Bananarama

Bananarama

A little something about Bananarama
While their fashion sense (somewhere between "Lucky Star" Madonna and thrift store Cyndi Lauper) was undoubtedly eighties, the phenomenon of a female vocal trio had been almost unheard of since the 1950s. The simplicity and frivolity of such songs as "Cruel Summer" and "Robert DeNiro's Waiting" also echo the '50s, but the '50s comparisons are not a rare phenomenon in the '80s; recall that the Stray Cats and the beehive-sporting B-52s were making music at the same time. While the idea may have been fresh in the '80s, there is no shortage of male and female vocal outfits (most of whom can't play a lick) in the '90s, which may explain Bananarama's gradual drift into pop music obscurity. After peaking with "Venus" in 1986, Bananarama has continued to record music, with their latest LP coming out just last year. They've been changing their look and sound all along the way, but it would seem this group - like many early '80s groups - just can't cut it in a market of punk-pop and flannel-sporting grungies.

Lyrics featured below : "Cruel Summer", and "Venus" , "Na Na Hey Hey"

Cruel Summer

Hot summer streets
And the pavements are burning
I sit around
Trying to smile but
The air is so heavy and dry
Strange voices are saying
Things I can't understand
It's too close for comfort
This heat has got
Right out of hand

*It's a cruel, cruel summer
Leaving me here on my own
It's a cruel, cruel summer
Now you're gone

The city is crowded
My friends are away
And I'm on my own
It's too hot to handle
So I got to get up and go

Venus

Goddess on the mountain top
Burning like a silver flame
The summit of beauty and love
And Venus was her name

*She's got it
Yeah, baby, she's got it
I'm your Venus, I'm your fire
At your desire
Well, I'm your Venus, I'm your fire
At your desire

Her weapons were her crystal eyes
Making every man a man
Black as the dark night she was
Got what no-one else had
Wa!

Chorus

Venus

Chorus

Goddess on the mountain top
Burning like a silver flame
The summit of beauty and love
And Venus was her name
Wow!

Chorus

Venus was her name

Yeah baby she's got it
Yeah baby she's got it
Yeah baby she's got it
Yeah baby she's got it
Yeah baby she's got it
Yeah baby she's got it
Yeah baby she's got it
Yeah baby she's got it
Yeah baby she's got it
Yeah baby she's got it


Na Na Hey Hey

Na na na na na na na na
Hey hey hey goodbye

He'll never love you
The way that I love you
'Cause if he did no,
No he wouldn't make you cry

(bridge)
He might be thrilling baby but my love's
So dog-gone willing so kiss him,
Go on and kiss him goodbye

(chorus)
Na na na na na na na na
Hey hey hey
Goodbye

He's never near you
To comfort and cheer you,
When all those sad tears are
Falling baby from your eyes

(bridge)

(chorus repeat fade)