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Bananarama (album)

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Bananarama
Cover photography by Peter Ashworth
Studio album by
Bananarama
ReleasedApril 1984[1]
RecordedSeptember 1982 – May 1983; September 1983 – March 1984
Genre
Length34:12
LabelLondon
ProducerJolley & Swain
Bananarama chronology
Deep Sea Skiving
(1983) 		Bananarama
(1984) 		True Confessions
(1986)
Singles from Bananarama
  1. "Cruel Summer"
    Released: June 1983 (UK)
  2. "Robert De Niro's Waiting..."
    Released: February 1984
  3. "Rough Justice"
    Released: May 1984
  4. "Hot Line to Heaven"
    Released: October 1984
  5. "The Wild Life"
    Released: November 1984

Bananarama is the second studio album by the English pop group Bananarama, released in 1984 by London Records. It peaked at number 16 on the UK Albums Chart[4] and was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).[5]

Background and recording

[edit]

For their second album, Bananarama continued their association with the duo Jolley & Swain, who had produced three tracks on the group's 1983 debut album Deep Sea Skiving. Compared to Deep Sea Skiving, which mixed Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey and Keren Woodward's self-penned songs with covers and material from outside writers, Bananarama saw the trio take on a much larger role in songwriting. With the exception of "Dream Baby" (originally written by Cindy Ecstasy and B-Movie's Rick Holliday for their Six Sed Red project), the whole album was written by Bananarama in collaboration with Jolley & Swain.[6] The group had been frustrated at what they felt were misogynistic perceptions of them as performers whose songs had all been written by their producers.[6][7]

Lyrically, Bananarama also found the group delving into more mature and socially conscious territory on several songs, with subject matter including drug addiction ("Hot Line to Heaven") and domestic violence ("King of the Jungle"),[6][8] as well as the killing of the group's friend Thomas "Kidso" Reilly (who receives a dedication on the album sleeve)[9] in Northern Ireland amidst the Troubles ("Rough Justice").[10]

Release

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The original vinyl release came in an embossed sleeve and was packaged with a poster which included song lyrics, a photo of each member of the group, and the message: "Well, a year is a long time, people change & maybe we have too – hopefully for the better! Anyway here are results of our hard work over the past twelve months. This is for you – we hope you like it. Best Wishes, love Keren X, All the best, love Sarah x, and Lots of love, Siobhan xx".[9]

The album's lead single "Cruel Summer" reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart,[11] and it gave Bananarama their first significant success in the United States, where it reached number nine on the Billboard Hot 100,[12] bolstered by the song's inclusion in the 1984 film The Karate Kid.[6] Further singles from Bananarama included the UK top 40 chart hits "Robert De Niro's Waiting...", which peaked at number three, and "Rough Justice", which reached number 23, while a fourth single, "Hot Line to Heaven", topped out at number 58.[11]

A music video was also shot for the song "State I'm In", even though it was not released as a single from the album.

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[8]
Classic Pop[13]
Number One3/5[14]
The Philadelphia Inquirer[15]
Record Mirror[16]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[17]
Smash Hits6+1⁄2/10[18]
Spin Alternative Record Guide5/10[2]
Stylus MagazineB[19]
The Village VoiceB−[20]

At the time of the album's release, Creem critic Mitchell Cohen described Bananarama as having "a misty feeling that's almost nostalgic. Women don't sing like this anymore, with this kind of sighing regret. The album has curves, not edges, and it's got a texture you can float on, a shine like 'Don't Worry Baby' without the harmonic intricacy. With their waif-like, wafer-thin pipes, Keren, Siobhan and Sarah ... sound dazed, as though someone roused them from sleep and stuck them behind a mike."[21] Andy Strike of Record Mirror felt that Bananarama remained limited as vocalists, but that Jolley & Swain "answer this problem by all but burying the vocals under a creamy topping of drums, guitar and synth".[16] Dave Rimmer commented in Smash Hits that despite some "gloomy moments" on the album, "overall they seem to have found their feet."[18]

Retrospectively, AllMusic's Stewart Mason found that while Jolley & Swain's production on Bananarama eschewed the more unique sound of Deep Sea Skiving for a "more polished feel", the album is nonetheless distinguished by its "surprisingly serious" lyrics; noting the group's return to lighter lyrical themes on subsequent albums, he summarised Bananarama as "an intriguing and often excellent side trip."[8] For Classic Pop, Alistair Powell wrote that with its "glossier, more grown-up production" and particularly its lyrics, the album "demanded [the group] be taken seriously".[22]

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward, Steve Jolley and Tony Swain, except where noted.

Standard CD, LP and cassette versions
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Cruel Summer" 3:35
2."Rough Justice" 5:07
3."King of the Jungle" 3:28
4."Dream Baby"
  • Cindy Ecstasy
  • Rick Holliday
3:01
5."Link" 1:31
6."Hot Line to Heaven" 7:19
7."State I'm In" 2:48
8."Robert De Niro's Waiting..." 3:43
9."Through a Child's Eyes" 3:40
Total length:34:12
US CD and LP versions
No.TitleLength
1."Cruel Summer"3:35
2."Rough Justice"5:07
3."King of the Jungle"3:28
4."Dream Baby"3:01
5."Link"1:31
6."The Wild Life" (album version)3:50
7."Hot Line to Heaven" (single version)3:50
8."State I'm In"2:48
9."Robert De Niro's Waiting..."3:43
10."Through a Child's Eyes"3:40
Total length:34:33
2007 CD reissue
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Cruel Summer" 3:35
2."Rough Justice" 5:07
3."King of the Jungle" 3:28
4."Dream Baby" 3:01
5."Link" 1:31
6."Hot Line to Heaven" 7:19
7."State I'm In" 2:48
8."Robert De Niro's Waiting..." 3:43
9."Through a Child's Eyes" 3:40
10."Cairo"John Sandosa3:44
11."Push!" 4:10
12."Rough Justice" (single version) 3:38
13."Live Now" 3:04
14."Hot Line to Heaven" (album edit version) 3:54
15."The Wild Life" (album version) 3:50
2013 deluxe edition CD/DVD reissue – Disc one
No.TitleLength
1."Cruel Summer"3:35
2."Rough Justice"5:04
3."King of the Jungle"3:26
4."Dream Baby"3:08
5."Link"1:30
6."Hot Line to Heaven"7:16
7."State I'm In"2:45
8."Robert De Niro's Waiting..."3:42
9."Through a Child's Eyes"3:39
10."The Wild Life" (album version)3:54
11."Cairo"3:46
12."Push!"4:08
13."Live Now"3:05
14."Cruel Summer" (12" version)4:55
15."Robert De Niro's Waiting..." (extended version)5:42
16."Rough Justice" (extended version)5:20
17."The Wild Life" (extended version)6:23
18."Cruel Summer '89" (Swing Beat dub)5:17
2013 deluxe edition CD/DVD reissue – Disc two
No.TitleLength
1."Cruel Summer '89" (Swing Beat version)3:21
2."Robert De Niro's Waiting..." (7" version)3:29
3."Rough Justice" (7" version)3:38
4."Hot Line to Heaven" (7" version)3:45
5."The Wild Life" (7" version)3:17
6."Cruel Summer" (Cruel dub)3:27
7."Rough Justice" (original 12" mix)6:40
8."King of the Jungle" (unsegued version)3:18
9."Dream Baby" (unsegued version)3:08
10."Push!" (extended version)5:55
11."State I'm In" (extended version)4:37
12."The Wild Life" (dub version)7:04
13."Cruel Summer" (Summer dub)5:13
14."State I'm In" (instrumental)3:07
15."The Wild Life" (instrumental)4:06
16."Cruel Summer '89" (Swing Beat instrumental)5:02

2013 deluxe edition CD/DVD reissue – DVD

  1. "Cruel Summer" – music video (directed by Brian Simmons)
  2. "Robert De Niro's Waiting..." – music video (directed by Duncan Gibbins)
  3. "Rough Justice" – music video (directed by Jonathan Gershfield)
  4. "Hot Line to Heaven" – music video (directed by Jonathan Gershfield)
  5. "State I'm In" – music video (directed by Jonathan Gershfield)
  6. "The Wild Life" – music video
  7. "Cruel Summer '89" – music video
  8. "Cruel Summer" – performance on Top of the Pops
  9. "Robert De Niro's Waiting..." – performance on The Russell Harty Show
  10. "Rough Justice" – performance on Top of the Pops
  11. "Michael Row the Boat Ashore" – performance on Saturday Superstore

Some mid-1980s US LP and CD versions

  • "Link" was not identified as an individual track on original LP issues, and an alternative version had originally appeared, also uncredited, preceding "Push!" on the B-side of the 12" of "Robert De Niro's Waiting...".

Personnel

[edit]

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[9]

Bananarama

Production

Design

Charts

[edit]
Chart (1984) Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[24] 99
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[25] 15
European Albums (Music & Media)[26] 72
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[27] 45
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[28] 78
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[29] 9
UK Albums (OCC)[4] 16
US Billboard 200[30] 30
Zimbabwean Albums (ZIMA)[31] 15

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[5] Silver 60,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ Quentin Harrison (19 April 2019). "Bananarama's Eponymous Second Album 'Bananarama' Turns 35; Anniversary Retrospective". Albumism. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  2. ^ a b Sheffield, Rob (1995). "Bananarama". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. New York: Vintage Books. pp. 28–29. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
  3. ^ "Best Of 1984: 40 Jahre, 40 Alben". Laut.de (in German). 12 April 2024. p. 32. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  5. ^ a b "British album certifications – Bananarama – Bananarama". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d Lindores, Mark (March–April 2022). "Album by Album: Bananarama". Classic Pop. No. 74. pp. 46–49. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  7. ^ Birch, Ian (15–28 March 1984). "'We All Broke Down and Cried'". Smash Hits. Vol. 6, no. 6. p. 54.
  8. ^ a b c Mason, Stewart. "Bananarama – Bananarama". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  9. ^ a b c Bananarama (liner notes). Bananarama. London Records. 1984. RAMA 2 / 820 036-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ Hughes, Rob (May 2024). "Fruits of Their Labours". Record Collector. No. 557. pp. 64–67.
  11. ^ a b "Bananarama". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  12. ^ "Bananarama Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  13. ^ Frith, Mark (November–December 2013). "Bananarama". Classic Pop. No. 7. p. 107.
  14. ^ Rice, Maureen (12 May 1984). "Albums". Number One. No. 54. p. 37.
  15. ^ Rea, Steven X. (1 June 1984). "Albums". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  16. ^ a b Strike, Andy (28 April 1984). "Less a-peeling?". Record Mirror. p. 16.
  17. ^ Considine, J. D. (2004). "Bananarama". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 41–42. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  18. ^ a b Rimmer, Dave (12–25 April 1984). "Bananarama: Bananarama". Smash Hits. Vol. 6, no. 8. p. 19.
  19. ^ Merwin, Charles (19 April 2007). "Bananarama – Deep Sea Skiving / Bananarama / True Confessions / Wow! / Pop Life – Review". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on 23 April 2007. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  20. ^ Christgau, Robert (26 June 1984). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  21. ^ Cohen, Mitchell (August 1984). "Bananarama (London)". Creem. Vol. 16, no. 3. pp. 53–54. Retrieved 26 March 2019 – via Rock's Backpages.
  22. ^ Powell, Alistair (2023). "1984: The Best of the Rest". Classic Pop Presents. No. 31, Classic Pop Presents 1984. pp. 124–127.
  23. ^ Bananarama (LP liner notes). Bananarama. London Records. 1984. 422-820 036-1 R-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  24. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 26. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  25. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Bananarama – Bananarama" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  26. ^ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 1, no. 5. 30 April 1984. p. 12. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 8 November 2020 – via World Radio History.
  27. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Bananarama – Bananarama" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  28. ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  29. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Bananarama – Bananarama". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  30. ^ "Bananarama Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  31. ^ Kimberley, Christopher (2000). Zimbabwe Albums Chart Book: 1973–1998. Harare.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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