#477 The Go-Gos, 'Our Lips Are Sealed' (1981)

 

I am very familiar with this, I was in middle school.  It was quite popular - my high school band actually played a marching band arrangement of it.  I like a good guitar based pop song and I haven't heard this a long time.  I wonder how it will age...

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Actually, I think it was "We Got the Beat" our HS band played.  In any case, everything sounds great.  The synths date it a bit, but they are subtle.  It sounds like the 80s without overdoing the chorused guitars, drum machines and synths. 

 There's more going on here than I remember - more guitar parts with interesting variations on each verse and things like that.  I like it more than I remember.  Some nostalgia may be at play here (although I can't say I miss high school).

I was sure I wouldn't dislike it, but I like it more now than I did then.  I was a bit of a music snob back then, I suppose.  Anyway, a really good, solid song, nicely recorded and arranged.



Comments

  1. RonDecember 3, 2021 at 7:36 PM

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  2. RonDecember 3, 2021 at 7:40 PM

    This was a co-written song between Go-Go's guitarist Jane Wiedlin and Terry Hall of Fun Boy Three (and formerly at this time from the UK Ska band The Specials). Jane gets to sing the bridge part while Belinda Carlisle handled the rest as per SOP. FB3 released their own version a couple of years later which was a much bigger hit in the UK compared to the Go-Go's. Look the MV up on YouTube. The song's more downcast, but I like the cello, African-like percussion, the constant cooing by the girls of Banarama and ba-ba-boom backing vocals. Unfortunately, Hall looks like a stalk of broccoli with his haircut :D

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