That Was Then But This Is Now
   HOME

TheInfoList



Click Here for Items Related To - That Was Then But This Is Now
OR:
That Was Then But This Is Now on:   [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Amazon]

"That Was Then but This Is Now" is a song by the English
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...
band
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
. It was released in October 1983 as the
lead single A lead single (or first single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. A similar term, "debut ...
from their second
studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...
, ''
Beauty Stab ''Beauty Stab'' is the second studio album by English pop band ABC, released on 14 November 1983 by Neutron Records, Mercury Records and Vertigo Records. The album was recorded over a period of three months between August and September 1983, in ...
''. It was the band's third entry on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, peaking at No. 89.


Music video

The
music video A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...
shows them playing on a stage behind a huge ''
Risk In simple terms, risk is the possibility of something bad happening. Risk involves uncertainty about the effects/implications of an activity with respect to something that humans value (such as health, well-being, wealth, property or the environ ...
''-style world map gameboard; scenes of the band playing, accompanied by various flags, are interspersed with scenes of a helicopter taking off and then exploding.


Critical reception

Upon its release in October 1983, it was "Single Of The Forthnight" in ''
Smash Hits ''Smash Hits'' was a British music magazine aimed at young adults, originally published by EMAP. It ran from 1978 to 2006, and, after initially appearing monthly, was issued fortnightly during most of that time. The name survived as a brand ...
''. " art from the lousy chorus, I think it's one of the most exciting things they've done", Peter Martin wrote, "Fast and furious, the song still manages to retain a feeling of stylish grandeur that is the hallmark of ABC's work". The song features the heavily criticised lyric, "Can't complain, mustn't grumble, help yourself to another piece of apple crumble."
Roddy Frame Roddy Frame (born 29 January 1964) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and musician. He was the founder of the 1980s new wave band Aztec Camera and has undertaken a solo career since the group's dissolution. In November 2013, journalist Brian Do ...
of
Aztec Camera Aztec Camera were a Scottish pop/ new wave band founded by Roddy Frame, the group's singer, songwriter and only consistent member. Established in 1980, Aztec Camera released a total of six studio albums: '' High Land, Hard Rain'' (1983), ''Kn ...
censured the line, feeling that it embodied all that was wrong with 1980s pop music. It has frequently appeared in "worst lyrics" poll results, and was voted the worst line ever in a 2007
BBC 6 Music BBC Radio 6 Music is a British digital radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It primarily plays a wide range of alternative music, from established and emerging artists and bands. In 2002 it was the first national music radio station t ...
survey. Critic and Saint Etienne co-founder Bob Stanley allowed, "It had perhaps been meant as a joke - it was followed by a cheesy sax break."


Track listing

#"That Was Then but This Is Now" – 3:33 #"Vertigo" – 1:53


Chart performance


References


External links

* {{ABC (band) 1983 singles 1983 songs ABC (band) songs Songs written by Martin Fry Mercury Records singles Songs written by Mark White (musician) Songs written by Stephen Singleton Song recordings produced by Gary Langan