Dion and the Belmonts was a leading American vocal group of the late 1950s. The group formed when Dion DiMucci, lead singer, (born July 18, 1939), joined The Belmonts - Carlo Mastrangelo, baritone, (born October 5, 1938), Freddie Milano, second tenor, (born August 22, 1939), and Angelo D'Aleo, first tenor, (born February 3, 1940) in late 1957.
After an unsuccessful first single, the group was signed to Laurie Records. Their breakthrough came when "I Wonder Why" reached No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and the group appeared for the first time on American Bandstand. They followed it with the ballads "No One Knows" (No. 19) and "Don’t Pity Me" (No. 40).
This success won Dion and the Belmonts their first major tour in late 1958, with The Coasters, Buddy Holly and Bobby Darin, and this was followed up by the "Winter Dance Party" tour with Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. On 2 February 1959, after playing at the Surf Ballroom, Dion decided that he could not afford the $36 cost of a flight to the next venue. The plane crashed; Holly, Valens, The Big Bopper, and the pilot were killed on 3 February 1959, shortly after midnight. However, the tour continued, with Jimmy Clanton and Bobby Vee being added to the bill as replacements.
In March 1959, Dion and the Belmonts’ next single, "A Teenager in Love", was released, reaching No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 28 in the UK Singles Chart, and this was followed by an album, Presenting Dion and the Belmonts. Their biggest hit, "Where or When", was released in November 1959, and reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, in early 1960, Dion checked into a hospital for heroin addiction, a problem he had had since his mid-teens. Other singles released for the group that year were less successful. In addition, there were musical and financial disputes between Dion and members of the Belmonts. In October 1960, Dion decided to quit for a solo career. The Belmonts also continued to release records, but with less success.
Dion and the Belmonts reunited in 1966 for the unsuccessful album Together Again on ABC Records, and again in 1972 for a one-off show at Madison Square Garden, recorded and released as a live album.
In 2000, Dion and the Belmonts were inducted in The Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
"I Wonder Why" is a doo-wop song, written by Melvin Anderson (lyrics) and Ricardo Weeks,[1] and first recorded by Dion and the Belmonts in 1958. It is sung from the point of view of a man telling to his girlfriend that he neither knows nor ultimately cares to know the reasons for his love for said other. The song was used in the film A Bronx Tale, in the pilot episode of the television series The Sopranos, and in John Carpenter's film adaption of Stephen King's "Christine". A cover was sung by Nicolas Cage in Peggy Sue Got Married.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Debby Boone - "You Light Up My Life" (1977)
"You Light Up My Life" is a ballad written by Joe Brooks, and originally recorded by Kasey Cisyk for the soundtrack to the film of the same name. The song was performed in the film by its lead, Didi Conn, who lip synched Cisyk's version.
Debby Boone, was recruited to record the single, which became a massive success, topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a record-setting ten consecutive weeks. It easily became the most successful single of the 1970s in the United States, and set a new Hot 100 record for longest reign at No.1. (Elvis Presley's double-sided "Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog", then recognized as the longest-running No.1 of the rock era, spent eleven weeks atop the Billboard Best Sellers chart in 1956, before the debut of the Hot 100.)
The record was matched in 1982 by Olivia Newton-John's Physical, but never surpassed until a 1991 change in chart methodology allowed songs to achieve longer reigns at No.1 ("End of the Road" by Boyz II Men set the new record, thirteen weeks). The single, which was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), also hit #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart and reached #4 on the Country chart. Conversely, the single peaked at #48 in the UK Singles Chart.
Although written by Brooks as a love song, the devout Boone interpreted the song as inspirational and proclaimed that it was instead God who "lit up her life."
Cisyk's soundtrack recording was released as a single to bolster sales of the soundtrack, after Boone included her version on her first solo album also entitled You Light Up My Life. (Although the soundtrack was certified gold, peaking at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, it never included Boone's version of the song.)
Cisyk's single was credited to "Original Cast", not to Cisyk herself, and only reached No. 80 on the Billboard Hot 100. Brooks also released an instrumental version of the song from the soundtrack as a single, but his version failed to chart.
Debby Boone's success resulted in Grammy nominations for Best Pop Vocal Performance Female and Record of the Year and won her the 1977 Grammy for Best New Artist and the 1977 American Music Award for Favorite Pop Single. The song earned Brooks the 1977 Song of the Year Grammy (tied with "Love Theme from "A Star Is Born" (Evergreen)") as well as the Best Original Song awards at the 1977 Golden Globe and Academy Awards.
The song ranks #7 on Billboard's All Time Top 100. More recently, Matthew Wilkening of AOL Radio ranked Boone's version of the song at #51 on the list of the 100 Worst Songs Ever, telling the listener that their grandparents "probably love [the song] and consider it a hip new record," before warning said listener not to judge their grandparents too harshly.
Debby Boone, was recruited to record the single, which became a massive success, topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a record-setting ten consecutive weeks. It easily became the most successful single of the 1970s in the United States, and set a new Hot 100 record for longest reign at No.1. (Elvis Presley's double-sided "Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog", then recognized as the longest-running No.1 of the rock era, spent eleven weeks atop the Billboard Best Sellers chart in 1956, before the debut of the Hot 100.)
The record was matched in 1982 by Olivia Newton-John's Physical, but never surpassed until a 1991 change in chart methodology allowed songs to achieve longer reigns at No.1 ("End of the Road" by Boyz II Men set the new record, thirteen weeks). The single, which was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), also hit #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart and reached #4 on the Country chart. Conversely, the single peaked at #48 in the UK Singles Chart.
Although written by Brooks as a love song, the devout Boone interpreted the song as inspirational and proclaimed that it was instead God who "lit up her life."
Cisyk's soundtrack recording was released as a single to bolster sales of the soundtrack, after Boone included her version on her first solo album also entitled You Light Up My Life. (Although the soundtrack was certified gold, peaking at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, it never included Boone's version of the song.)
Cisyk's single was credited to "Original Cast", not to Cisyk herself, and only reached No. 80 on the Billboard Hot 100. Brooks also released an instrumental version of the song from the soundtrack as a single, but his version failed to chart.
Debby Boone's success resulted in Grammy nominations for Best Pop Vocal Performance Female and Record of the Year and won her the 1977 Grammy for Best New Artist and the 1977 American Music Award for Favorite Pop Single. The song earned Brooks the 1977 Song of the Year Grammy (tied with "Love Theme from "A Star Is Born" (Evergreen)") as well as the Best Original Song awards at the 1977 Golden Globe and Academy Awards.
The song ranks #7 on Billboard's All Time Top 100. More recently, Matthew Wilkening of AOL Radio ranked Boone's version of the song at #51 on the list of the 100 Worst Songs Ever, telling the listener that their grandparents "probably love [the song] and consider it a hip new record," before warning said listener not to judge their grandparents too harshly.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Kraftwerk - "The Robots" (1978)
One has to love a group that was way ahead of their time. It's Kraftwerk!
"The Robots" (originally Die Roboter) is a single by the influential German electronic music pioneers, Kraftwerk, released in 1978. The single and its B-side, "Spacelab", both appeared on the band's seventh album, The Man-Machine. However, the songs as they appear on the single were scaled down into shorter versions. In 1991, a remix of the song was issued as a single from the band's remix album The Mix.
The lyrics reference the revolutionary technique of robotics, and how humans can use them as they wish. The Russian lines "Я твой слуга" (Ya tvoi sluga, I'm your servant) and "Я твой работник" (Ya tvoi rabotnik, I'm your worker) (also on the rear sleeve of the album) during the intro and again during its repetition at the bridge are spoken in a pitched down voice, the main lyrics ("We're charging our batteries and now we're full of energy...") are "sung" through a vocoder.
Wolfgang Flür, a member of Kraftwerk at the time of the single's release, later wrote Ich war ein Roboter (I Was a Robot in English), with his title referencing the lyrics of "The Robots". The book, published in 2003, has been described as a "controversial and uncompromising autobiography of Kraftwerk", more because the other members of the band tried to censor its publication than anything else. The lyrics were also referenced in the title of a BBC Radio 4 documentary, Kraftwerk: We Are the Robots, broadcast for the first time on Thursday November 22, 2007. The documentary focused on the band's place as "part of a new generation of young West Germans, living in the shadow of the Cold War, who identified with the need to recapture a German cultural identity distinct from that of Britain and America."
"The Robots" (originally Die Roboter) is a single by the influential German electronic music pioneers, Kraftwerk, released in 1978. The single and its B-side, "Spacelab", both appeared on the band's seventh album, The Man-Machine. However, the songs as they appear on the single were scaled down into shorter versions. In 1991, a remix of the song was issued as a single from the band's remix album The Mix.
The lyrics reference the revolutionary technique of robotics, and how humans can use them as they wish. The Russian lines "Я твой слуга" (Ya tvoi sluga, I'm your servant) and "Я твой работник" (Ya tvoi rabotnik, I'm your worker) (also on the rear sleeve of the album) during the intro and again during its repetition at the bridge are spoken in a pitched down voice, the main lyrics ("We're charging our batteries and now we're full of energy...") are "sung" through a vocoder.
Wolfgang Flür, a member of Kraftwerk at the time of the single's release, later wrote Ich war ein Roboter (I Was a Robot in English), with his title referencing the lyrics of "The Robots". The book, published in 2003, has been described as a "controversial and uncompromising autobiography of Kraftwerk", more because the other members of the band tried to censor its publication than anything else. The lyrics were also referenced in the title of a BBC Radio 4 documentary, Kraftwerk: We Are the Robots, broadcast for the first time on Thursday November 22, 2007. The documentary focused on the band's place as "part of a new generation of young West Germans, living in the shadow of the Cold War, who identified with the need to recapture a German cultural identity distinct from that of Britain and America."
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Christopher Cross - "Ride Like The Wind" (1980)
"Ride Like the Wind" was the debut single by Christopher Cross in March 1980, appearing on his Grammy-winning self-titled debut album. It reached number 2 in the U.S. charts. On the album inner sleeve, Christopher Cross dedicated this song to Lowell George, formerly of the band Little Feat, who died in 1979. It features backing vocals by Michael McDonald and a guitar solo by Cross.
According to an interview by Guitar 2001 Magazine with guitarist Eric Johnson, he mentioned performing on "Ride Like the Wind", but his parts did not make the final cut of the song.[citation needed] Johnson performed the guitar solo on the song "Minstrel Gigolo".
The song has been covered by Freddie Hubbard on his 1982 album 'Ride Like the Wind', as well as by Taka Boom on her 1983 album 'Boomerang', British heavy metal band Saxon on their 1988 album Destiny and by American heavy metal band Speeed on their 1999 album Powertrip Pigs. Perhaps the most notable cover of the song was the dance-oriented version by Italian act East Side Beat which reached number 3 in the UK Singles Chart in December 1991.
Cross performed the single live at Flemington Racecourse, Victoria, Australia, as part of the pre-race entertainment for the 2007 Melbourne Cup. In 2009 Cross performed the song on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon with the house band The Roots and special guest Michael McDonald doing the background vocals.
EAST SIDE BEAT version:
According to an interview by Guitar 2001 Magazine with guitarist Eric Johnson, he mentioned performing on "Ride Like the Wind", but his parts did not make the final cut of the song.[citation needed] Johnson performed the guitar solo on the song "Minstrel Gigolo".
The song has been covered by Freddie Hubbard on his 1982 album 'Ride Like the Wind', as well as by Taka Boom on her 1983 album 'Boomerang', British heavy metal band Saxon on their 1988 album Destiny and by American heavy metal band Speeed on their 1999 album Powertrip Pigs. Perhaps the most notable cover of the song was the dance-oriented version by Italian act East Side Beat which reached number 3 in the UK Singles Chart in December 1991.
Cross performed the single live at Flemington Racecourse, Victoria, Australia, as part of the pre-race entertainment for the 2007 Melbourne Cup. In 2009 Cross performed the song on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon with the house band The Roots and special guest Michael McDonald doing the background vocals.
EAST SIDE BEAT version:
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Talk Talk - "Lifes What You Make It" (1985)
"Life's What You Make It" is a song by the English band Talk Talk. It was released as a single in late 1985, the first from the band's album The Colour of Spring. The single was a hit in the UK, peaking at #16, and internationally, reaching the Top 20 in several countries. Filmed at Wimbledon Common, London, the promotional video for the single depicted the band performing in the early hours in a natural history setting. The track was remixed and re-released in 1990, reaching a second time the UK Top 40.
A cover version of the song was included as a bonus track on the UK version of Weezer's 2008 album Weezer (The Red Album). The Gathering also covered the song on their 2005 album Accessories - Rarities and B-Sides. Australian post-punk singer Rowland S. Howard also covered the song on his second solo album Pop Crimes in 2009. German rock band Zinoba recorded a version that featured in the film Gegen die Wand (Head-On), directed by Fatih Akın (2004), during the closing credits.
A cover version of the song was included as a bonus track on the UK version of Weezer's 2008 album Weezer (The Red Album). The Gathering also covered the song on their 2005 album Accessories - Rarities and B-Sides. Australian post-punk singer Rowland S. Howard also covered the song on his second solo album Pop Crimes in 2009. German rock band Zinoba recorded a version that featured in the film Gegen die Wand (Head-On), directed by Fatih Akın (2004), during the closing credits.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Al Corley - "Square Rooms" (1984)
I first heard this song in Paris, France in September 1985. I was so confused I thought he was singing in French. The singer was an actor in the popular prime-time series DYNASTY. The song was not very well-known in the USA but it was a popular Euro-pop tune in the mid-1980s.
"Square Rooms" is a Europop song recorded by American singer, actor and producer Al Corley. It was the first single from his album of the same name. First released in 1984, the song was a hit in some European countries and had a moderate success in the United States in 1985.
After two seasons playing one of the first gay leading characters an American TV series, Dynasty, Al Corley left the nighttime soap opera to become a singer. With Harold Faltermeyer and Peter John Woods, he composed the text of his first song, "Square Rooms."
The media-savvy singer affected the brooding look and attitude popular among pop stars and GQ models at the time: pouty, dark glances and tousled hair. His choice of image worked best in France, where his television performances elicited the unbridled enthusiasm of teenage girls. However, according to Elia Habib, a French charts specialist, his success was not only based on his physical appearance. Indeed, "Square Rooms"' music had a large popular appeal and had a production designed for the dance floor.
"Square Rooms" was released first in Switzerland, where it was a hit, peaking at number six on October 21, 1984, and staying in the top 30 for ten weeks. The single debuted at number 47 in the French Singles Chart on January 5, 1985. It climbed quickly and was number one for five nonconsecutive weeks, from March 9 to April 13, 1985. After its peak, it lingered on the charts until its 27th week, on July 20, 1985. The song also achieved success in Italy (number 12), Germany (number 13) and Austria where it reached number 15 in April 1985.
"Square Rooms" was released last in Corley's native U.S., where the single was only a minor pop hit, reaching number 80 on the Hot 100 on June 1, 1985. American dancefloors were more receptive than its airwaves; Corley reached number 26 on the Billboard Dance/Disco chart the week of June 22, 1985.
"Square Rooms" is a Europop song recorded by American singer, actor and producer Al Corley. It was the first single from his album of the same name. First released in 1984, the song was a hit in some European countries and had a moderate success in the United States in 1985.
After two seasons playing one of the first gay leading characters an American TV series, Dynasty, Al Corley left the nighttime soap opera to become a singer. With Harold Faltermeyer and Peter John Woods, he composed the text of his first song, "Square Rooms."
The media-savvy singer affected the brooding look and attitude popular among pop stars and GQ models at the time: pouty, dark glances and tousled hair. His choice of image worked best in France, where his television performances elicited the unbridled enthusiasm of teenage girls. However, according to Elia Habib, a French charts specialist, his success was not only based on his physical appearance. Indeed, "Square Rooms"' music had a large popular appeal and had a production designed for the dance floor.
"Square Rooms" was released first in Switzerland, where it was a hit, peaking at number six on October 21, 1984, and staying in the top 30 for ten weeks. The single debuted at number 47 in the French Singles Chart on January 5, 1985. It climbed quickly and was number one for five nonconsecutive weeks, from March 9 to April 13, 1985. After its peak, it lingered on the charts until its 27th week, on July 20, 1985. The song also achieved success in Italy (number 12), Germany (number 13) and Austria where it reached number 15 in April 1985.
"Square Rooms" was released last in Corley's native U.S., where the single was only a minor pop hit, reaching number 80 on the Hot 100 on June 1, 1985. American dancefloors were more receptive than its airwaves; Corley reached number 26 on the Billboard Dance/Disco chart the week of June 22, 1985.
Bananarama - "Venus" (1986)
Bananarama is a British female pop trio that has had success on the pop and dance charts since 1982. Rather than relying on three part harmony, the trio generally sings in unison, as do their background vocalists. Although there have been line-up changes, the group enjoyed its most popular success as a trio made up of lifelong friends Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward and Sara Dallin. Since 1988, Bananarama has been listed in the Guinness World Records as the all-female group with the most chart entries.
In 1986, some of the group's production duties on the album True Confessions (UK #46, US #15) were taken up by Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman known as Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW). This move resulted in the international number one hit, "Venus," (a remake of Shocking Blue's number one hit from 1970). The dance-oriented beats on the song typified the SAW approach to pop production. Bananarama were said to have been put in contact with SAW after hearing and expressing a fondness for "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" by Dead or Alive. Also in 1986, Dallin and Woodward were featured as backing vocalists on two songs on Family Album, produced by John Lydon.
The music video for "Venus" received heavy airplay on MTV in the United States. It featured the group in various costumes including a devil, a French temptress, a vampire and a Greek goddess. The video marked a pivotal shift towards a more glamorous and sexual image, which contrasted with the tomboyish style of their earlier work. It was also the start of their use of toy-boys as backup dancers, which would become a hallmark of their videos.
In 1986, some of the group's production duties on the album True Confessions (UK #46, US #15) were taken up by Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman known as Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW). This move resulted in the international number one hit, "Venus," (a remake of Shocking Blue's number one hit from 1970). The dance-oriented beats on the song typified the SAW approach to pop production. Bananarama were said to have been put in contact with SAW after hearing and expressing a fondness for "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" by Dead or Alive. Also in 1986, Dallin and Woodward were featured as backing vocalists on two songs on Family Album, produced by John Lydon.
The music video for "Venus" received heavy airplay on MTV in the United States. It featured the group in various costumes including a devil, a French temptress, a vampire and a Greek goddess. The video marked a pivotal shift towards a more glamorous and sexual image, which contrasted with the tomboyish style of their earlier work. It was also the start of their use of toy-boys as backup dancers, which would become a hallmark of their videos.
Charles Trenet - "La Mer" (1946)
"La mer" is French for "the sea", and is the name of a song by Charles Trenet, published in 1939 and first recorded by him in 1946.
"La Mer" is a song written by French composer, lyricist, singer and showman Charles Trenet (1913 – 2001). Trenet wrote the lyrics of "La Mer" on a train in 1943 while travelling along the French Mediterranean coast, returning from Paris to Narbonne. He supposedly wrote the song in ten minutes, on toilet paper supplied by SNCF. He was assisted with the tune by Leo Chauliac. It was originally published by Raoul Breton.
It was not until 1946 that Trenet recorded the song, since neither he nor the people around him believed the song to be anything special or particularly original. When he released "La Mer" in 1946 it became an unexpected hit, and has remained a chanson classic ever since.
English lyrics, unrelated to the French lyrics, were later written by Jack Lawrence and entitled "Beyond the Sea". This became a hit for Bobby Darin in 1959. The song has been recorded by more than 400 other artists in many languages. "La Mer" is perhaps his best known work outside the French-speaking world, with over 400 recorded versions.
"La Mer" is a song written by French composer, lyricist, singer and showman Charles Trenet (1913 – 2001). Trenet wrote the lyrics of "La Mer" on a train in 1943 while travelling along the French Mediterranean coast, returning from Paris to Narbonne. He supposedly wrote the song in ten minutes, on toilet paper supplied by SNCF. He was assisted with the tune by Leo Chauliac. It was originally published by Raoul Breton.
It was not until 1946 that Trenet recorded the song, since neither he nor the people around him believed the song to be anything special or particularly original. When he released "La Mer" in 1946 it became an unexpected hit, and has remained a chanson classic ever since.
English lyrics, unrelated to the French lyrics, were later written by Jack Lawrence and entitled "Beyond the Sea". This became a hit for Bobby Darin in 1959. The song has been recorded by more than 400 other artists in many languages. "La Mer" is perhaps his best known work outside the French-speaking world, with over 400 recorded versions.
Barret Strong - "Money That's What I Want" (1959)
"Money (That's What I Want)" is a 1959 hit single by Barrett Strong for the Tamla label, distributed nationally on Anna Records. The song was written by Tamla founder Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford, and became the first hit record for Gordy's Motown enterprise.
Anna Records was operated by Gwen Gordy, Anna Gordy and Billy 'Roquel' Davis. Gwen and Anna's brother Berry Gordy had just established his Tamla label (soon Motown would follow), and licensed the song to the Anna label in 1960, which was distributed nationwide by Chicago-based Chess Records in order to meet demand; the Tamla record was a resounding success in the Midwest. The song features Strong curtly demanding that money is what he needs, more than anything else. The single became Motown's first hit in June 1960, making it to #2 on the US R&B chart and #23 on the US pop chart. The song was listed as #288 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
The song has been covered by a myriad of artists. I was introduced to this song in the early 1980s by the version from THE FLYING LIZARDS (1979):
Anna Records was operated by Gwen Gordy, Anna Gordy and Billy 'Roquel' Davis. Gwen and Anna's brother Berry Gordy had just established his Tamla label (soon Motown would follow), and licensed the song to the Anna label in 1960, which was distributed nationwide by Chicago-based Chess Records in order to meet demand; the Tamla record was a resounding success in the Midwest. The song features Strong curtly demanding that money is what he needs, more than anything else. The single became Motown's first hit in June 1960, making it to #2 on the US R&B chart and #23 on the US pop chart. The song was listed as #288 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
The song has been covered by a myriad of artists. I was introduced to this song in the early 1980s by the version from THE FLYING LIZARDS (1979):
Sunday, June 12, 2011
The Clash - "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" (1982)
"Should I Stay or Should I Go" is a song by the English punk rock band THE CLASH, from their album 'Combat Rock'. It was written in 1981 and featured Mick Jones on lead vocals. It became the band's only number-one single, a decade after it was originally released. In November 2004, it was ranked at 228 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In 2009 it was ranked 42nd on VH1's program 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs.
The tune leans towards more of a retro punk rock sound than most of the other tracks on the album. Though many legends have arisen about what the song is about (one of which is Jones' impending dismissal from the Clash in 1983), it is actually about a rocky personal relationship between Jones and singer Ellen Foley that would soon implode. The lyrics seem to reflect ups and downs concerning the relationship and the dilemma of sticking with or ending it.
The Spanish backing vocals are courtesy of Joe Strummer:
On the spur of the moment I said 'I'm going to do the backing vocals in Spanish,'...We needed a translator so Eddie Garcia, the tape operator, called his mother in Brooklyn Heights and read her the lyrics over the phone and she translated them. But Eddie and his mum are Ecuadorian, so it's Ecuadorian Spanish that me and Joe Ely are singing on the backing vocals.
-Joe Strummer, 1991
The single was reissued several times. In 1982, with a different cover as a double A-side with "Straight to Hell" and with "Cool Confusion" as its B-side. In 1983, with "First Night Back in London" on the side two, and in 1991, with "Rush" by Mick Jones' group Big Audio Dynamite II as its B-side.
In March 1991, the band allowed the song to be used in a commercial for Levi Strauss & Co. The single was re-released on the back of the commercial and made it to number one in the UK singles chart.
"Should I Stay or Should I Go" has been covered by many artists including Skin, Ice Cube and Mack 10, Living Colour, Marron 5, Weezer, Guitar Wolf, Die Toten Hosen, The Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain, and Kyle Minogue. A version by former Prime Minister of the UK, Tony Blair was created by digital editing of his speeches to make it appear he was performing the song.
The tune leans towards more of a retro punk rock sound than most of the other tracks on the album. Though many legends have arisen about what the song is about (one of which is Jones' impending dismissal from the Clash in 1983), it is actually about a rocky personal relationship between Jones and singer Ellen Foley that would soon implode. The lyrics seem to reflect ups and downs concerning the relationship and the dilemma of sticking with or ending it.
The Spanish backing vocals are courtesy of Joe Strummer:
On the spur of the moment I said 'I'm going to do the backing vocals in Spanish,'...We needed a translator so Eddie Garcia, the tape operator, called his mother in Brooklyn Heights and read her the lyrics over the phone and she translated them. But Eddie and his mum are Ecuadorian, so it's Ecuadorian Spanish that me and Joe Ely are singing on the backing vocals.
-Joe Strummer, 1991
The single was reissued several times. In 1982, with a different cover as a double A-side with "Straight to Hell" and with "Cool Confusion" as its B-side. In 1983, with "First Night Back in London" on the side two, and in 1991, with "Rush" by Mick Jones' group Big Audio Dynamite II as its B-side.
In March 1991, the band allowed the song to be used in a commercial for Levi Strauss & Co. The single was re-released on the back of the commercial and made it to number one in the UK singles chart.
"Should I Stay or Should I Go" has been covered by many artists including Skin, Ice Cube and Mack 10, Living Colour, Marron 5, Weezer, Guitar Wolf, Die Toten Hosen, The Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain, and Kyle Minogue. A version by former Prime Minister of the UK, Tony Blair was created by digital editing of his speeches to make it appear he was performing the song.
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