DON’T LOOK BACK, GOOD THING, SHE DRIVES ME CRAZY & OTHERS– FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS
Sep 24 '04
The Bottom Line THE FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS CONSISTED OF ANDY COX ON GUITAR, DAVID STEELE ON KEYBOARDS & BASS AND ROLAND GIFT ON VOCALS
Andy and David were members of the UK group “The Beat” also know in the US as “The English Beat”. The group was formed in 1978 in Los Angeles, CA by “Paul Collins” who had previously played in the group “Nerves”. The other members of the original group were “Everette Morton” who was born in the West Indies, “Dave Wakeling” and “Ranking Roger Charley” who were both born in Birmingham, England. They released their 1st album in 1979 titled “The Beat” that failed to make the charts they released “The Kids Are The Same” in 1981 that also failed to chart. Ranking Roger and Dave decided to leave the group to form their own group called “General Public”. Andy and David found out about them leaving when their accountant called them to officially finalize the break-up. Paul decided to re-form the group in 1983 with “Jay Dee Daughtery” on drums formally of the “Patti Smith Group”.
In 1984 Andy and David invite “Roland Gift” who had previously played the saxophone in the group “Acrylic Victims” to join them. In December they decide on the name “Fine Young Cannibals” after the Romantic Drama in 1960 titled “All The Fine Young Cannibals” starring “Natalie Wood”, “Robert Wagner”, “George Hamilton”, “Pearl Bailey” and others. They sign a contract with “London” records after being spotted on the UK TV show “The Tube” singing “Johnny Come Home”. In June 1985 they release the song as their debut single with “Graeme Hamilton” on trumpet and it peaks at #8 in the UK. In November they release their 2nd single titled “Blue” and it peaks at #41 on the UK chart. On 21 December their self-titled debut album “Fine Young Cannibals” is released and peaks at #11 in the UK. In February 1986 they release their version of “Suspicious Minds” that was a #1 hit for “Elvis Presley” in 1969 and it peaks at #8 for them in the UK.
On 22 February 1986 they appear in the US for the first time for a concert in Boston, Massachusetts where the start of the show is delayed 2 hours because of a tear gas incident in the audience. On 5 March they begin their very first UK tour at Goldiggers in London. On 1 April “Funny How Love Is” is released and would peak at #58 in the UK. Their debut single on “I.R.S.” records finally makes the US chart almost a full year later on 5 April and it peaks at #76. Their debut album also finally appears on the US chart this month and peaks at #49 during a 28-week stay on the chart. They begin a tour of the US this month and meet film director “Barry Levinson” who commissions them to provide 4 songs for his upcoming Comedy Drama “Tin Man” starring “Richard Dreyfuss”, “Danny DeVito”, “Barbara Hershey” and others. They also appear in the Movie as a house band in restaurant scenes where they perform several numbers including “Good Thing”.
In August they are asked by director “Jonathan Demme” to provide him with 1 song for his upcoming Romantic Comedy “Something Wild” starring “Jeff Daniels”, “Melanie Griffin”, “Ray Liotta” and others. This year Roland plays the part of “Xavier St. Cloud” in episode #15 of the Syndicated TV show “Highlander: The Series” titled “For Tomorrow We Die”. David and Roland this year provide music for the Teen Drama Movie “Thrashin’” starring “Josh Brolin”, “Robert Rusler”, “Johnnie Ray” and others. In March 1987 David suffers a broken arm and a concussion after being hit by a car in London. In April the song they provided to “Something Wild” titled “Ever Fallen In Love” debuts and peaks at #9 on the UK chart. The group “Buzzcock” had previously released the song in 1979 on their debut album “Singles Going Steady” and it was written by “Peter McNeish” of the group also known by the name of Shelley. Also this month they appear on an episode of “Tom O’Connor Roadshow” on BBC TV in Wales dressed in the female Welsh national costume. In July the Movie “Tin Man” is released in the US.
Also in 1987 Roland and David provide music for the score of the Romantic Crime Thriller “Someone To Watch Over Me” starring “Tom Berenger”, “Mimi Rogers”, “Lorraine Bracco” and others. Roland plays the part of “Danny” in the UK Urban Comedy “Sammy And Rosie Get Laid” also starring “Shashi Kapoor”, “Frances Barber”, “Claire Bloom” and others. Andy and David are commission by director “John Hughes” to provide music for his Comedy Film “Planes, Trains And Automobiles” starring “Steve Martin”, “John Candy”, “Kevin Bacon”, “Dylan Baker” and others. In October Cox and Steele record “I’m Tired Of Getting Pushed Around”. “London” records here’s the recording and releases it under the name of “Two Men, A Drum Machine And A Trumpet” in February 1988 where it peaks at #18 on the UK singles chart. In June they produce the song “Heat It Up” for the group “Wee Papa Girl Rappers” and it peaks at #21 on the UK singles chart. They next help produce for the group “Pop Will Eat Itself”.
Also in 1988 Roland plays a small part as a customer in the UK Crime Drama Film “Out Of Order” starring “Gary Webster”, “Sharon Fryer”, “George Baker” and others. The 3 members get back together and start recording new music for the first time together in almost 2 years. Their first new release is “She Drives Me Crazy” on 21 April where it goes to #5 on the UK singles chart. It debuts the following week in the US and later goes all the way to #1 and sells a million copies. On 18 February “The Raw And The Crooked” is released and peaks at #1 on the UK album chart where it has a 66-week run. On 7 April “Good Thing” from the Movie “Tin Man” debuts and peaks at #7 on the UK singles chart. It would debut on the US chart on 6 May and be there second consecutive #1 hit. This is not the same song that “Paul Revere & The Raiders” took to #4 in the US in 1966 written by “Mark Lindsay” of the Raiders.
On 13 May the group makes an appearance on “Saturday Night Live” on NBC TV. On 3 June “The Raw And The Crooked” peaks at #1 on the US album chart displacing “Like A Prayer” by “Madonna” that had been at #1 for 6 consecutive weeks. On 2 September “Don’t Look Back” is released and peaks at #34 on the UK singles chart. It debuts on the US chart on 12 August and peaks at #11. On 14 October they begin the first of 4 sellout date performances with “De La Soul” at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, CA. On 11 November “I’m Not The Man I Used To Be” debuts and goes to #54 in the US and peaks at #20 in the UK on the singles chart. In December Roland travels to New Zealand to spend Christmas and New Years and purchases some land. He had played the part of “Johnnie Edgecombe” in the UK Political Drama “Scandal” earlier in the year with “John Hurt”, “Bridget Fonda”, “Ian McKellen”, “Britt Ekland” and others.
They win the Best British Group and Best Album of The Year on 18 February at the 8th annual BRIT Awards show in London. They however return their awards, stating that “it is wrong and inappropriate for us to be associated with what amounts to a photo opportunity for Margaret Thatcher and the Conservative Party”. On the 24th “I’m Not Satisfied” debuts and peaks at #46 on the UK singles chart and only goes to #90 on the US chart. On 3 April Roland plays the part of Romeo in the stage production of “Romeo And Juliet” in the UK. In October Cox and Steele produce “It’s A Shame (My Sister)” for “Monie Love Featuring True Image” that peaks at #12 on the UK singles chart. It would debut in the US on 16 March 1991 and go to #26 on the pop chart, peak at #8 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hot Singles And Tracks chart and peak at #2 on the “Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. It also peaked at #1 in the US on both the Hot Rap Singles chart and the Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart.
On 3 November “Red Hot & Blue” a various artists compilation album is released and includes “Love For Sale” by the group on it. The album included covers of “Cole Porter” songs and was released to benefit Aids education and it peaks at #6 in the UK. On 15 December Andy and David release a re-mix mini album titled “Raw And The Remixed” and peaks at #61 in the UK. In September of 1993 Andy and David produce and compose most of the songs on “Don’t Look Back” by “Al Green” that debuts on 20 July 1994 but it fails to chart. Roland reprises his role as “Xavier St. Cloud” on a 2-part episode of “Highlander: The Series” on 19 and 26 February 1994. On 26 October 1995 “John Paul Vagg” is arrested and charged with impersonating Steele in London. The Judge “Gerald Butler” throws the case out of court deeming it an “April Fool’s Joke” even though it didn’t occur anywhere near April.
On 16 November 1996 “The Flame” is released and it peaks at #17 on the UK singles chart. On the 23rd “The Finest” which is a compilation of hits album debuts and peaks at #10 on the UK chart. “She Drives Me Crazy” is re-released and this time peaks at #36 in the UK in January 1997. Also in 1997 David wrote songs for the Gangster Film “Black & White & Red All Over” starring “Thomas Braxton Jr.”, “Lord Harrison”, “Naomi Ramsey” and others. In 1998 Gift plays the part of “Eddie Mullen” in the Made for TV Mystery Movie “Painted Lady” on the USA Network starring “Helen Mirren”, “Franco Nero”, “Michael Maloney” and others. They never officially broke-up but Andy and David continued to produce for many different artists as Roland tried but failed at a solo Movie career. In 2004 “Good Thing” was re-released and this time it peaked at #2 on the Adult Contemporary singles chart.
The album/CD I am reviewing today is FINEST released on 26 November 1996 on “MCA” records. The songs on this CD are listed below in the order as they appear on this CD followed by the length of the song and then my rating of each.
1. She Drives Me Crazy – 3:36 - 5
2. The Flame – 3:51 - 4
3. Johnny Come Home – 3:35 – 5
4. Good Thing – 3:22 – 5
5. Suspicious Minds – 3:57 – 5
6. Blue – 3:31 – 4
7. Ever Fallen In Love? – 3:55 – 5
8. Don’t Look Back – 3:43 – 5
9. Tell Me What – 2:47 – 3
10. I’m Not The Man I Used To Be – 4:19 – 4
11. Couldn’t Care More – 3:29 – 3
12. Funny How Love Is – 3:29 – 4
13. Take What I Can Get – 4:14 – 3
14. Since You’ve Been Gone – 3:40 – 4
TOTAL POINTS: 59 POINTS DIVIDED BY 14 SONGS = 4.21 or 4 STARS
Rating Key:
5 –Great
4 – Very Good
3 – Good
2 – Fair
1 – Poor
0 – This song does not belong here!
Billboard US Top 100 Pop Singles for “FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS”
1. Johnny Come Home – Debut 04/05/86, Peaked at #76
2. SHE DRIVES ME CRAZY – Debut 01/28/89, Peaked at #1 (GOLD)
3. GOOD THING – Debut 05/06/89, Peaked at #1
4. Don’t Look Back – Debut 08/12/89, Peaked at #11
5. I’m Not The Man I Used To Be – Debut 11/11/89, Peaked at #54
6. I’m Not Satisfied – Debut 02/24/90, Peaked at #90
Billboard US Top 200 Pop Albums for “FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS”
1. Fine Young Cannibals – Debut 1986, Peaked at #49
2. THE RAW & THE CROOKED – Debut 1989, Peaked at #1
3. THE RAW & THE CROOKED – Debut 1990, Peaked at #1 (Re-issued)
SOME SONG LYRICS
DON’T LOOK BACK
Never had the good things only money could buy
I drive my car but I haven't got a car to drive
Never had a holiday in a tropical sun
Good times look rough, they're never going to come
Oh I know that time's are bad B-A ohs
and they make you want to cry
Don't be sad
We'll get by
Baby baby don't look back
It won't do no good
Baby baby don't look back
I'm going to leave and I think that you should
When I spent my life in a place like this
On the first bus out I'm going to get myself a lift
If you understand well that's alright
If you want to go it's got to be the night
Oh I know that time's are bad B-A ohs
and it makes you want to cry
Don't feel sad
We'll get by
Baby baby don't look back
It won't do no good
Baby baby don't look back
I'm going to leave and I think that you should
GOOD THING
The one good thing in my life
Has gone away
I don't know why
She's gone away
I don't know where
Somewhere I can't follow her
The one good thing didn't stay too long
Woo who who who
My back was turned and she was gone
Hey hey hey
Good thing
Where have you gone
Doo doo doobie doo
My good thing
You've been gone too long
Good thing
Doo doo doobie doo
People say I should forget
New friend tomorrow
Don't get upset
People say she's doing fine
Mutual friends I see sometime
That's not what I want to hear
Woo who who who
I want to hear she wants me near
Good thing
Where have you gone
Doo doo doobie doo
My good thing
You've been gone too long
Good thing
Doo doo doobie doo
Good thing
Then one day she came back
I was so happy that I didn't act
Morning came
Hey hey hey heyInto my room
Woo who who who
Caught me dreaming like a fool
SHE DRIVES ME CRAZY
I can't stop
The way I feel
Things you do
Don't seem real
Tell you what I got in mind
Cuz we're runnin' out of time
Won't you ever set me free
This waitin' 'rounds killin' me
She drives me crazy
Like no one else
She drives me crazy
And I can't help myself
I can't get any rest
People say
I'm obsessed
Everything that's serios lasts
But to me ther'es no surprise
What I have, fatal last truth
Things go wrong, they always do
She drives me crazy
Like no one else
She drives me crazy
And I can't help myself
I won't make it,
On my own
No on likes,
To be alone
She drives me crazy
Like no one else
She drives me crazy
And I can't help myself
Uh huh huh
She drives me crazy
Like no one else
She drives me crazy
And I can't help myself
JAGUARDOG’S FINAL THOUGHTS
I never owned any music by this group and I borrowed the above reviewed CD from a close friend. I had previously heard “Good Thing” and “Don’t Back Down” but do not believe I had previously heard any other songs by this group until this month. I listened to this CD several times over the past few weeks and I enjoyed it better every time I listened to it so now its’ on my must have list to add to my ever growing collection. The music of this trio is earnest, elegant, mellow, passionate, refined, sophisticated and stylish. The group’s sound in my own personal opinion sounds like a combination of “Spandau Ballet”, “UB40” and “Culture Club”. Well that’s it for this week Ladies & Gentlemen, I’m glad you could take time to drop by to read and rate. I hope everyone has a Safe & Wonderful Weekend and God Bless you all.
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Epinions.com ID:
JAGUARDOG
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Member: Ron Drain
Location: Jacksonville, Florida, USA
Reviews written: 235
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I LOVE Music/TV/Movies & sports like Football - NFL/College, Baseball, Olympics - Summer/Winter and Wrestling.
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