I do vaguely remember this song but wouldn’t have seen the video as I was growing up in Bermuda in the early 80s, a period in which the only movie theatre closed down and for a couple year period we had no TV (good times 😉). Kinda grateful now as I look back on those days as we did find a lot of creative ways to have fun.
I’m sure if I sat down and thought about it I could come up with a decent list, but here are the first two anti-war songs that immediately came to mind:
Wow, honoured that my post led to this. Appreciate your thoughts on the song. I wouldn't have thought of the video as surreal but now that you mention it, I see how that perspective brings it all together.
Great piece. Music is indeed a sacred refuge. I wasn’t even born in 1984 😅 For anti war/racial injustice songs, off the top of my head, I’d go with Mariah’s “There’s Got to be a Way”, from her debut album.
Not sure if the pop tune vibe was why it was off. I mean, this was the same era when The Police gave us the lyric, “I guess you’d call it suicide, but I’m too full to swallow my pride” in a super pop-y upbeat tune.
I barely remembered the song when it was brought to my attention last week, but the minimal research I did on this mentions that Boy George was saying some drugged up shit in the press, and there’s nothing the press likes more than to bring someone with a lot of success back down in a hurry. I dunno, I was too busy trying to finish high school and was too into my goth phase to pay attention back then...:)
I am old enough to remember have been able to remember this record, but I didn't even know it existed until 5 minutes ago- maybe that's all part of the "commercial and critical failures" you noted.
I do vaguely remember this song but wouldn’t have seen the video as I was growing up in Bermuda in the early 80s, a period in which the only movie theatre closed down and for a couple year period we had no TV (good times 😉). Kinda grateful now as I look back on those days as we did find a lot of creative ways to have fun.
I’m sure if I sat down and thought about it I could come up with a decent list, but here are the first two anti-war songs that immediately came to mind:
Hero of the War by Scott Walker (from Scott 4):
https://spotify.link/pNAhOuzK0Db
When The Tigers Broke Free by Pink Floyd (from The Final Cut):
https://spotify.link/JJUWkFCK0Db
The lyrics of another anti-war track on The Final Cut, Southampton Dock, have always been devastating to me:
They disembarked in '45 and no-one spoke and no one smiled
There were too many spaces in the line
Gathered at the cenotaph
All agreed with hand on heart to sheathe the sacrificial knives
But now she stands upon Southampton dock
With her handkerchief, and her summer frock
Clings to her wet body in the rain
In quiet desperation
Knuckles white upon the slippery rails
She bravely waves the boys goodbye again
Great post Steve. I had never seen this video. It has a sort of Teletubbies x Eraserhead vibe, which is a compliment.
That is the best description for it that I've ever heard and will likely ever hear. Thanks for reading, Charles! Durand Jones is coming up soon!
Wow, honoured that my post led to this. Appreciate your thoughts on the song. I wouldn't have thought of the video as surreal but now that you mention it, I see how that perspective brings it all together.
Great piece. Music is indeed a sacred refuge. I wasn’t even born in 1984 😅 For anti war/racial injustice songs, off the top of my head, I’d go with Mariah’s “There’s Got to be a Way”, from her debut album.
I remember this video!
Not sure if the pop tune vibe was why it was off. I mean, this was the same era when The Police gave us the lyric, “I guess you’d call it suicide, but I’m too full to swallow my pride” in a super pop-y upbeat tune.
I barely remembered the song when it was brought to my attention last week, but the minimal research I did on this mentions that Boy George was saying some drugged up shit in the press, and there’s nothing the press likes more than to bring someone with a lot of success back down in a hurry. I dunno, I was too busy trying to finish high school and was too into my goth phase to pay attention back then...:)
I am old enough to remember have been able to remember this record, but I didn't even know it existed until 5 minutes ago- maybe that's all part of the "commercial and critical failures" you noted.
The video was a fave on MuchMusic. Not sure how much MTV played it.