Tuesday 16 February 2016

Lipstick cherry all over the lens as she's falling



Timeslip moment again...

Our lovely DeLorean has dropped us off this week thirty-five years ago, to the heady days of proper dressing-up pop.

In the news in February 1981 were rumours that Prince Charles was to get engaged to Lady Diana Spencer (which he did later in the month), revelations about the crimes of the recently-arrested "Yorkshire Ripper" Peter Sutcliffe, the rise of the SDP (Social Democrats) with a wave of defections from the Labour Party, continued bombings and mayhem by the IRA, and the purchase of The Times and Sunday Times by Rupert Murdoch. On our tellies were The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Agony and the ill-fated Kate O'Mara "soap" Triangle (often referred to these days as the worst TV show ever). In cinemas: Flash Gordon, Nine to Five and Raging Bull.

In our charts: Adam and the Ants were at the height of their powers with no fewer than five singles in the Top 100; the country continued to mourn John Lennon, with Woman at No. 1 and Imagine still in the Top 10; and the notorious Shaddup You Face was about to replace Lennon at the top and thereby prevent the far more worthy Vienna by Ultravox from ever getting there. Elsewhere, Phil Collins, Blondie, Madness, Rainbow, Visage, Stray Cats, Yarborough & Peoples and Dire Straits held sway.

But waiting in the wings was this masterpiece by the very lovely Duran Duran - and I went absolutely mad for it!


See them walking hand in hand across the bridge at midnight
Heads turning as the lights flashing out it's so bright
Then walk right out to the fourline track
There's a camera rolling on her back, on her back
And I sense the rhythm humming in a frenzy all the way down her spine

Girls on film, girls on film, girls on film, girls on film

Lipstick cherry all over the lens as she's falling
In miles of sharp blue water coming in where she lies
The diving man's coming up for air cause the crowd all love pulling dolly by the hair, by the hair
And she wonders how she ever got here as she goes under again

Girls on film (two minutes later), girls on film
Girls on film (got your picture), girls on film

Wider baby smiling you just made a million
Fuses pumping live heat twisting out on a wire
Take one last glimpse into the night I'm touching close I'm holding bright, holding tight
Give me shudders in a whisper take me up till I'm shooting a star

Girls on film (she's more than a lady), girls on film
Girls on film (two minutes later), girls on film
Girls on film (see you together), girls on film
Girls on film (see you later), girls on film
Girls on film (what ya doing), girls on film


PS Happy 55th birthday today to the Durannies' original guitarist Mr Andy Taylor!

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