Without question, Bananrama's Cruel Summer, from their 1984 self-titled album, is my single favorite pure pop tune from the 1980s. I really do think it's a perfect pop song in everyway - light, slightly punky, catchy and radio-friendly with heavy replay value. It was also featured in one of my favorite movies from that era, The Karate Kid. I've loved these girls for about 20 years, and for me they beat any other pop girl group that has come since then. The work they would do on later albums with Stock Aitken Waterman was fun, but not as memorable or distinct as the work from their early albums.

Yeah...I actually liked this song back in the day.

Were they lip-synchers tho'?????

Never known for them to sing live....

funkpill said:

I'm not sure, but it's possible. A lot of those club acts were known for lip synching to backing tracks.

It's cute, but nothing special to me.

VoicesCarry said:

RipHer2Shreds said:

What's wacky about that comment?

VoicesCarry said:

Aside from the fact that you crushed my heart into itty bitty pieces when you said it...nada!

RipHer2Shreds said:

Everyone has a pop ditty that they love. Obviously it's something special to you

Bananarama just made great dance pop music. "Cruel Summer" is probably their most distinct and memorable song.

RipHer2Shreds said:

I love the bass riffs & guitar licks on THAT song. And even today, I'm very surprise that no one in the world of rap/hip-hop has sampled THIS song yet!!!

TonyVanDam said:

That bass line is actually what made me start this thread. I had it in mind in the "favorite bass lines" thread.

RipHer2Shreds said:

It's not on the soundtrack, right

RipHer2Shreads - you've made me come out of the Bananarama Closet!

ANYONE who loves 80's pop should get their Greatest Hits - it's amazing! Packed with hits. I particularly like 'I Can't Help It' (if only for the bit where the girls sing 'Mange').

I prefer Ace of Base's cover.....

There's so many songs from the 80's, including this one, that were great songs, but so overplayed it's hard to enjoy them anymore.

'd this song since I heard it in the Karate Kid.

"...strange voices are saying (ahhhh, what did they say?)..."

I love the way the groove morphs before each hook. It's infectious.

greatdj1 said:

Now this truly deserves a

greatdj1 said:

Fluff.

JANFAN4L said:

Indeed. I love euro dance pop but stuff like that gives it a bland name.

I like Ace of Bass

My mom liked the song and even brought the 45 but I didn't like it. I always prefered their version of Venus, but that's another thread. I've grown to like the song now. It definelty has a strong groove in there and when you hear the first few notes, you KNOW it's Cruel Summer. If pop music souned a little bit like this, I could deal with it more than I do now.

cha know.....

i just realized how soul-influenced this song was....Pointer Sister's could have torn this shit up..


and as much as i love this song aint nothing like their version of "Venus"...



----

do they still perform? original members?

sosgemini said:

I think it's just two of them now. Sioban Fahey left in the early 90s and got married to Dave Stewart from Eurythmics. She was in his pet group, Shakespeare's Sister.

F'N Love it..... great melody. great song.

pop classic.

Loved it!

sosgemini said:

This is WEIRD but I actually saw a clip of their new video last night I've never thought about Bananarama so much in one day!

I assume there's a new album out soon, then??

Oh, and they're playing London Pride this Saturday.

Oh yeah - as for 'Venus'...

This is what I mean, everyone - get those Greatest Hits!