“Stormtrooper in Drag” by the late Paul Gardiner is often credited to Gary Numan. Maybe because Numan contributed not only the production and co-composing but also played, sang the lead vocals and released it on his label.
After this release the pair drifted away because of Gardiners escalating drug use. This alienated Numan, who himself claimed absistence of drugs. The lyrics of Stormtroopers in Drag and the death of Paul Gardiner both had something to do with drugs.
Robing Gibb of Bee Gees fame came out with a synth-pop album “Secret Agent” in 1984. It has couple of really decent cuts plus plenty of hand claps and “woooo ooo oooou ooo” vocals in choruses which is always regarded as a strongly positive extra around this house.
Now everything would be just fine if it was saturday afternoon instead of sunday since this song has more that kinda edge – like getting ready for a dangerous night or something. I feel adventurous.
LYRICS
I grabbed my hat and I went walking in the rainy night.
My world turned upside down.
I heard the roaring of the engines of a DC3.
I’m Casablanca bound.
The stewardess was standing staring in a fashion
that could only take my breath away.
The pilot’s voice came on the intercom and
told me he was working for the CIA.
Oh…
And he’s lost in a dangerous world.
So keep on running, running in the black of night,
secret agent,
Just keep on running, running at the speed of light,
secret agent.
Oh…
Oh…
Ooh. And three days later I was woken by a lady in black.
She took my photograph.
And in the safety of the shadows
threw her cameras down the elevator shaft.
She ran and stumbled in the darkness of the empty streets.
My job had just begun.
And without a warning I was shaken by a blinding light.
Didn’t see the gun.
Oh….
And he’s lost in a dangerous world, ooh.
So keep on running, running in the black of night,
it’s your secret agent.
Just keep on running, running like the speed of light,
it’s your secret agent.
Oh…
Oh…
Oh oh secret agent
Oh oh secret agent, agent.
Look out.
So keep on running, running till you get away.
You’re a secret agent.
So keep on running, running in the black of night.
You’re a secret agent.
So keep on running, running in the black of night .
You’re a secret agent
Just keep on running, running like the speed of light.
‘Cause you’re a secret agent.
Just keep on running, running till the break of day.
‘Cause you’re a secret agent.
Just keep on running, running till you get away.
‘Cause you’re a secret agent.
Yeah, I know. This was quite a hit back in the 80s. It was also first hit song for Kim Wilde since “Kids In America” (1981). Tune’s originally a soul classic by The Supremes. This cover is a synthetic disco/synthpop re-work of the original with slightly changed lyrics. The nine minute duration of this version is almost too short, could continue on for a few more minutes.
These electrically funking tracks come from ex-Soviet Union. Text below is from back cover of the record.
This disc is issued in a series jointly prepared by the “Melodia” firm and the USSR Sports Committee and may be recommended to accompany sports coaching sessions, competitions and other active recreations.
PULSE 2
Zigmar Liepinš INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC (“Sports & Music” Series).
So probably Zigmar Liepinš is the artist here and Pulse 2 is the title of the record. There’s also a record named Pulse 1 (+ also Aerobic exercises) – these are yet to be found from Rovaniemi… Check Discogs entry for Pulse 2.
Also have my top 6 tunes list for January 2010 (these are not in any particular order):
O Children – Dead Disco Dancer (The Golden Filter Remix) – youtube video
K.I.D. – Hupendi Muziki Wangu (You Don’t Like My Music?) – youtube video
Tesla Boy – Electric Lady – youtube video
Edwin Starr – Contact (Fromage is Looking at You Edit)
Pulse 2/Zigmar Liepinš – Hard Nut To Crack – check @ kynynasty
Kerim Khan – Seaside Rendezvous (Seaside-Dub) – check @ kynynasty
Binary Entertainment came up with this genre tag called “Dreamwave”. So this one here would probably end up in that category if made in year 2009? Check the Binary blog regularly for getting grips with this whole dreamwave thing. Here’s a quick introduction to clarify what this genre tag might mean:
Taking modern dance production techniques and forms, and applying them to classic, great songs. This isnt anything new, in our minds two of the bigger alternative records of the last year or so were dreamwave, Cut Copy and Empire of the Sun. Those guys are making great dreamwave music. It makes people feel young, pure and simple. And that’s what this music is all about. Often times people associate this music with the 80’s, or just being a fad in the endless cycle of past decades’ reemergence in pop culture…but that’s all just a side effect for what it’s really about. Dreamwave is about nostalgia. It’s about hearing something that makes you think of the last day of school, getting off the school bus and running through bright green lawns that’ll be your playground for the rest of summer. It just so happens that we’re all kids of the 80’s. We feel good hearing it. We feel at peace, one with innocence. We remember what it was like when emotions made us feel desperation, like everyday was the most important day of our lives. Before we’ve grown up and moved on to the real world, become jaded by the responsibilites and pressures of a more adult life in the 21st century, we lived in a time of bright skies and big dreams. Dreamwave is music that makes you remember what it was like to fall in love.
Dreamwave itself is kind of an amalgam of dreampop and new wave music. That’s where it started and it blossomed from there. Pitchfork uses the term and ABC News did a little feature during South by Southwest last year. We coined it and we’re trying to champion it.
