Wednesday 2 October 2013

Killer Opening Songs (Shout by Tears for Fears)


Back in the summer the author of this blog asked his readers and fellow bloggers whether they were children from the 60s, 70s or 80s. The enquiry was related to the clip he’d uploaded on this occasion.
 
Now it’s the turn of Killer Opening Songs to reminisce. Born in the 70s but hooked on 70s music, it was in the 80s when our Introductory Track With Murderous Intentions got its mojo on the dancefloor. From Madonna to Miami Soundmachine, K.O.S was the soul of the party. And then Shout happened.
 
Understand that this was the era of synthesisers. Soft Cell and Human League ruled the charts with their portable consoles, modifying and altering the soundscape of the post-punk musical world. Smoke on stage was everywhere, a legacy of 70s prog- and glam-rock. And in the midst of this mist Shout broke through.
 
Killer Opening Songs still remembers the night it first heard this anthemic melody by the British band Tears for Fears. It is sure it came upon it at a party in El Vedado, a neighbourhood in Havana quite renowned for its cool parties in the mid-80s. The chorus came first: “Shout, shout/let it all out/these are the things I can do without/Come on, I’m talking to you, come on. Cue people on the dancefloor pointing their finger at their dance partner.
 
Shout was the sound of an adventurous band. One that, sadly, didn’t get its due credit at the time. The album, Songs from the Big Chair, was a marvellous blend of pop chart hits and soundtrack quality B-sides. Take another single, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, slower than Shout and with a more foot-tapping beat to it. Mother’s Talk and I Believe were two gorgeous melodies that deserved more airplay in their day. Overall this was an album that was not afraid of sounding modern.
 
The key as usual was the Killer Opening Song. A powerhouse of a tune, Shout was mind-addictive in its time. For weeks (months, even!) after all K.O.S did was repeat the chorus ad nauseum. Almost literally, to the point of nausea. Our Introductory Track With Murderous Intentions could even mimic the mid-song keyboard solo. Forget air-guitar, this was air-piano.
 
There are many songs which could sum up the 80s. However, you would be hard-pressed to find a better example of a song that captured the zeitgeist of this decade like this classic, timeless pop (yes, pop!) feisty number. Ladies and gentleman, join K.O.S. in the chorus:
 
Shout, shout/let it all out/these are the things I can do without/Come on, I’m talking to you, come on.
 
© 2013
 
Next Post: “Sunday Mornings: “Coffee, Reflections and Music”, to be published on Sunday 6th October at 10am (GMT)


17 comments:

  1. Know the song and great pick, but won't play in my country what a umm wick

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  2. No estoy muy actualizada en la música pero me gusta el vídeo que mencionas.
    Un abrazo.

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  3. ha i know this song....i know the beat...and the words...and now it will be stuck in my head the rest of the day...ahhaa

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  4. oh that is a wonderful song...loved it as a teenager..and haven't listened to it in ages..thanks for this...

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  5. Nice song Cil.
    Now my twins love hard rock they go last night to see Iron Maiden I dont know how these kids are sooo hard rockeros!
    Y el viernes van a ver Black Sabath ha!
    Un beso

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  6. Oh, Tears for Fears were such a guilty pleasure at the actual time, but I love them out loud now. Fabulous driving music when they play on Radio 2.

    And one of my closest work colleagues was in the same class as one of them at school, but I've forgotten which now. Suspect Curt.
    Bath boys.

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  7. Yes...I remember this one too!
    Have to admit to tapping my foot to it (although hidden under the table - it was considered "uncool" by my peers at the time, although goodness knows why!).
    Sounds much better now.
    I think I am going to be humming it all night! LOL
    Many thanks for this:)

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  8. I am laughing at Patt's comment--this is absolutely right--won't work here in U.S. Crazy. (Thanks.) k.

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  9. Ah yes, great song!

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  10. lot´s of great music those days. This is no exception. .)

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  11. Thanks for your comments. As chance would have it, last night I was watching Vintage TV and they were showing videos from 1984 and... well, you know what's coming next. It's amazing that he original clip was quite long. This track is not your usual 3-minute song and the guitar solo went for more than the usual 30 seconds that was the (unwritten) rule in those days.

    Have a great weekend.

    Greetings from London.

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  12. This sing epitomized the 80's and still holds up today. I was a child of the 60's, but each decade has its good points.

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  13. I like this song too! Those were all great decades for music. :<)

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  14. Don't know what it is about me but I don't usually go for listening to the music of when I was a teenager. It's OK but it doesn't mean much to me. Yet I like music. I always feel as if I am from outer space when I tell people this :)

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  15. I know this song :) made me smile :) Happy Sunday to you!

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  16. Your posts always make me think.

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