Bronski Beat & The Communards:  The Officer Wes ’86 Mix

 

I began collecting the 12” releases of Bronski Beat when they released an incredible debut album titled The Age of Consent in 1984.  Jimmy Somerville’s lead vocals were wonderfully distinctive, the instrumentation was great, and much of the content was openly gay.  Some content was gay-related within the context of the overall album, such as their version of It Ain’t Necessarily So (“The things that you’re liable, to read in the Bible, ain’t necessarily so” from Gershwin’s Porgy & Bess.)  Another cover song was a great remake of I Feel Love.  Yet other releases were ethereal; plaintive.

 

The first single, Smalltown Boy, reached number one on Billboard’s dance chart.   Its video showed a young gay man getting beaten, and having to leave town.  Vivid.  The second single, Why?, reached the top 5 on Billboard’s dance chart.  It was dedicated to the memory of Drew Griffiths, who was fatally gaybashed June 16, 1984. Breadline Britain spoke of the universal injustice of the depression occurring in Britain during Thatcher’s privatization of public goods.  Deep stuff.  And done well.

 

One of the things I appreciated was they had a lot of good “B” sides on their 12” records.

 

In 1986 I pulled the hits & B sides of Bronski Beat and Jimmy Somerville’s next group, The Communards, together into a mix that is likely my favorite compilation mix of all time, leisurely drifting from 68 beats per minute to a driving tempo twice that.  Here is that mix lovingly converted 20 years later, in 2006, from analog to digital:

Bronski Beat / Communards / Jimmy Somerville 1986 Mix Side A.mp3

and

Bronski Beat / Communards / Jimmy Somerville 1986 Mix Side B.mp3

 

Click the track titles below to jump to the lyrics further down.

 

Enjoy.

 

Officer Wes

 

1

Bronski Beat

Puit D’Amour

2

Bronski Beat

It Ain’t Necessarily So

3

Communards

Breadline Britain

4

Bronski Beat

Infatuation/Memories

5

Communards

Sentimental Journey

6

Communards

Johnny Verso

7

Bronski Beat

Smalltown Boy

8

Bronski Beat

Close to the Edge

9

Communards

Disenchanted

10

Bronski Beat

I Feel Love

11

Bronski Beat

Run From Love

12

Bronski Beat

Cadillac Car

13

Bronski Beat

Why?

 

 

1. Puit D’Amour (B side of I Feel Love 12”)

Performed by Bronski Beat.  Lyrics by Somerville.

I lost my heart to your eyes

In your eyes, my heart is dancing

Puit d'amour

Puit d'amour

Puit d'amour

Puit d'amour

 

I lost my soul in your eyes

In your eyes, my soul is dancing

Puit d'amour

Puit d'amour

Puit d'amour

Puit d'amour

 

In your eyes, my heart is dancing, in your eyes

My soul is dancing with your heart

My eyes are dancing with your soul

My eyes are dancing

Puit d'amour

Puit d'amour

Puit d'amour

Puit d'amour

 

2. It Ain’t Necessarily So (12”)

Performed by Bronski Beat.  Lyrics by George & Ira Gershwin.

It ain't necessarily so

Ain't necessarily so

The things that you're liable

To read in the Bible,

Ain't necessarily so.

 

Now David was small but oh my

Little David was small but oh my

He shot Goliath

Who'd lay down and dieth

David was small but oh my.

 

Now Jonah lived in a whale

Jonah he lived in a whale

He made his home in, a fishes abdomen

Jonah he lived in a whale

Jonah he lived in a whale

 

Moses was found in a stream

Moses was found in a stream

Saved from the water

By old Pharoah's daughter

Fished him she said from that a stream

 

It ain't necessarily so

Tell all your children

The Devil needs a villain

It ain't necessarily so

It ain't necessarily so

 

3. Breadline Britain (B side of You Are My World 12”)

Performed by Communards.  Lyrics by J. Somerville / R. Coles

This is Breadline Britain

This free and promised land

Breadline Britain

Where the rich don't give a damn

People getting hungry

People getting poor

People getting destitute

and more

This is Breadline Britain

 

Oh you've got to understand

Breadline Britain

Where evil's in command

Where money buys only pipe dreams

and a worker's life is damned

Democracy and freedom

are a far off foreign land

 

This is Breadline Britain

Where the sick don't stand a chance

Breadline Britain

Where fascism leads a new dance

Where they'd privatize your mother

if given half a chance

This is Breadline Britain

You've got to make a stand

 

Breadline, breadline, breadline Britain

Breadline, breadline, breadline Britain

This free and promised land

 

4. Infatuation/Memories (B side of Smalltown Boy 12”)

Performed by Bronski Beat.  Lyrics by Somerville/Steinbachek/Bronski.

[Infatuation = chants and moans]

 

Memories

Sweet memories

Lost in these memories

Lost I should stay

Days

Brilliant days

Love filled these brilliant days

These days are far gone

Alone

Alone I pray

Love that was wonderful

Love nobody knows

My head it cries from wall to wall

My heart will scream down down I fall

The head that cries from wall to wall

The heart…

Down they fall

Down they fall

Down

I

fall

 

5. Sentimental Journey (B side of You Are My World 12”)

Performed by Communards.  Lyrics by Green/Brown/Homer.

Gonna take a Sentimental Journey

Gonna set my heart at ease

I'm gonna make a Sentimental Journey

to renew old memories

 

I've got my bags, I've got my reservations

Spent each dime I could afford

Like a child in wild anticipation

I long to hear that, "All aboard!"

 

Seven...that's the time we leave at seven

I'll be waitin' up at heaven

Countin' every mile of railroad track

to take me back

 

Never thought my heart could be so yearny

Now why did I decide to roam?

Gonna make a Sentimental Journey

Sentimental Journey home

I'm going home

I'm a makin' my way home

I've been all so lonely and so blue and now

I'm a makin' my way home

I've been lonely

I've been blue

I've been breaking my heart

Breaking my heart

I gotta get back to you

So lonely

For you

 

Seven...that's the time we leave at seven

I'll be waitin' up at heaven

Countin' every mile of railroad track

to take me back

 

Never thought my heart could be so yearny

Now why did I decide to roam?

Gonna make a Sentimental Journey

Sentimental Journey home

 

6. Johnny Verso (B side of Disenchanted 12”)

Performed by Communards.  Lyrics by J. Somerville / R. Coles

Wipe that smile from your face, Johnny

Tell me what you find so funny

Johnny I'm not scared of you

One day you'll just go too far

One day I'll walk out that door

Someday soon well that's for sure

 

Such a fool you've made of me

I'm tired of all your lying, Johnny

I've lost all my trust in you

My friends all tell me you're no good

Trouble is your middle name

Well Johnny I won't play this game

So Johnny let me go I'm begging you

 

Johnny, Johny I'm blue

Johnny, Johny I'm blue

Heh heh heh heh

Johnny, Johny I'm blue

Heh heh heh heh

Johnny, Johny I'm blue

I'm sick of you

And all your crying

You

And all your lying

You

And all your crying

You

And all your trying

You

And all your lying

You

Johnny I'm sick of you

Johnny, Johny I'm blue

Johnny, Johny I'm blue

Johnny, Johny I'm blue

Can't you see I'm blue

Can't you see I'm blue

It's all because of you

It's all because of you

I don't need you, Johnny

You

I don't want you, Johnny

You

Johnny you make me blue

Johnny you make me blue

Make me blue

Johnny

You make me blue

Johnny

 

7.  Smalltown Boy (12”)

Performed by Bronski Beat.  Lyrics by Somerville/Steinbachek/Bronski.

You leave in the morning

With everything you own

In a little black case

Alone on a platform

The wind and the rain

On a sad and lonely face

 

Mother will never understand

Why you had to leave

But the answers you seek

Will never be found at home

The love that you need

Will never be found at home

 

Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away

Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away

 

Pushed around and kicked around

Always a lonely boy

You were the one

That they'd talk about around town

As they put you down

 

And as hard as they would try

They'd hurt to make you cry

But you never cried to them

Just to your soul

No you never cried to them

Just to your soul

 

Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away

Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away

 

Cry , boy, cry...

 

You leave in the morning

With everything you own

In a little black case

Alone on a platform

The wind and the rain

On a sad and lonely face

 

Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away

Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away

 

8. Close to the Edge (B side of It Ain’t Necessarily So 12”)

Performed by Bronski Beat.  Lyrics by Somerville/Steinbachek/Bronski.

Ooooh

 

Close to the edge

Close to the edge

And I won't fall over

Won't fall over no way, yeah

Close to the edge

Close to the edge

And I won't fall over

Won't fall over no way

 

Ooooh

 

Don't stand and watch me

It's a long long long way down

Don't stand and watch me

It's a long long long way down, yeah

Watch me fall

Would you catch me as I fell?

Watch me fall

Would you catch me as I fell?

 

Ooooh

Hey

Hey

Hey

 

Ooooh -- save me save me

Ooooh -- save me save me

Ooooh -- save me save me

Ooooh -- save me save me

 

It's a long way down

It's a long way down

It's a long way down

It's a long way down

It's a long way down

 

Close to the edge, but I won't fall off

Close to the edge, but I won't fall off

Close to the edge, but I won't fall off

Close to the edge, but I won't fall off

Close to the edge, but I won't fall off

Close to the edge, but I won't fall off

Close to the edge, but I won't fall off

Close to the edge, but I won't fall off

Close to the edge, but I won't fall off

Close to the edge, but I won't fall off

Close to the edge, but I won't fall off

Close to the edge, but I won't fall off

 

9. Disenchanted (12”)

Performed by Communards.  Lyrics by J. Somerville / R. Coles

So, boy where you go what you do

Hey there boy

What is wrong with you?

No future, no hope, just broken dreams

You spend your days wondering why

 

I'll be your friend, I'll be around

I'll be everything you need

 

I'll be your friend, I'll be around

I'll be everything you need

 

Hey young man, why you cry

Don't you know, you've got to try

A little bit harder, you've got to stand

On your own two feet

Never let them drag you down

Hey there boy

This prejudice and ignorance we can

overcome

 

I'll be your friend, I'll be around

I'll be everything you need

I'll be your friend, I'll be around

I'll be everything you need

I'll be your friend, I'll be around

I'll be everything you need

I'll be your friend, I'll be around

I'll be everything you need

 

Disenchanted angry young man

Disenchanted angry young man

Disenchanted angry young man

Disenchanted angry young man

Disenchanted angry young man

Disenchanted angry young man

Disenchanted angry young man

Disenchanted angry young man

 

I'll never let you down

Never let you down

 

So boy now you know what to do

Hey there boy don't be blue

There's future

There's hope

Hope for you

Hey young man

Just believe in what you do

 

I'll be your friend, I'll be around

I'll be everything you need

I'll be your friend, I'll be around

I'll be everything you need

I'll be your friend, I'll be around

I'll be everything you need

I'll be your friend, I'll be around

I'll be everything you need

Just believe in what you do

Just believe in what you do

Pride is something good for you

Pride is something good for you

Pride is something good for you

Believe in yourself

 

10. I Feel Love (12”) / Johnny Remember Me / Love to Love You Baby

Performed by Bronski Beat & Marc Almond.

Lyrics by Moroder, Bellotte, Summer / Goddard / Moroder, Bellotte, Summer

Ooh it's so good

It's so good

It's so good

It's so good

 

Ooh I'm in love

I'm in love

I'm in love

I'm in love

 

Ooh I feel love

I feel love

I feel love

I feel love

I feel love

I feel love

 

C'mon, yeah

 

Ooh what'll it be

What'll it be

What'll it be

 

Ooh you an me yeah

you an me yeah

you an me yeah

you an me yeah

 

Ooh I'm in love

I'm in love

I'm in love, yeah

 

I'm in love

I'm in love, ooh, yeah

I'm in love

I'm in love, ooh, yeah

I'm in love

I'm in love, ooh, yeah

I'm in love

I'm in love, ooh, yeah

I'm in love

 

Johnny why don't you remember me

Johnny remember me

Johnny why don't you remember me

Johnny remember me

Johnny why don't you remember me

 

I feel love love love

I feel love love love

I feel love love love

I feel love love love

I feel love love love

I feel love love love

I feel love love love

I feel love love love

I feel love

I feel love

 

Hey can you feel it?

I love to love you baby

I love to love you baby

I love to love you baby

I love to love you baby

I love to love you baby

I love to love you baby

 

11. Run From Love (on the remix “plus” album Hundreds & Thousands)

Performed by Bronski Beat.  Lyrics by Somerville/Steinbachek/Bronski.

Love is strong won't let you go

Hunts you down it wants you so

Lost in love a fool can't see

Broken hearts are meant to be

 

Tears its way into your heart,

Leaves and you fall apart

Pain is all it has to give

All I want is to hold

You

 

You can't run from love

You can't run

No

You can't run from love

You can't run

No no no

 

Tears of pain and tears of joy

Emptiness and a boy destroyed

A heart lies lost and slightly soiled

And still I cry to hold

You

Made me hold

You

 

You can't run from love

You can't run

No

You can't run from love

You can't run

No no no

 

Now that you're gone

Now that you…

Now that you're gone

Now that you…

Now that you're gone

Now that you're gone

 

You can't run

You can't run

You can't run

No no no no

You can't run

You can't run

You can't run

No no no no

You can't run

You can't run

You can't run

No no no no

You can't run

You can't run

You can't run

No no no no

You can't run

You can't run

You can't run

No no no no

No

You can't run from love

You can't run

 

Love is strong won't let you go

Hunts you down it wants you so

Lost in love a fool can't see

Broken hearts are meant to be

 

You can't run from love

You can't run

No

You can't run from love

You can't run

No

You can't run from love

You can't run

No

You can't run from love

You can't run

No

You can't run from love

You can't run

No

You can't run from love

You can't run

No no no

 

12. Cadillac Car

Performed by Bronski Beat.  Lyrics by Somerville/Steinbachek/Bronski.

Sell me your soul

And I'll make you a star

Fantasies made realities

And a Cadillac car

 

Watch them hero worship

The boys at the bar

You they idolise

The all boy America

We will make them be your doggies

We will make them kiss your ass

 

As you bathe in gold and blood

May the wild boy win

Let the winner beg for refuge

Feast upon the loser's heart

We could live in pain forever

If I made you a star

You, me the doggies and a

Cadillac car

 

We could live in pain forever

If I made you a star

You, me the doggies and a

Cadillac car

 

De ba da dee da…

 

13:  Why? (12”)

Performed by Bronski Beat.  Lyrics by Somerville/Steinbachek/Bronski.

Dedicated to the memory of Drew Griffiths, who was fatally gaybashed June 16, 1984.

Tell me why?

Tell me why?

 

Contempt in your eyes

When I turn to kiss his lips

Broken I lie

All my feelings denied

Blood on your fist

 

Can you tell me why?

Can you tell me why?

Can you tell me why?

 

You in your false securities

Tear up my life

Condemning me

Name me an illness

Call me a sin

Never feel guilty

Never give in

Tell me why?

Tell me why?

Tell me why?

 

You and me together

Fighting for our love

You and me together

Fighting for our love

You and me together

Fighting for our love

You and me together

Fighting for our love

You and me together

Fighting for our love

You and me together

Fighting for our love

You and me together

Fighting for our love

You and me together

Fighting for our love

 

Tell me why?

 

 


 

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