London Town (Bucks Fizz single)
Encyclopedia
"London Town" is a 1983 single by UK pop group Bucks Fizz
. It was their first single not to reach the UK top 20, breaking a run of nine consecutive top 20 hits. The song was written and produced by Andy Hill
.
where it reached No.6, Austria
: No.19 and Ireland
: No.24.
Written by Andy Hill
, the lyrics tell of someone who is finding it difficult to adjust to life in a big city but is determined to stay. . Lead vocals on the track are by member Bobby G
, although he was unhappy with the way his vocals were mixed, giving them a distorted quality, claiming that he "sounded like a munchkin".. This single was a short-notice replacement for another song, "Invisible", which featured lead vocals by Jay Aston
, but was withdrawn for reasons which are unclear. Details of its release had already been announced to the fan club and mentioned on radio. The song was eventually released on the 12" version of "I Hear Talk" over a year later. The B-side of the single featured a track written by Bucks Fizz themselves, called "Identity". This track featured Mike Nolan
on lead vocals and was produced by Bobby G. The 12" single featured an extended remix of "London Town".
The Promotional Video features the group performing the track with backing dancers in a variety of indoor locations including a Tube station. Part of the video was filmed in Holloway Sanitorium, a disused mental hospital in London. A scene featuring member Jay Aston being attacked by a man (played by her real-life brother, Lance) was cut from the finished version.
The song featured on the group's first Greatest Hits album, released soon after. It was also released on The Ultimate Anthology
(2005) with a revised ending.
12" vinyl
Bucks Fizz (band)
Bucks Fizz are an English pop group who achieved success in the 1980s, most notably for winning the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Making Your Mind Up". The group was formed in January 1981 specifically for the contest and comprised four vocalists: Bobby G, Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and...
. It was their first single not to reach the UK top 20, breaking a run of nine consecutive top 20 hits. The song was written and produced by Andy Hill
Andy Hill (composer)
Andy Hill is a British music producer and songwriter who scored many hits during the 1980s and 90s...
.
Overview
Released in September 1983, this was the group's tenth single. The song became their first single to peak outside the top twenty after nine consecutive top 20 hits. Eventually reaching No.34, the song remained on the chart for six weeks. It fared better in other countries however, such as PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
where it reached No.6, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
: No.19 and Ireland
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
: No.24.
Written by Andy Hill
Andy Hill (composer)
Andy Hill is a British music producer and songwriter who scored many hits during the 1980s and 90s...
, the lyrics tell of someone who is finding it difficult to adjust to life in a big city but is determined to stay. . Lead vocals on the track are by member Bobby G
Bobby G
Bobby G is a member of pop group Bucks Fizz. He was the only remaining original member in the group...
, although he was unhappy with the way his vocals were mixed, giving them a distorted quality, claiming that he "sounded like a munchkin".. This single was a short-notice replacement for another song, "Invisible", which featured lead vocals by Jay Aston
Jay Aston
Jay Hilda Aston is a singer, dancer, and occasional songwriter who was formerly with the British pop group, Bucks Fizz. She was the youngest member of the group's original line-up, being just 19 at the Eurovision Song Contest....
, but was withdrawn for reasons which are unclear. Details of its release had already been announced to the fan club and mentioned on radio. The song was eventually released on the 12" version of "I Hear Talk" over a year later. The B-side of the single featured a track written by Bucks Fizz themselves, called "Identity". This track featured Mike Nolan
Mike Nolan (singer)
Mike Nolan is a singer and was one of the four original members of the British pop group, Bucks Fizz. He was born in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, but raised in the UK, where he still resides.- Early career :...
on lead vocals and was produced by Bobby G. The 12" single featured an extended remix of "London Town".
The Promotional Video features the group performing the track with backing dancers in a variety of indoor locations including a Tube station. Part of the video was filmed in Holloway Sanitorium, a disused mental hospital in London. A scene featuring member Jay Aston being attacked by a man (played by her real-life brother, Lance) was cut from the finished version.
The song featured on the group's first Greatest Hits album, released soon after. It was also released on The Ultimate Anthology
The Ultimate Anthology
The Ultimate Anthology is a compilation album by pop group Bucks Fizz.Released in 2005, this album was significant in that it was the first release that contained all of Bucks Fizz's 20 hit singles together on one disc...
(2005) with a revised ending.
Track listing
7" vinyl- "London Town" (Andy Hill) (3.10)
- "Identity" (Bucks Fizz) (2.40)
12" vinyl
- "London Town" (Extended Club Mix) (6.38)
- "Identity" (2.40)
- "Love Dies Hard" (5.01)
Chart positions
| Country | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK | 34 |
| Ireland | 24 |
| Germany | 64 |
| Poland | 6 |
| Austria | 19 |