My Mad World - Chapter 8

Chapter 8 in the book Mad World by Lori Majewski and Jonathan Bernstein deals with what most Americans think of as a one-hit wonder. But Spandau Ballet was anything but a one-hit wonder to those of us in the New Wave world. Spandau was also the first band I'd run across in my young life (at that time) that I fancied a band member more than the lead singer (I always have had a soft spot for the singers). Martin Kemp was cute and sweet to Tony Hadley (and even Gary Kemp's) arrogant snobbery (or at least that was always my impression of them).

THEIR CHOICE: TRUE

Granted, this the most popular of all Spandau songs, but it's also the most annoying because of this (kind of like the Hungry Like The Wolf of songs). Everytime you turn on any 80's retro station, you are guaranteed to hear this song within a hour.

MY CHOICE: TO CUT A LONG STORY SHORT

I go back further with Spandau than the rest of my American counterparts and To Cut A Long Story Short was the first one I remember hearing (and the first video I remember seeing). It was dark, deep, moody, and filled with hot guys, a pre-teen's greatest dream.

ALL-TIME FAVORITE: ONLY WHEN YOU LEAVE

This was at the height of their more "pop-y" phase, but it was a far superior song to True (and not in the same stupid category as Gold - an obvious Duran rip-off). I've never gotten sick of this song, even to this very day and, although it probably wouldn't make my top 10 favorite songs of all time, it would definitely be in the top 20.

ALL-TIME FAVORITE TIE: THROUGH THE BARRICADES:

In the late 80's, as my tastes started to change to the dark and macabre, most of the pop-influenced New Wave got dropped, but the Through the Barricades album was the one exception to the rule. It was some of the best vocal work Tony Hadley ever did and, like Tears for Fears The Seeds of Love, solidified the band forever in my memory more-so than their most popular and earlier works.