The Associates - Party Fears Two (With Lyrics) (1982) (HD) RIP Alan Rankine 1958 - 2023 

Another musical genius gone too soon. Alan Rankine co-founder of the unique duo "The Associates" has passed away at just age 64... Alan along with Billy MacKenzie brought a breath of fresh air of sound, style & lyrics to the early 80's music scene, some didn't quite get it at the time but came to eventually appreciate the musical genius of the pair much later on and all the way up till today... T'was a great time and era to be young in, often spoiled for choice by the amazing bands & artists around at the time who had that magical touch of creating sounds, styles & music the likes of which has never been seen since... Thank you to both Alan & Billy for being a very important sound of my youth and for the past 4 decades, your musical genius, talents & legacy will live on forever...

RIP Billy Mackenzie (March 27, 1957 - January 22, 1997), aged 39 And RIP Alan Rankine (May 17, 1958 - January 3, 2023), aged 64 You both will always be remembered as legends.

Cool to see people checking out The Associates in 2022.

Martha Ladly appreciation society checking in! The Associates were so ahead of their peers that only a few of us got it. Billy a once in a lifetime talent. R.I.P.

42 years ago....where did all the time go...young people beware. Live every day like a gift from God.

This song transports me straight back to my teenage years in the early 80's Fabulous song..RIP Alan and Billy and thank you for the music.

RIP Alan and Billy. Two of Scotland's finest sons.

One of THE most unforgettable intros of any song ever made

Ah, Party Fears Two - one of those songs that will make your ears bleed and you're thinking WTF stopppp. Or.... it'll give you goosebumps and chills and make your heart soar. I'm Proud to be one of the goosebumper chillers. Still a stunning song, even after all these years.

It is Billy’s anniversary 27 years since he left us. This song is just a masterpiece.

40 years ago , I was so young (16 years old), so dedicated to absorb new sounds, new acoustic emotional sensations, that this song since then remained rooted in me forever. It is an unexplainable feeling that it causes in me, the sound production skills are exceptional in my view.

Just checking in after hearing the news of Alan Rankine's passing. So long since I have heard this and still as amazing as when I first heard it 40 years ago! Yes, 40 years ago.

They appeared on Parkinson and blew my mind. The very next day I popped into Beggars Banquet in Earls Court to buy the record at lunchtime. Mind blown again - Billy was working behind the counter. I was speechless, and he was thrilled to meet a fanboy. He gave me the 12" free and signed it - a treasured possession still. The least I could do was buy "Fourth Drawer Down" which he also signed. Lovely chap. "Sulk" came out shortly later. Totally defined that period of my life.

Still sounds incredible. Will always be one of my favourite songs. Thank you Billy Mackenzie and Alan Rankine ..

when you have lived through this period you always came back to the music to forget the bad times thank god i lived through the eighties

One of the best pop songs ever written. End of.

This is a banging tune. Still listening in 2023 Anyone ?

1982 what a great year for music.

sooo good....what a time to be young in the early 80's. Unfortunately, that makes me 60 now.

Just awesome sound . Together now guys .Bless you and thanks 🙏 so very much .

This tune has been going round my head for weeks. Tried Shazamming a whistle rendition. Nothing. Whistled three bars to a bloke at work and he got it immediately. The relief I feel is immense. Great song.

R.I.P ALAN RANKINE. This incredible song still sounds fkng amazing after so many decades!

Rip 🙏 Alan Rankine a group with a style no one cud ever match ✨️🎇 ☆ 🎧 ☘️

This song makes me feel like a teenage kid who was in such a good place. I loved it so much and still do. Lovely memories of this absolutely beautiful man xx

All my teenage music heroes are passing away , my goodness it’s so depressing 😮

While mourn the passing of Alan and Billy still, they have left us with a legacy still to enjoy...RIP the pair of you.

RIP Billy McKennsie, 18 again. One of the best songs of all time. You can't tweak perfection

Talented beyond belief both founding members. Both sadly gone. The music lives on. RIP.

Billy mckenzie what a great voice …. A sad loss 🙏

The sheer number of great bands Scotland has produced per capita is staggering. RIP this duo.

Ahhh, it was such a wonderful time to grow up. Great music, freedom, bring it back!

This song makes me cry. So beautiful. Been listening for 35years. Still breaks me. 'Don't turn around' 😥

I'm now 61 and still love this

Lockwood and co reminded me how amazing the eighties we're.

😭Rest in peace dear Alan - so many wonderful songs! Thank you for the memories 💔

RIP Alan, you gave us the greatest song of the 80's

Unfortunately we are losing more and more good musicians. I grew up with The Associates. What remains? Good memories and to know...... What a loss....

I commented, 2 months ago.Billy was a genius.Alan Rankine created that sound.. Rip Alan . Back with Billy.🙏

I remember this song being released when I was around 12 years old. I was utterly fascinated by it and also a little scared of it. The histrionic vocals, the haunting piano track and the overall melody was something I'd never heard before at that age, and the song has stuck with me ever since. I don't think they ever came close to this magic again, despite having some decent tracks elsewhere. It was one of those fiercely unique songs that the 80s were known for. In an age now where everything sounds the same, I don't envy todays youth who will never be blown away by four minutes of absolute genius.

I remember singing this as a kid in the 80s, it made by brother laugh. RIP to the duo who made this classic and to my late brother too.

*_The Very Beautiful & talented Martha Ladly (From the Band Martha & The Muffins) plays the Keyboards!

Is it possible to grieve for your youth? RIP Alan Rankine and Billy Mackenzie.

I worked in a record shop when this came out, and it totally blew me away. What a voice. RIP beautiful Billy.

As we mourn Steve Albini I find that listening to music I grew up with brings tears as I contemplate life and death. The genius of Billy Mackenzie and Alan Rankine may no longer be physically here, but the greatest single ever made will live forever. This work of art shaped my musical life and saved me from fitting in with the bland masses. It's the most important record of my life...

The bass playing on their songs was always amazing.

My Mum, on first hearing this, said, "it sounds like two different songs playing at the same time". A perfect summation.

RIP Alan - a fantastic song and what a stunning looking band they were with Billy, Alan and Martha ❤

RIP maestro Rankine. One of Scotlands true musical greats ♥️

a bizarre and beautiful song

Unique vocal style, and utterly beautiful!

RIP Alan.....you and Billy were two of the coolest in the 80s......one of my favourite bands ever,have never stopped listening to you...much thanks and gratitude for all you gave us 😔💔🧡

Billy mckenzie my sister played this on repeat for days brilliant song by The associates

25th anniversary of losing Billy, surely one of the most understated vocalists of our time.

RIP great band

One of my favorite songs from the 80's. It has a unique quality, and melancholic.... the music, Billy's voice, just wonderful.

One of the finest bits of music ever. Thank you.

R.I.P. Alan . You and Billy are once again together. 💙💙

Still love it today as I did back then! So sad they both gone 😟

R.I.P Alan, thank you for your creativity 😊 nearly 26 years after Billy. Absolutely gutted, but I can say they got me through some rough times and made the nice times even better! 😊🤗

Such a great song!! RIP Alan & RIP Billy. 😢X

Billy MacKenzie legend ❤❤❤

Love the keyboard in this song. Such a memorable tune.

Brilliant Brilliant Brilliant. What else is there to add???? Superb song and sums up the early 80s perfectly. Where has the talent gone? Xx

What a voice this man had, still sounds awesome today 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿👍

I've been enthralled by this song since 1982. Absolutely magnificent

Absolute classic, what a wonderful era of music!

One of my faves. Unique and classy. RIP to both. J

Loved these 80s music 🎶 brilliant 👏

i have indoor ducks as pets and they don’t particularly love me but if i specifically play THIS song to them they actually come to me and tilt their heads so far and it seems to calm them down

Simply fantastic. What a great year 1982 was for music.

One of the greatest singles of all time. Like a fine wine.

Ahhh this was one of my favourite tunes in the 80s. RIP 🤦🏽‍♀️🙏🏽

This was and is my all time favourite piece of music from the 80s Rip Billy.

The most fantastic song of the the 80s.

Looking back and still loving this, just how good did they sound and look xx

Fantastic song! Loved this one and sparks this town ain’t big enough . Drove my parents nuts with them both

billy was a fantastic singer i was luck enough to have met him while building kennels for him such a genuine person

This song is a masterpiece of magic. I've had this going round in my head today.

I was 14 & still love it at 56❤*

In a class of its own. So original, nothing like it before nor after.

Sadly missed he had a voice like a angel ⭐🙏

I cannot believe it's 41 years ago that I first heard this it sounds as a fresh as ever. I loved it then and still love it RIP Billy gone way too soon and Alan RIP 🙏 Thanks for the music and Martha for simply being stunning

I loved this track when it was first released, and still do now ,the music is brilliant. R.I.P. Billy .

Billy was the missing link between Sinatra and Bowie. I saw the Associates in 1980, and there were more people in the group than in the audience. They were magnificent. "Sulk" is forty years old, but it has remained timeless. Billy still remains in a field of one. Gone, not forgotten.

Loved this when I first heard it and still love it now and I'm 67 ❤

As a Hungarian, I have trouble understanding the meaning of "Party Fears Two", yet when I heard this recording the first time it was burned into my brain, this composition, this instrumentalisation, and his voice, werre knock outs! This is a recording that I can make no tail of yet sounds intemporally perfect! Long live the 80s!

Loved this band so much ! I loved Martha, what a Gorgeous woman, but I Loved Billy ! What a talented singer/songwriter, what a good looking fella! Such a waste! RIP Billy! dx

Cheers Frank! It must be said...........there has never been (or will be )anyone like the unique Billy McKenzie.

How this never made at least top 3 is beyond me. The Song is perfection

This is fucking genius. RIP Alan.

My friend made me a music mix for my bus ride from Nottingham to Gatwick. This song was the opening track and made the journey bearable. Thanks, mate.

Absolutely one of the best songs ever something strangely spell binding about the pianist

The 1st time i heard this my motorbike chain had broken , this was on the jukebox 12 miles from where i live....the 12 miles pushing my bike back to my mates home , this just really did make my day / night...i'm so pleased i heard this , it made the 12 mile walk pushing my motorbike back to my mates well worth it

Still gives me goose pimples. Utterly amazing.

If you needed a reminder of life is so short….

Massively underrated band ... Party Fears Two is right up there for song of the decade

I was 29 and beginning to lose touch with the charts when this suddenly appeared and knocked me sideways. Such an epic, so unusual! Still love it.

What a beautiful video. Filmed at the Kensington Roof Gardens in London.

Happy memories from the 80s. So sad he's gone xx

As a proud Scot, I loved these guys, but they were truely awesome anyway. RIP Alan ... and Billy.