First of all: Kajagoogoo? Really? How could they possibly have more than one hit? The universe would not allow it.
Sadly, once again the UK has ruined everything by letting Kajagoogoo have a few other smaller British hits. So how about this instead: the universe would not have allowed Kajagoogoo to have more than one American hit?
I'd seen this song listed on every '80s nostalgic cash-in compilation album, but I had never actually heard it until last year. Just from looking at the band name and the song title, however, I felt like I got the idea. When I finally heard the song, I have to say it was everything I hoped for and more.
"Too Shy" is like the leftover bits of Human League and Duran Duran that you found stuck in the garbage disposal and you slapped together to make a spare '80s synth-pop song. In fact, Duran Duran's Nick Rhodes produced the song, and dare I say it, but it's better than most of the hits his own band came up with! The lead singer, Limahl, sounds like Boy George, only slightly more gay. There isn't a trace of genuine rock and roll muscle to be found. And when that chorus comes around, I can't resist swishing my hands from side to side in a slightly effeminate manner.
The video doesn't disappoint either. There's a giant banner that reads "Welcome Home Boys," perhaps suggesting a post-war theme, but I don't think they had Roland synthesizers back in 1945. Call it a hunch. Nor did anyone sport Limahl's haircut, which suggests Rod Stewart and anticipates Andrew Ridgeley. I also like his yellow "barely a shirt."
There are far too many silly '80s hits for us to label any one song the ultimate champion (the next song in this series is certainly going to make its case), so let's just say this: in the realm of shameless '80s disposable hits, "Too Shy" may have been equalled, but it has never been surpassed.
3 comments:
I'm impressed you got through that entire post mentioning hair only once, cause seriously, were these guys all going to the same hairstylist or what? That same hairstylist who was constantly tripping on acid I might ad.
You know, I've heard the chorus before but I don't think I've ever heard the song all the way through (nor seen the video) or associated it with Kajagoogoo, a name I'm familiar with but never knew much about.
And yeah, talk about wimpy. He doesn't even talk to the damn girl at the end, he just sits there and mopes. At least it's consistent with the title of the song, but who the hell wants to watch a video with an ending like that?
Umm...I do? Can't a video end any way it damn well pleases? I wasn't aware there were rules about this sort of thing. Did I miss Video 101 in college? Is a video supposed to end with a big explosion or a sunset in slow motion? She's too shy! What the hell were you expecting?
And yes, that is one impressive haircut. It's like he dyed it blond several weeks ago, and then shaved off the sides, and so the sides are brown, but then he's got these long tail things curling down in the back. He's like an Orthodox Rabbi surfer.
Speaking of haircuts...
We liked 'Too Shy' so much we made a 39 minute remix...http://athleticsound.bandcamp.com/album/the-trappists-hush-hush
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