*** Welcome to piglix ***

When We Were Young (Bucks Fizz song)

"When We Were Young"
Bucks Fizz - when we were young.jpg
Single by Bucks Fizz
from the album Greatest Hits
B-side "Where the Ending Starts"
Released 6 June 1983
Format 7" single, 12" single, 12" Picture disc
Recorded May 1983
Genre Pop
Length 4.04
Label RCA
Writer(s) Warren Bacall
Producer(s) Brian Tench, Andy Hill
Bucks Fizz singles chronology
"Run for Your Life"
(1983)
"When We Were Young"
(1983)
"London Town"
(1983)

"When We Were Young" is a 1983 single by UK pop group Bucks Fizz. Featuring lead vocals by member Jay Aston, the song became their sixth top ten hit in the UK, and one of their biggest hits in Europe.

The song was written by Warren Harry (under the name Warren Bacall) and was produced by Brian Tench and Andy Hill - the first time Hill had not solely produced one of the group's singles. The song's lyrics tell of a woman in old age, who laments the fact that she has lost her youth and looks.

The song was notable for its change in direction for the group. The production was heavy and the song had an ominous tone far removed from the group's usual pop sound. It was the first and only single to feature lead vocals by Jay Aston. Aston's vocals were notably different from her solo appearances on previous songs (e.g. "Getting Kinda Lonely" on Bucks Fizz and "Easy Love" on Are You Ready). At the time of release, Aston said of the song: "It's a very different kind of song. It's much harder and heavier and a concerted effort from Andy and the production team. We'll probably lose a lot of our old fans with this single but I hope we'll interest lots of new people." Aston has also said that she was adopting an affected voice, similar to Hazel O'Connor, although a review at the time remarked on her simulating Lene Lovich. Aston has since stated, despite the song's success, her vocal affectation wasn't a good idea, although has rated it her favourite Bucks Fizz song, while member Cheryl Baker has commented that she never liked the song due to its downbeat tone.

The single was released in June 1983 on 7" and 12" vinyl. It was also released on 7" and 12" vinyl picture discs. The B-side to the single was "Where the Ending Starts" (also featuring Aston on lead), which had been recently released on the group's third album, Hand Cut. The 12" single featured an extended version of the song with a long drum-laden passage after the second chorus. Included on this also was a previously unreleased bonus track "When the Love Has Gone". "When We Were Young" was later featured on the group's first Greatest Hits album, released in November 1983. In 2005, it was released in a slightly edited form on the Bucks Fizz compilation, The Ultimate Anthology.


...
Wikipedia

...