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Customer Reviews of Wow

Banana-flavoured bubble-gum is indeed a WOW
Like Mel and Kim, Kylie Minogue, and Rick Astley, Bananarama went all out and bought a whole pack of Stock-Aitken-Waterman, bubblegum, banana-flavoured, of course, with their trademark harmony vocals, and it was a success! This album boasts five singles and two others that got a 12" version, back when they made 12" singles, the LP equivalent of extended dance mix. Wow appropriately describes this album, which one might deem S-A-W's second best produced album, after Kylie Minogue's debut, of course.

The first two were big hits in the UK, but in the US, only the second one in the US. "I Can't Help It" is a salad of swirling and sparkling synths, thumping programmed drum highlighted by their triple vocals. I wonder why this wasn't released first instead of "I Heard A Rumour," which was featured in the Disorderlies movie. But this is one of their sensual songs--"move your body close to mine"--as was the video for this song, some of which was edited from MTV, if memory serves me. As for "Rumours", there's a bombastic brass-like synth opening before the first verse, and which is later repeated during the chorus.

"Some Girls" has the brassy synths coming in brief bursts, but otherwise, it's great dance fare. No, this isn't the Rolling Stones song.

The beat and brassy synths are really loud on "Love In The First Degree," which has a trial motif going on here. "the judge and the jury/they all put the blame on me/they wouldn't go for my story/they wouldn't hear my plea/only you can set me free/cause i'm guilty, guilty as a girl can be/come on baby, set me free/I stand accused of love in the first degree." Funny how some people in the computer lab asked me to turn my Walkman (remember those?) down. I acquiesced, naturally, but that's the memory I have of this song, and I've enjoyed it more because of it, and it's my favourite danceable track on Wow.

The honour of favourite track goes to the next song. "Once In A Lifetime" shows they can do a melodic ballad much akin to the Force-MD's' "Tender Love" sprinkled with the usual S-A-W synths. The theme of finding a perfect lover despite a cold world explored in their other albums is here in this song.

"Strike It Rich" is the other 12" mix song, the Rams' criticism on the pursuit of money. "Money talks. Huh!/but listen to me/gotta take control/and you can never stop/you gotta keep on turning till you reach the top/can't give it up/ain't life a b---h, you gotta keep on going till you strike it rich." With the cost of big money at expense of the soul, no thanks to me.

After the usual high-tempo and bass number "Bad For Me," things slow down with "Come Back," which is still a dance number, but the lower BPM is a noticeable contrast.

Then come the last two singles. "Nathan Jones" is a cover of one of the Supremes' post-Diana Ross songs, from their 1971 album Touch. This slightly longer version features louder drum machines and different sounds than the version on the greatest hits album. Also interesting is how it's once again done by a trio. This is the song Dustin Hoffman is jamming to on the TV in Rain Man.

"I Want You Back" is my second favourite danceable single due to its infectious beat.

Stock-Aitken-Waterman clearly see the Rams as partners, as most of the songs are written by them and the three ladies. Gone though are the social commentary songs like "Rough Justice" or "Young At Heart," or the experiments into jazz like "Dance With A Stranger." The Rams' vocal stylings are richer than ever, enhanced by the S-A-W's highly polished bubblegum. Wow though marks an end of an era, as afterwards, Siobhan Fahey became Mrs. Dave Stewart and said adios to bandmates Sarah Dallin and Keren Woodward, who recruited Jacqui O'Sullivan for the new songs on their Greatest Hits Collection and subsequent album, Pop Life.

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As I Grew...
I grew up with Bananarama's Wow! playing on car trips to cottages. I knew all the words to all ten songs and bopped along constantly.

Lately, though I am a metal-head, I've rediscovered Wow! and I love it! The songs get stuck in my head for days, and I found myself singing "I Can't Help it" as I wrote an exam today.