Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
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 /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From $16.65/month
Steve Jolley, Composer, Author, Producer - Tony Swain, Composer, Author, Producer - Bananarama, Vocals, MainArtist - Sarah Dallin, Composer - Siobhan Fahey, Composer, Author - Keren Woodward, Composer, Author - Sara Dallin, Author
© 1984 London Records Ltd ℗ 1984 London Music Stream Ltd. LC77554
Woodward, Composer - Bananarama, Composer, MainArtist - Dallin, Composer - Fahey, Composer - Jolley, Composer - Swain, Composer - Tony Swain & Steve Jolley. Courtesy of Red Bus Records (Int) Ltd, Production
© 1984 London Records Ltd ℗ 1984 London Music Stream Ltd. LC77554
Woodward, Writer - Bananarama, Composer, MainArtist - Dallin, Writer - Fahey, Writer - Jolley, Writer - Swain, Writer - Tony Swain & Steve Jolley. Courtesy of Red Bus Records (Int) Ltd, Producer, Arranger
© 1984 London Records Ltd ℗ 1984 London Music Stream Ltd. LC77554
HOLLIDAY, Writer - Bananarama, Composer, MainArtist - Ecstasy, Writer - Tony Swain & Steve Jolley. Courtesy of Red Bus Records (Int) Ltd, Producer, Arranger
© 1984 London Records Ltd ℗ 1984 London Records Ltd
Bananarama, Composer, MainArtist - S. Jolley, Writer - K Woodward, Writer - S Dallin, Writer - S Fahey, Writer - A. Swain, Writer
© 1984 London Records Ltd ℗ 1984 London Music Stream Ltd. LC77554
Woodward, Writer - Bananarama, Composer, MainArtist - Dallin, Writer - Fahey, Writer - Jolley, Writer - Swain, Writer - Tony Swain & Steve Jolley. Courtesy of Red Bus Records (Int) Ltd, Producer, Arranger
© 1984 London Records Ltd ℗ 1984 London Music Stream Ltd. LC77554
Woodward, Writer - Bananarama, Composer, MainArtist - Dallin, Writer - Fahey, Writer - Jolley, Writer - Swain, Writer - Tony Swain & Steve Jolley. Courtesy of Red Bus Records (Int) Ltd, Producer, Arranger
© 1984 London Records Ltd ℗ 1984 London Music Stream Ltd. LC77554
Steve Jolley, Composer, Producer, Spoken Voice Producer - Tony Swain, Composer, Producer, Spoken Voice Producer - Bananarama, Composer, MainArtist - Sarah Dallin, Composer - Siobhan Fahey, Composer - Keren Woodward, Composer - Tony Swain & Steve Jolley courtesy of Red Bus Reords (Int) Ltd, Production - Tony Swain & Steve Jolley. Courtesy of Red Bus Records (Int) Ltd, Arranger - Sara Dallin, Composer
© 1984 London Records Ltd ℗ 1984 London Music Stream Ltd. LC77554
Woodward, Writer - Bananarama, Composer, MainArtist - Dallin, Writer - Fahey, Writer - Jolley, Writer - Swain, Writer - Tony Swain & Steve Jolley. Courtesy of Red Bus Records (Int) Ltd, Producer, Arranger
© 1984 London Records Ltd ℗ 1984 London Music Stream Ltd. LC77554
Woodward, Composer - Bananarama, Composer, MainArtist - Dallin, Composer - Fahey, Composer - Jolley, Composer - Swain, Composer - Tony Swain & Steve Jolley. Courtesy of Red Bus Records (Int) Ltd, Arranger - Tony Swain & Steve Jolley courtesy of Red Bus Reco, Producer
© 1984 London Records Ltd ℗ 1984 London Music Stream Ltd. LC77554
Bananarama, Composer, MainArtist - S. Jolley, Writer - K Woodward, Writer - S Dallin, Writer - S Fahey, Writer - A. Swain, Writer
© 1984 London Records Ltd ℗ 1984 London Music Stream Ltd. LC77554
Steve Jolley, Writer - Tony Swain, Writer - Bananarama, Composer, MainArtist - Sarah Dallin, Writer - Siobhan Fahey, Writer - Keren Woodward, Writer
© 1984 London Records Ltd ℗ 1984 London Music Stream Ltd. LC77554
Bananarama, Composer, MainArtist - S. Jolley, Writer - K Woodward, Writer - S Dallin, Writer - S Fahey, Writer - A. Swain, Writer
© 1984 London Records Ltd ℗ 1984 London Music Stream Ltd. LC77554
Steve Jolley, Composer - Tony Swain, Composer - Bananarama, MainArtist - Sarah Dallin, Composer - Siobhan Fahey, Composer - Keren Woodward, Composer - Tony Swain & Steve Jolley. Courtesy of Red Bus Records (Int) Ltd, Production
© 1984 London Records Ltd ℗ 1984 London Music Stream Ltd. LC77554
Steve Jolley, Composer - Tony Swain, Composer - Bananarama, Composer, MainArtist - Sarah Dallin, Composer - Siobhan Fahey, Composer - Keren Woodward, Composer - Tony Swain & Steve Jolley. Courtesy of Red Bus Records (Int) Ltd, Arranger - Sara Dallin, Composer
© 1984 London Records Ltd ℗ 1984 London Music Stream Ltd. LC77554
Steve Jolley, Production - Tony Swain, Production - Woodward, Composer - Bananarama, Composer, MainArtist - Dallin, Composer - Fahey, Composer - Jolley, Composer - Swain, Composer
© 1984 London Records Ltd ℗ 1984 London Music Stream Ltd. LC77554
Steve Jolley, Producer - Tony Swain, Producer - Woodward, Writer - Bananarama, Composer, Vocals, MainArtist - Dallin, Writer - Fahey, Writer - Jolley, Writer - Swain, Writer - Tony Swain & Steve Jolley. Courtesy of Red Bus Records (Int) Ltd, Arranger
© 1984 London Records Ltd ℗ 1984 London Music Stream Ltd. LC77554
Woodward, Composer - Bananarama, Composer, MainArtist - Dallin, Composer - Fahey, Composer - Jolley, Composer - Swain, Composer - Tony Swain & Steve Jolley. Courtesy of Red Bus Records (Int) Ltd, Arranger - Tony Swain & Steve Jolley courtesy of Red Bus Reco, Producer
© 1984 London Records Ltd ℗ 1984 London Music Stream Ltd. LC77554
Album 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 /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 18 track(s)
- Total length: 01:16:33
- Main artists: Bananarama
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: London Records (Because Ltd)
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 1984 London Records Ltd ℗ 1984 London Records Ltd
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.