Bananarama Album: “Bananarama”

I have today taken delivery of all 5 of the Bananarama albums that have been reissued by Collectables in the US. When I ordered them, I noticed that there was a suspicious lack of information about remastering on any website but still nothing could have prepared me for the disappointment over the sound quality of these new editions! They sound like poor bootlegs. Furthermore there are are no sleevenotes and not all the original artwork is included. 5 Stars for the music - 1 for the mastering!!

Bananarama have another go with producers Tony Swain and Steve Jolley on their sophomore effort. The catchy dance beat mixed with R&B sounds and those harmony vocals are still there, but there are some serious and less happier things covered here.

First up is one of their best known hits, opening with the vibes-sounding keyboards and bass synth. "Cruel Summer" which barely cracked the Top Ten in the US, is a brief portrait of the effects a really hot day can have on someone who's had better days. Ace of Base not only covered this in 1998 but actually named their third album after this song.

The more serious "Rough Justice" details the tragic situation in Northern Ireland, including domestic violence, con-men, but mostly the IRA bombings: "Innocent people walking by/no time to smile before they die/don't call that justice/children are starving on the street/another one disappearing every week/don't call that justice." Also, "I remember the pain and humiliation/I'll show them rough justice/the way that they did."

"King Of The Jungle" seems to be an IRA gunman song, someone who pushes guns by day, stalks at night, and has "gotta make another martyr."

"Dream Baby" is another nod to 60's R&B laced with an especially snappy beat. There's a brief one minute plus song titled "Link" that leads to "Hot Line In Heaven", whose beat and style would be replicated and slowed down on "Trick Of The Night" on their next album, True Confessions. This is one of the better sounding songs here, but it's only in the bridge that one discovers it's a song about drug addiction: "Once a man but now you're just a shell/you make a deal/you make a grade/but you're headed for an early grave/you got to find it, got to try something special to get you high."

One of the most infectious numbers here, with a backing horn section, "State I'm In" has the same appeal that "Young At Heart" on their debut, especially with the quickly sung chorus.

The UK Top 3 hit "Robert De Niro's Waiting" has an air of seriousness about it, as the girl in the song would rather go watch de Niro's movies as opposed to a bad experience she had: "Boys next door are never what they seem/a walk in the park can become a bad dream."

The only soft song here, "Child's Eyes" with its acoustic guitar and soft synths bewails the passing of childhood innocence with the passage of adulthood and experience: "I never believe that I'd grow old/still I can hear the things you told/the sun has gone and the nights are cold." This lament is the best song here, particularly with the heartfelt final lines: "I sit and watch the sunset/with tears in my eyes/I sit and watch the sunset/the child in me sighs/why did you have to tell me so many lies?"

The trio have developed more fully with this album, though with a few lesser cuts--"Dream Baby" and "King Of The Jungle", but the overall sound is still consistent. Rating: 4.3 rounded down to 4.

this album was before the girls joined the hit factory of stock aitken and waterman and features some really good stuff including the fahey penned hit twice for the bluebells "young at heart". the sound is relatively raw compared to later recordings but never the less contains some real gems

Excellent album from the group from 1984. Keren, Siobhan, and Sarah really did a good job on this album. Some of my favorite tracks are Through a Child's Eyes, Hotline to Heaven, and The Wild Life. Bananarama is such a unique musical act, very photogenic and likeable, and talented. Bananarama is a must for anyone who likes British pop at its best.

Deep Sea Skiving, Bananarama's first lp was just amazing with fun songs and lyrics, and great collaberations (Terry Hall, Fun Boy 3), and gorgeous and haunting harmonies and shared lead vocals.

That's a tough act to follow. But Bananarama didn't seem intimidated releasing their second album. Fewer songs wasn't what I was hoping for, but the one's that are on the lp are great. Great lyrics, and vocals and songs that can stand alone. Also videos to several of the songs made for more fun.

I admit I enjoy the 1st album more, but after listening to "Bananarama", the album, you can hear maturity mixed with the fun. A fantastic effort that I can't take a star away from.