I Think We're Alone Now & Other Diversions
There doesn't seem to be anyone around...
Quirky But Catchy, The B Side Turns A Side.
An oldie, originally done by Tommy James and the Shondells back in 1967 and been covered more times than a Plasterer's Trowel. It was released by Lene Lovich on the independent 'Stiff Records' label in 1978 as catalogue no. 'BUY32', the B Side to the single called 'Lucky Number' was probably better known and was re-released as an A Side by Stiff in 1979, it hit #3 in the UK Singles Chart of the day. I remember seeing it on Top Of The Pops at the time, it was one of the most quirky and odd songs, but undeniably catchy, one of those ear-worms that you caught yourself humming along to on the way to school.
Video Killed The Radio Star?
I guess other slightly 'odd' songs in the Charts in the same year would be The Flying Lizards with 'Money' and Telex with 'Rock Around The Clock'. it was kind of an experimental year in many ways, videos accompanying the songs had started to take charge, the whole 'synth' sound became more mainstream and popular with acts such as Gary Numan with his minimalistic synth track 'Are Friend's Electric?' and the slightly angular and quirky new wave XTC with their track 'Making Plans For Nigel' with it's strange high pitched backing vocal and awesomely 'odd' video.
Nice Video, Shame About The Song?
Videos accompanying records became extremely popular, in some cases the videos were more impressive than the actual song content. In a send up of the 'music video age' comedy at the time took a big poke at it, 'Not The Nine O Clock News' was wickedly funny and took a swipe at most things, politicians, youth culture, football hooliganism and also videos for pop songs, have a look at this sketch from them called 'Nice Video, Shame About The Song'. Obviously, you have to appreciate it was comedy of it's day so some things today might be deemed more offensive than when it was first released. It was a springboard for Griff Rhys Jones, Pamela Stephenson, Rowan Atkinson and Mel Smith. This particular skit from Series 4, Episode 1 (1982) kind of at the peak of the whole expensively filmed video to sit alongside what was often a boring song. MTV was launched 'stateside' a year earlier in '81 and was to feed the world back to back music videos for an eager generation of viewers and listeners.
The Diversions & Stiff Records
Lene Lovich was originally in a band called The Diversions, but they split in 1976, so she evidently contacted radio presenter Charlie Gillett who also helped promote other acts such as Ian Dury and even Dire Straits. He got her to record 'I Think We're Alone Now' and it was pushed to Stiff Records who liked it so much they decided to sign her up.
She also featured in the 'Be Stiff Route 78 Tour' which pulled together a bunch of Stiff Records acts including Wreckless Eric, Jona Lewie, Mickey Jupp, and Rachel Sweet, shoved them on trains to play at various towns and cities in the U.K. with the Ireland tour done by bus then flying to New York minus Mickey Jupp (who didn't to the whole flying thing) and ending up back in London’s Lyceum Ballroom. I seem to remember watching a documentary about it and there being quite a lot of being 'stuck' at Crewe for a lot of the U.K. leg!
Have a listen to her original band The Diversions who were a 'funk band' with the track 'But Is It Funky?' released in 1976 on the Gull Record Label.
The Diversions were:
- Dave Quinn - Bass
- Judge Smith - Drums
- Les Chappell - Guitar
- Dave Harrison - Vocals
- Lene Lovich - Sax & Vocals
They were signed to Polydor Records but lasted only a short period from 1975-76. They released several other singles one of them being 'Fattie Bum Bum' a song originally written by Reggae artist Carl Malcolm in 1975.
Video Sources Thanks To
Photo Thanks To
Photo by Sasha Freemind on Unsplash
Info Sources
Discogs, Wikipedia