Thursday, September 8, 2011

Revenge of the 30 Day Song Challenge - Day 11

Day 11 - An 80's Song

Truly the biggest "girl groups" of the 80's were The Go-Go's and The Bangles, but since we're not dealing with chicks who play their own instruments, we'll have to dig a little deeper. Just as the 70's were barren, the 80's didn't prove to be much better. The Sisters Sledge and The Pointer Sisters had some hits and the Rick James created Mary Jane Girls are certainly a Spice Girls prototype, but were never anything big. Honestly, this blows my mind. In the MTV era it seems like a no-brainer to gather four or five hot chicks who can semi sing and have them prance around in a music video. Alas...we would have to wait another ten years.

"Venus" - Bananarama, True Confessions (1986)

If I'm being honest, I am not remotely familiar with Bananarama. I know they hit number one in 1986 with a cover of the Shocking Blue's "Venus". So that is the song I will be writing about today. The much better version was released in 1970 and also went number one. 


The song about the goddess and her sexy goddessness was much better in 1970's. This version? Meh. What can I say about it? It's synthed to gills and desperately tries to be sexually sexy. Now it's used in razor commercials. Ha.


Bananarama (sorry, I have to go here, but DUMBEST BAND NAME EVER) was made up of three English school friends Siobahn Fahey, Keren Woodward and Sara Dallin. They were actually quite successful throughout the 80's in America and the UK. Perhaps you've heard their other big hit "Cruel Summer"? Anyway Bananarama differs from other girl groups because no one girl sings the lead vocals. All three women sing at the same time without harmonizing. It sounds, uh...okay.


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