Scritti Politti - Wood Beez (pray llike Aretha Franklin) Top Of The Pops 1984

Nice quality video recorded live in the studio from Top Of The Pops 1984. As heard on GTA IV. Scritti Politti are a British band, originally formed in 1977 in Leeds, Yorkshire, England. Although there have been various changes to the line-up, Cardiff-born singer-songwriter Green Gartside was the founding member of the band and the only member to have remained throughout the group's history.

Initially a left-wing-inspired post-punk British rock group, Scritti Politti developed into a more mainstream pop music project in the early to mid 1980s, enjoying significant success in the record charts in the UK and the US. Scritti Politti originally consisted of Gartside (born Paul Julian Strohmeyer) as the lead vocalist, Nial Jinks as bass player, Tom Morley as drummer, and Matthew Kay as the manager who sometimes played the keyboard. Morley also created much of the artwork on the band's album covers. Gartside and Jinks had gone to school together in South Wales, and Gartside met Morley at Leeds Polytechnic, a college they both attended. They played one show as The Against in 1976, doing covers of Chelsea songs. Disillusioned and bored with art school, Gartside and Morley left in June 1978 and moved into a squat at 1 Carol Street in Camden Town, London. Jinks was invited to join the band. Gartside taught him how to play the bass in three weeks.

Gartside recorded a demo of one of his new songs, "The "Sweetest Girl"", in January 1981, and the song was included on a compilation of songs obtained with tokens from the March issues of NME. The song prompted many major labels to offer Gartside record contracts, but he decided to stay with Rough Trade. By August 1981, Scritti Politti's debut album was complete and ready for release, but Gartside wanted to wait, most likely because he could not decide on a title. "The "Sweetest Girl"" was released as a single in November and reached only No.64 on the UK music chart, but was cited by The New York Times as one of the ten best singles of the year. The single was later covered by pop band Madness, with their version reaching No.35 in the UK singles chart in 1986. Nial Jinks also temporarily rejoined the band around this time. The band's music was characterized by sophisticated studio production, Gartside's sly, punning word play — influenced by his reading of deconstruction (the group's 1982 debut album, Songs to Remember, features a song called "Jacques Derrida") — and the tension between the polished pop-funk stylings of their music and the subtle radicalism of the political and social messages embedded in their lyrics.

The group's most successful album, 1985's Cupid & Psyche 85, spawned three UK Top 20 hits with "Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)", "Absolute", and "The Word Girl", as well as a US Top 20 hit with "Perfect Way". The personnel for this album differed from that of their first album, and featured keyboardist David Gamson and ex-Material drummer Fred Maher, both of whom would collaborate with Gartside on songwriting and production duties. Arif Mardin would also produce three songs for the album.

This new line-up remained for the band's next album, 1988's Provision. This album was a Top 10 success, though it only produced one Top 20 hit ("Oh Patti"). After releasing a couple of non-album singles in the early 1990s, as well as a collaboration with B.E.F., Gartside became disillusioned with the music industry and retired to South Wales for the rest of the decade. He returned to music-making in the late 1990s, releasing two critically acclaimed albums, 1999's Anomie and Bonhomie (which included various rap and hip hop influences) and 2006's stripped-down White Bread, Black Beer which returned to the more experimental era of the band's history.
The current line-up toured worldwide (under the Scritti Politti name) on the back of the album's success, and completed a UK tour in November 2006. They appeared at the Bestival music festival in September 2006, and at Summer Sonic Festival in Japan. On 19 December, they played a short set at the Rough Trade Christmas party in London.

In 2007, Gartside worked on an album with Alexis Taylor, the singer with Hot Chip. The pair met at the Mercury Music Prize ceremony, and played a concert supporting Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid at KOKO in London in March 2007.

In 2009, Gartside participated in 'Very Cellular Songs', a concert at The Barbican celebrating the music of The Incredible String Band, featuring Richard Thompson, Kamila Thompson, Alasdair Roberts, and Dr. Strangely Strange.

A compilation of singles and album tracks was released on 28th February 2011, with two new tracks, "Day Late and a Dollar Short" and "A Place We Both Belong" both written with David Gamson. Gamson played a large part in the making of Cupid & Psyche 85 and Provision.

Whilst promoting the "Best Of" album, Gartside confirmed that he is hoping to complete an album of new material for Rough Trade later in 2011.

[davidritchie]

It's so frustrating how 'overlooked' Scritti Politti are. Even in 'most overlooked bands' they tend to get overlooked!! Cupid & Psyche '85 is just as fresh & rewarding today as it was 35, yes 35, years ago!

[VladimirBarriere]

40 years and this song brings the same emotions, the same pleasure on me.

[BassByTheBay]

I remember how fresh this sounded when it came out. The arrangement is so careful -- like puzzle pieces fitting together. And that bass line kills!

[jh]

This piece of music is top notch. A very sophisticated and brilliant track. The band's look is superb, especially for Green. I love it!

[AmazingJane]

A lot of people would look back at pictures of themselves from 1984 and cringe but Green looked amazing then and could wear that now and still look completely on point.

[RO-qbzv]

most underrated song from February 1984, this song stands up today as a slice of pop perfection.
Aretha herself loved this song which was played to her by late producer Arif Mardin who worked with both artists.

[rosebud]

Everything they did was magical. Green has the voice of an angel

[davidbull]

All the singles from this album are ahead of their time and presage the era of tight, sonic perfection of the late 80s

[sofiarusso]

Green 'wore' the eighties well...his taste in clothes is/was impeccable. Synth arrangement sends me and the guitar gives me butterflies. Bass and drums blows my mind. Such a visceral affect 🤯!

[lassie]

I remember watching this episode. Brilliant.

[almighty]

One of the greatest songs and beats of all time without a doubt

[AR-iily]

one of the greatest tunes of all time.

[juliebanicky]

So in love with Green! For 35 years or more. ❤❤❤❤

[alancassell]

Scritti politti... Remarkable production.. Awesome..

[collinson]

brilliant 80's band loved this tune reminds me of such happy  memories

[johncapstick]

Green is so talented a great 80, s artist

[AlcoVoz]

There's a compilation album called 'Early' by Scritti that consists of things they recorded before they went more commercial and it's some of the most incredible surreal sounding avant-garde post-punk I've ever heard. It doesn't even sound like the same band. That's the Scritti Politti that I like.

[RockinProfessor]

Bring back the 80's....at least great 80's music like this*

[garylucas]

Love the song haven’t got a clue what’s it’s all about bring back the 80’s immediately and my youth

[keplertagapan]

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