Ooh to Be Ah explained

Ooh to Be Ah
Cover:Kajagoogoo Ooh to Be Ah.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Kajagoogoo
Album:White Feathers
B-Side:"Animal Instincts" (7")
"Interview Rooms" (12")
Released:[1]
Length: (7")
(12" Construction mix)
(album version)
Label:EMI
Prev Title:Too Shy
Prev Year:1983
Next Title:Hang on Now
Next Year:1983

"Ooh to Be Ah" is a song by English band Kajagoogoo, released in 1983 as the second single from their debut album White Feathers, and was produced by Duran Duran keyboardist Nick Rhodes and producer Colin Thurston. It was the band's second biggest hit, peaking for two weeks at number 7 on the UK Singles Chart. It was the follow-up single to "Too Shy" and describes the fact that the clothes you wear do not make you famous.

Reception

Reviewing the song for Record Mirror, Jim Reid wrote "bearable… just. Kajagoogoo are clearly aiming for the pre-speech market. Imagine the scene. Lots of trendy young mothers have just left Mothercare and are headed for their local record store. Mum enters with baby, and baby is dazzled by all the bright lights and Boy George posters. Baby speaks. "Ga ga goo goo… burp, hic… Oooh ah ah". Mum buys the new Kajagoogoo single. Baby is satisfied. My, what a marketing technique! Next month EMI lauches new band 'Muma Muma'".[2]

Kimblerley Leston for Smash Hits wrote "imagine "Too Shy". Keep all its tricks and twiddles, take away its vital hook and this is what you're left with. A very thin record, indeed, with an almost stunning lack of melody and some really – I mean really – insane lyrics. It'll probably be a monstrous hit but it deserves to flounder".[3]

Music video

The music video was filmed in Regent Street, London, in and around the Café Royal, and features Christopher Timothy and Kenny Everett.[4]

Track listings

7" EMI 5383

  1. "Ooh to Be Ah" – 3:33
  2. "Animal Instincts" – 2:39

12" 12EMI 5383

  1. "Ooh to Be Ah" (The Construction Mix) – 6:38
  2. "Ooh to Be Ah" (Single Version) – 3:33
  3. Interview Rooms – 3:22

Charts

Chart (1983)Peakposition
Australia (AMR)[5] 68
Israel (IBA)[6] 6

Notes and References

  1. News. Record Mirror. 12 March 1983. 6. flickr.com. 14 December 2020.
  2. Singles. Record Mirror. 26 March 1983. 18. flickr.com. 4 November 2020.
  3. Singles. Smash Hits. 31 March – 13 April 1983. 23. sites.google.com. 4 November 2020.
  4. Web site: KajaFax. 2011-07-26. Kajagoogoo Ooh to be Ah Video Shoot. 2020-06-08. en.
  5. Web site: Every AMR Top 100 Single in 1983. Grant. 2020-06-10.
  6. Web site: Israel Singles Charts 1987-1995. www.ukmix.org. 24 July 2020.