"Drama!" is the first single released from English
synth-pop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s ...
duo
Erasure
Erasure () is an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1985, consisting of lead vocalist and songwriter Andy Bell with songwriter, producer and keyboardist Vince Clarke, previously known as co-founder of the band Depeche Mode and a member ...
's fourth studio album, ''
Wild!
''Wild!'' is the fourth studio album by British band Erasure. Released in 1989, it was the follow-up album to their 1988 breakthrough '' The Innocents''. The album was produced by Erasure, along with Gareth Jones and Mark Saunders and releas ...
'' (1989). Written by
Vince Clarke
Vincent John Martin (born 3 July 1960), known professionally as Vince Clarke, is an English synth-pop musician and songwriter. Clarke has been the main composer and musician of the band Erasure since its inception in 1985, and was previously ...
and
Andy Bell, the
synthpop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...
song begins with a low-key keyboard line and a subdued vocal from Bell. As the song progresses, the instrumentation and vocals become more hectic, ultimately ending as a full-blown dance track. "Drama!" contains a "Guilty!" exclamation throughout, provided by Scottish band
the Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid. After signing to independent label Creation Records, they re ...
, who were recording in the studio next door.
The single was issued by
Mute Records
Mute Records is a British independent record label owned and founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller (music producer), Daniel Miller. It has featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Depeche Mode, Erasure, Einstürzende Neubauten, ...
in the UK and
Sire Records
Sire Records (formerly Sire Records Company) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Warner Records.
History Beginnings
The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehr ...
in the United States. The B-side, "Sweet Sweet Baby" contains a vocal sample from the 1968
Jane Fonda
Jane Seymour Fonda (born December 21, 1937) is an American actress, activist, and former fashion model. Recognized as a film icon, Fonda is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Jane Fonda, various accolades including two ...
film ''
Barbarella''.
Critical reception
"Drama!" was met with critical acclaim from both music critics and fans.
Ned Raggett from
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...
commented that "Drama!" "has a slightly hysterical tone to it, but its strong dancefloor surge and weirdly droning backing
Bell
A bell is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be made by an inte ...
harmonies help make it another winner." The Daily Vault's Michael R. Smith stated that it is "the fastest song
Erasure
Erasure () is an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1985, consisting of lead vocalist and songwriter Andy Bell with songwriter, producer and keyboardist Vince Clarke, previously known as co-founder of the band Depeche Mode and a member ...
has ever recorded, beginning with a thunderclap and building to an exciting climax, all made even greater by the video that was made for it." He added, "Only Andy Bell can handle a mouthful lyric like "one psychological drama after another" and make it mean something." Chris Gerard from ''
Metro Weekly
''Metro Weekly'' is a free weekly magazine for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in Washington, D.C., United States. It was first published on May 5, 1994. ''Metro Weekly'' includes national and local news, intervie ...
'' wrote, "It's a killer
dance track with some great keyboard riffs, Bell's vocal is outstanding, and melodically and lyrically it's unforgettable." Christopher Smith from TalkAboutPopMusic noted that "with a clang of a bell, we are summoned back into the church of Erasure and treated to a quintessential piece of late 80's
electro-pop
Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a ...
perfection that builds and builds to its exciting climax."
Chart performance
Released prior to ''Wild!'', "Drama!" continued Erasure's streak of hits on the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
, peaking at number four. The single also fared well in Denmark, where it reached number three and in West Germany, where it hit number 12. "Drama!" did not continue Erasure's chart success in the United States, where it failed to enter the
''Billboard'' Hot 100. It did, however, climb to number 10 on the ''Billboard''
Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.
Music video
The single was promoted with a
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devi ...
showing Erasure performing the song in an alley into which plastic bags and bottles are blown by the wind, followed by larger plastic items falling from above. As the items begin to fill up the alley, Clarke and Bell initially escape onto a rooftop, but are ultimately engulfed by the rising tide of plastic.
Track listings
* 7-inch and cassette single (MUTE89; CMUTE89)
# "Drama!"
# "Sweet Sweet Baby"
* 12-inch and CD single (12MUTE89; CDMUTE89)
# "Drama!" (Act 2)
# "Sweet Sweet Baby" (The Moo-Moo Mix)
# "Paradise"
* Limited-edition 12-inch and CD single (L12MUTE89; LCDMUTE89)
# "Drama!" (Krucial Mix)
# "Sweet Sweet Baby" (Medi Mix)
# "Paradise" (Lost and Found Mix)
* US maxi-single (21356-2)
# "Drama!" (Krucial Mix)
# "Drama!" (7-inch version)
# "Sweet Sweet Baby" (Medi Mix)
# "Paradise" (Lost and Found Mix)
# "Drama!" (Act 2)
# "Sweet Sweet Baby" (The Moo-Moo Mix)
# "Paradise"
# "Sweet Sweet Baby" (7-inch mix)
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
References
{{Authority control
Erasure songs
1989 singles
1989 songs
Mute Records singles
Sire Records singles
Song recordings produced by Gareth Jones
Song recordings produced by Mark Saunders
Songs written by Andy Bell (singer)
Songs written by Vince Clarke
UK Independent Singles Chart number-one singles