Bast decade ever, lived it completely and thoroughly, spent way too much money, and way too much fun - Best times of my life, friends, music, dance, clubs, etc.... \m/
Those who said they only heard it from a movie must be pretty young. This song was played all the time on the radio back in the 80’s. You couldn’t miss it!
It might have played a lot back then, but wasn’t that memorable for me until I saw it in the context of Depalma’s film. Also the movie came out in 1984. I don’t know about these other comments, but I saw Body Double when it was released in theaters and I was in college in film school. I might have even heard the song first in the film; I certainly don’t remember seeing a video for it on MTV until after the movie came out.
@@NelsonStJames There were also other acts at the time that got alot of radio play and MTV play too in case you missed them such as Madonna, the Police or Michael Jackson in the 80's.
@@NelsonStJamesBecause the line "when you wanna come..." kept it off the MTV video playlist and radio playlists for quite a while. Of course George Michael was celebrated for his lyrics and videos, but Holly Robinson got cheated by word exposure (pun intended). MTV and radio always had 2 sets of rules, and it was always noticeable. When I first came upon this "controversy" about this line, I was like, "You gotta be f**king kidding me?!!!". I guess they never paid attention to other lyrics in 1983.
3 tracks were essential in the evolution of electronic dance music at the time: Relax by Frankie goes to Hollywood, Smalltown Boy by Bronski Beat and Blue Monday by New Order..........all coming out of the tale wind of Donna Summer's monster electronic dance influence culminating in 1979 through the early 80's.
Gotta' say, listening back to this after all these years . . . the one thing that hits me about the song is that it sounds so fucking massive, everything is just monstrous !
I "found" a copy of the multitracks online a while ago and the interesting thing is none of the individual tracks sound massive themselves, and some of the tracks - like the "dunka dunka" bassline - have no low end and are very '"dry" with no reverb or echo. But put them all together and it adds up to a massive glorious noise! Trevor Horn knew exactly what he was doing.
Yes. It's the space in between the notes that allows a sense of cavernous size. Trev was a total master at this. He made the bass the centrepiece and then threw away the distracting embellishments. then when the synths and effects hit, it's like a release. Genius.
I was 14 when it came out, just the right year for this song. Saw them live at the Manchester Apollo...was quite a concert. Kids... go see bands, one day you'll look back and be amazed you were there at a moment in history.
Today you have Taylor Swift - corporate bland pop music. We had Frankie and Relax.. I can't tell you what an incredible experience it was then. And it still is.
I was 13 when the song came out. I had just bought a boom box with a dual cassette player. I would wait for the song to play on the local radio station. When it did, I would record it. I did this multiple times until I had filled both sides of a 90 min tape. I listened to this tape with “Relax” playing over and over again. I guess I really liked the song! Haha!
@@williamhuey3205 Melanie Griffith was gorgeous back then, and that character was great, she was another plus for that film that makes it memorable to this day.
I first heard the song Relax on the soundtrack of Brian DePalmas movie Body Double with Melanie Griffith. I was so blown away I immediately sat through another showing to hear it again. Then I saw it a 3rd time. For many years after my favorite nightclub played it. Viva Frankie!
Same with "Louie Louie" by the Kingsmen. I believe the FBI spent colossal amounts of money investigating whether it was, in fact, filth. But they never found anything!
The slogan t-shirts were inspired by fashion designer Katherine Hamnett's political statements (mostly anti-nuclear weapons) on catwalk runways, but in Britain they took on a life of their own. I had a cheap "RELAX" vest from the market (text in dayglo pink, as dayglo colours were briefly very popular) while Wham had "CHOOSE LIFE" shirts in the "Wake me up before you go-go" video. Slogan t-shirts were the meme of the day. "Frankie says..." was everywhere in 1984-85.
I was a fifteen yo Aussie country girl busting every limb to the beat at my high school gym disco night. It felt so vibrant and alive. It's only now I am hearing the meaning of the words. I'm half drunk and laughing my arse off!
Nonstop throughout the 80s?. It was big for it's time, then it faded away like all pop music does. I doubt it was on the U.S. charts for 2 months tops. Damn good album, tho!
Dance club 1984 in Milwaukee: they showed the naughty "R Rated" video version in the club, and it's one of those things that I still recall to this day!
Summer of 84 this was the song of the summer. You would hear it played every 3 hours. 84 was the best for music. Adam Ant, Bannanrama, Madonna and so many more! It was the kick off to genres!❤❤❤
I remember being in High School in suburban Chicago and this song being played in our gymnasium as we ran. I don't think the teachers realized what they were playing for us on those mixes...lol
I first heard this in Brian De Palmas Body Double, that scene where the main character enters a club looking for a stripper/dancer played by Melanie Griffith. Epic track.
He didn’t just produce. He replaced ALL of the original band members instrumentation with his own for this and the album. All that was left were Holly’s vocals. The other lads didn’t play at all.
Easily the most graphic, yet disguised lyric of sexual innuendo of all time... "Hit me, hit me, hit me, hit me, hit me with your laser beams!". What a great song.
I was in London in the summer of ‘84, and the streets were packed with people mostly all wearing t-shirts with a quote from Relax or from Tina Turners tracks. Quite rad
I remember when the played the original video on Nightflight here in the USA. it was WOW! And then it got banned. After a few years, it was out again. Still think it is a great video. And song.
I was in my early 20's when Relax came out and I and everyone else knew what they were singing about. As far as we were concerned it was a terrific topic to sing about. Lol.
È incredibile se penso che all' epoca, quando uscì questo brano musicalmente rivoluzionario, frequentavo il ginnasio.Oggi, ho 57 anni e ancora mi emoziono quando ascolto la musica di Fgth.Simply Number One!👏👏👏❤️❤️❤️💪💪💪🙏🙏🙏
Relax together with Van Halen's "Jump" were the first 45's I bought with my own (pocket) money. I still have both of those records to this day and they sound fantastic cranked up for my neighbours to enjoy.
The first CD I ever bought was FGTH, in 1984. CDs were just starting to be sold. That sound was incredible, no one had heard digital before. I remember the sleeve contained fascinating technical detail such as sampling rates, SMPTE code track location, etc. Way over my 16 yr old head, but a mention was saying "for those with an eye for detail, we salute you". Few months fast forward I saw their concert, in Bordeaux. Most people there remember it as the best concert they ever attended, for the impression it left on them, and that includes myself.
Have probably heard this song in my entire life several hundred times at least - but somehow missed out on ever seeing the music video, even as a 1980's teenager - was too young to get the lyrics - or just too clueless - love that funk version!!!
I was a massive fan of FGTH they had three consecutive number ones from the Pleasuredome album and that's not forget the legendry Trevor Horn who made that all possible.
It was 1985. I was 10. I saw the video on Friday Night Videos and heard it on my Walkman a million times. My dad was carrying me and my chickens to a 4H judging event in the afternoon. This song came on and he shook his head and talked about how horrible it was. I didn't get the reference. Daddy did. I said "Frankie Says Relax." He did the same thing when he caught me watching Dead Or Alive's 'You Spin Me (Rise Round)' video. He rook one look at that and he said "The stuff they are playing now is horrible." Music was much better when I was 10 than it is now. He probably thought that about CCR and Three Dog Night.
@@ronnie73072 I'm 51 and like it all! Frankie was fun to have parties to. CCR was great to drink beers while your buddies smoked a doob on the porch contemplating your lack of fun in life.... I Live but I'm a wild one of my age. Strictly chickly but hey... we weren't exactly prudent.... Just hoped our kids wouldn't do the shit we did! lol
@@bullyakker - and they did more... and then some. We must deal with the way we raised them. It’s fully on us. I did tell my kids about the music and indoctrination,,, so they were prepared. I hope the same for others. ❤
I was 15 and on the school bus when Mike Reid had his little outburst. When we got to school, it was hot news and before we knew it, it was the top song in all the clubs. Of course, at that age, we only drank soft drinks. 🙄 😉 Great video bringing back many happy memories. 👏🫶👏🫶👏🫶👏🫶👏🫶👏🫶
It wasn’t banned by Mike read, he didn’t even play the record, he decided not to play it due to strict timmings, it was Radio One and the BBC who banned it….Paul Morley capitalised on it and told everyone it was banned, Mike read and his then Radio One producer have actually stated what had happened, even holly Johnson has admitted it had nothing to do with Mike Read. Having said that it’s a gr8 record and all credit must go to Trevor horn of the buggles fame!
