Here's the single that began the 'Cupid & Psyche 85' era (albeit more than a year before the album was released), and it opened many eyes to just how much polish Green would be putting on his pop. "Wood Beez" may not have gone over well with many of Scritti Politti's early fans, but the result was a legion of converts and a No. 10 hit in the UK. It even broke the Top 100 here in America (No. 91). Only "The Word Girl" the following year would be bigger for Green in his homeland. Here are all three versions. I'll warn you that last one may have a few too many mid-'80s flourishes for all but die-hard fans, but I love it.
Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) (7")
Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)
Wood Beez (Version)
Oh, and there's an anniversary in these parts. Luckily, since Mrs. LTL is away, it's a slightly less important occasion than the one you may be thinking. The blog turns 9 today. If I may be so bold, I'm rather proud of the accomplishment. Thanks to all who have stopped by through the years.
11 comments:
Really great to hear that Mrs LTL enjoys her new job, even if it comes at the expense of your Scritti listening time. I imagine that Green & Co will be dominating the airwaves at LTL HQ while she's in SoCal for the next three days - crank it up and savour these moments Brian!
Hearty congratulations on LTL's 9th anniversary - long may you run. I trust plans are already well in hand for a major 10th anniversary bash this time next year?
Congratulations on the 9 years Brian. Keep it rolling.
I think you know I love this period Scritti too.
I do, Adam. In fact, I remembered you had something from Cupid & Psyche 85 earlier this year, and I looked it up just before doing this post so I didn’t do the same song. With five singles from that album, plenty to choose from.
Thanks for being one of the regulars, Swede. Without readers like you I never would have stuck with it this long. Send my apologies to your better half for resurrecting the series. Ha!
Congrats Brian! 9 years of solid writing and entertainment!
Wood Beez is kinda groundbreaking for me. While it wasn't the first 80s Fairlight CMI pop song, it is THE 80s Fairlight CMI pop song for me... Wood Beez (well maybe excepting the Version) is timeless studio mastery. Being in NYC in 84/85, Wood Beez and all of C+P85 was kind of inescapable and sort of a soundtrack to the city for me.
Hi Echorich! Were you hanging out outside of the Power Station when Green worked on this song? Wouldn't surprise me a bit if you were. You may be just about the only American who had the Skank Bloc Bologna single back in the band's infancy. Thanks for everything. Your comments have always meant a lot to me through the years.
Congraulations Brian, keep on keeping on, as nobody apart from us really says. I'm with the better half with regards to Scritti Politti too.
I'm mixed minds about Scritti Politti, there isn't too much I really like, I'm afraid! Nevertheless a very happy birthday, my friend, may there be many more years to come!
Congrats Brian
Love all thing SP - not seen the right hand sleeve before - was that a North America release?
FORW, Glad you asked about that sleeve. That's the one I have had since my youth. It's a double-A side 12" with Wood Beez on one one side and Absolute on the other. The longer remix (Version) of both are on there too. The UK sleeve on the left wasn't something I needed since it has the same two versions of Wood Beez as the the one on the right, but I liked the aesthetic more. I did the same thing with Absolute. I have doubles of a few of the singles from that era for no other reason than the sleeves. Now, the Perfect Way 12" singles had much different mixes on each side of the Atlantic. I covered all that a couple of years back.
Dirk, No worries. You are not alone. Plenty of readers here will side with the Mrs on this one. Thanks for stopping by, pal. Hope all is well in your world.
Drew, I believe your blog's 9th was this year too, right? Where has the time gone? Sorry to hear you're in a bit of a posting funk right now. I'm sure the music news in your area of the world didn't help. We have all been there. Even the Blogfather has had his moments. I think I might have found my sweet spot at about 2-3 posts a week and more if it feels right.
Brian - I wasn't outside the Power Station for Green, but he did show up a few nights on the trot, at that same time, in the VIP Room at Limelight when I was there. One night he was with Fred Maher, who seemed to disappear quickly, and the other with Bernard Edwards of Chic. I have to admit being a bit star struck and did not intrude on his evening the first night. The second, I ended up on the same sofa and had the chance to get a couple fanboy moments accomplished. Those were heady days...
Belated Birthday Greetings.
Brilliant post to mark it.
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