| "Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard)" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Toyah | ||||
| B-side | "Laughing with the Fools" | |||
| Released | August 1982 | |||
| Genre | New wave | |||
| Label | Safari | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Nick Tauber | |||
| Toyah singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard)" is a song by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released as a single in 1982 by Safari Records. It was a Top 40 chart success in the UK and Ireland.
The track was written by Toyah Willcox and Joel Bogen, and produced by Nick Tauber. Toyah explained that the song was written "for fans that were feeling they weren't being seen and weren't being heard, and that they stood away from society because they felt different". [1] She reflected that she wanted to write "something that was up and happy, and that we could give back to the fans. I was getting so many letters back then from fans who had been suspended from school, who'd been in permanent detention, who were banned from leaving their home because they dyed their hair bright colours like me. So, we thought, why don't you just be proud, be loud, be heard". [2]
The song was released in August 1982 as a 7" vinyl single and a 12" transparent picture disc. The song was a Top 40 success in October 1982, peaking at number 30 and 29 in the UK and Ireland, respectively. Toyah promoted it with performances in British TV shows Razzmatazz and Crackerjack! , among others, as well as Discoring on Italian television. The single and its B-side "Laughing with the Fools" were not included on an album at the time, though both would eventually be included on the 2005 reissue of Love Is the Law , while the title track became the lead song on the 1998 compilation The Best of Toyah: Proud, Loud & Heard, hand-picked by Toyah Willcox herself.
| Chart (1982) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Irish Singles (IRMA) [3] | 29 |
| UK Singles (Official Charts Company) [4] | 30 |
| UK Independent Singles [5] | 3 |
Sheep Farming in Barnet is the debut studio album by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released in 1979 by Safari Records.
The Blue Meaning is the second studio album by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released in 1980 by Safari Records. It reached the Top 40 on the UK Albums Chart.
Anthem is a studio album by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released in 1981 by Safari Records. It was the band's most successful album, reaching number 2 in the UK Albums Chart and featuring the Top 10 singles "It's a Mystery" and "I Want to Be Free". The album was certified gold in 1981 for selling more than 100,000 copies in the UK.
The Changeling is a studio album by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released in 1982 by Safari Records. The album peaked at number 6 in the UK where it was certified silver for sales exceeding 60,000 copies. It included the Top 40 single "Brave New World".
Love Is the Law is the fifth studio album by British new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released in 1983 by Safari Records. It reached number 28 in the UK Albums Chart and included the Top 40 hit single "Rebel Run". It was the last album to be released by the band before singer Willcox embarked on a solo career and retained 'Toyah' as her stage name.
Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! is a greatest hits compilation album by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released in 1984 by K-tel. The album is also known as Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! All the Hits by including the cover slogan to differentiate it from the earlier live album Toyah! Toyah! Toyah!.
"Bird in Flight" is a song by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released as a single in 1980 by Safari Records.
"Ieya" is a song by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox. It was first released as a single in 1980 by Safari Records to promote the album The Blue Meaning. It was re-recorded and re-issued in 1982, and met with minor chart success in the UK.
"Danced" is a song by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox. It first appeared on the band's 1979 LP Sheep Farming in Barnet, and a live version of the song was subsequently released as a single in 1980 by Safari Records to promote the concert album Toyah! Toyah! Toyah!.
Four from Toyah is the second EP by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released in 1981 by Safari Records. It reached the Top 5 in the UK Singles Chart on the back of its lead track, "It's a Mystery".
"I Want to Be Free" is a song by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released as a single in 1981 by Safari Records. The song promoted Toyah's 1981 studio album Anthem and was a Top 10 chart hit in the UK and Ireland.
"Thunder in the Mountains" is a song by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released as a single in 1981 by Safari Records. It was one of Toyah's biggest hits, reaching number 4 in the UK chart.
Four More from Toyah is the third EP by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released in 1981 by Safari Records. It reached the Top 20 in the UK and Ireland.
"Brave New World" is a song by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released as a single in 1982 by Safari Records. It promoted Toyah's 1982 studio album The Changeling and was a Top 40 chart success in the UK.
"Rebel Run" is a song by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox. It was released in 1983 to promote the album Love Is the Law and was a Top 40 chart success in the UK.
"The Vow" is a song by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox. It was released in 1983 to promote the album Love Is the Law.
Looking Back is a studio album by the British singer Toyah Willcox, released in 1995. It is a collection of re-recordings of songs from her back catalogue, mostly classic hits from the Toyah band repertoire. The material was originally conceived as part of a double album Toyah Classics slated for release in March 1995. The two sets would eventually be released individually, with Looking Back as an 'electric' accompaniment to The Acoustic Album, released the following year. The album has never been re-released digitally.
"Don't Fall in Love " is a song by British singer Toyah Willcox, released as the lead single from her album Minx in 1985 by Portrait Records. It was a top 40 chart success in the UK and Ireland.
"Soul Passing Through Soul" is a song by British singer Toyah Willcox, released as the second single from her album Minx in 1985 by Portrait Records.
"It's a Mystery" is a song by English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released as a single in 1981 by Safari Records. The song was a hit in the UK where it peaked in the Top 5 in the charts as the lead track on the EP Four from Toyah.