Bananarama vs The Bangles vs The Go-Go’s

Bananarama’s new single:

OH FOR FUCK'S SAKE it's the indefatigable Belinda Carlisle Stan AGAIN.

Uh, no r2. Never posted about her before. In fact, she would come dead last in the poll for me.

Then why the fuck is she singled out on the poll?

Put it this way. I wouldn't have thought about Miss Carlisle in over 30 years if some cunt on DL didn't lavish non-stop attention on her.

R4 because to my knowledge she was the only member of any of the groups who had any kind of comparable success outside of the band? Plus, her music sounds almost exactly the same as the Go-Go’s? One of her hits was written by Charlotte Caffey, for fuck’s sake.

Bangles music poll:

R6 Siobhan from Bananarama had some success with Shakespears Sister, but very different vibe.

Hazy Shade of Winter is one of the greatest covers ever. Nothing the other two groups did can touch that one.

R8 What??? Someone from Bananarama was in Shakespears Sister? Wtf? My mind is blown.

Can I vote for Strawberry Switchblade? They’re in the same realm yeah?

R10 yup, Siobhan left Bananarama to form Shakespears Sister, claiming she wasn’t artistically fulfilled doing Top 40. Can’t blame her, she was always the coolest and most talented Nana. This is the reason she was replaced by Jacquie O'Sullivan for Bananarama’s Pop Life album. Jacquie didn’t strike a chord with the public and so they quickly ditched her and continued as a duo.

I'm excluding Belinda Carlisle from my ranking.

first place: Gogo's.

second place: Bananarama

Definite last place: The Bangles.

Bananarama had the coolest style and vibe. The Gogo's had some good, lesser-known songs like "This Town" and "This Old Feeling."

Am I the only one embarrassed to say I liked "Walk Like an Egyptian" back then?

The best Go-Go’s song that never was, featuring Charlotte Caffey

I like all of them but am partial to the Bangles. I saw them in a small club after their first EP came out and it was a great show. They were really underrated as a live band. Their hits were mostly covers forced on them by the label but their own songs were really good, especially on the EP and All Over the Place.

Hmm Bananarama have the best collection of hits but none of them have an evergreen classic as perfect as Heaven Is a Place On Earth. Belinda actually managed to outclass her band with that one. Hazy Shade of Winter is great but it’s a cover so it doesn’t count.

The Bangles had much better songs, many of which weren't even singles like Live, Standing in the Hallway, In A Different Light.

Banarama started out as a ska-lite group that moved on to commercial pop.

I voted for the Go-Go's by accident. I wanted BC to get my vote.

The Go-Go's probably hold the record for the most versions of a single cover released to the public with this song below.

It was on their Vacation album in '82, this version on their greatest hits package in '90 & another version was on their 2 CD retrospective in '94.

The band had more personality & talent than the Bangles or Bananarama or even the 90s girl group take the Spice Girls..

A 2 group mashup with the original version =

When they were ska light they were played in NY clubs. I remember them in the mix at Danceteria, early 80s.

R20 that’s when BC was at her most beautiful. That red hair.

I am convinced you must be the Belinda Carlisle stan. Troll. "BC" looks like an emaciated coke head in that video, not beautiful. Do carry on. Stans stanning is both amusing and annoying.

R24 you’re the one who sounds obsessed? And she looks pretty great for someone who was formerly morbidly obese.

yeah yeah yeah

If you're friends with the Gong Li Stan, could you tell him to post again. I miss him. And WHET Capucine Stan and Liv Ullmann Stan? ARE THEY OK? DID COVID GET THEM?

Poor dumb R24 thinks there is only 1 BC stan on the DL LOL!

She keeps shouting "1 BS stan on the DL1 BC stan on the DL" to whomever will listen.

I'm the original poll troll on the DL, one of BC's biggest fans & I just found this thread at R20 so I'm not the OP.

Sorry R23 she looked her best with blond hair in her '86-'88 years as the following video proves =

Oh, well at least you R28 agree with me at r24 about the BC Stan's ridiculous hyperbole at R23.

Sorry but you’re both wrong. She looks her best here:

It's uncanny how much Belinda Carlisle resembles Lorie Griffin from TEEN WOLF, who herself looks uncannily like Alicia Silverstone.

Poor Bananarama, coming in last in the poll. I thought they’d be the most popular. The Go Go’s have Vacation, We Got the Beat and Our Lips Are Sealed. That’s about it. Bananarama probably suffer from being British, so all their hits aren’t as known in the states.

Sorry R31 I think you mush be drunk making that comparison.

The girl at R31 looks like Nellie Olsen's kid sister.

I think Bananarama has the most consistent run of all of them. They are still recording, so kudos to them. The Bangles and The Go-Go's maybe had bigger highs but they were both pretty short-lived.

Belinda's first three albums are excellent.

[quote] I think you mush be drunk

Pot meet kettle.

This song alone makes a case for Bananarama. It’s so austere, stark and haunting. They were known for the candy pop but this dark sound was much more sophisticated. Probably why it didn’t resonate with buyers but I loved it. It’s about a young guy the girls knew who was working as an escort.

True Confessions was a great album. Trick of the Night was one of many great tracks from that album, including In A Perfect World, Do Not Disturb, A Cut Above the Rest, and Hooked on Love, which was also a bop with dark subject matter.

Agreed r36. A Trick of the Night is one of the Nanas' best songs. "Venus" is a rush of SAW pop/dance, but the rest of the True Confessions album is mostly moody pop.

Yes r38 never has an album been more poorly represented than “True Confessions” with “Venus.” I wonder if buyers felt duped.

I voted for the Go-Gos, cause I fucked Duke. But then, who hasn't?

Early Bananarama, "He Was Really Sayin' Somethin'" with Fun Boy Three

Bananarama are still making amazing music. The same can’t be said for The Bangles or The Go-Go’s. Even Belinda hung up her hat eons ago. This my favorite modern Nana track.

Honestly, I don’t like The Bangles and can’t see the similarities between Banarama and The Go-Go’s. Maybe it’s me but The Go-Go’s and Banarama were edgy bubblegum and The Bangles were more Top 40 pop.

It could be because Bananarama and Go-Go’s are early 80’s whereas The Bagles are mid-80’s and have different production styles.

“Eternal Flame” is like Heart and 80’s power pop shit to me whereas “Vacation” and “Cruel Summer” are more New Wave / punk pop.

It’s like comparing Banarama and The Bangles is like comparing Ace of Base to Sheryl Crowe in the 90’s to me.

I was born in 1987 so I could be off. I wasn’t around.

I loved Banarama’s “I Heard A Rumor.”

I love them all, Belinda & Susanna especially, but Bananarama for me, namely Siobhan. So many happy memories of their music & videos, & as much as I loved the Siobhan years, her Shakespear’s Sister music is out of this world!

Bananarama doesn’t work for me as a duo, & fuck Karen & Sara for “reuniting” with Shuv for a tour, then icing her out on their newest LP. Mean girls!

And Belinda Carlisle‘s solo music was what I call Laura Ashley pop. “I Get Weak”, “Heaven Is A Place on Earth”, Amy Grant’s “Baby Baby”, Shanice’s “I Love Your Smile”, etc. yuck.

Everything you mentioned is diabolical r46 but the Runaway Horses album is a masterpiece. It’s very Stevie Nicks but through a poppier lens.

[quote] comparing Banarama and The Bangles is like comparing Ace of Base to Sheryl Crowe in the 90’s to me.

Hardly. True Confessions and Different Light both came out in ‘86 and have an overlap in sound. Trick of the Night and Hazy Shade of Winter aren’t worlds apart.

I enjoy Bananarama as a duo. The Drama album was fabulous, very Madonna Confessions On a Dancefloor.

The Go Go's would be my number one if I had to choose. I love the poppy quasi-punk/surf music mixture they managed to capture. It's great feel-good music. Bananarama is second on the basis of "Cruel Summer" alone. The Bangles come in last. I don't know why, but I've always found Susanna Hoffs very unlikable. She seems like a low-key cunt.

I’m on Spotify listening to all these groups right now.

Who is T’Pau? She comes up on related artists to The Bangles, I’ve never heard of her.

R51 she’s a British one hit wonder who had one big song, China In Your Hand. Not in the same league as these three bands and never popular in the states. She’s probably recommended due to being roughly of the same era.

R52 Thank you! “China In Your Hand” is awful by the way.

R53 happy to help, and you’re right. It’s absolutely appalling.

Can I vote for Bow Wow Wow? Aphrodisiac slaps.

T'pau's biggest US hit was Heart and Soul, which is fantastic. I've never heard of the one you've mentioned.

I loved this Bananarama song when it came out.

You’ve never heard of “China In Your Hand” r56? It’s by far her best known song, and probably her only known song as far as the general public is concerned. It has 31 million streams on Spotify, vs “Heart and Soul” with 14.5 million. None of T’Pau’s music is for me, that’s for sure. Give me Kim Wilde.

R57 this sounds so cheap and desperately 90s (in the worst way). I can smell the poppers from here. Worlds away from Cruel Summer.

Are you in the US, r58? Heart and Soul was big here and then had a revival after being featured on Beavis and Butthead. I've never heard that China song and I listen to XM 80s and First Wave quite a bit.

R60 I’m in London. “Heart and Soul” came and went here but “China In Your Hand” is a staple, it’s still played on the radio incessantly. Much to my irritation. I believe it was a #1.

Bananarama had such a good comeback album in 2005 when they had singles like Move In My Direction and Look on the Floor. But all the new music they’ve released since has been plain and generic. I hope the rest of the album is better than this boring single. I really want to hear some good stuff from them again.

R62 You didn’t like Viva? I thought it was an immaculate followup to Drama.

The bananarama sluts were talentless.

R56 Oh yeah I know this song!

I actually think the new Bananarama song linked at R1 is pretty great. It’s dark and atmospheric, with a delicious bite in the chorus. It reminds me of Daft Punk’s Tron: Legacy soundtrack. Honestly if I heard it on the radio I would never guess it was Bananarama. It’s surprisingly slick and current for them.

The bridge in new song songs like Pet Shop Boys production.

The Go-Go’s attempted a comeback too, with a song written by Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong. No one liked it.

I loved Susanna Hoffs’ solo album. Even if I was the only person who bought it.

Wow she was stunning r69, like a cross between baby Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

I like the three Susanna Hoffs/Matthew Sweet albums, Under the Covers 1, 2 and 3, where they re-do songs from the 60s, 70s and 80s respectively.

The Go-Go's released a single in 2020. It's quite decent, even if it lacks their original edge.

[quote]I was born in 1987

Good gawd, you're a baby!

[quote]Who is T’Pau? She comes up on related artists

T'Pau is the name of the group, a name chosen after a character from the original Star Trek series. The lead singer is Carol Decker. And, as others have said, HEART AND SOUL is their only hit here in the States, and it's a great track. CHINA IN YOUR HAND is barely known, if at all.

I heard "Unforgiven" at my gym back in the day. I liked it.

American here, can vouch that "Heart And Soul" was a pretty big hit in the US back in summer 1987 (peaking at #4) but "China In Your Hand" was practically non-existant and over here they're almost entirely known as a one hit wonder for Heart And Soul. It's a territory thing, much like in the UK a lot of people only know The Go-Go's as the group Belinda was in before her solo career because none of their songs were hits in the UK

R63 No, and apparently I wasn’t the only one considering none of the singles charted.

I like "99 Luftballons".

Bananarama was so manufactured. They had a few fun songs, but I wouldn't even remotely put them in the same bracket as the Bangles and the Go-Go's.

I'd give a slight lead to the Go-Go's, only because in my eyes they had two perfect albums (their first and Talk Show) but I loved the Bangles too.

Bitchlinda solo is an abomination best left unmentioned.

One of the few Bananarama songs that caught my interest.

These two drama queens....love 'em

Bananarama was soulless. They kept repeating the same bad sound.

Did Bananarama always sing in unison? No one ever got a solo or a lead?

Didn’t Vicki Peterson fill in for Charlotte at some point?

[quote] “China In Your Hand” is awful by the way.

[quote] you’re right. It’s absolutely appalling.

HOW DARE YOU, BOTH???!!!

"China in Your Hand" is a fantastic song!! One of the best of the '80s. I always assumed it was a #1 hit in the US because here in Canada, I heard it all the time on the radio. Yet I believe it wasn't even released in the US and only reached #20 on the Canadian charts. Not bad, but it did get lots of play here.

"Heart and Soul" was a big hit in North America, while "China" was a massive hit in the UK. They're both great singles. Also, love "Valentine" and "Bridge of Spies". The whole Bridge of Spies album is terrific.

[quote] I always assumed it was a #1 hit in the US because here in Canada.

Unfortunately that's now how it works.

^not how it works

I was a pre-gayling on vacation in London in the summer of 1980. The Go-Go's were a huge hit there. Came back to USA and told all my friends of this awesome new all girl band. "We Got the Beat" finally came out and ever since, my friends always thought I great taste in music.

T'Pau is fucking terrible. Can't believe they're even being mentioned in the same sentence.

I like Bananarama for "Walk like an Egyptian".

I went to a triple bill of the Go-Go's, B-52's and the Psychedelic Furs circa 1996-1997.

The Furs were up first and there was a cute but douchey straight guy and a few of his Barbie Bimbos near us. They were basic bitches and WOOOOO girls, and he was glugging down the booze. He could barely stand up for his favorite Furs song.

When the Furs left the stage he belched and then looked at us and said, "Hey, when does "Walk Like An Egyptian" get played?" When I told him that was the Bangles, and that they wouldn't be hearing that song, they all left. Thank fuck, I would have punched him before the night was through otherwise.

Bananarama all the way!! Loved them as a schoolboy and I heard a rumour was the third vinyl single record that I bought. Happy memories 😍🤩🙂

I smoked a cigarette at 13 and danced to this song. I was clearly the coolest person ever, or so I thought. LOL

[quote] Bananarama was soulless. They kept repeating the same bad sound.

This is not true. Their first album sounds nothing like True Confessions or WOW! except for their harmonies. Even Pop Life doesn't sound much like WOW! except for some of the SAW-produced tracks.

[quote] T'Pau is fucking terrible.

They're fucking brilliant!!!

R94 you have absolutely no musical knowledge or taste whatsoever.

r94 TPaus songs between 1987 and 1988 were fantastic-Heart and soul, China in your hand, Secret Garden, Valentine

Untrue, r12. Jacquie was well-received by the fans - she didn't strike a chord with Keren and Sara, who made her life miserable until she quit. Siobhan advised Jacquie not to join in the first place, you know.

r97 One of my favourite Bananarama songs occurred in the Jacqui era - Love truth and honesty

Keren and Sara prefer being a duo. Jacquie was imposed on them by the label as Bananarama was always known as a trio. It still is, despite Keren and Sara's efforts to make the public think of them as a duo. Keren and Sara have made some good music as a duo, but their best work was with Siobhan and Jacquie. Bananarama works best as a trio but K&S will never admit that.

[quote} [R94] you have absolutely no musical knowledge or taste whatsoever.

Actually, I do. I don't make general, unqualified statements that Bananarama's music is "soulless" and that they went for the "same bad sound". What an insult to Jolley and Swain who produced several of Bananarama's early hits. They sound distinguishable from their later SAW period. Jolley and Swain and SAW are not the "same bad sound". Bananarama recorded a number of iconic songs "Cruel Summer" (covered by Ace of Base and became a top 10 hit again in the '80s), "Robert De Niro's Waiting", "Venus" and "I Heard a Rumour".

Nobody has to like T'Pau but Bridge of Spies was very popular in 1987 and 1988 and I still think it's a great album.

I've never listened to Shakespears Sister but r81 you've blown my mind - that song is fantastic!

I hope the Bananarama ladies are making decent bank today of annual royalties.

The funny thing is, that video at R81 references their previous career as Shakespears Sister, which was basically two singles, and then they had a weird public falling out.

Like, it was a true fucking miracle that they would ever be in the same room again falling out.

This was a great song of theirs.

So well known, in fact, French and Saunders parodied it.

Also them. Also good.

I love that there's a Shakespeare's Sister fanatic.

Eh, not a fanatic R105. But they had a few decent songs.

And as I said above, miracle that they reunited. I would have sooner expected Morrsisey and Johnny Marr.

^ I’ll admit I’m a SS fanatic. Their best album is their debut; as a solo artist (still using the SS moniker) Siobhan’s “Songs from the Red Room” is phenomenal.

r107 I always was surprised Shakespeares sister didn't have more hits and more success.

The new single sounds dreadful. Sara's daughter actually has a solid singing voice, surprisingly. Was her father a singer?

I think SS only reunited because Siobhan wanted to stick it to Bananarama by having a bigger comeback with SS. The Graham Norton performance fucked things up, sadly.

[Quote] truth and honesty

What's the distinction?

[Quote] Did Bananarama always sing in unison? No one ever got a solo or a lead?

They're alternating verses on the new single.

[quote] I think SS only reunited because Siobhan wanted to stick it to Bananarama by having a bigger comeback with SS. The Graham Norton performance fucked things up, sadly.

I've always been suspect about the reunion of SS. Apparently Marcy was still treated like she was just a guest and not an equal member of SS. I don't think Siobhan and Marcy ever fully made up and there are still lingering tensions.

[quote]The Graham Norton performance fucked things up, sadly.

How so? I pulled it up on YouTube (presume it's the linked one) and it's lovely. Saw some commenters saying MD couldn't hit the notes she used to. Maybe but it didn't spoil the performance for me.

It got a lot of bad reviews r114. Plus the tour apparently didn't do that well. I don't think they even came to North America.

Ugh, Will Smith is in that clip.

Here's a rare Bananarama track with Siobhan in the lead vocal.

Siobhan also had the solo bits on the "Link" track on the 2nd album (between Robert De Niro and Dream Baby).

Belinda had probably the most memorable songs, such as "Mad About You," "Heaven is a Place on Earth, "I Get Weak," "Circle in the Sand, " "Leave a Light on," and "Summer Rain."

No one in Bananrama could be described as a gifted vocalist but Jacqui probably had the best voice out of the four.

I agree R118.

People, it behooves me to say that Shakespear’s Sister is intentionally misspelled.

The Bananas used to shag The Sex Pistols in their Soho (London) squat.

Who are The Bananas and who did they a peel too?

Mad About You sounds so much like the Go-Go’s that when it debuted on the radio back in the day, I assumed it was their latest offering. Catchy, but generic. I guess Belinda didn’t want to rock the boat or mess with a winning formula for her first solo outing.

Heaven changed up the pace a bit, and thank god for that, and for its mega success. Had it not blown up, we never would have gotten Runaway Horses, which is her magnum opus. Leave a Light On, Runaway Horses, Summer Rain, La Luna… all pop perfection. Belinda is whatever, but Rick Nowels is a genius. His work with Stevie Nicks is similarly sublime.

Yes, let's continue to pit women against each other, OP, rather than treat them as individual artists in their own right.

Oh untwist your panties R125. It’s just a bit of 80’s nostalgia fun.

Controversial opinion - this is my favorite Belinda Carlisle song.

Belinda's solo discography is surprisingly solid. Even her 1993 Nowels-less album, [italic]Real[/italic] is quite nice. I could see her as a critics' pop darling like Carly Rae Jepsen or Robyn if she had a luckier timing.

R127 This had potential, but sounds unfinished. It could be a nice duet.

There was talk of Prince writing a song for Belinda in the mid-'80s, like he did Sheena and the Bangles. I wish this had happened.

Bananarama’s first UK single, sung in Swahili. I always liked Bananarama. They were not “cool” and didn’t want to be. They were terrible dancers too, which endeared them to many.

I find the Go-Go’s/Bangles/Bananarama much more fun to look at and watch, and a lot of their hits bring back super fond memories, but Belinda’s music does have a more timeless quality. Circle in the Sand, Leave a Light On, Live Your Life Be Free etc sound like they could be from any era. Classic melodies. Bananarama in particular sound *so* 80s. And that’s not a bad thing, it just depends on my mood.

I wonder if this is a Lulu outtake. It was written by her brother, and the same team who wrote Lulu's TV show theme.

btw, how many bananas are in a bananarama?

Video unavailable R133

R133 She took inspiration from Cher: "Carlisle had the writers tailor-make after she heard Cher's "Believe" and fell in love with that song."

[Quote] Video unavailable R133

[Quote] She took inspiration from Cher: "Carlisle had the writers tailor-make after she heard Cher's "Believe" and fell in love with that song."

Lulu's brother had nothing to do with "Believe," though. And "All God's Children" isn't much in the vein of "Believe." I think Belinda was a little desperate for material at that stage in her career.

R137 a lot of washed up pop queens attempted to have a “Believe” moment around the turn of the millennium. Cher gave all the aging divas hope - if only for a moment. Belinda, Tina, Gloria Estefan, Donna Summer, even Diana Ross gave it her best shot.

Belinda demo'd the delicious Waiting for a Star to Fall but ultimately passed on the song because she didn’t care for it. I’m glad she did, because nothing beats the Boys Meets Girl version.

R140, "Waiting for a Star to Fall" would have been the perfect fourth single from Belinda's Heaven on Earth album, certainly much better than "I Feel Free," which bombed.

She lacked the range.

I love Belinda's version of I Feel Free, it's so atmospheric, Nowels did a really wonderful job on that one. It deserved to be a hit.

Add me to the list of people who love her version of "I Feel Free" r143. Great cover.

I prefer Erika Jayne's response/diss track, "It's Expensive to be Me."

R22 and R41 Here is the Fun Boy Three/Go-Go's/Bananarama connection with Fun Boy Three's version of "Our Lips Are Sealed." It was written by Terry Hall of FBT and Jane Weidlin of The Go-Go's about their affair while The Go-Go's were touring with Terry Hall's previous band, The Specials. Note that Bananarama are the backing singers in the video.

Terry Hall still collaborates with Siobhan/Shakespear's Sister.

Fun (not really) fact: on a school trip to France, he was abducted by his middle school French teacher & almost sold into a white slavery/pedo ring.

Yikes!!!!!

Thoughts on Jane Weidlin's solo career?

R148 I think this sums up Jane's solo career. Start at 1:20.

Bananarama are not in that video, r146.

I loved it R148. Jane had some tunes on her web site that she took down that I can't find anywhere.

"Brain Inside A Jar" was one that I adored. She wrote it about her sci fi hobby & was a one of a kind song which she can master as a writer.

I think another was "Go Outside & Play" about latchkey kids & helicopter parenting. It has such a great commentary about the issues.

^ They're listed on her old MySpace account from at least 15 years ago.

They are "If Girls Ruled The World", Brain Inside A Jar, Go Outside, Push You & Big Gay Ice Cream.

She used to have the entire songs on there but must've shortened them later to just a sample iof each.

Jane made some great pop albums. Tangled is particularly strong.

R150 It looked an awful lot like Bananarama on the tambourine and keyboards at 0:55, 1:32, 2:24. I guess I was wrong.

I really liked Jane with Sparks on "Cool Places"

Jane's "Brain Inside A Jar" made it onto this DL Halloween playlist years ago =

R30 I think Belinda looked great as Attack of the 50 Ft Belinda

Unfortunately, the video isn't on YouTube but you can see a clip on the Tidal link.

I love Bananarama's collaborations with Fun Boy Three.

It Aint What You Do

"Duran Duran vs Kajagoogoo vs Spandau Ballet - Which of these groups was the best? Who had the coolest looks? So many bops!!"

Notice how nobody does this? It's because they're men, and they have the privilege of just being seen as three of many groups of the 80s.

OP you are unwittingly playing into the sexist pitting of women against each other, a la Janet vs Madonna.

Yes, this is R125 again, back for more pedantry, R126. Let's just talk about 80s music, and what we enjoy about all the amazing different groups and singers, without making it about a "girl group competition."

Take your dried up foof somewhere else, R159. If you think Duran and Spandau weren't pitted against each other you weren't there. Insufferable.