Wonderland Burlesque's Down The Rabbit Hole: The Blow Monkeys

Wonderland Burlesque's

Down The Rabbit Hole:

The Blow Monkeys

Down The Rabbit Hole merely places a spotlight on something slightly unusual that's caught my interest. With the help of Wikipedia, YouTube, and other sites, I gather information and learn something new.

Today, we take a look at the history and musical evolution of the UK's The Blow Monkeys.

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From Wikipedia and other sources:

The Blow Monkeys are a British pop band formed in 1981 who enjoyed four albums and eleven singles on the UK charts between 1986 and 1990.

The Blow Monkeys formed in 1981 when lead singer, songwriter, guitarist, bassist, and piano player Dr. Robert (Robert Howard) returned to the United Kingdom after having spent five years in Australia. The other band members are Mick Anker on bass guitar, Neville Henry on saxophone and Tony Kiley - or - Crispin Taylor on drums.

In 1984, the group released their debut album Limping for a Generation. It failed to chart, but success was within reach. Their first hit single came in 1986 with Digging Your Scene, from their second album Animal Magic. The single attracted attention for its topical lyrics, dealing with the AIDS-fueled backlash against gay people. It peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and #7 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. In addition, it reached #12 on the UK Singles Chart, #24 in Italy, and #25 in Germany.

Regarding Digging Your Scene, Dr. Robert had this to say in 2023: "I used to go to gay clubs, like Taboo, a lot because, to be honest with you, in London, in the early ‘80s, it was grim. Pubs closed – there was nowhere to go, but those clubs were open and they played great music. People were flamboyant and there was a freedom – it was a scene. Then AIDS came along and those people got demonized – even the Government starting putting out ads and Donna Summer said AIDS was God’s revenge. I know she took it back later, but that’s where the line ‘It’ll get you in the end – it’s God’s revenge’ came from. At the time, I don’t think a big deal was made of what the song was about lyrically."

Their third album She Was Only a Grocer's Daughter (a reference to then-prime minister Margaret Thatcher), was released in January 1987. It reached #20 in the UK, thanks to its biggest hit, It Doesn't Have to Be This Way, which reached #5 in the UK and #28 in Italy. Working outside the group, Robert Howard released the single Wait, which featured Kym Mazelle on female lead vocals. It reached #7 on the UK chart and was included on The Blow Monkey's fourth album, Whoops! There Goes the Neighbourhood.

The band split up in late 1990, shortly after the release of their fifth album Springtime for the World. This was due to diminishing radio interest and sales and a lack of direction. The band simply felt it had run its course. No drama, no conflict.

Which made it easy for them to reunite in 2007. Since that time, they've release seven albums of new material, the most recent being 2024's Together/Alone.

Digging Your Scene - The Blow Monkeys

Wicked Ways - The Blow Monkeys

It Doesn't Have To Be This Way - The Blow Monkeys

Out With Her - The Blow Monkeys

Some Kind Of Wonderful - The Blow Monkeys

Wait - Robert Howard and Kym Mazelle

This Is Your Life - The Blow Monkeys

Choice - The Blow Monkeys feat. Sylvia Tella  

Wonderland Burlesque's Down The Rabbit Hole: Propaganda

Wonderland Burlesque's 

Down The Rabbit Hole: 

Propaganda

Down The Rabbit Hole merely places a spotlight on something slightly unusual that's caught my interest. With the help of Wikipedia, YouTube, and other sites, I gather information and learn something new.

Today, we take a look at the brief musical history of the UK's Eighth Wonder, featuring Patsy Kensit.

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From Wikipedia and other sources:

Propaganda is a German synth-pop band formed in Düsseldorf in 1982 by Ralf Dörper. As a trio, with artist Andreas Thein and vocalist Susanne Freytag, the group began recording in Germany. These tracks were destined for future release in the UK, where Ralf Dörper's early, pre-Propaganda experimental recordings had received critical acclaim by radio DJ John Peel and journalist Chris Bohn. With the inclusion of classically trained musician and composer, Michael Mertens and singer Claudia Brücken, music journalist Paul Morley signed the band to Trevor Horn's newly formed ZTT label in 1983.

The group relocated to the United Kingdom and released the single Dr. Mabuse, named after the fictional character made famous by filmmaker Fritz Lang. The single reached the Top 30 in the UK Singles Chart, and the Top 10 in Germany. To promote the single and themselves, the group appeared on various TV shows in the UK.

Before the year was out, Thein was asked to leave the band due to musical differences. With Mertens now filling the gap left by his departure, the band forged ahead with recording its follow-up single and debut album. However both of these were to be delayed as a result of the unexpectedly huge success of ZTT's Frankie Goes to Hollywood. As the label was still in its infancy, ZTT was forced to spend all its limited resources promoting and marketing Frankie Goes to Hollywood. This meant that Trevor Horn was not available to produce Propaganda's album. Stephen Lipson, one of Horn's established studio engineers, took his place. With the addition of Andy Richards playing keyboards and Lipson behind the board, Propaganda's second single, the more pop-oriented Duel, did not surface until April 1985. Perhaps the band's most recognizable release, it was also their highest-charting single in the UK, reaching #21. The band made its an appearance on Top of the Pops in June of that year.

The first week of July in 1985 finally saw the release of the band's debut album, A Secret Wish which was written by Mertens and Dörper. After receiving considerable critical acclaim and some commercial success, it climbed to #16 on the UK Albums Chart. The album was followed by another single, p:Machinery, that August. While it only reached #50 in the UK, it became a much a bigger hit in Italy, France, the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. In addition, it was used as part of the soundtrack for an episode of the hit US TV show Miami Vice. The 12-inch version caused controversy (even within the group) as Paul Morley thought it a good idea to have the sleeve feature a quote by writer J. G. Ballard, praising the activities of the German extremist group Red Army Faction. Ariola, who distributed ZTT's releases in Germany, refused to carry the 12" as a result, so the quote was changed on the German release.

The group spent the rest of the year on their Outside World tour, taking in Europe and America. They were joined by three former members of Simple Minds - Derek Forbes on bass, Brian McGee on drums, and Kevin Armstrong on guitar - all accompanied with backing tapes used for most of the keyboard parts. In the meantime a remix album, Wishful Thinking, was released in November of 1985. Originally intended for the American club market, the album was also released in Europe, but against the wishes of the group. The album peaked at #82 in the UK. A remixed version of p:Machinery was re-released as a single, but failed to make an impact in the UK, but was, again, more successful in France, Spain, and Germany.

The year 1986 started positively with the single p:Machinery going #1 in Spain and entering the Top 10 in France, but ended in disaster. By late 1985, the band's management team had introduced them to the London-based music lawyer Brian Carr of Compton Carr, who had helped win the case between John Lydon (Sex Pistols/Public Image Ltd) and his management. Carr explained to the group members that under their current contracts with ZTT, they could go on making records for the rest of their lives and never make any money. Based on this information the band asked ZTT to renegotiate their contract, which the company declined. 

Soon afterwards, Claudia Brücken - who was married to ZTT's Paul Morley - left Propaganda to pursue a solo career, signed to ZTT. After a protracted legal battle, which saw the remaining members of Propaganda under an injunction by ZTT for fourteen months, they were finally released from their contract in a hurried out-of-court settlement in the summer of 1987.

In 1988, the band, now reduced to Ralf Dörper, Michael Mertens and Susanne Freytag, signed to Virgin, and began recording new material. The new line-up included American vocalist Betsi Miller, and members of their touring group, ex-Simple Minds bassist Derek Forbes and drummer Brian McGee (who had both actually joined the band following their split with ZTT in 1986). The result was a new album, released in 1990 called 1234, produced by former Tears for Fears' associates Ian Stanley and Chris Hughes. Dörper and Freytag's contributions to the album were quite limited with, Freytag only singing on the title track and Dörper contributing lyrics for  three three tracks - Only One Word (which featured David Gilmour of Pink Floyd on guitar),Wound in My Heart, and Vicious Circle.

The first single from the album, Heaven Give Me Words, was co-written with 1980s synth-pop star Howard Jones and reached the UK Top 40. However, the album was not as successful, stalling at #46 in the UK. The second single, Only One Word, met a similar fate, stalling at #71 in the UK. This led to the group taking a hiatus. 

In 1998, Mertens, Brücken, and Freytag reunited, signing an options deal with East West, and began working on new material. Several tracks were completed, including one produced by Tim Simenon and featuring Depeche Mode's Martin Gore on guitar. A video for one song, the prophetically-titled No Return, was produced in Morocco in December of 1998. Two minute clips of it, along with photos of the shoot, were released via the band's official website in early 2000. However, no album materialized and, in January 2002, Brücken announced, "The reunion was worth a try, but did not work out."

However a real reunion of the four original band members took place in November 2004, when Brücken, Dörper, Freytag and Mertens - but without Thein - performed Dr. Mabuse at a concert for the Prince's Trust which took place at Wembley Arena, celebrating 25 years of Trevor Horn's career as a successful producer.

Since that time, various configurations of former members have gotten together for special appearances and the occasional recording, including an album in 2024, featuring Dörper and Mertens.

Dr. Mabuse - Propaganda

Duel - Propaganda

p-Machinery - Propaganda

Heaven Give Me Words - Propaganda

Only Word - Propaganda

No Return - Propaganda

Wonderland Burlesque's Down The Rabbit Hole: Eighth Wonder

Wonderland Burlesque's 

Down The Rabbit Hole: 

Eighth Wonder

Down The Rabbit Hole merely places a spotlight on something slightly unusual that's caught my interest. With the help of Wikipedia, YouTube, and other sites, I gather information and learn something new.

Today, we take a look at the brief musical history of the UK's Eighth Wonder, featuring Patsy Kensit.

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From Wikipedia and other sources:

Eighth Wonder was an English pop band, formed in 1983 in London, initially composed of singer/model/actress Patsy Kensit, her brother Jamie Kensit, Steve Grantley, Geoff Beauchamp, Nigel Davis, Jake Walters and Lawrence Lewis. The band first enjoyed major success in Japan and Italy before breaking through in the UK and across Europe.

Eighth Wonder began life as a band called Spice. The line-up consisted of Patsy Kensit on vocals, her brother Jamie Kensit and Geoff Beauchamp on guitar, Lawrence Lewis on bass, Jake Walters on drums and Nigel Davis on percussion. Spice made their live debut in the autumn of 1983, and then spent the next year playing gigs in the hope of gaining the attention of record labels.

In late 1984, Davis left and keyboard-player Alex Godson joined. At that point, they renamed themselves Eighth Wonder and Patsy Kensit began to write songs for the band. At one of their gigs, Stephen Woolley, co-owner of Palace Films, and director Julien Temple offered Patsy Kensit the role of Crepe Suzette in their 1986 movie musical Absolute Beginners. In edition, Eighth Wonder was asked to contribute a song to the soundtrack.

By April of 1985, Eighth Wonder had signed to CBS Records and began recording in London, working around Patsy Kensit's filming of Absolute Beginners. In October of that same year, their first single Stay With Me was released. It achieved success in Japan, where it went to #1, and Italy, where it peaked at #4. while failing in the UK, where it only managed to reach #65. Shortly after, Lewis and Walters left the band. It was at this point that the band began using drum machines and substituting keyboards for their bass sound.

In August of 1986, they went to Los Angeles to work with producer Mike Chapman, best known for his work with Blondie. Drummer Steve Grantley then replaced Godson. The top songwriters of the times offered them new material and these tracks formed their debut album, Fearless. Of these tracks, Will You Remember was released in the UK where it only reached #83. They fared much better in Japan and Italy. In Japan, When The Phone Stops Ringing gave them their second #1, while in Italy Will You Remember slid into the Top 10, mostly due to the media attention surrounding their performance at a music festival in which Patsy experienced a wardrobe malfunction resulting in the exposure of one of her nipples.

I'm Not Scared, co-produced and written by the Pet Shop Boys and Phil Harding, was chosen as the next single in Europe, where it was greeted with media and public enthusiasm, becoming a Top 10 hit in almost every country in Europe. It went to #1 in Italy, #2 in Switzerland and Portugal, #3 in Spain, #4 in Greece, #5 in Germany, #7 in the UK, #8 in France and #20 in Austria.

In May of 1988, another single, Cross My Heart, found similar success, hitting #6 in Switzerland, #10 in Italy, #13 in UK, and France, and #56 in the US. The album was finally released in July of 1988, and by that October, had achieved almost 500,000 sales internationally.

However, the follow-up single, Baby Baby only got to #65 on the UK Singles Chart and would prove to be their final hit in Italy, peaking at #13. Shortly after this, the bandmembers parted ways, with Patsy Kensit deciding to focus on her marriage and acting career.

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Stay With Me - Eighth Wonder

Having It All - Eighth Wonder feat. Patsy Kensit

from the 1986 motion picture Absolute Beginners 

When The Phone Stops Ringing - Eighth Wonder

Will You Remember - Eighth Wonder

I'm Not Scared - Eighth Wonder

Cross My Heart - Eighth Wonder

Baby, Baby - Eighth Wonder

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Weekend Onesie: Humpe Humpe

Weekend Onesie:

Humpe & Humpe

Down The Rabbit Hole merely places a spotlight on something slightly unusual that's caught my interest. With the help of Wikipedia, YouTube, and other sites, I gather information and learn something new.

Today, we take a look at the history and music of the Humpe sisters, Annette and Inga.

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From Wikipedia and other sources:

The Humpe sisters, Annette and Inga, spent their childhood in Herdecke and Bad Pyrmont. After high school and following six semesters of studying composition and piano in Cologne, Annette moved to Berlin in 1974, where she started performing in various bands. Her younger sister Inga soon followed and the sisters naturally found themselves collaborating on various musical projects.

They first achieved first commercial successes in 1979 with the band Neonbabies, founded by the sisters. The sisters released their debut album in 1981, with Inga on lead vocals.

In 1980, Annette Humpe also helped found Ideal along with Ernst Ulrich Deuker and Frank Jürgen Krüger. In the band, Annette served as a songwriter while performing lead vocals and keyboards. The group also recorded songs originally performed by Neonbabies including the highly popular Blaue Augen, which was written by Annette. That song became Ideal's highest-charting song and was also covered by various other artists.

In addition, the Ideal members were close friends of the band Trio, for whom Annette occasionally performed as a backing vocalist, most notably on the #1single Da Da Da.

When Ideal and Neonbabies both disbanded in 1983, Annette became a record producer. For the group DÖF, she co-wrote and produced the commercially successful single Codo, which was a #1 hit in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands and also reached #4 on the Swiss single charts. The song was performed by two Austrian comedians, Joesi Prokopetz and Manfred Tauchen along with Inga Humpe.

In addition, in 1984, Annette and Inga served as co-producers for the band Palais Schaumburg.

The sisters founded the duo Humpe & Humpe in 1985. They wrote and produced most of the songs released on their two studio albums. While the duo was widely known as Humpe & Humpe, their names appeared on the albums as Inga & Anete Humpe and Humpe – Humpe respectively. In the UK, the duo was known as Swimming with Sharks due to the potential sexual connotations of the name Humpe in English. 

Their first album contained the single Yamaha. The song was particularly successful in Japan during 1985, and it was released with a memorable split-screen video featuring the sisters. Their second album, and English language venture, featured two singles; No Longer Friends and Careless Love. They received significant airplay on BBC Radio One during 1987 and strong reviews from British music press, although this did not result in significant Chart success for the sisters. The single Careless Love reached the German single charts and peaked at #24.

As international success remained elusive, the duo went their separate ways.

During this time Annette continued to produce other artists including Rio Reiser and Heiner Pudelko. By 1990, with Humpe & Humpe in the rear view mirror, Annette released her first solo studio album called Solo. The album failed to chart. After the release of her solo album, Annette decided she was through with singing. She would concentrate exclusively on composing and producing over the following years.
 

Inga returned to England, where she sang as a featured vocalist for Johnny Logan and Howard Jones. Inga's first solo album was released in 1990 under the title Planet Oz. It included the single Riding into Blue (Cowboy Song), written and produced by Trevor Horn and became a minor hit.

In 1995 Inga returned to Germany and joined her sister, performing as the duo Bamby. They released the album Wall of Sugar.

Annette went on to find success as part of the group Ich + Ich, while Inga recorded several cover songs and became a frequent featured backing vocalist on various singles. In 2000, Inga formed the electronic duo 2raumwohnung with her life-partner Tommi Eckart.

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Geschrien Im Schlaf - Humpe & Humpe

Yamaha - Humpe & Humpe

Memories - Humpe & Humpe

Three Of Us - Humpe & Humpe

No Longer Friends - Humpe & Humpe

Careless Love - Humpe & Humpe

Don't Know Where I Belong - Humpe & Humpe

Belle Jar - Humpe & Humpe

Riding Into Blue (Cowboy Song) - Inga Humpe

 

Ich lass mich geh'n - Annette Humpe

Do I Have To - Inga Humpe

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Wonderland Burlesque's The Twelve Days Before Xmas - Day Two: Christmas Day by Squeeze

Wonderland Burlesque's

The Twelve Days Before Xmas

 Day Two:

Christmas Day by Squeeze 

 

What? Two days to go? Best pick up the pace, my dears. The big day is fast approaching!

But there's always time to climb back into the Wonderland Burlesque time machine and countdown to the big day. This holiday season, the dial is set for the 1970's!

Oh, you are in for a treat, so grab a seat and buckle up.

The seventies was a decade of change, turbulence and sweetness. Nowhere is this more felt than in the breadth and depth of the music of the time. There were so many different genres being developed, evolving and seeking validation on the radio and the industry music charts, it was a virtual musical cornucopia.

So, get ready for another song of the season by one of our biggest (and not so big) stars, here, stateside, and across the pond, who made the seventies truly magical.

Next up... the daffy delight of Christmas Day by the cerebral Squeeze from 1979.

Squeeze, still in its initial configuration, was riding high in 1979, which included their two best-selling singles Cool For Cats and Up The Junction, both of which peaked at #2 in the UK. So it seemed only fitting that the lads from Deptford should, at the request of their record company, celebrate with a one-off holiday-themed single. Christmas Day finds the group celebrating in their usual loony tune way, with a ska-beat holding down their version of the fabled events of December 25th. A bit too irreverent and intellectual for the UK's annual Christmas tally, it was no surprise when the single failed to chart. It does, however, remain a cherished memory for the diehard fans of the band and perfectly captures the musically-adventurous waters of the times and the peculiar genius of the band's co-founders, Difford and Tilbrook.

Christmas Day - Squeeze

Wonderland Burlesque's The Twelve Days Before Xmas - Day Three: Mary's Boy Child/Oh, My Lord by Boney M

Wonderland Burlesque's

The Twelve Days Before Xmas

 Day Three: 

Mary's Boy Child/Oh, My Lord by Boney M 

 

Three until the big day. Are you ready? 

Well, it doesn't have to be all hustle and bustle...

Take time to climb back into the Wonderland Burlesque time machine and countdown to the big day. This holiday season, the dial is set for the 1970's!

Oh, you are in for a treat, so grab a seat and buckle up.

The seventies was a decade of change, turbulence and sweetness. Nowhere is this more felt than in the breadth and depth of the music of the time. There were so many different genres being developed, evolving and seeking validation on the radio and the industry music charts, it was a virtual musical cornucopia.

So, get ready for another song of the season by one of our biggest (and not so big) stars, here, stateside, and across the pond, who made the seventies truly magical.

Next up... the song which inspired this jaunt into the vault of 1970's treasures, it's the dazzling Boney M with their UK #1, Mary's Boy Child/Oh, My Lord from 1978.

Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord by Bony M is a cover of Harry Belafonte's 1956 hit Mary's Boy Child, put in medley with an original song, Oh My Lord. It topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks and became the Christmas #1 in the UK in 1978, spending eight weeks on the charts. It was the second single for the group on the UK's all-time best-selling singles list. The song was later included in the group's Christmas Album, issued in 1981.

The song was a Top 10 hit throughout Europe, and went to #1 in, not only the UK, but Sweden, Switzerland, and Germany, as well. In the US, the track reached #85 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was to be Boney M's final of four singles to chart there.

Jubilant, with a scrubbed reggae beat and pitch-perfect crystalline vocals, Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord is sure to remind all the real reason for the season while setting toes 'a tapping!

Mary's Boy Child - Boney M 

Wonderland Burlesque's The Twelve Days Before Xmas - Day Six: A Spaceman Came Travelling by Chris de Burgh

Wonderland Burlesque's

The Twelve Days Before Xmas

 Day Six: 

A Spaceman Came Travelling by Chris de Burgh

We're over half-way there, folks! Just five days to go until the big day.

Time to climb back into the Wonderland Burlesque time machine and countdown to the big day. This holiday season, the dial is set for the 1970's!

Oh, you are in for a treat, so grab a seat and buckle up.

The seventies was a decade of change, turbulence and sweetness. Nowhere is this more felt than in the breadth and depth of the music of the time. There were so many different genres being developed, evolving and seeking validation on the radio and the industry music charts, it was a virtual musical cornucopia.

So, get ready for another song of the season by one of our biggest (and not so big) stars, here, stateside, and across the pond, who made the seventies truly magical.

Next up... storyteller Chris de Burgh's other-worldly take on the nativity, A Spaceman Came Travelling.  

A Spaceman Came Travelling first appeared on Chris de Burgh's second studio album, Spanish Train and Other Stories, which was released in 1975. Since that time it has been released numerous times as a single. After its first release in 1975, the song saw minimal success in the UK. However, it eventually hit #1 in Ireland, staying on the charts for 15 total weeks and climbed to #22 on the Canadian AC charts in 1978. Following de Burgh's inescapable hit The Lady in Red in 1986, A Spaceman Came Travelling was reworked with a re-recorded vocal and reissued as a double A-side with the song The Ballroom of Romance. The new version charted for the first time in the UK, reaching #40 and staying on the British charts for five weeks.

Regarding the song's inception, De Burgh, who had just signed his first recording contract with A&M Records, was broke and "staying at a friend's flat" when he read Chariots of the Gods? by Erich von Däniken. The book made him think "what if the star of Bethlehem was a space craft and what if there is a benevolent being or entity in the universe keeping an eye on the world and our foolish things that we do to each other?" And though the song failed to chart when first released as a single, de Burgh says it's been "much better to have a regular recurring song than a hit for three weeks" - referring to the song's regular airplay on UK radio during the holiday season.

 

A Spaceman Came Travelling - Chris de Burgh

Wonderland Burlesque's The Twelve Days Before Xmas - Day Seven: It's Gonna Be a Cold, Cold Christmas by Dana

Wonderland Burlesque's

The Twelve Days Before Xmas

 Day Seven: 

It's Gonna Be a Cold, Cold Christmas by Dana  

Time to climb back into the Wonderland Burlesque time machine and countdown to the big day. This holiday season, the dial is set for the 1970's!

Oh, you are in for a treat, so grab a seat and buckle up.

The seventies was a decade of change, turbulence and sweetness. Nowhere is this more felt than in the breadth and depth of the music of the time. There were so many different genres being developed, evolving and seeking validation on the radio and the industry music charts, it was a virtual musical cornucopia.

So, get ready for another song of the season by one of our biggest (and not so big) stars, here, stateside, and across the pond, who made the seventies truly magical.

Next up... the plaintive, gentle sweetness of the positively lovely Dana with her holiday hit, It's Gonna Be a Cold, Cold Christmas.

Dana Rosemary Scallon, known professionally as Dana, is an Irish singer, songwriter and politician. Her career as a singer took off when she won the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest with All Kinds of Everything, which became a worldwide million-seller. After enjoying a string of hits, including six Top 40 hits in the UK and twelve in her native Ireland, she entered politics, eventually serving as an MEP for Connacht–Ulster in 1999.  She went on to serve as a Member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2004.

In 1975, she had three Top 40 hits in the UK, one of them being It's Gonna Be a Cold, Cold Christmas which peaked at #4 in the UK and #3 in Ireland. With it's lively lilting melody and sparkling vocals, the song serves up a perfect slice of pop for the holiday season.

It's Gonna Be a Cold, Cold Christmas - Dana  

Wonderland Burlesque's The Twelve Days Before Xmas - Day Eight: Beautiful Christmas by Harpo

Wonderland Burlesque's

The Twelve Days Before Xmas

 Day Eight: 

Beautiful Christmas by Harpo

Time to climb back into the Wonderland Burlesque time machine and countdown to the big day. This holiday season, the dial is set for the 1970's!

Oh, you are in for a treat, so grab a seat and buckle up. 

The seventies was a decade of change, turbulence and sweetness. Nowhere is this more felt than in the breadth and depth of the music of the time. There were so many different genres being developed, evolving and seeking validation on the radio and the industry music charts, it was a virtual musical cornucopia.  

So, get ready for another song of the season by one of our biggest (and not so big) stars, here, stateside, and across the pond, who made the seventies truly magical. 

Next up... the oddly psychedelic poetic sounds of Sweden's Harpo, sharing his holiday offering, Beautiful Christmas. 

Jan Torsten Svensson, known professionally as Harpo, is a Swedish pop singer who was popular in Sweden and around Europe in the 1970s. He is best known for his worldwide hits Moviestar (1975) and Horoscope (1976). Originally signed by the management team behind ABBA, Harpo eventually moved to EMI, where he enjoyed a string of hits from 1973-1977. In 1975, he released Beautiful Christmas as the B-side to his hit Motorcycle Mama. His career hit a snag in 1977, when he served one month in prison for refusing to take part in the Swedish Military Service. After serving his sentence, he resumed his career, eventually signing with Mickey Most's RAK Records, but never attained the same level of success he'd previously experienced. 

Harpo perfectly captures the innocence and sweetness of both the era and the season during an appearance on Top Of The Pops. Amidst a trippy, fabric-covered landscape, wearing a crocheted vest and velveteen pants with matching cap, while handling a walking stick, he waxes on about all the things he would give his love (moon, spoon, etc.), accompanied by  harpsichord and strings. It all makes Beautiful Christmas an idiosyncratic way to ring in the holidays. 

Beautiful Christmas - Harpo

Wonderland Burlesque's The Twelve Days Before Xmas - Day Nine: Hey, Mr. Christmas by Showaddywaddy

Wonderland Burlesque's

The Twelve Days Before Xmas

 Day Nine: 

Hey, Mr. Christmas by Showaddywaddy

Time to climb back into the Wonderland Burlesque time machine and countdown to the big day. This holiday season, the dial is set for the 1970's!

Oh, you are in for a treat, so grab a seat and buckle up. 

The seventies was a decade of change, turbulence and sweetness. Nowhere is this more felt than in the breadth and depth of the music of the time. There were so many different genres being developed, evolving and seeking validation on the radio and the industry music charts, it was a virtual musical cornucopia.  

So, get ready for another song of the season by one of our biggest (and not so big) stars, here, stateside, and across the pond, who made the seventies truly magical. 

Next up... the homegrown, blue collar sounds of the UK's Showaddywaddy with 1974's Hey Mr. Christmas.

 

From Wikipedia:

 

Showaddywaddy was a six-member meat 'n potatoes rock 'n roll band out of Leicester, England who enjoyed numerous Top 40 singles in the UK between 1974 and 1982. Hey, Mr. Christmas (a nod to their first hit, Hey, Rock And Roll), a one-off single, was their third song to hit the Top 40, peaking at #13 in the UK and #15 in Ireland. The band's singles were primarily covers of tunes from the 1950's. Dressed in their trademark multi-colored Teddy boy drape jackets, the group first entered the UK's living rooms via the talent show New Faces in 1973. Signed to Bell Records, the group went on to enjoy 23 Top 40 hits, ten of which hit the Top 10, with one snagging the #1 spot.

 

Resplendent, accompanied by a children's choir with a stage decked out for the season, the group manages more than a bit of cheer while performing on Lift Off. Bubbly and joyous, with a solid beat and an every-man sensibility, the song serves as the perfect accompaniment for the holiday season.

Hey, Mr. Christmas - Showaddywaddy