Bananarama: Venus - Paperback (ONLINE ORDER ONLY)

by Siobhan Woodward (Author)

Bananarama are a pop group from London formed during September 1980 by friends Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey & Keren Woodward, associated with the MTV-driven Second British Invasion of the US. Their hits on pop and dance charts led to them being listed in the Guinness World Records as having the world's highest number of chart entries by an all-female band, as from 1982 to 2009 they had 30 songs which reached the Top 50 of the UK Singles Chart. The group's UK top 10 entries include 'It Ain't What You Do...' (1982), Really Saying Something (1982), Shy Boy (1982), Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye (1983), Cruel Summer (1983), Robert De Niro's Waiting... (1984), Love in the First Degree (1987), I Want You Back (1988) & Help (1989).

Bananarama had a U.S. chart-topper in 1986 with another of their UK top 10 hits, a cover of 'Venus', one of 11 of their singles which made the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 from 1983-1988, including the top 10 hits Cruel Summer (1984) then 'I Heard a Rumour' (1987). The band topped the Australian ARIA albums chart during June 1988 with Wow! (1987) then received Brit Award nominations for Best British Single for Love in the First Degree and Best Music Video for their hit cover of the Supremes single 'Nathan Jones' in 1988.

Fahey left the group that year to form Shakespears Sister, best known for the UK # 1' Stay' (1992), being replaced by Jacquie O'Sullivan. Their new line-up had UK top 5 hits with 'I Want You Back' (1988) then a cover of The Beatles' 'Help!' (1989), recorded with comedy duo French & Saunders for the charity Comic Relief, along with further hits 'Love, Truth and Honesty' & 'Nathan Jones'. Bananarama embarked on their 1st world tour during 1989, having had another hit with a new remixed version of Cruel Summer.