"Pop Goes the World" | ||||
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Single by Men Without Hats | ||||
from the album Pop Goes the World | ||||
B-side | "The End (Of the World)" | |||
Released | October 1987 | |||
Format | 7", 12", CD single | |||
Recorded | 1987 | |||
Genre | Synthpop, new wave | |||
Length | 3:43 | |||
Label | Mercury | |||
Producer(s) | Men Without Hats, Zeus B. Held | |||
Men Without Hats singles chronology | ||||
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"Pop Goes the World" is a song recorded by Canadian new wave/synthpop group Men Without Hats. It was released in October 1987 as the lead single from the album of the same name. The song reached number-one in Austria, and number 2 in Canada and Sweden.
The song very generally tells a story of "Johnny" and "Jenny," the two members of a musical group called "The Human Race" (the members' instruments of choice appear to change throughout the song, though Johnny is primarily a guitarist and Jenny is a bassist) on their quest for fame in the industry, though at one point the lyrics note that they come to the realization that they could make "more money on a movie screen."
The music video for the song features lead singer Ivan Doroschuk who tells the story of "Johnny and Jenny" played by guitarist Stefan Doroschuk (impersonating Elvis Presley) and an unknown actress (playing a Höfner 500/1 bass) dancing around a bubble-filled stage along with numerous other characters including a keyboard-playing baby and Bonhomme (the mascot of Quebec City's annual Winter Carnival). The word "Pop!", in writing reminiscent of a comic book appears periodically on screen, often timed with the popping noises that punctuate the song. The video was released on a CD Video in 1988.
The song was re-recorded during the Love in the Age of War sessions, with Ivan Doroschuk on vocals, James Love on guitar and bass, and Louise Dawson on keyboards and drum programming. The recording was released as a digital single in 2012.
The song was featured in the 1987 film Date with an Angel, which starred Phoebe Cates, Emmanuelle Béart and Michael E. Knight. The song was also featured very briefly in the 1991 film Scanners II: The New Order.