I'm new here, so I thought I'd just test the waters a bit. For all you trivia mongers out there...Two bands in the 80's recorded cover versions of the Isley brothers' "Harvest for the world". One was released as a single and charted and the other was an album track of a very famous (not necessarily successful) band. Can anyone name the two bands?

: I'm new here, so I thought I'd just test the
: waters a bit. For all you trivia mongers out
: there...Two bands in the 80's recorded cover
: versions of the Isley brothers'
: "Harvest for the world". One was
: released as a single and charted and the
: other was an album track of a very famous
: (not necessarily successful) band. Can
: anyone name the two bands?

Okay, this is actually a trick question for me and my fellow Americans, but I'll step up to the plate...

The first band to cover "Harvest for the World" was The Power Station, on their s/t album, released in the Spring of '85. The song was not released as a single here in the U.S., and therefore, did not chart. I've always loved that album all the way through (not a bum track on it!), and although I hate to admit it, I actually prefer their version of "HftW" over the Isley Brothers' original. Although you claim the band was "not necessarily successful", you're clearly speaking from a British point of view. The album yielded two top 10 hits here in the U.S. (i.e., "Some Like it Hot" and their cover of "Get it On"), as well as a third top 40 hit ("Communication"). It was also certified platinum for sales of over one million copies - hardly a flop! On the other hand, yes, I see from my chart books that the group didn't do anywhere near as well over in the U.K...

The second band to come along and cover "HftW" was a U.K. band called The Christians. As you state, it was released as a commercial single over in their native England, and became a top 10 smash there in the Fall of '88. However, The Christians were almost a complete stiff here in the States, and I've never heard their version of the song. Their s/t debut album was released here in the U.S. in the Winter of '88 (including on CD), but it just barely managed to scrape the bottom of the album chart (peaked at #158). It yielded no hits Stateside, and "HftW" didn't even appear on the album. In fact, after some brief research, I can find no evidence that their version of "HftW" was even released as a single here in the U.S...

Do I pass the test???

: Do I pass the test???

You passed alright. With flying colours to boot. Even I loved the 1st Power Station album. I called them unsuccessful more in reference to the album they released last year after regrouping, which was an utter flop. Interesting to note, their version was a duet between Robert Palmer and Andy Taylor (the fink who abandoned Duran)

For those of you who haven't heard of The Christians, they're 87 self-titled debut (I think) album is definitely worth a buy. It doesn't include "Harvest for the world", but it does have the brilliant "Forgotten Town" which alone is worth buying the whole album for. In case you're worried that they're a gospel band, perish the thought, "Christian" happens to be the surnames of the 3 brothers that were in the band.

Good to know that I have company here, I'll keep posting more on the Brit 80's scene for all you Americans who missed out.

: You passed alright. With flying colours to
: boot. Even I loved the 1st Power Station
: album. I called them unsuccessful more in
: reference to the album they released last
: year after regrouping, which was an utter
: flop. Interesting to note, their version was
: a duet between Robert Palmer and Andy Taylor
: (the fink who abandoned Duran)

: For those of you who haven't heard of The
: Christians, they're 87 self-titled debut (I
: think) album is definitely worth a buy. It
: doesn't include "Harvest for the
: world", but it does have the brilliant
: "Forgotten Town" which alone is
: worth buying the whole album for. In case
: you're worried that they're a gospel band,
: perish the thought, "Christian"
: happens to be the surnames of the 3 brothers
: that were in the band.

: Good to know that I have company here, I'll
: keep posting more on the Brit 80's scene for
: all you Americans who missed out.

Yes, The Christians' s/t debut album was released in the U.K. in the Fall of '87, but it didn't come out here in the States till January or February of '88, which is why I said "Winter of '88" in my original post. Apparently their label, Island, took a "wait-and-see" attitude toward its performance in their native U.K. before electing to issue it here as well (which is not uncommon in the music biz, I might add). "Forgotten Town" (which I'm also fairly certain I've never heard) was released off the album as the lead single here in the U.S. as well; it went nowhere. Ditto the band's second album, 1990's "Colours". After that, they seem to have disappeared (at least here in the States, anyway). Hence, both albums are now long out-of-print in all formats in the U.S., including CD...

Oh, and although the band was indeed a trio, one of my reference books indicates that only two of the lads were, in fact, named "Christian"...