h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Does anyone remember Shakespears Sister 'Stay with me' ? To be honest personally I remember the French and Saunders take off better

However back to topic, was it a world wide hit or only UK?

Oh and what happened with the revival a couple of years back when the scary one tried to relaunch Shakespears Sister on her own. (I'm guessing it bombed)


Researcher PSG

The scary one's record was, technically, a hit... but not a very big one.

They had a few hits as a duo though - "You're History", "I Don't Care", er.... and others.

I'm sorry, which one was scarier than the other?!

I have to agree they weren't really one-hit-wonders though. They were fairly successful for a couple of years there. I remember that French & Saunders take-off, though - laughed like an idiot!

"Stay" was a fantastic song, though. That simple piano refrain on the bridge that builds up to that huge crescendo with the layered vocals still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Great stuff.

Didn't the one not from Bananarama sing backing vocals on "Lay Down Sally" by Eric Clapton?..

Yes, Marcella Detroit (as is her name) did sing backing vocals for Eric. I'm not certain, but I think she also wrote some songs with him. Siobhan Fahey (wife of Dave 'Eurythmics' Stewart was the 'scary' one.

Siobhan Fahey *was* Shakespear's Sister, Marcella was in effect her backing singer, but the management recognised how Marcella was more commercial. Fantastic act though, big fan. Siobhan collapsed the band after she suffered a breakdown. Marcella found out about it when she accepted an award on the band's behalf only for the presenter to read out a statement from Sibhan announcing the band's dissolution.


But as for one-hit wonders, uh-uh. 'You're History' was huge in terms of airplay at the time (got to No. 7 in 1989), then 'Stay', their biggest hit at No. 1, 'I Don't Care' got to No. 7 and 'Hello (Turn Your Radio On)' at No. 14.

But what about outside of the UK? Does anyone else know how they did?

Jims

Fantastic groups, def not a one-hit wonder!

I remember David Baddiel and Rob Smith doing a cracking take-off on 'The Mary Whitehouse Experience' they both got dressed up to the nine's with a pretty good replica set and lighting behind them. They came on with the intro music playing and everyone chuckling as they waited for the opening vocals. When the moment came, Rob Smith (as Fahey) opened his mouth and a ship's foghorn sounded for about fifteen seconds.

Apparently she (through a friend in a newspaper forum) credited this sketch as the instigation for her breakdown.

Wimps

I think it was tha killer punchline, where the one dressed as Marcella glares at the one dressed as Siobhan and asks 'What do we PAY you for?'

As Siobhan said, to have created two top bands, and to be considered the spare part in both of them, was a bit galling.

Jims

Whoops sorry didn't know half of this. I was a bit young, and only knew about 'stay with me', but I very vaguely remember the Mary Whitehouse experience sketch. (I wish they'd repeat that, so I could see if it was as good as I dimly remember)

So, the one from Bannanarama wasn't the spare part? I must admit, just going by stage presence (I'm assuming the one hamming up trying to be scary in the video was her) I'd have picked her out as the afterthought. But as you say, it's a shame.

Researcher PSG

Hmm I think often in the music business the business brain is not always the best stage performer. Thus Siobhan Fahey may have been the talented writer/creator/innovator and cohesive force but I'm guessing that Marcella did the biz when it came to giving the crowd what they want.

I get the impression that Siobhan didn't have a problem with Marcella being given credit, but when Ms Detroit started being described as Shakespear's Sister in her own right, that's when Siobhan got angry.

Now, I'm not sure how true this is, but I heard that the band's final album still exists on archive tapes as they were held up by the death of one of their backing singers, who hadn't signed his contract before he died. He was Billie McKensie, the unique-voiced one-time front-man of the Associates.