Drama!

"Drama!"
Single by Erasure
from the album Wild!
B-side "Sweet Sweet Baby", "Paradise"
Released September 19, 1989
Format 12", 7", CD, 3" CD
Recorded 1989
Genre Synthpop
Length 4:08
Label Mute (UK)
Sire (U.S.)
Writer(s) Vince Clarke, Andy Bell
Producer(s) Gareth Jones, Mark Saunders, Erasure
Erasure singles chronology
"Stop!"
(1989)		 "Drama!"
(1989)		 "You Surround Me"
(1989)

"Drama!" is the first single released by Erasure from their fourth studio album Wild!. It was issued by Mute Records in the UK and Sire Records in the U.S.

Written by Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, the synthpop song begins with a low-key keyboard line and a subdued vocal from Bell. As the song progresses, the instrumentation and vocals become more hectic, ultimately ending as a full-blown dancefloor anthem. "Drama!" is known for its mob-shouted "Guilty!" exclamation throughout and Bell's intricate, multi-layered background vocals. Lyrically the song addresses a person who could be considered a drama queen, experiencing "one psychological drama after another" about everyday struggles that are universal and are easily dealt with by most people. Lines such as "your shame is never-ending!" are directed at the subject of the song. The mob's vocals were added to by The Jesus and Mary Chain, who happened to be recording in the studio next door.
"Drama!"
A 5.5 second sample of "Drama!" demonstrating the layered vocals and the mob call out of "Guilty!"
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Released prior to Wild!, "Drama!" continued Erasure's winning streak on the UK singles chart, peaking at number four. In Germany the single also fared well, hitting number twelve. "Drama!" did not continue Erasure's chart success in the United States, where it failed to enter the Billboard Hot 100. It did, however, climb to number ten on the U.S. Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.

Music video

The single was promoted with a music video showing Erasure performing the song in an alley into which plastic bags and bottles are blown by the wind, followed by larger plastic items falling from above. As the items begin to fill up the alley, Clarke and Bell initially escape onto a rooftop, but are ultimately engulfed by the rising tide of plastic.

Track listings

7" single (MUTE89) / Cassette Single (CMUTE89)

  1. "Drama!"
  2. "Sweet Sweet Baby"

12" single (12MUTE89) / CD single (CDMUTE89)

  1. "Drama!" (Act 2)
  2. "Sweet Sweet Baby" (The Moo-Moo Mix)
  3. "Paradise"

Limited 12" single (L12MUTE89) / Limited CD single (LCDMUTE89)

  1. "Drama!" (Krucial Mix)
  2. "Sweet Sweet Baby" (Medi Mix)
  3. "Paradise" (Lost and Found Mix)

U.S. maxi-single (21356-2)

  1. "Drama!" (Krucial Mix)
  2. "Drama!" (7" Version)
  3. "Sweet Sweet Baby" (Medi Mix)
  4. "Paradise" (Lost and Found Mix)
  5. "Drama!" (Act 2)
  6. "Sweet Sweet Baby" (The Moo-Moo Mix)
  7. "Paradise"
  8. "Sweet Sweet Baby" (7" Mix)

Chart performance

Chart (1989) Peak
position
German Singles Chart[1] 12
Irish Singles Chart[2] 5
New Zealand Singles Chart[3] 35
Spain (AFYVE)[4] 18
Swiss Singles Chart[5] 15
UK Singles Chart[6] 4
US Dance/Club Play Singles[7] 10
US Hot Dance Music Sales[8] 13

References

  1. ↑ "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche". musicline.de. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
  2. ↑ Jaclyn Ward - Fireball Media Ltd. - http://www.fireballmedia.ie (1962-10-01). "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
  3. ↑ Steffen Hung. "New Zealand charts portal". charts.org.nz. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
  4. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  5. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Erasure - Drama!". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
  6. ↑ "UK Singles & Albums Chart Archive". Chart Stats. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
  7. ↑ "Music News, Reviews, Articles, Information, News Online & Free Music". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
  8. ↑ "AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-02-14.