over the last 10-12 days. It felt a little like I was hearing it for the first time.
Did you see the Tribute to Trevor Horn concert that I think was in the mid-Aughts? I remember loving that Yes could be followed by ABC and it felt right.
Not as many boos as if you said you love Beverly Hills 90210. And 90125 is awesome for the record. Whenever my dog picks up something he shouldn’t with his mouth I sing, “Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah...leave it!”
They were so big then! Thanks for another lovely tune. Brought a smile to my face, again.
I first heard the 'bones' of Lexicon of Love' live in a Sheffield University student union bar in 1981 (I think!) as the band played punkier versions of the songs (including 'Tears are not Enough') in their earlier incarnation as ABC Radical Dance Faction. They were great that night, with Martin Fry already acting like he was a star, but it all worked so much better once they 'glammed' everything up!
(As always, for more like this try https://challenge69.substack.com )
When he says "That's the look", it reminds me of Samantha Fox's titular 90s track "Touch me"
I haven't heard that song in ages!
In the 80s, I pooh poohed a lot of Top 40 New Wave, trending closer to punk, with just a few exceptions *COUGH*duranduran*COUGH* and by the mid-1980s I was listening to classic rock, metal, southern rock, anything with a guitar. Zeppelin, The Stones, Aerosmith, Van Halen (not Van Hagar), et.al. Anything that "had a good beat, was easy to dance to" was scoffed at.
Now, in my fifties, in the car, whenever this stuff comes on the radio, I start bouncing in the seat and singing at the top of my lungs in that British-y sounding way that they all did, like how they put breathy H-sounds at the beginning of each word. Tears for Fears was the worst about it, but they all kinda did it.
I think I like it all better now that (A) it's not in hourly rotation in my life, and (B) it's not being sung and enjoyed by people I thought were terrible in high school. I guess I've always had those hipster tendencies...
I love it! I've also found that a lot of stuff I used to scoff at when I was younger actually sounds pretty good.
P.S. Never Van Hagar indeed!
The extended mix makes this more tolerable, but this one’s a no for me. I was 7 in ‘82, and this one didn’t get any air time in my rural neck of the woods, so it’s only vaguely familiar.
I'm always fascinated by what was playing/what wasn't in any given region. We're the same age, but this was played quite a lot where I was living.
My husband Mike was 12 at the time that album was released. He lived in a suburb of a major city in the South. He doesn’t know it either. So we went through some of their other songs until we landed on one we recognized. “When Smokey Sings” from their 1987 album, “Alphabet City.” I guess it took a few years for them to catch on down here.🤣
One of my favourite bits of music trivia: That's Martin Fry's ex-girlfriend saying "goodbye" after Fry sings "when your girl has left you out on the pavement". As in, the woman who broke his heart and inspired this whole album. Trevor Horn got her in without consulting Fry.
Ha! That's awesome. I had no idea!
I think they were able to join the New Romantic “wave” of the time, no doubt helped by the popularity of Duran Duran and their (Duran’s and ABC’s) prevalence on MTV. I personally have a softer spot for “How To Be a Zillionaire” (song and album) but Lexicon of Love and Beauty Stab still both get played fairly regularly at home.
I wore through my copy of "How To Be a Zillionaire" as a kid, and listened to it quite a few times again over the last 10-12 days. It felt a little like I was hearing it for the first time.
Did you see the Tribute to Trevor Horn concert that I think was in the mid-Aughts? I remember loving that Yes could be followed by ABC and it felt right.
I also will go on record to say that I think “Drama” the Yes album with Trevor Horn on lead vocals is one of their best.
This will draw some boos, but I love "90125."
Not as many boos as if you said you love Beverly Hills 90210. And 90125 is awesome for the record. Whenever my dog picks up something he shouldn’t with his mouth I sing, “Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah...leave it!”
I haven't! I'll have to see if I can find it online.
Here’s the Yes portion of the show: https://youtu.be/75O9XiiYHPA
Here’s a playlist of some of the concert
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtpaJ_DTI7z4b4cBSec4hhmhgh6HIyjDI
Thank you!!