One of my favourite days because it means a post on Hive will be written by me, and I get to hear other music that Hivers and Hiveians enjoy. Well for the select band that participate in ttt anyway!
And today is awesome as it features one of my all time favourite bands!
We are going back to my Silver Chronicles post of a few weeks ago My Soundtrack for the 80s my favourite decade
Quite a self-explanatory title and it is my inspiration for the next few posts on ttt!
The year is now 1982 and this week will be the last band from 1982 in our wee series! In the meantime let’s give 1982 the heavy, heavy monster sound send-off it deserves from Camden’s ...
It is Tuesday and that of course means that it's #ttt or #threetunetuesday and so it's time to share some tunes with you!
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He has just released some winners posts, so go support those posts, he gets no support from any whales or even curation trails for these posts that he does. 262 weeks is an incredible amount of time, and I for one love that he runs this, and I appreciate the time and dedication that he puts in, when he could be doing something else.
For this week’s ttt, we are jumping into the nutty time machine and going back to 1982 and to one of my all time favourite bands.
In fact, if you were to ask Mrs T who my favourite band are then more than likely this is who she will say...
Madness are from Camden in London and officially formed in London in 1976.
They initially started under the name of The North London Invaders. After a few lineup changes and tuning their sound, they officially changed their name to Madness in 1979. This was them paying tribute to a song by the legendary Jamaican ska artist Prince Buster.
Guess what ... that is your bonus tune today, any excuse to play some OG ska.
By 1982, Madness were absolute royalty on the UK charts. While they initially emerged from the late 70s 2 Tone ska revival, they quickly evolved into one of the most clever and distinctively British pop bands of the era.
Fronted by Suggs and his deadpan vocal delivery, Mike Barson’s music-hall piano style, and Lee Thompson’s blistering sax lines, they combined upbeat, infectious rhythms with sharp, kitchen-sink storytelling that captured everyday British life.
Here are three incredible tunes they gave us in that unforgettable year of 1982.
Released: 14 May 1982
Album: It was originally released as a stand-alone, one-off single to promote their first massive compilation album, Complete Madness (released 23 April 1982). Because the track wasn't on a proper studio album at the time, it was later added as a bonus track to the 2010 deluxe re-release of The Rise & Fall.
Despite an unbelievable string of massive hits, "House of Fun" was their first and only number-one single in the UK. It’s a fluffing chaotic, fairground-style stomper (perfectly matched by their iconic music video filmed at the Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach). Underneath the upbeat music, the lyrics tell a hilarious, awkward story of a young lad turning 16 and trying to buy his first packet of condoms from a grumpy chemist. It's peak Madness storytelling at its finest.
Released: 16 July 1982
Album: This was also a completely stand-alone single and was not included on any studio album in 1982. It eventually found a home on their 1986 compilation album, Utter Madness. Like "House of Fun", it was also tucked onto the expanded 2010 re-release of The Rise & Fall.
Released as a stand-alone single in the summer of '82, this track is pure fun and classic "Nutty Boys" energy.
Am pound to be a member of the Nutty boys club hehe!
Written by Mike Barson, it's a wonderfully self-deprecating ode to owning a completely rubbish, slow, and unreliable car (specifically a Morris Minor). The video features the lads dressed as mechanics doing ridiculous dance moves, making it an absolute joy to watch. It cruised straight into the UK Top 5.
Their music videos were fun and yes flufing nutty!
Released: 12 November 1982
Album: lead single from their brilliant fourth studio album, The Rise & Fall (which was released in the very same month, November 1982).
To close out the year and appropriately close out our 1982 series, Madness released what would become (allegedly) their most globally famous track.
Taken from their brilliant album The Rise & Fall, "Our House" slows down the frantic ska tempo to deliver a beautifully nostalgic, warm portrait of working-class family life. It has that unmistakable, driving piano riff and a chorus that you can't help but sing along to. It hit the Top 5 in the UK and even conquered America the following year.
I did say earlier I play you Madness from Prince Buster as that was the inspiration for their name not to mention a wee bit of a homage to him!
Which was your favourite tune? Or have you never heard of them?
Note: The 4 YouTube videos that I have shared are not owned by me, I am simply spreading great music on Hive.
I wish that you all have a brilliant happy fun and terrific Tuesday until we meet again enjoy your tunes 🎶🎵🎶
The images and ramblings are from me, with some assistance from gemini on the verbage and the lead image, the mad Scotsman TengoLoTodo unless otherwise stated.
