Poison Arrow

Last updated

"Poison Arrow"
Poison Arrow-ABC.jpg
Single by ABC
from the album The Lexicon of Love
B-side
Released15 February 1982 (1982-02-15) / 11 January 1983 (1983-01-11) (US)
Recorded1981
Genre
Length3:24
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Trevor Horn
ABC singles chronology
"Tears Are Not Enough"
(1981)
"Poison Arrow"
(1982)
"The Look of Love"
(1982)
Music video
"Poison Arrow" on YouTube

"Poison Arrow" is a song by English pop band ABC, released as the second single from their debut studio album, The Lexicon of Love (1982).

Contents

The single was released in the United Kingdom on 15 February 1982 [6] on 7" and 12", with the same mix appearing on both formats; however a subsequent U.S. 12" remix (also known as the "Jazz Remix") appears on several ABC compilations, and as a bonus track on reissues of The Lexicon of Love .

An alternate, lounge music styled version of this song, entitled "Theme from Mantrap", was released as the B-side of "Poison Arrow" in the United Kingdom, and "The Look of Love" in the United States. The 12" single in the United Kingdom additionally included an instrumental version of "Theme from Mantrap" under the title "Mantrap (The Lounge Sequence)". The band's first hit in the United Kingdom "Tears Are Not Enough" was the B-side of "Poison Arrow" in the United States.

Music video

In the music video, ABC's lead vocalist Martin Fry plays three parts: a haughty upper-class opera patron; a messenger boy at the opera; and a bandleader at a 1960s-style swinging nightspot. In all three roles, he unsuccessfully attempts to woo the leading lady, played by Lisa Vanderpump, later of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Vanderpump Rules .

Personnel

Credits sourced from Sound on Sound and the original album liner notes. [7]

ABC

Additional musicians

Chart performance


Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ABC (band)</span> English pop band

ABC is an English pop band that originated in Sheffield in 1980, evolving from the earlier ensemble Vice Versa. The band's classic formation featured Martin Fry as the lead vocalist, Mark White on guitar and keyboards, Stephen Singleton playing the saxophone, and David Palmer behind the drums.

<i>Vauxhall and I</i> 1994 studio album by Morrissey

Vauxhall and I is the fourth studio album by English alternative rock musician Morrissey. It was released on 14 March 1994, by the record label Parlophone in the UK and Sire/Reprise in the US.

<i>The Lexicon of Love</i> 1982 studio album by ABC

The Lexicon of Love is the debut studio album by the English pop band ABC. Released by Neutron Records on 21 June 1982, it entered the UK Albums Chart at number one, also topping the New Zealand and Finnish charts. Certified gold in the US, it went platinum in the UK where four singles reached the top 20; "Tears Are Not Enough", "Poison Arrow", "The Look of Love" and "All of My Heart", which Pitchfork ranked number one on their "Now That's What I Call New Pop!" list.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tears Are Not Enough (ABC song)</span> 1981 single by ABC

"Tears Are Not Enough" is the debut single by English pop band ABC. It was released on 16 October 1981 on two formats. The two singles versions of the song are both different from the version on their debut studio album, The Lexicon of Love (1982). Originally produced by Steve Brown, it was remixed for the album by Trevor Horn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Annie's Song</span> 1974 single by John Denver

"Annie's Song" (also known as "Annie's Song (You Fill Up My Senses)") is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter John Denver. The song was released as the lead single from his eighth studio album Back Home Again. It was his second number-one song in the United States, occupying that spot for two weeks in July 1974. "Annie's Song" also went to number one on the Easy Listening chart. Billboard ranked it as the No. 25 song for 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Can't Hurry Love</span> 1966 single by the Supremes

"You Can't Hurry Love" is a 1966 song originally recorded by the Supremes on the Motown label. It was released on July 25, 1966 as the second single from their studio album The Supremes A' Go-Go (1966).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Fry</span> English singer-songwriter and record producer

Martin David Fry is an English singer, songwriter, composer, musician, and record producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)</span> 1987 single by Aretha Franklin and George Michael

"I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" is a song released by American singer Aretha Franklin and English singer George Michael as a duet in 1987. The song was a number one hit in the United States and the United Kingdom. Billboard listed "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" as Franklin's all-time biggest Hot 100 single. The song was Franklin's biggest hit on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, reaching number two. The song was written by Simon Climie and Dennis Morgan and produced by Narada Michael Walden. Franklin and Michael won a 1987 Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)".

<i>Beauty Stab</i> 1983 studio album by ABC

Beauty Stab is the second studio album by English pop band ABC, released on 14 November 1983 by Neutron Records, Mercury Records and Vertigo Records. The album was recorded over a period of three months between August and September 1983, in sessions that took place at Sarm Studios East and West, Townhouse Studios and Abbey Road Studios. It was a departure from the stylised production of the band's debut studio album, The Lexicon of Love (1982), and featured a more guitar-oriented sound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aerosmith discography</span>

American rock band Aerosmith has released 15 studio albums, nine live albums, 16 compilation albums, two extended plays, and 72 singles. Aerosmith was formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1970 by vocalist Steven Tyler, guitarists Joe Perry and Ray Tabano, bassist Tom Hamilton, and drummer Joey Kramer. Tabano was replaced by Brad Whitford in 1971. Other than a period from 1979 to 1984, this lineup has remained the same.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ABC discography</span>

Here is the discography of the English pop band ABC.

<i>Abracadabra</i> (ABC album) 1991 studio album by ABC

Abracadabra is the sixth studio album by English band ABC. It was originally released in August 1991, on the label EMI. It was the final ABC album to feature founding member Mark White, who departed the band in 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Run Runaway</span> 1984 single by Slade

"Run Runaway" is a song by British rock band Slade, released in 1984 as the third single from the band's 11th studio album, The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome, and as the lead single from the album's US counterpart, Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea and produced by John Punter. It reached No. 7 in the United Kingdom and was the band's first, and only, top 20 hit in the United States, where it reached No. 20.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Look of Love (ABC song)</span> 1982 single by ABC

"The Look of Love" is a song by English pop band ABC, released in 1982 as the third single from their debut studio album, The Lexicon of Love (1982). It was the band's highest-charting hit in the UK, peaking at No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart. The single also went to No. 1 on the US Billboard Dance/Disco chart as well as the Canadian Singles Chart. On the American Cash Box Top 100, it got as high as No. 9, and on the Billboard Hot 100 it peaked at No. 18.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conga (song)</span> 1985 single by Miami Sound Machine

"Conga" is a song by American band Miami Sound Machine, led by Gloria Estefan, released as the first single from their second English-language album, Primitive Love. The song was written by the band's drummer Enrique Garcia. The song first appeared on August 31, 1985, as part of the album. The single was released in Australia on September 9, 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Truly (Lionel Richie song)</span> 1982 single by Lionel Richie

"Truly" is the debut solo single by American singer-songwriter Lionel Richie. Resuming where he left off with D-flat major tunes "Sail On" and particularly "Still" when he was lead for the Commodores, Richie wrote the song and co-produced it with James Anthony Carmichael.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Never My Love</span> 1967 single by The Association

"Never My Love" is a pop standard written by American siblings Don and Dick Addrisi, and best known from a hit 1967 recording by the Association. The Addrisi Brothers had two Top 40 hits as recording artists, but their biggest success as songwriters was "Never My Love". Recorded by dozens of notable artists in the decades since, in 1999 the music publishing rights organization Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) announced it was the second most-played song on radio and television of the 20th century in the U.S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Who's Zoomin' Who</span> 1985 single by Aretha Franklin

"Who's Zoomin' Who" is a song performed by American singer Aretha Franklin. It was written by Franklin, Preston Glass, and Narada Michael Walden for her thirtieth studio album of the same name (1985), with production overseen by Walden. The hit song was released as the album's second single on August 27, 1985, by Arista Records. It served as the follow-up single to Franklin's chart-topping smash "Freeway of Love", reaching number 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart that same year, and at the same time spending four weeks at the number-two spot on the Hot Black Singles chart. Elsewhere, the dance pop song entered the top twenty in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All of My Heart</span> 1982 single by ABC

"All of My Heart" is a song by English pop band ABC, from their debut studio album, The Lexicon of Love (1982). It was released as a single in the UK on 27 August 1982 and peaked at No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart. The B-side, "Overture", was an instrumental, orchestral medley of songs from The Lexicon of Love, arranged by Anne Dudley.

<i>The Lexicon of Love II</i> 2016 studio album by ABC

The Lexicon of Love II is the ninth studio album by English band ABC. It was released on 27 May 2016 on Virgin EMI, eight years after their previous album Traffic. After a performance of ABC's studio album The Lexicon of Love in concert with Anne Dudley, lead singer of the band Martin Fry felt that it was time to develop a proper follow-up to the album. He wrote over 40 songs for the album with various guest writers and recorded the album with himself and Gary Stevenson producing. On the album's release, it received generally favourable reviews.

References

  1. Mason, Stewart. "ABC – Poison Arrow – Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  2. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "ABC". AllMusic . Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  3. Kate Mossman (2 June 2016). "Martin Fry on ABC's comeback: 'Lexicon of Love II is a kind of Godfather Part II'". The Guardian . Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  4. Stanley, Bob (13 September 2013). "Here Comes That Feeling: New Pop". Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Faber & Faber. p. 533. ISBN   978-0-571-28198-5.
  5. Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig, eds. (1995). "ABC". Spin Alternative Record Guide . New York: Vintage Books. pp. 4–5. ISBN   0-679-75574-8.
  6. NME . London, England: IPC Media. 6 February 1982. p. 31.{{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. Doyle, Tom (July 2016). "Classic Tracks: ABC 'The Look Of Love'". Sound On Sound.
  8. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 10. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  9. "ABC – Poison Arrow" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  10. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Poison Arrow". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  11. "ABC – Poison Arrow" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  12. "ABC – Poison Arrow". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  13. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  14. "Billboard > ABC Chart History > Hot 100". Billboard . Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  15. "Billboard > ABC Chart History > Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  16. "Kent Music Report No 445 – 3 January 1983 > National Top 100 Singles for 1982". Kent Music Report, via Imgur.com. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  17. "Old Top Gear Vauxhall Astra MK4". YouTube . 22 February 2017. Archived from the original on 5 April 2017.