Yeah, see lately I've been getting into them, right? I wanna get their first album so bad. It's called "Songs To Remember". On that album they kinda abandoned their post-punk fury and political entendres and got into a more soulful direction. There's still some interesting and literary stuff though. It's like a Style Council album or something. Maybe Paul Weller isn't so original after all.

Anyways, I know most of you can identify Scritti Politti from their 2nd album, "Cupid & Psyche 85" or even "Provisions". That was when they sold out and decided to update their soul-pop sound and make it glossy and commercial. It was good though. I mean if it was good enough for Miles Davis to cover it, then it's got to have some validity. Plus you could say that they probably provided the blueprint for the late 80's soul/pop that you would hear in the Jam/Lewis productions as well as the Full Force productions.

Scritti Politti was more than just your average New Wave flash in the pan. They were trailblazers!

I think that the production of their first album sucks, too minimalist - even if The Sweetest Girl is magic

i'm aware of them, but not really a big fan... i know the main singles, like Perfect Way... and what was the other, BOOM There She Was or something like that..?? I had that on cassette single. Another of those bands that I need to explore more of when the opportunity arises...

I liked the singer's duet w/ Annie Lennox on "Wrap it Up" from the 2nd Eurythmics album.

Cupid & Psyche 85 is an 80s masterpiece - The Word Girl, the song about Aretha ( I forgot the title) are hypnotics

jn2 said:

You are absolutely correct. It is an 80's masterpiece and the song you're speaking of is 'Hypnotize (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)'

violator said:

Correction: the title is "Wood Beez(Pray Like Aretha Franklin)". Hypnotize is a different song in itself.

3 words :


Asylums In Jerusalem

Perfect Way is THEE CUUUTTT
I had 2 look in the dictionary 4 sum of the words

another B-Side that was very good...

"A World Come Back 2 Life"
that song is damn good. Cant believe it wasnt on Provisions.

"Wood Beez" the funk!

NWF said:

Touche. I'm rusty on my Scritti obviously.

violator said:

It's all good.

Awww, heyyylll yeahhh.

I've only owned 2 Scritti Politti albums ever, and soon I'll get rid of Anomie & Bonhomie. Nothing from it sticks to my ribs. But Cupid & Psyche '85 is The One. The uptempo tracks are like industrial funk, or something.


W-o-o-d, I'm a would be would be. B-e-e-z.

That's one of their Arif Mardin productions, and he was Aretha's arranger for a while in her heyday, so there's part of that ("pray like Aretha Franklin") connection too.

There's nothing I wouldn't do
To make you want for nothing
There's nothing I wouldn't do
My heart belongs to you
There's nothing we shouldn't do
To get to be so happy
There's nothing I wouldn't take
Oh even intravenous
There's nothing I wouldn't take
To get to be approved
There's nothing I wouldn't be
Oh that's the gift of schizo...

aww yeahhh, Gartside had it baaad. And Meshell knew what she was doing when she got David Gamson to produce her early albums.
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[This message was edited Sat Mar 20 17:53:02 2004 by Supernova]

OMG I loved their Second album I have the 12' single of A Perfect Way too...and as cheesey as Absolute (Version) is..it's still on of my favorites on the album

Absolute is the joint!!!!

I was listening to this album yesterday just to reminisce how cool that 80's Soul/pop sound was. I am actually more interested in what their early Punk songs like "Skank Bloc Bologna" and "Bibbly-O-tek" sounded like.

That's right, folks, like many of the U.K. New Wave/Pop bands of the 80's, Scritti began life as a political, artsy, Punk band. Or was it Post-Punk? I forgot.

I used to realy like them back in the days, maybe I should give them another listen.

mltijchr said:

Right On!

And The Word Girl too....

SquirrelMeat said:

The Word Girl was my first ever single on vinyl. I heard it on the radio and my dad bought it for me!

i absolutely loved Scritti Politti back in the day...actually i still love them...

time to break out the old tapes!!!!

The late, great Roger Troutman (former Zapp frontman) appeared on 'Boom, There She Was', never heard the track but if Roger's involded it must b great!.

I have the first two albums w/ the 2nd as my favourite.I use to listen to Cupid & Psyche endlessy on cassete back in the day.Great production by Arif Mardin.Funny you mentioned them, I saw two of their videos on Vh1 yesterday...

PhilG said:

"Sex" is the jam!!!!!

Our good friend, Jn2 hooked me up with a copy of Scritti's first album, "Songs To Remember" last month, and that's damn near all I've been listening to these days. (well, besides Prince ) This album is very good, almost as good as Cupid & Psyche 85. It's a lil' hard to find now, but definitely worth tracking down, folks.

They also have a track on the "Who's That Girl?" soundtrack. Anybody hear it?