Anyone else into this album as much as I am? I ask mostly because I don't know anything about it. The only writing I've been able to find is the AMG entry and the Amazon customer reviews (which I stumbled upon accidentaly this morning and was heartened to see that this album does have some semblence of a diverse and devoted cult).
I first picked it up about a year and a half ago. I might've skipped it if not for the great cover (especially striking on the vinyl LP sleeve). I've loved it ever since and really think it's one of the great unsung pop albums.
Who's playing on this thing? Johnny, Jenny and J. Bohomme are fictional, I suppose. Is the band from the previous records still there? And who is Zeus B. Held?
― Jason Hz, Sunday, 26 October 2003 15:59 (twenty-two years ago)
I too love this album dearly -- I knew the title track from senior year in high school, when it became a fluke hit on Top 40 (nowhere near as big as "The Safety Dance," but it did at least answer the already formed 'whatever happened to?' question about them. Then freshmen year at UCLA a friend on my dorm floor had it and I ended up listening to it a few times. Never heard or saw anything from it until earlier this year when it turned up in a clearance at a local Wherehouse when it was going out of business, so I was able to get it for a dollar or some equally ridiculous amount. Surprised and pleased how completely and thoroughly I enjoyed this album, it is indeed quite fantastic, and "Walk On Water" is the great Benediction to a Generation/The John Hughes Theme That Never Was.
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 26 October 2003 16:48 (twenty-two years ago)
Let me take a moment now to rant at VH-1 for list Men Without Hats on their "100 greatest one-hit wonders of all time" list. They were one of SEVERAL artists who had more than one hit, and were ACKNOWLEDGED to have more than one hit (others included a-ha and Falco). Fucking tools, you don't get to ignore facts just because you wanted to list "Take On Me", "The Safety Dance" and "Rock Me Amadeus".
― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Sunday, 26 October 2003 17:33 (twenty-two years ago)
I too think it's a fantastic album. They're kind of an underrated group, Safety Dance notwithstanding.
― dlp9001, Sunday, 26 October 2003 17:42 (twenty-two years ago)
There's a handful of great songs on their earlier releases ("I Don't Want to Be a Messiah", "I Got the Message", "Antarctica", "Safety Dance"), but I haven't taken to those records like I have with PGTW.
― Jason, Sunday, 26 October 2003 19:54 (twenty-two years ago)
― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Sunday, 26 October 2003 20:12 (twenty-two years ago)
― teeny (teeny), Sunday, 26 October 2003 21:31 (twenty-two years ago)
― dlp9001, Sunday, 26 October 2003 22:00 (twenty-two years ago)
― Eisbär (llamasfur), Sunday, 26 October 2003 22:08 (twenty-two years ago)
― donut bitch (donut), Monday, 27 October 2003 01:13 (twenty-two years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 27 October 2003 01:52 (twenty-two years ago)
You left off "Living In China", "I Like", and "The Great Ones Remember"... MY GOD I LOVE _RHYTHM OF YOUTH_.
― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 27 October 2003 14:03 (twenty-two years ago)
What annoyed me a lot more was that so many of the artists in that countdown led real tragic lives, but since there wasn't much time to talk about them at lenght they kept glossing these things over in a creepy upbeat way, like "HEY! Remember that song 'I Know What Boys Like' by The Waitresses? Wow, wasn't that great. Of course then the band split up and the singer died of cancer and HEY! Remember that song 'Mickey' by Toni Basil?"
― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Monday, 27 October 2003 14:30 (twenty-two years ago)
― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 27 October 2003 14:31 (twenty-two years ago)
re: PGTW: I've owned this album for years and never actually listened to it all the way through, but obviously I must.
A couple small points:
Has anyone else noticed major similarities between "Pop Goes the World" and "Common People"? I'm absolutely convinced the latter is derived directly from the former. (That cheap synth sound, very similar rhythmic propulsion, even the vocal styles are kind of related.)
Also, "Pop Goes the World" is one of the better pop songs about pop I can think of, as if Andy Warhol decided to write a song about MTV (or better still, hired someone else to do it and put his name on it anyway). "Name of the band is the Human Race" is a great line.
The "J. Bonhomme" on drums thing always cracked me up, too (though maybe you need to be familiar with Quebec winter carnival rituals to fully appreciate it).
http://www.carnaval.qc.ca/english/images/equipe_bonhomme_01.jpg +http://www.led-zeppelin.com/johnbonham/emagicjb032.gif
Oh, and the 12" mix of "Safety Dance" with the extended Casio-riff intro totally rules.
― s woods, Monday, 27 October 2003 14:44 (twenty-two years ago)
― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 27 October 2003 14:53 (twenty-two years ago)
― s woods, Monday, 27 October 2003 14:57 (twenty-two years ago)
― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 27 October 2003 14:58 (twenty-two years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 7 February 2005 16:16 (twenty years ago)
PS: a Village Voice review I read a couple of years ago alluded to "Pop" quite flatteringly. Thats when I realized that the tune's got a definite cult.
― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Monday, 7 February 2005 16:23 (twenty years ago)
Clubs I wouldn't know about (I was 16 and rather stay at home when it hit), but it was pretty consistently played on my local top 40 station for some months -- this was in San Diego.
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 7 February 2005 16:26 (twenty years ago)
― jendy wames, Monday, 7 February 2005 16:26 (twenty years ago)
― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 7 February 2005 16:27 (twenty years ago)
http://kuci.org/~nraggett/mwh.jpg
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 7 February 2005 16:33 (twenty years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 7 February 2005 16:37 (twenty years ago)
― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 7 February 2005 16:38 (twenty years ago)
― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Monday, 7 February 2005 16:40 (twenty years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 7 February 2005 16:42 (twenty years ago)
― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Monday, 7 February 2005 16:47 (twenty years ago)
Same thing performing on "Solid Gold", I remember. Had crush on leather jacket/stripe-shirt/jeans/McCartney bass blonde at the time. :)
― Joe (Joe), Monday, 7 February 2005 16:49 (twenty years ago)
They said we were the new beginningThey said we were a brand new startWe were none of these things and they said we could singSo we sang about the state of the artThey said we were the second comingThey said we were a different breedWe were none of these things and they said we could singSo we sang about the birds and the beesBunch of do nothing that were down on your knees
Can you walk on water?
Oh god I love this song. This really is one of the best songs ever, anywhere, and it's all in the arrangement and how this all just *works.*
xpost to Sean = Ha!
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 7 February 2005 16:50 (twenty years ago)
― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 7 February 2005 16:51 (twenty years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 7 February 2005 16:51 (twenty years ago)
It's a bit like "Pop Goes the World" in that it's a song about music or rather how music is meant to be received/interpreted. Metacommentary shouldn't work but it DOES.
"Yes, we're allegedly the bright young modern things, thanks very much, now stop projecting."
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 7 February 2005 16:52 (twenty years ago)
Well what do you know.
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 7 February 2005 16:53 (twenty years ago)
― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 7 February 2005 17:04 (twenty years ago)
― everything, Monday, 7 February 2005 17:18 (twenty years ago)
― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Monday, 7 February 2005 17:21 (twenty years ago)
― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Monday, 7 February 2005 17:22 (twenty years ago)
As it is, there is NOT ONE weak moment in the effort! From start to finish, an incredible effort that if released after "SD", may have propelled the group to the upper reaches of fame. Timing IS everything. It is very nice to see such positive remarks about this "closet classic". For those who have not immersed themselves - get on Amazon NOW!
― Mitchin', Saturday, 13 August 2005 02:47 (twenty years ago)
Tremendous and unappreciated.
― John Justen (johnjusten), Saturday, 13 August 2005 04:32 (twenty years ago)
(Our intersection points are truly odd. DAN GO LISTEN TO PLACEBO AGAIN.)
― John Justen (johnjusten), Saturday, 13 August 2005 04:33 (twenty years ago)
(Have you heard Placebo's cover of "I Feel You"????)
― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Saturday, 13 August 2005 12:55 (twenty years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 13 August 2005 13:55 (twenty years ago)
― nabiscothingy, Saturday, 13 August 2005 15:10 (twenty years ago)
― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Saturday, 13 August 2005 15:12 (twenty years ago)
― nabiscothingy, Saturday, 13 August 2005 15:26 (twenty years ago)
thank you mystical beast
this weekend, listened to: Folk of the 80's > Rhythm of Youth > Freeways ep > Folk of the 80's (Part III)
and yes they're still great
― milton parker (Jon L), Monday, 28 November 2005 21:10 (twenty years ago)
― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Monday, 28 November 2005 22:14 (twenty years ago)
― cutty (mcutt), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 00:25 (twenty years ago)
― milton parker (Jon L), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 00:34 (twenty years ago)
― milton parker (Jon L), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 00:56 (twenty years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 00:59 (twenty years ago)
― milton parker (Jon L), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 01:04 (twenty years ago)
I read that as Whorehouse. I
― Last Of The Famous International Pfunkboys (Kerr), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 01:21 (twenty years ago)
Men Without Hats - Pop Goes The World
I did listen to it again last night, of course it's also a good album. I just think the non-stop relentless pure technopop of the first two albums was impossible to beat & the lyrics were much more ludicrous & hard to accept as well.
Rhythm of Youth was one of the first five records I ever bought so objectivity's not an option, but I still love it, it's a weird record
― milton parker (Jon L), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 21:02 (twenty years ago)
(but thanks all the same)
― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 22:42 (twenty years ago)
― milton parker (Jon L), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 22:58 (twenty years ago)
― cutty (mcutt), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 22:58 (twenty years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 29 January 2006 00:55 (nineteen years ago)
― cutty (mcutt), Sunday, 29 January 2006 01:19 (nineteen years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 29 January 2006 04:51 (nineteen years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 01:00 (nineteen years ago)
― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 01:23 (nineteen years ago)
― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 01:25 (nineteen years ago)
― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 01:39 (nineteen years ago)
― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 01:43 (nineteen years ago)
― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 01:45 (nineteen years ago)
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 01:57 (nineteen years ago)
― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 02:25 (nineteen years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 02:47 (nineteen years ago)
― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 03:00 (nineteen years ago)
L.A.'s Power 106 played it quite a bit. Maybe not as much as Push It or Supersonic, but it was in the rotation. When I later got the CD as a cut-out the title track seemed like a different and not as good version than what I remembered from the radio.
― Carlos Keith (Buck_Wilde), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 09:41 (nineteen years ago)
― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 15 June 2006 02:46 (nineteen years ago)
still stand by this statement
― aDOring NUTbians (donut), Thursday, 15 June 2006 03:28 (nineteen years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 6 February 2007 04:17 (eighteen years ago)
― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 6 February 2007 04:39 (eighteen years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 6 February 2007 04:45 (eighteen years ago)
― cutty (mcutt), Tuesday, 6 February 2007 05:28 (eighteen years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 6 February 2007 06:29 (eighteen years ago)
― Marmot (marmotwolof), Tuesday, 6 February 2007 06:47 (eighteen years ago)
Yup. Still love this.
(Not nude raggett, the album fer chrissakes.)
― John Justen goes to work like an architect (johnjusten), Tuesday, 6 February 2007 06:52 (eighteen years ago)
and you can never remember the things you always forget
― Milton Parker, Saturday, 16 August 2008 05:48 (seventeen years ago)
That's right Milton. You are absolutely right. The song you quote was damn good. And this song "Pop Goes The World" was where THEY JUMPED THE SHARK SO DAMN HARD! Curse it that a thread is devoted to this piece of trash!
― Bimble Is Still More Goth Than You, Saturday, 16 August 2008 08:35 (seventeen years ago)
Bimble, WTF. You usually like good things, so you not liking this is a trip.
I love that this thread has gotten revived so many times, and half of them by Ned. I like the idea about the musical.
― Johnny Fever, Saturday, 16 August 2008 08:41 (seventeen years ago)
Hahahaha contrary opinions welcome! For Eno will laugh at you and curse you to the depths of Black Sabbath. Or not.
― Bimble Is Still More Goth Than You, Saturday, 16 August 2008 08:54 (seventeen years ago)
Bimble, do you fucking sleep?
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Saturday, 16 August 2008 12:11 (seventeen years ago)
I'm surprised I never posted to this thread. I love this album and "Pop Goes The World" itself is one of my all time favorite songs.
― ENBB, Saturday, 16 August 2008 12:52 (seventeen years ago)
I only sleep when the bats tell me to, Alfred.
― Bimble Is Still More Goth Than You, Saturday, 16 August 2008 20:25 (seventeen years ago)
helping to cut the inevitable barbarian interregnum from thirty thousand years to merely a thousand
― Milton Parker, Sunday, 17 August 2008 09:02 (seventeen years ago)
Is he singing with a French accent in "Safety Dance"? It's odd because he doesn't seem to have one when he speaks AFAIK.
― Sundar, Sunday, 17 August 2008 17:27 (seventeen years ago)
Milton I sent you an email yesterday...check spam folder if you don't see it. Thanks.
― Bimble Is Still More Goth Than You, Sunday, 17 August 2008 18:41 (seventeen years ago)
Is he singing with a French accent in "Safety Dance"?
Men Without Hats - Nationale 7 (early version of 'Freeways (Euro Mix)'
― Milton Parker, Friday, 22 August 2008 01:46 (seventeen years ago)
Right, he's clearly fluent in French but he speaks English without an accent around 1:30 here (when discussing how his media studies training is useful in manipulating the masses): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZ31cwGvc74
― Sundar, Friday, 22 August 2008 02:08 (seventeen years ago)
Puh-puh-puh-puh-POP!
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 29 September 2008 07:15 (seventeen years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xqQgbircCM
― there's a better way to browse (Dr. Superman), Sunday, 22 November 2009 19:10 (sixteen years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4tEDvTYYog
― there's a better way to browse (Dr. Superman), Sunday, 22 November 2009 19:11 (sixteen years ago)
lollllll kids incorporated
― ENBB, Saturday, August 16, 2008 8:52 AM (1 year ago) Bookmark
still true
― Aqua Backrat (ENBB), Sunday, 11 April 2010 05:07 (fifteen years ago)
I need to hear this. When I had a car, I had a tape of "Rhythm of Youth" that got tuck in the player & even after fur months straight of that album, I never disliked it.
― kissogram powers (Abbott), Wednesday, 21 April 2010 18:53 (fifteen years ago)
What is the meaning of the song " O sole Mio" by Men without hats? Someone help :)
― Tasha, Wednesday, 21 April 2010 18:56 (fifteen years ago)
Love this album but can't quite figure out the meaning of that song " O Sole Mio"
― Tasha, Wednesday, 21 April 2010 18:57 (fifteen years ago)
looking for guess papers on subject of hatless men dance band search terms O, Sole, Meow.
― HOT DISH THYME MACHINE (jjjusten), Wednesday, 21 April 2010 19:04 (fifteen years ago)
Hahahahaha sorry, no! hahahahaha I can't fucking listen to this!
― You’re being too simplistic and you’re insulting my poor heart (Turrican), Tuesday, 4 August 2015 21:21 (ten years ago)
yr loss
― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 4 August 2015 21:37 (ten years ago)