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Bananarama Biography
Bananarama formed
in the London
in late 1981. Comprising three best friends Keren
Woodward Sarah Dallin and Siobhan Farley, the
latter whom they met at the London College of Fashion, they would soon
become the most successful girl group in British history, earning a mention
in the 1987 Guiness
Book of World Records.. Having acquired their
band name from both Roxy Music’s “Pyjamarama”
and the kid’s TV program “The Banana
Splits”, they began performing at friend’s parties and at clubs and
were soon spotted by ex- Sex Pistol drummer Paul Cook, who produced Bananarama’s first single, “Aie A Mwana” from their soon to be debut
“Deep Sea Skivving”.
Bananarama then backed up Fun Boy Three on their
song “It Aint
What you Do (it’s the Way that You Do It) and then again in 1982 for “He Was Really Sayin
Something” The Bananas then went on to have success on their own with “Shy Boy” and “Na Na..Hey Hey(Kiss
Him Goodbye)”. In 1984, they released their self titled album Bananarama
(no one could think of a good enough title!) which included their first US smash
“Cruel Summer”. “Robert Deniro’s
Waiting” proved almost as successful, going to no.3 in the Uk,
which was accompanied by a great video. Bananarama, at the end of 1984, also joined up with the likes of George Micheal, Duran Duran and Bono to become Band Aid, under Bob Geldof, with Do They Know Its Chrismas Time?- the biggest selling single of the 80s. After not having nearly a much
success with the political “Rough
Justice”, the group bounced back in 1986, having got in Stock, Aitken and Waterman to produce the smash “Venus” from the album True Confessions. The Bananas at
their campest yet but it worked! They continued their more disco-y sound
with their 1987 follow up “Wow!”, spurning a lot of hit singles such as “I Heard A Rumour”, “Love in the First Degree” and “I Want You Back” The latter song was
however with out Siobhan Farley who had just left after marrying Dave
Steward. She would soon re-appear as part of Shakespear’s
sister. Still in a roll though, Sarah and Keren
had managed to get their friend Jacquie o in the band and they would
continue to have success through to 1991, with the album “Pop Life”. Jacquie o soon left
though to make her own disco project leaving Keren
and Sarah as a duo.
Written by Venetia.
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