Work Rest and Play
Encyclopedia
Work Rest and Play is an EP
by British
ska
/pop
band Madness
. The EP was headlined by the song "Night Boat to Cairo
", from the band's debut album One Step Beyond...
. It was released in the UK Singles Chart
on 30 April 1980, reached a high of number 6.
", the band felt that they had exhausted the material from One Step Beyond...
, and did not want to release any more singles from the album. However, Dave Robinson, head of Stiff Records
, disagreed. Eventually, a compromise was made, and the band decided to release an EP
featuring one album track and three new tracks. The "Work Rest and Play" EP was the result.
The EP's success was largely down to "Night Boat to Cairo
", which headlined the set and had an accompanying music video. The fourth song, "Don't Quote Me On That", was a commentary on press coverage which had tried to paint the band as racists who supported the National Front. Some of the band's shows had been disrupted by skinhead violence and, in a 1979 NME
interview, Madness member Chas Smash
was quoted as saying "We don't care if people are in the NF as long as they're having a good time." This was quoted to add to the speculation that Madness was a racist band supporting the National Front, although the band members denied those allegations.
The 2010 re-release of the band's first studio album One Step Beyond...
includes the three original songs from the Work Rest and Play EP as bonus tracks on a second CD.
was needed. However, there was a lack of time before the release, and not enough to make an effective one. As "Night Boat to Cairo
" was the leading track from the EP, a music video of the song was created to represent the EP as a whole.
Madness filmed a karaoke type video in front of a blatantly chroma key
ed backdrop of an Egyptian pyramid, with the lyrics appearing on screen in "bouncing ball" style as Suggs
sang them. During the long instrumental sections of the song, the band often run around the set, marching and performing their signature "Nutty Train".
Despite the video's poor effects and unprofessional feel, it became very popular amongst fans. This is possibly due to the carefree nature and fooling around of the band, probably down to the large amount of alcohol
drank while filming.
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
/pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
band Madness
Madness (band)
In 1979, the band recorded the Lee Thompson composition "The Prince". The song, like the band's name, paid homage to their idol, Prince Buster. The song was released through 2 Tone Records, the label of The Specials founder Jerry Dammers. The song was a surprise hit, peaking in the UK music charts...
. The EP was headlined by the song "Night Boat to Cairo
Night Boat to Cairo
"Night Boat to Cairo" is a song by British ska/pop band Madness from their debut 1979 album One Step Beyond.... It was written by Mike Barson and Suggs , and was also included on the Work Rest and Play EP, which peaked at #6 in the UK music charts...
", from the band's debut album One Step Beyond...
One Step Beyond...
One Step Beyond... is the 1979 debut album by the British ska group Madness. It was ranked 90th in a 2005 survey held by British television's Channel 4 to determine the 100 greatest albums of all time. The album peaked at number 2 and remained in the British record charts for over a year. One Step...
. It was released in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
on 30 April 1980, reached a high of number 6.
Release
After the release of "My GirlMy Girl (Madness song)
"My Girl" is a song by British ska/pop group Madness from their debut album, One Step Beyond.... It was written by Mike Barson. The song was released as a single on 21 December 1979 and spent 10 weeks on the UK Singles Chart peaking at number 3....
", the band felt that they had exhausted the material from One Step Beyond...
One Step Beyond...
One Step Beyond... is the 1979 debut album by the British ska group Madness. It was ranked 90th in a 2005 survey held by British television's Channel 4 to determine the 100 greatest albums of all time. The album peaked at number 2 and remained in the British record charts for over a year. One Step...
, and did not want to release any more singles from the album. However, Dave Robinson, head of Stiff Records
Stiff Records
Stiff Records is a record label created in London in 1976, by entrepreneurs Dave Robinson and Andrew Jakeman , and active until 1985. It was reactivated in 2007....
, disagreed. Eventually, a compromise was made, and the band decided to release an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
featuring one album track and three new tracks. The "Work Rest and Play" EP was the result.
The EP's success was largely down to "Night Boat to Cairo
Night Boat to Cairo
"Night Boat to Cairo" is a song by British ska/pop band Madness from their debut 1979 album One Step Beyond.... It was written by Mike Barson and Suggs , and was also included on the Work Rest and Play EP, which peaked at #6 in the UK music charts...
", which headlined the set and had an accompanying music video. The fourth song, "Don't Quote Me On That", was a commentary on press coverage which had tried to paint the band as racists who supported the National Front. Some of the band's shows had been disrupted by skinhead violence and, in a 1979 NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
interview, Madness member Chas Smash
Chas Smash
Cathal Smyth, also known as Chas Smash is an English musician, best known as the backing singer and dancer in the ska/pop band Madness. He also plays trumpet, acoustic guitar and various percussion instruments...
was quoted as saying "We don't care if people are in the NF as long as they're having a good time." This was quoted to add to the speculation that Madness was a racist band supporting the National Front, although the band members denied those allegations.
The 2010 re-release of the band's first studio album One Step Beyond...
One Step Beyond...
One Step Beyond... is the 1979 debut album by the British ska group Madness. It was ranked 90th in a 2005 survey held by British television's Channel 4 to determine the 100 greatest albums of all time. The album peaked at number 2 and remained in the British record charts for over a year. One Step...
includes the three original songs from the Work Rest and Play EP as bonus tracks on a second CD.
"Night Boat to Cairo" music video
After the decision to issue the EP, a promotional music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was needed. However, there was a lack of time before the release, and not enough to make an effective one. As "Night Boat to Cairo
Night Boat to Cairo
"Night Boat to Cairo" is a song by British ska/pop band Madness from their debut 1979 album One Step Beyond.... It was written by Mike Barson and Suggs , and was also included on the Work Rest and Play EP, which peaked at #6 in the UK music charts...
" was the leading track from the EP, a music video of the song was created to represent the EP as a whole.
Madness filmed a karaoke type video in front of a blatantly chroma key
Chroma key
Chroma key compositing is a technique for compositing two images together. A color range in the top layer is made transparent, revealing another image behind. The chroma keying technique is commonly used in video production and post-production...
ed backdrop of an Egyptian pyramid, with the lyrics appearing on screen in "bouncing ball" style as Suggs
Suggs (singer)
Graham McPherson , better known as Suggs, is an English singer, actor, former radio DJ, TV personality, and most famous as the frontman of the band Madness.-Early life:...
sang them. During the long instrumental sections of the song, the band often run around the set, marching and performing their signature "Nutty Train".
Despite the video's poor effects and unprofessional feel, it became very popular amongst fans. This is possibly due to the carefree nature and fooling around of the band, probably down to the large amount of alcohol
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
drank while filming.
Side one
- "Night Boat to CairoNight Boat to Cairo"Night Boat to Cairo" is a song by British ska/pop band Madness from their debut 1979 album One Step Beyond.... It was written by Mike Barson and Suggs , and was also included on the Work Rest and Play EP, which peaked at #6 in the UK music charts...
" (McPhersonSuggs (singer)Graham McPherson , better known as Suggs, is an English singer, actor, former radio DJ, TV personality, and most famous as the frontman of the band Madness.-Early life:...
/BarsonMike BarsonMichael "Mike" Barson is a British musician, best known as a founding member and keyboardist of the second wave ska band, Madness.-Biography:...
) - 3:30 - "Deceives the Eye" (BedfordMark BedfordMark Bedford , nicknamed 'Bedders', is a bass guitarist and former member of the band Madness....
/ForemanChris ForemanChris Foreman , nicknamed Chrissy Boy, is an English guitarist, best known as a member of a second wave ska band, Madness.Foreman started Madness with Mike Barson and Lee Thompson in 1976...
) - 1:58
Side two
- "The Young and the Old" (McPherson/Barson) - 2:03
- "Don't Quote Me on That" (Tosh/SmythChas SmashCathal Smyth, also known as Chas Smash is an English musician, best known as the backing singer and dancer in the ska/pop band Madness. He also plays trumpet, acoustic guitar and various percussion instruments...
)- 4:31
Personnel
- SuggsSuggs (singer)Graham McPherson , better known as Suggs, is an English singer, actor, former radio DJ, TV personality, and most famous as the frontman of the band Madness.-Early life:...
– Lead vocals - Mike BarsonMike BarsonMichael "Mike" Barson is a British musician, best known as a founding member and keyboardist of the second wave ska band, Madness.-Biography:...
– Keyboards - Chris ForemanChris ForemanChris Foreman , nicknamed Chrissy Boy, is an English guitarist, best known as a member of a second wave ska band, Madness.Foreman started Madness with Mike Barson and Lee Thompson in 1976...
– Electric guitar - Mark BedfordMark BedfordMark Bedford , nicknamed 'Bedders', is a bass guitarist and former member of the band Madness....
– Bass guitar - Lee ThompsonLee Jay ThompsonLee Jay Thompson , nicknamed Kix or El Thommo, is an English musician, best known as the saxophonist and songwriter of the second wave ska band, Madness....
– Saxophone - Daniel WoodgateDaniel WoodgateDan Woodgate is the drummer of the band, Madness. More commonly known by his nickname Woody, he joined the band after being introduced at a rehearsal by bass player Mark Bedford. Woodgate is one of the less regular songwriters in the group, but is credited as co-writer on the hits 'Return of The...
– Drums - Chas SmashChas SmashCathal Smyth, also known as Chas Smash is an English musician, best known as the backing singer and dancer in the ska/pop band Madness. He also plays trumpet, acoustic guitar and various percussion instruments...
– Backing vocals, lead vocals on "Don't Quote Me on That".