Frankie Goes to Hollywood were a controversial UK Pop band of the 1980s

http://republika.pl/uktop40/obrazki%20c/frankie%20goes%20to%20hollywood1.jpg

Holly Johnson (lead vocals)
Paul Rutherford (backing vocals)
Peter Gil (drums)
Mark O'Toole (bass)
Brian Nash (guitar)


-- ALBUMS --

Year 1984 1986 1993

Album Title Welcome to the Pleasuredome Liverpool Bang! - The Greatest Hits of Frankie Goes to Hollywood

United Kingdom #1 #5 #4

Canada #9 #72 --

United States #33 #88 --


-- HIT SINGLES --

NOTE:  Relax topped the UK charts in 1983

Year 1984 1984 1984 1985 1985 1986 1986 1987

Song Title Relax Two Tribes The Power of Love Relax <re-chart> Welcome to the Pleasuredome Rage Hard Warriors (of the Wasteland) Watching the Wildlife

United Kingdom #1 #1 #1 -- #2 #4 #19 #28

Canada #11 #9 #20 -- #39 #82 -- --

United States #67 #43 --#10#48------


<uk re-releases and remixes>
Year 1993 1993 1993 1994 2000 2000

Song Title Relax <re-issue> Welcome to the Pleasuredome <remix> The Power of Love <re-issue> Two Tribes <remix> The Power of Love <re-issue> Two Tribes <remix>

United Kingdom #5 #18 #10#16#6#17


-- TRIVIA --

In 1984, they matched Gerry and the Pacemakers (1964) as theonly other act (at the time) in UK history to have their first three singles hit #1

The original video for "Relax" was banned by the BBC and MTV, so a substitute video featuring green laser beams was filmed. 

"Relax" was also banned by the BBC for it's suggestive lyrics, but regardless still reached the #1 spot in the UK and stayed in the charts for 42 weeks. 

When they appeared on Saturday Night Live in 1985, they were not allowed to sing "Relax" because of it's suggestive lyrics, so they performed "Born to Run" instead

In 1985, a video game based on the group was created for play on the Commodore 64, Amstrad and Spectrum Home Computer Systems

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c362/godeltsihw/Frankiegame.jpg

I liked the song Relax and enjoyed the video. It had very dramatic instrumentals. The lyrics were quite controversial and provocative. has it been 21 years since it released?  :o  great song

I liked the song Relax and enjoyed the video. It had very dramatic instrumentals. The lyrics were quite controversial and provocative. has it been 21 years since it released?  :o  great song


23 years for the UK
22 years for North America

It is hard to believe it came out over 20 years ago.  I always wanted one of those "Frankie Say Relax" T-Shirts ;D

23 years for the UK
22 years for North America

It is hard to believe it came out over 20 years ago.  I always wanted one of those "Frankie Say Relax" T-Shirts ;D
what statement are you making if you wear one?  :o

what statement are you making if you wear one?  :o


Hopefully not the kind of statement as in the song ;D

What always got me was people walking around singing the song, completely oblivious to how utterly filthy it was.

What always got me was people walking around singing the song, completely oblivious to how utterly filthy it was.


Had the record not been 'banned', I don't think anyone would have been going around singing it at all!

It was struggling to make an impact before the ban was enforced...perhaps the best bit of publicity they could have hoped for!

Had the record not been 'banned', I don't think anyone would have been going around singing it at all!

It was struggling to make an impact before the ban was enforced...perhaps the best bit of publicity they could have hoped for!


When songs get banned, people get more curious about them.  Probably why the most controversial songs have become the biggest hits ;D

When songs get banned, people get more curious about them.  Probably why the most controversial songs have become the biggest hits ;D


Depends if it's a high-profile ban, or not...in this case it was extremely high profile...

'Relax' spent 6 weeks hovering outside the Top 40 and finally 'broke' at #35 the week after...

Then the 'ban' came in and the 'uncensored' first video was aired on late night TV (The publicity department's ultimate dream!) It was #1 within 3 weeks...

I don't think it could happen today...records don't get 'banned' anymore, they just don't get played!

The original video for "Relax" was banned by the BBC and MTV, so a substitute video featuring green laser beams was filmed. 


I think the original video you're talking about was the promotional video based on a Roman orgy theme. It was shown on the UK Channel 4 music program "The Tube" and caused a great controversy,  I think this was just before the BBC ban. The "Roman orgy" video was flimed at a nightclub in Liverpool called "The State" which was a popular venue at the time, one I used to visit regularly as I was a student in Liverpool. It was funny to watch all that debauchery going on in a place you'd been standing just the week before!

I met Paul Rutherford of the band in a record shop (Probe) in Liverpool just as they were getting big, he seemed a very nice bloke. He was chatting to everybody, obvioulsy enjoying this recognition and success they were starting to have but he wasn't snooty or aloof at all, just chatty.

I never did say which one was my fave.  I still love 'Two Tribes'.  The video with Ronald Reagan and Konstantin Chernenko (look-a-likes, of course) in a sand pit wrestling match was wicked!  I have 'Two Tribes' on 45 RPM and on a Cassingle (Yep, a cassingle :o)


People always say that you know it's Christmas time when you hear 'The Power of Love' on the radio LOL.  Come to think of it, I only ever hear it at Christmas time, unless I voluntarily listen

i loved relax!  and only heard them do one other song, the two tribes video was done very well, if only we could solve problems that way!

23 years for the UK
22 years for North America

It is hard to believe it came out over 20 years ago.  I always wanted one of those "Frankie Say Relax" T-Shirts ;D

I used to have a "Frankie Goes to Hollywood" T-shirt back in the mid eighthies.
I voted for "The Power of love", one of the more beautiful love songs from the 80's

Frankie Goes To War (DMC Remix) (9:50), DJs Alan Coulthard and Mark Clark, also available on the Best of DMC vol. 3 compilation. 

It's a megamix with a backbeat that alternates seamlessly back and forth between "Relax" and "War", and features a history lesson's worth of samples leeched from BBC WW2 broadcasts all the way through to the Cold War.  Everyone from Churchill to Hitler to Kennedy to the computer from War Games makes an appearance. 

It's a great track, and the nearly-continuous drone of air raid sirens, explosions, and Stuka dive-bombers makes one really wonder why the world's nutballs can't just content themselves with a nice game of chess.

I know "Relax", "Two Tribes", and "Welcome To The Pleasuredome." Of those three, I will pick "Relax"; even though that song is quite repetitive, it's the one I enjoy best.