30 Years of Bananarama - CD & (at last!) DVD

[anfunny2003]

The remix 12" of Love, Truth & Honesty featured the really short edit of Strike It Rich. That's where it comes from. The silly compiler (Kurt Pagen Davies - whom often makes cock-ups and uses bad vinyl transfers often) thought it was the single version.

[Jackie Tyler]

I'm wanting to make a complete singles collection with everything on it but can't seem to find the Cruel Summer 89 single version. It's apparently on the 2005 Platinum Collection but all the preview clips on Itunes, Amazon and Play suggest it's the original version on there. I've found a longer version on a blog but not the shorter edit.

[little ern]

I'm wanting to make a complete singles collection with everything on it but can't seem to find the Cruel Summer 89 single version. It's apparently on the 2005 Platinum Collection but all the preview clips on Itunes, Amazon and Play suggest it's the original version on there. I've found a longer version on a blog but not the shorter edit.

Would that be the 3 minute 22 second Swing Beat version on this CD single?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000091J9Y

[anfunny2003]

Cruel Summer '89 [Swing Beat Version] 3:22 is on the UK CD single (NANCD19). It shares the exact same title as the 12", which is in fact 5:19 in length, so can be confusing. It is however more readily available on the following CDs;

Really Saying Something - http://www.discogs.com/Bananarama-Re...elease/2268376
The Works - http://www.discogs.com/Bananarama-Th...elease/2153188

I can confirm and indeed guarentee that. For a long, long time, the 7" edit was easier to find on the Now That's What I Call Music 15 2CD;

http://www.discogs.com/Various-Now-T...elease/1890799

[Lady Agnes Holland]

Something that has always confused me, I lived with "Cruel Summer" between 83-89, then when I got the "Cruel Summer '89" Single, they sang a new line "who can I find while I'm trapped here inside these four walls?" which was not a line on any variation of the 1983 mix that I knew up to that point.

For 23 years I have been wondering where that vocal came from !

[Jackie Tyler]

Thanks guys, what's odd though is that it doesn't seem to be the 89 version on the downloadable Platinum Collection unless the preview clip is wrong...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...247845&sr=1-28

[little ern]

Thanks guys, what's odd though is that it doesn't seem to be the 89 version on the downloadable Platinum Collection unless the preview clip is wrong...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...247845&sr=1-28

The version of this on Spotify from the Platinum Collection album also seems to be the original version.

[anfunny2003]

Something that has always confused me, I lived with "Cruel Summer" between 83-89, then when I got the "Cruel Summer '89" Single, they sang a new line "who can I find while I'm trapped here inside these four walls?" which was not a line on any variation of the 1983 mix that I knew up to that point.

For 23 years I have been wondering where that vocal came from !

Well, I think it may have been a verse written but not used for the original, or possibly written specifically for the 89 version, but there's no pre-89 version with that on to my knowledge. It's been said that Siobhan pretty much came up with Cruel Summer herself (lyrically at least) when Keren and Sarah went on holiday without her... but I'd like to know the origin of this verse once and for all, too!

[anfunny2003]

Thanks guys, what's odd though is that it doesn't seem to be the 89 version on the downloadable Platinum Collection unless the preview clip is wrong...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...247845&sr=1-28

It looks like the digital release has used the wrong file. I'll PM you.

[Jackie Tyler]

Thanks very much! Not sure I've ever heard it before. It's okay but I prefer the 2001 remake with the added "too hot to handle baby!" bits which I'm sure someone in the crowd sang back at them when they did the original version at the 2009 Relentless Garage concert in London.

[anfunny2003]

The only version worth it's salt is obviously the original. I also like the 12" version, which is old school and just does everything twice, ie. middle 8 becomes a middle 16, etc. It's on this ONE CD and no where else!;

http://www.discogs.com/Bananarama-Th...elease/2227365

Robert De Niro 12" mix is also exclusive to that CD, other 3 since appeared elsewhere.

[Lady Agnes Holland]

There was a bonus disc with the original issue of "Please Yourself" that contained at least 3 old school mixes (pre SAW), can't remember what they were right now though.

[anfunny2003]

They were...

Venus (Extended) 8:19
I Want You Back (Extended European Mix) 7:55
Love In The First Degree (Jailers Mix) 6:05
Cruel Summer 89 5:18
Really Saying Something 5:41
Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye 4:53

While we're talking 12" mixes, this import copy (it's not from the UK, like it says) of The Very Best Of was a good buy;

http://www.discogs.com/Bananarama-Th...elease/1587536

Gathers up a selection of rare remixes, in particular I Heard A Rumour (Miami Remix), which I don't think had ever been on CD until then.

[Eric Generic]

The original Cruel Summer is an all-time fave of mine, but I don't mind the '89 mix in an "of its time" sort of way. It could have been worse. Quite a few of those late 80s remixes of early 80s hits by various acts weren't that bad. The 90s era of remixes was when it got a bit tragic.

[anfunny2003]

I hate(d) it. I mean, the cheek. Re-recording one of their best hits within a year of Siobhan departing... I took Jacquie's arrival very badly. I remember scribbling over her face on their Number One magazine front cover they did shortly after her arrival. Imagine my Sugababes 4.0 distain, but with even less maturity... anyway, the re-recorded vocals are so lifeless, and swing jack? Bananarama? PLEASE.

[Fish Finger]

It's not her fault, but Jacquie always seemed so wrong. Imagine if they'd put her on the cover of the original Greatest Hits, like Sugababes did with Amelle, after she'd been in the group for 5 minutes. UNTHINKABLE.

[vasilios]

She was wrong but a. Siobhan left on her own accord and b. she helped them continue.
So no need to get so negative it's not like she killed Siobhan to take her place?

And of course Shakespeare's Sister were totally amazing, so win - win.

I remember seeing the Smash Hits piece on Bitz and then the I Want You Back single cover which was amazing and I was happy!

[tom71]

Well, I think it may have been a verse written but not used for the original, or possibly written specifically for the 89 version, but there's no pre-89 version with that on to my knowledge. It's been said that Siobhan pretty much came up with Cruel Summer herself (lyrically at least) when Keren and Sarah went on holiday without her... but I'd like to know the origin of this verse once and for all, too!

Ooh, impressed by your Bananarama knowledge Anfunny. Never knew Cruel Summer was basically Siobhan. I always wondered how involved each member was in writing... there seems to be a blanket democracy with writing credits, but I always felt Siobhan was most instrumental, followed by Sarah and finally Keren. And I'm sure there was limited writing involvement during the SAW era, apart from distainfully rejecting tracks that sounded too SAW.

Bananarama were a huge favourite of mine (and remain so). I loved them and was a member of True Confessions (their fan club). I'd love a Bananarama singles rate here... though I'd really struggle (apart from "I heard a rumour" on top of the pile).

[AugustMoon]

It's high time they release a compilation DVD! I bought an unofficial one a few years ago, but the quality was doubtful - I hope this is much better.

I see now that the video for Cruel Summer was recorded in New York in August of -83, when both they and I were there for the first time. That particular summer wasn't very cruel to me; but yes, it's an amazing song.

I had kind of given up on them by then, after having been enthusiastic in the Fun Boy Three era. But they evidently grew as a group over a number of years, even into the Jacquie era. Her arrival was a bad sign, but by then they'd given us so much that I didn't care much about that.

[bichard]

Ah Cruel Summer. It's actually one of my lesser favourite Rams singles. It bores me a bit. I much prefer Cruel Summer '89. It gets a much needed injection of life.

As for Jacqui, I always felt sorry for her. Poor girl never stood a chance!

[phoenix123]

I'm also in a minority in preferring the '89 version of "Cruel Summer". Perhaps because I remember it better and prefer the montage "Greatest Hits" inspired video? I love all my Bananarama CD singles (yes, even "More, More, More" which was one of those short lived double CD affairs from 92/93).

The only Bananarama CD single I don't have yet is "I Can't Help It". I can't bring myself to fork out £17 on Amazon for some reason.

[anfunny2003]

I have ALL the 'nana CD singles, of course. A few imports too... 'Megarama 89' wasn't a UK release, for example. In Japan, 'Help!' was edited to be a straight cover without French, Saunders & Burke (presumably because the humour was lost on Japan?) so that's another good one. The full Psycho Mix of 'Nathan Jones' was on a Japan 3" too (just a UK remix 12" here). Also, the CDVs are quite handy. 'Love In The First Degree' has an exclusive in 'Ecstacy', which is the B-side to the 'I Can't Help It' 7", but on the CD single of said A-side, there's a remix of the B-side instead, 'Ecstacy [Chicago House Stylee]', annoyingly.

[zephyr]

Thanks very much! Not sure I've ever heard it before. It's okay but I prefer the 2001 remake with the added "too hot to handle baby!" bits which I'm sure someone in the crowd sang back at them when they did the original version at the 2009 Relentless Garage concert in London.

That was me and the bf! Love that version - I also loved that Keren picked up on it very quickly too.

[vasilios]

Thanks very much! Not sure I've ever heard it before. It's okay but I prefer the 2001 remake with the added "too hot to handle baby!" bits which I'm sure someone in the crowd sang back at them when they did the original version at the 2009 Relentless Garage concert in London.

I LOVED that gig! So much Bananarama! I met them afterwards, due to some amazing people there and they were so nice and a bit surprised someone flew in from Greece just to see them. I was so start-struck I look like I am crying in the pics we took. Keren is still as hot as she was in 1986, amazing.

[phoenix123]

That front cover is hideous by the way. I get what they are trying to do but they have done it so much better before: