Earlier tonight I was at a high school basketball game and this song started playing on the sound system with a slow build up. I turned to the person beside me who has an extensive music background and said, “Doesn’t this sound like Frankie Goes to Hollywood?”
He listened intently for a minute then just turned to me slowly and nodded – yes it does.
They were a band with a handful of great songs in the mid-1980s then just faded away.
Welcome to the Pleasuredome
Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s debut album “Welcome to the Pleasuredome” came out in 1984 and Wikipedia reveals it had advance sales of over one million copies. That’s pretty amazing.
Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s debut album “Welcome to the Pleasuredome” came out in 1984 and Wikipedia reveals it had advance sales of over one million copies. That’s pretty amazing.
The first three singles the English pop band released off “Welcome to the Pleasuredome” all went to number one on the United Kingdom Singles Chart.
“Relax” was the first, with its driving beat, and effective uses of pauses. It was a song I really got to know in university when it was one of our favourites to dance – and sing – to. “Relax” Peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, and number 11 in Canada.
“Two Tribes” was the second release. What I will always remember is the video with U.S. President Ronald Reagan wrestling with Soviet leader Konstantin Chernenko. “Two Tribes” did not fare as well in the United States, peaking at number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, and number nine in Canada. That video, and that wrestling match, are still vivid in my mind.
“The Power of Love” was the third single released from “Welcome to the Pleasuredome”. It seems to be a Christmas song with the Nativity featured in the video. “The Power of Love” didn’t hit the top 40 in the United States, but peaked at number 20 in Canada. Interestingly, over the next year, there were two other singles with the name “The Power of Love“. One was the Huey Lewis and the News version, on the soundtrack to the blockbuster smash “Back to the Future”, that went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. The other was the Jennifer Rush version that went to number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100. Wikipedia reveals all three appeared in the top 10 in the United Kingdom in 1985.
The title track “Welcome to the Pleasuredome”, was the fourth single released off the album. All I recall is the title of the song repeated over and over. The song peaked at number 48 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 41 in Canada.
Follow-up album
After having an absolutely incredible year in 1984 and into 1985, it seemed Frankie Goes to Hollywood was a going concern and poised to be superstars.
After having an absolutely incredible year in 1984 and into 1985, it seemed Frankie Goes to Hollywood was a going concern and poised to be superstars.
Then they released their follow-up album “Liverpool” in 1986. It sold fewer copies and, as Wikipedia describes, Frankie Goes to Hollywood disbanded acrimoniously in 1987.
I don’t recall ever hearing of “Liverpool” or any songs from it, much less actually hearing anything from it.
Frankie Goes to Hollywood was gone as fast as they had come.
Parting thoughts
I recently learned something very interesting. Frankie Goes to Hollywood was among the first openly gay pop acts and made gay rights a theme of their music and performances.
I recently learned something very interesting. Frankie Goes to Hollywood was among the first openly gay pop acts and made gay rights a theme of their music and performances.
As I think on it, I may have heard that before. It is still quite brave to me, especially in the 1980s when there was nowhere near as much acceptance and tolerance now.
That just adds another level to a band who really provided music that was great to dance to.
It is too bad they didn’t last longer.
Like so many performers, they were there, then they were gone.
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