Work Rest and Play
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| Work Rest & Play | |||||
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| EP by Madness | |||||
| Released | April 30, 1980 | ||||
| Recorded | 1979-1980 | ||||
| Genre | Ska/Pop | ||||
| Length | 12:02 | ||||
| Label | Stiff Records | ||||
| Producer | Clive Langer Alan Winstanley |
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| Madness chronology | |||||
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Work Rest and Play is an EP by British ska/pop band Madness. The EP was headlined by the song "Night Boat to Cairo", from the band's debut album One Step Beyond.... It was released in the UK Singles Chart on April 30, 1980, reached a high of number 6.[1]
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[edit] Release
After the release of "My Girl", the band felt that they had exhausted the material from One Step Beyond..., and did not want to release any more singles from the album.[1] However, Dave Robinson, head of Stiff Records, disagreed.[1] Eventually, a compromise was made, and the band decided to release an EP featuring one album track and three new tracks.[1] The "Work Rest and Play" EP was the result.
The EP's success was largely down to "Night Boat to Cairo", which headlined the set and had an accompanying music video. The fourth song, "Don't Quote Me On That", was a commentary on press coverage which had tried to paint the band as racists who supported the British National Front. Some of the band's shows had been disrupted by skinhead violence and, in a 1979 NME interview, Madness member Chas Smash was quoted as saying "We don't care if people are in the NF as long as they're having a good time." This added to speculation that Madness was a racist band supporting the National Front, although the band members denied those allegations.[2]
[edit] "Night Boat to Cairo" music video
After the decision to issue the EP, a promotional music video was needed. However, there was a lack of time before the release, and not enough to make an effective one.[1] As "Night Boat to Cairo" was the leading track from the EP, a music video of the song was created to represent the EP as a whole.
Madness filmed a karaoke type video in front of a blatantly chroma keyed backdrop of an Egyptian pyramid, with the lyrics appearing on screen in "bouncing ball" style as Suggs sang them.[1] During the long instrumental sections of the song, the band often run around the set, marching and performing their signature "Nutty Train".
Despite the video's poor effects and unprofessional feel, it became very popular amongst fans.[1] This is possibly due to the care free nature and fooling around of the band, probably down to the large amount of alcohol drank while filming.[1]
[edit] Track listing
[edit] Side one
- "Night Boat to Cairo" (McPherson/Barson) - 3:30
- "Deceives the Eye" (Bedford/Foreman) - 1:58
[edit] Side two
- "The Young and the Old" (McPherson/Barson) - 2:03
- "Don't Quote Me on That" (Tosh/Smyth)- 4:31
[edit] Personnel
- Suggs – Lead vocals
- Mike Barson – Keyboards
- Chris Foreman – Electric guitar
- Mark Bedford – Bass guitar
- Lee Thompson – Saxophone
- Daniel Woodgate – Drums
- Chas Smash – Backing vocals, lead vocals on "Don't Quote Me on That".
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h The Madness Timeline: 1980. Retrieved on June 19, 2007.
- ^ The Madness Timeline: 1979. Retrieved on June 19, 2007.
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