"Making Your Mind Up" | ||||
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Single by Bucks Fizz | ||||
from the album Bucks Fizz | ||||
B-side | "Don't Stop" | |||
Released | March 1981 | |||
Genre | Rock and roll | |||
Length | 2.39 | |||
Label | RCA | |||
Composer(s) | John Danter | |||
Lyricist(s) | Andy Hill | |||
Producer(s) | Andy Hill | |||
Bucks Fizz singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Making Your Mind Up" on YouTube | ||||
Eurovision Song Contest 1981 entry | ||||
Country | ||||
Artist(s) | ||||
As | ||||
Language | English | |||
Composer(s) | John Danter | |||
Lyricist(s) | ||||
Conductor | ||||
Finals performance | ||||
Final result | 1st | |||
Final points | 136 | |||
Entry chronology | ||||
◄"Love Enough for Two" (1980) | ||||
"One Step Further" (1982) ► |
"Making Your Mind Up" is a song by the British pop group Bucks Fizz with music composed by John Danter and lyrics written by Andy Hill. Released in March 1981,it was Bucks Fizz's debut single,the group having been formed just two months earlier. It represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1981,held in Dublin,winning the contest.
Following its win in the contest,the song reached No. 1 in the UK and several other countries,eventually selling in excess of four million copies. It launched the career of the group,who went on to become one of the biggest selling acts of the 1980s and featured on their debut,self-titled album. From 2004 to 2007 the BBC used the name Making Your Mind Up for their Eurovision selection show in honour of the song.
In late 1980,songwriter Andy Hill composed "Making Your Mind Up" with an eye to entering it into the A Song for Europe finals the following year. Working with his then girlfriend,Nichola Martin,a singer and music publisher,she encouraged him to collaborate with musician John Danter,who she could sign up to her publishing company,therefore owning half the rights of the song (Hill was already signed to another publisher). Martin claims that Danter's input was minimal,the song being essentially a Hill composition. [1] In October 1980,they set about recording a demo of the song featuring the vocals of Hill,Martin and Mike Nolan,a singer Martin had worked with before. In December,the song was chosen out of 591 submitted entries to be one of the eight songs performed in the contest. [2] Martin then realised she had to quickly assemble a group to perform the song for the contest,based around her and Nolan. With the song already entered under the name Bucks Fizz,Martin and future group manager,Jill Shirley recruited Cheryl Baker,Bobby G and Jay Aston to the line-up,with Martin herself dropping out. The song was alongside another Hill/Danter composition,"Have You Ever Been in Love",which would be performed by Martin and Hill under the name Gem. [3]
Martin and Shirley secured a recording deal with RCA Records and Hill spent a week at Mayfair Studios in London with the group recording the song and its B-side. Backing vocals on the record were supplied by Alan Carvell,who also went on to be one of two backing singers in the Eurovision performance. The song was co-published by Paper Music,which was a year-old publishing company owned by Billy Lawrie –himself a songwriter and brother of singer Lulu. [4] Choreographer Chrissie Whickham,a former member of dance troupe Hot Gossip,spent two days with the group working on the dance routine. [5]
The lyrics of the song are largely meaningless,although it can be argued that they are about making the decision to commit to a serious relationship.
On 11 March 1981,Bucks Fizz performed "Making Your Mind Up" at A Song for Europe 1981 ,the national final organised by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) to select its song and performer for the 26th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. Despite being up against favourites and current chart group Liquid Gold,it won the competition with ease,becoming the British entrant for Eurovision. [6]
From this point,the group undertook much promotion of the song around the UK,including an appearance on Top of the Pops ,whereby the single entered the UK charts at 24. [7] It rose to No.5 the following week. [8] As Martin recalls,RCA records were rather indifferent to the group up until now (even releasing the single without a picture sleeve in the UK),but once it entered the charts highly,their attitudes changed suddenly with them agreeing to release an album before they had even won the Eurovision. [1] The BBC filmed a promotional video for the Eurovision previews as they had done in previous years. The video depicts the group walking around Harrods department store in London. In line with other previous preview videos,the group do not lipsynch any of the words. This video has never been released on any official Bucks Fizz video or DVD release,being usually substituted by the group's first appearance on Top of the Pops.
On 4 April 1981,the Eurovision Song Contest was held at the RDS Simmonscourt in Dublin hosted by Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ) and broadcast live throughout the continent. Bucks Fizz performed "Making Your Mind Up" fourteenth on the evening. John Coleman conducted the event's live orchestra in its performance. [9] In a close contest throughout the voting procedure with no less than five different songs taking the lead at various stages,"Making Your Mind Up" managed to secure a victory with 136 points,beating second-placed Germany by a small margin of four. [10]
The song is held in affectionate regard by many Eurovision fans,and is generally considered to be a classic example of a pop song from the Contest. Reaction was less favourable to the group's performance of the song,which was considered to be off-key,and led to much criticism that the members were chosen more for their appearance than vocal ability. [11] In addition,the performance is best remembered for the startling moment when the two male members of the group whipped off the skirts of the two girls,only to reveal shorter skirts underneath,a shrewd touch generally considered to have just swung the balance in their favour,and to be a defining moment in the competition's history. Member Cheryl Baker has since commented on their poor performance,stating that she sang the song in a higher key to the rest of the group due to nerves. [12] Mike Nolan has said that on the night the microphones got mixed up,with Baker and Jay Aston singing on the lead microphones,which had a higher volume. [5]
"Making Your Mind Up" went to No. 1 in the UK following the victory and remained there for three weeks,becoming one of the best-selling songs of the year. [13] It also saw the group in high demand throughout Europe,with the single hitting No. 1 in many countries and charting in the top ten in Australia. The record eventually sold four million copies worldwide. The single began a run of 20 UK hits for Bucks Fizz and was quickly followed up by the single "Piece of the Action" and the debut album Bucks Fizz . At the end of the decade,"Making Your Mind Up" was No. 47 in the UK top-selling singles of the 1980s. [14] Despite the success of the song,fans of the group do not consider it to be a good representation of their work,while member Cheryl Baker does not rate it as one of their best songs. [15] [16] The song is still well-liked by members of the general public and remains the group's best-remembered song. In 2013,BBC Radio 2 listeners voted "Making Your Mind Up" as the best British Eurovision entry ever. [17]
Bucks Fizz performed their song in the Eurovision twenty-fifth anniversary show Songs of Europe held on 22 August 1981 in Mysen. [18] It was succeeded as the British entrant in Eurovision by "One Step Further" by Bardo,who were managed by the same team as Bucks Fizz. As a winner,it was succeeded by "Ein bißchen Frieden",sung by Germany's Nicole. [19] The song title has also given the name to the UK selection process for the Eurovision Song Contest. [20]
The now famous skirt rip of the dance routine (which was mirrored by Mick Jagger and Tina Turner at 1985's Live Aid) has appeared in many contests since that time –most notably as part of Latvia's Marie N's performance of "I Wanna",which won for Latvia,in 2002. [21] [22]
The song was featured in the British soap opera EastEnders in May 2023 during that year's edition of the Eurovision Song Contest which was being hosted in the United Kingdom on behalf of Ukraine. Cheryl Baker guest starred in the episode,which saw her help some of the characters who performed the song on stage at a Eurovision-themed party. [23] [24]
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In the UK, "Making Your Mind Up" was certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). [51]
"Making Your Mind Up" was spoofed by many artists following its success, with alternative titles: "Me vas a volver loco (You're Going to Drive Me Crazy)" by Spanish group Parchís, "Rock and Roll Cowboy" by German singer Maggie Mae, and "It's Only a Wind Up" by British comedy group Brown Ale.
The United Kingdom and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) held a national final titled "A Song for Europe 1981" to choose who would represent them in the Eurovision Song Contest 1981. "A Song for Europe 1981" was held on 11 March 1981 where Bucks Fizz was chosen with "Making Your Mind Up" as the entrant. At Eurovision, they placed first winning the competition with 136 points.
Rita Maria Stroud, known professionally as Cheryl Baker, is an English singer and television presenter. She was a member of pop group Bucks Fizz, which won the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest and, following legal disputes, now performs under the name the Fizz. Bucks Fizz had 20 singles reach the UK top 60 between 1981 and 1988, including three number one hits with "Making Your Mind Up" (1981), "The Land of Make Believe" (1981) and "My Camera Never Lies" (1982).
Bucks Fizz are an English pop group that achieved success in the 1980s, most notably for winning the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Making Your Mind Up". The group was formed in January 1981 specifically for the contest and comprised four vocalists: Bobby G, Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and Jay Aston. They received attention for the dance routine which accompanied the song, in which the male members of the group ripped the female members' outer skirts off to reveal much shorter mini-skirts beneath. The group went on to have a successful career around the world, but the UK remained their biggest market, where they had three No.1 singles with "Making Your Mind Up" (1981), "The Land of Make Believe" (1981) and "My Camera Never Lies" (1982) and became one of the top-selling groups of the 1980s. They also had UK Top 10 hits with "Now Those Days Are Gone" (1982), "If You Can't Stand the Heat" (1982), "When We Were Young" (1983) and "New Beginning " (1986). Bucks Fizz have sold over 50 million records worldwide.
Eurovision: You Decide is the most recent name of a BBC television programme that was broadcast annually to select the United Kingdom's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest. The show had previously gone under several other names, including Festival of British Popular Songs (1957), Eurovision Song Contest British Final (1959–1960), The Great British Song Contest (1996–1999), Eurovision: Making Your Mind Up (2004–2007), Eurovision: Your Decision (2008), and Eurovision: Your Country Needs You (2009–2010), but was known, for most of its history, as A Song for Europe.
Jay Hilda Aston is a British singer and occasional songwriter. She was a member of the British pop group Bucks Fizz from 1981 to 1985. She was the youngest member of the group's original line-up, aged 19 when they won the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest. During Aston's membership, the group had 12 of their 13 UK top 40 hit singles, including three number one hits. Since 2009, she has performed alongside fellow original Bucks Fizz members Cheryl Baker and Mike Nolan. The group used to perform under the name the Original Bucks Fizz but are now known as the Fizz.
Michael Mary Nolan is an Irish singer who is best known as one of the four original members of the British pop group, Bucks Fizz, who now perform as The Fizz. He was born in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, but brought up in the UK, where he still resides. As a member of Bucks Fizz, he won the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest and achieved 20 UK top 60 singles between 1981 and 1988, including three number one hits. He was a member of the group until 1996. Since 2004, he has been a member of the group The Fizz, along with other former Bucks Fizz members Cheryl Baker, Shelley Preston and Jay Aston.
Bobby G, also known as Bobby Gee, is a member of pop group Bucks Fizz, best known for winning the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest and for achieving three UK number one hits with "Making Your Mind Up" (1981), "The Land of Make Believe" (1981) and "My Camera Never Lies" (1982).
Bucks Fizz is the eponymous debut studio album by the British pop group Bucks Fizz. It was released in July 1981, it features their Eurovision-winning song "Making Your Mind Up" as well as the two follow-up singles "Piece of the Action" and "One of Those Nights". The album was produced by Andy Hill and released on RCA Records. Bucks Fizz has been re-released twice on CD, first in 2004 with bonus tracks and as a two-disc edition in 2015.
Are You Ready is the second studio album by the British pop group Bucks Fizz. It was released on 26 April 1982 and features the UK No. 1 singles "The Land of Make Believe" and "My Camera Never Lies" as well as the follow-up "Now Those Days Are Gone". It was produced by Andy Hill and released by RCA Records. It was the group's most successful album. It went on to be re-released on compact disc three times between 2000 and 2015.
Hand Cut is the third studio album by the British pop group Bucks Fizz. It was released on 1 March 1983 and features the UK top 20 hits, "If You Can't Stand the Heat" and "Run for Your Life".
"The Land of Make Believe" is a 1981 single by British band Bucks Fizz. It reached No.1 in the UK in early 1982 - the second single by the band to do so. The song was produced by Andy Hill with music by Hill and lyrics by ex-King Crimson member Peter Sinfield. Despite the apparent sugar-coated style of the song, Sinfield later claimed it was a subtle attack on Margaret Thatcher and her government's policy at the time. "The Land of Make Believe" became a big hit across Europe in early 1982, topping the charts in Netherlands, Belgium and Ireland as well as the UK. The song was later covered by pop band allSTARS* for a 2002 single release.
Bardo was a male/female pop music duo formed to represent the United Kingdom in the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "One Step Further".
Andrew Gerard Hill is an English record producer and songwriter who worked with Bucks Fizz and Celine Dion during the 1980s and 1990s.
Co-Co was a six-piece British band who represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1978, staged at the Palais de Congrès in Paris, France, on 22 April 1978, with the song "The Bad Old Days". The song was written by the song writing team Stephanie de Sykes and Stuart Slater. It was finally placed eleventh of the 20 entries, which at the time was the worst showing ever for a UK entry. It would not be until 1987 that any British song fared worse in Eurovision. The group were originally called Mothers Pride.
"Piece of the Action" is the second single by pop group Bucks Fizz, the follow-up to the Eurovision-winning song "Making Your Mind Up". It was released in May 1981 and became a UK top 20 hit.
The Very Best of Bucks Fizz is a compilation album of the hits of pop group Bucks Fizz. The album was released in 2007 and was coupled with a DVD of the group's Promotional Videos. This was the first time the group's videos had been available on DVD. The album reached No.40 in the UK Charts - the first time Bucks Fizz had appeared on the album charts since 1986. Allmusic gave the album a favourable three and a half stars out of five, but commented on the fact that Bucks Fizz were always more successful as a singles band. A review in the Nottingham Post bemoaned the fact that while Bucks Fizz are usually remembered for their Eurovision winner, their later songs were much better, naming "My Camera Never Lies", "I Hear Talk" and "New Beginning" as particularly strong.
Live at the Fairfield Hall, Croydon is a live album released in 1991 by pop group Bucks Fizz. It was their first and only release with Jet Records.
The Story So Far is a compilation album by British pop group Bucks Fizz, released in 1988. The album collects together 18 of the group's biggest hit singles spanning the years 1981 to 1988, including their three number ones.
This is a discography of UK pop group Bucks Fizz.
The Fizz are a British pop music group formed in 2004 as a spin-off from the original group, Bucks Fizz. The core of the group consists of Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and Jay Aston, who are all former members of Bucks Fizz and performed as OBF initially with Shelley Preston and then replaced by Jay Aston. The group then performed as Formerly of Bucks Fizz, and Bobby McVay later became a member in 2015, making the group a quartet, and then renaming as The Fizz until he left in 2018. To date, the group have released four albums, three of which have charted in the Official UK Albums Chart. Their 2017 album The F-Z of Pop reached No.25, becoming the highest-charting Bucks Fizz related album in 33 years. In 2018, Christmas with the Fizz was released. In 2020, Smoke & Mirrors was released, reaching number 29 in the Official UK Albums Chart and number 6 on the Official Sales Chart. In May 2024, Mike Nolan announced his departure from the group effective later in the year.