Michael Caine (song)

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“Michael Caine”
“Michael Caine” cover
Single by Madness
from the album Keep Moving
Released February 2, 1984
Format 7"
12"
Recorded 1983
Genre Pop
Length 3:39
Label Stiff Records
Writer(s) Carl Smyth (lyrics)
Daniel Woodgate (music)
Producer Clive Langer
Alan Winstanley
Madness singles chronology
"The Sun and the Rain"
(1983)		 "Michael Caine"
(1984)		 "One Better Day"
(1984)
Music sample
"Michael Caine"
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Keep Moving track listing
Side One
  1. "Keep Moving"
  2. "Michael Caine"
  3. "Turning Blue"
  4. "One Better Day"
  5. "March of the Gherkins"
  6. "Waltz into Mischief"
Side Two
  1. "Brand New Beat"
  2. "Victoria Gardens"
  3. "Samantha"
  4. "Time for Tea"
  5. "Prospects"
  6. "Give Me a Reason"

"Michael Caine" is a song by British band Madness from their 1984 album Keep Moving, and was released as a single in the same year. "Michael Caine", written by the unique pairing of Cathal Smyth and Daniel Woodgate,[1] featured Smash on lead vocals, which was unlike most Madness songs, which were sung by Suggs. "Michael Caine" was released in February 1984, and spent 8 weeks in British charts peaking at number 11.

The song is about a 'grass' (informer) during the troubles in Northern Ireland.[2] It is named after famous English actor Michael Caine and includes his vocal samples, recorded specifically for this song. When he was first approached to appear on the record, he initially turned the band down. But his daughter on hearing this made him change his mind telling him how popular they were.

[edit] Music video

Madness without Mike Barson.
Madness without Mike Barson.

The music video was based on Michael Caine's film The IPCRESS File.[3] Due to the fact that it was shot on 35mm film (as opposed to the 16mm regularly used), the video took longer to complete than usual.[3] It is because of this that Mike Barson is absent for much of the video. Barson had a plane to catch, and could not stay for the whole filming session. [3]

The video is more serious than most Madness videos up to that point, with only two notably "wacky" moments in the entire music video. The first of these is near the beginning when Mike Barson plays the first few bars on the piano (behind a movie-style credit scroll), his arms continuing to extend, before leaving it to play by itself. The second is near the end of the song, as Lee Thompson mimes his saxophone solo using only his hand, with his thumb as the mouthpiece.

[edit] Formats and track listings

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Michael Caine".

  • 7" Single
  1. "Michael Caine" (Smyth/Woodgate) - 3:39
  2. "If You Think There's Something" (Barson) - 3:08
  • 12" Single
  1. "Michael Caine (extended version)" (Smyth/Woodgate) - 3:44
  2. "Michael Caine" (Smyth/Woodgate) - 3:39
  3. "If You Think There's Something" (Barson) - 3:08

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ "Allmusic.com Keep Moving Overview". Retrieved on June 27, 2007.
  2. ^ "allexperts.com Michael Caine". Retrieved on October 26, 2007.
  3. ^ a b c "The Madness Timeline: 1984". Retrieved on June 27, 2007.


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Madness
Suggs • Mike Barson • Lee Thompson • Chris Foreman • Mark Bedford • Daniel Woodgate • Chas Smash
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One Step Beyond... • Absolutely • 7 • The Rise & Fall • Keep Moving • Mad Not Mad • Wonderful • The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1 • The Liberty of Norton Folgate
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