Martin Fry had some underground success as a music journalist with the fanzine 'Modern Drugs', interviewing various British pop and rock groups, before he decided to join a band himself. ABC has its roots in the group Vice Versa, a Sheffield electronic music outfit formed in 1977 by Stephen Singleton and Mark White. They founded their own label, 'Neutron Records', and released an EP. Fry started off with the act as a synthesizer player. By 1980, the band had evolved into ABC, with Fry becoming the lead vocalist.
The group's first single, "Tears Are Not Enough", made the U.K. Top 20 in 1981. Soon afterwards, David Robinson left the band and was replaced by drummer David Palmer. In 1982, the band released their debut album, 'The Lexicon of Love', which reached number one in the U.K. Albums Chart. Produced by Trevor Horn, it often featured in UK critics' lists of favourite albums: it ranked 42nd in The Observer Music Monthly's "Top 100 British Albums" (June 2004) and 40th in Q magazine's "100 Greatest British Albums" (June 2000). The band had three Top 10 hits during 1982: the singles "Poison Arrow", "The Look Of Love (Part 1)" and "All of My Heart" and shot high-concept music videos.
ABC found it difficult to follow up their debut. The second album, Beauty Stab, was released in November 1983. It performed poorly in comparison to its predecessor. Gary Langan, who had engineered The Lexicon of Love, produced the effort. The first single, "That Was Then but This Is Now", briefly appeared in the UK Top 20, followed by a Top 40 showing for "S.O.S.". The band eschewed remixes for the project, and the 12" single for "That Was Then but This Is Now" featured the disclaimer "This record is exactly the same as the 7" version. The choice is yours." Stephen Singleton retired from the band in 1984.
Now a duo of Fry and White, augmented by two non-performing band members, Fiona Russell-Powell (known as Eden) and David Yarritu, ABC's chart fortunes in the UK dwindled further with the 1985 album How To Be A Zillionaire. Keith LeBlanc from Tackhead programmed much of the beatbox work for the album. The group did score its first US Top 10 hit with "Be Near Me" (which also made the UK Top 30). The album also featured the singles "(How to Be a) Millionaire", "Vanity Kills" and "Ocean Blue". ABC was one of the first bands to do video scratching" for several videos from the How to Be a... Zillionaire album, including the video for "Be Near Me".
Following a hiatus. while Fry was treated for Hodgkin's disease, ABC returned with Alphabet City. Best known for "When Smokey Sings", a tribute to Smokey Robinson, the album also spawned "The Night You Murdered Love" and "King Without a Crown" as singles. All three tracks would make the CD version of the group's first anthology.
In 1989, the duo issued Up, their fifth and final PolyGram studio album. This time experimenting with house music, ABC scored a minor UK hit with the single "One Better World". They then released another single, "The Real Thing". During this period the group worked on a couple of outside productions aimed at the house music scene. One was Paul Rutherford's (Frankie Goes to Hollywood) solo album and first single release; the other was for Lizzie Tear on the group's own Neutron label.
In 1990, the band released a greatest hits compilation album, Absolutely. This covered all of ABC's albums up until 1990, and featured all of their singles. The compilation made the UK Top 10. A video package featuring promos was also released. One new song, "The Look Of Love (1990 Remix)", was released to promote the package.
The group then moved to the EMI label (and MCA in North America), where they recorded the 1991 LP Abracadabra. "Love Conquers All", the first single, barely placed in the UK chart, though Italian production team Black Box provided remixes of "Say It" which appeared in the US dance chart.
Fry resurrected the band's name in 1997 for the album Skyscraping, an homage to several of his musical heroes, including David Bowie, Roxy Music, and the Sex Pistols. A collaboration with Glenn Gregory of Heaven 17 and Keith Lowndes, the album again was met with critical approval rather than broad commercial success. However, three singles were released, "Rolling Sevens", "Skyscraping", and "Stranger Things", complete with extra B-sides.
In 1999, ABC released their first live album, The Lexicon of Live. The album covered most of their major hits. Although Fry was the only member left, he had a backing band and adorned the album cover in his trademark gold lamé suit.
Look of Love: The Very Best of ABC was released in 2001. Although essentially a reissue of greatest hits package Absolutely (from 1990), the album featured two new songs by Fry titled "Peace and Tranquility" and "Blame". A companion DVD, along with a bonus disc of remixes, was also released.
In 2004, the VH1 show Bands Reunited attempted to get the line-up of Fry, Palmer, Singleton and White together for a reunion concert. Fry and Palmer appeared and played together (with help from Nick Beggs of Kajagoogoo) for the first time in over twenty years. Singleton and White opted not to participate.
Following a tour of the United States in May and June 2006, Fry and Palmer, together with keyboardist Chuck Kentis, put together a new ABC album, Traffic. It was released on 28 April 2008. Gary Langan, who worked on The Lexicon of Love and Beauty Stab, mixed and produced the album. The first single, "The Very First Time", debuted on BBC Radio 2 in January, was added to the station's "A" playlist for the week beginning 29 March, and was released as a download track on 1 April. ABC performed two songs from Traffic during the 2008 Regeneration Tour of the US; "Ride" and "The Very First Time".
On 1 September 2007, ABC performed a set with other 1980s acts at Retrofest at Culzean Castle in Ayrshire, Scotland. This appearance included a rendition of "Addicted to Love", with Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet and Peter Cox of Go West.
In the summer of 2008, ABC toured the US as part of the 2008 Regeneration Tour, which also featured The Human League, Belinda Carlisle, A Flock of Seagulls, and Naked Eyes.
In April 2009, ABC performed the Lexicon Of Love album live at the Royal Albert Hall, accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra. Anne Dudley of Art of Noise, who arranged and played keyboards on the original record, conducted the performance. A music review in the 13 April 2009 edition of The Independent newspaper, described the performance as a "glorious night that has placed one of the Eighties' most perfectly constructed albums back near the top of the pop pantheon".
In 2009 ABC toured the US as the headliner of the 2009 'Regeneration Tour', which also featured Terri Nunn of Berlin, Wang Chung, and the Cutting Crew.
Another Artist:
ABC also known as Grupa ABC was a Polish band playing funk, r&b and blues. It was formed in 1969 in Warsaw and disbanded in 1973.
Look of Love
ABC Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And gravity won't pull you through
You know you're missing out on something
Well that something depends on you
All I'm saying
It takes a lot to love you
All I'm doing
All I mean now
There's one thing yes one thing that turns this gray sky to blue
That's the look, that's the look
The look of love
That's the look, that's the look
The look of love
That's the look, that's the look
The look of love
When your girl has left you out on the pavement (goodbye)
Then your dreams fall apart at the seams
Your reason for living's your reason for leaving
Don't ask me what it means
Who got the look
I don't know the answer to that question
Where's the look
If I knew I would tell you
What's the look
Look for your information
Yes there's one thing, the one thing that still holds true
What's that
That's the look, that's the look
The look of love
That's the look, that's the look
The look of love
That's the look, that's the look
The look of love
If you judge a book by the cover
Then you judge the look by the lover
I hope you'll soon recover
Me I go from one extreme to another
And all my friends just might ask me
They say, "Martin, maybe one day you'll find true love"
And I say, "Maybe there must be a solution to
The one thing, the one thing we can't find"
That's the look, that's the look
Sisters and brothers
That's the look, that's the look
Should help each other
That's the look, that's the look
Oh oh oh
Heavens above
That's the look, that's the look
Hip hip hooray aye
That's the look, that's the look
Yippie aiy yippee yaye
That's the look, that's the look
Be lucky in love
Look of love
The opening lines of ABC's song Look of Love describe a feeling of being lost, and missing out on something, amidst a world of "strange arrangements". The singer suggests that we can find that something we're missing, but it requires effort to achieve. It "takes a lot to love you", and the one thing that can "turn this gray sky to blue" is the "look of love". The look of love is something that comes from within, something intangible yet palpable. It's not clear what exactly the look of love is, but it's hinted that it has to do with a positive attitude towards life, hope, and a belief that things can get better.
The second half of the song shifts focus to the concept of the look of love as it relates to relationships. The singer alludes to the pain of heartbreak, and how it can cause our dreams to "fall apart at the seams". He suggests that the key to finding love is not to judge by appearances alone, but to seek deeper connections. The look of love is not just a physical attribute, but an emotional state that can be found by "brothers and sisters" helping each other. The underlying message of the song seems to be that while love can be elusive and difficult to find, it is still worth striving for.
Line by Line Meaning
When your world is full of strange arrangements
When things seem out of order and difficult to understand
And gravity won't pull you through
And you feel like you're stuck in place with no way to move forward
You know you're missing out on something
You have a sense that something is not right or incomplete
Well that something depends on you
It is up to you to figure out what is missing and how to find it
All I'm saying
I want to convey a message to you
It takes a lot to love you
It requires a significant effort to show love for you
All I'm doing
This is my current action
You know it's true
You understand the sincerity of my words
All I mean now
My current intention is
There's one thing yes one thing that turns this gray sky to blue
There is a specific thing that can brighten the darkness in your life
That's the look, that's the look
The following expression is used to describe this thing
The look of love
This thing is the expression of love
When your girl has left you out on the pavement (goodbye)
When someone you love has left you with no explanation
Then your dreams fall apart at the seams
And the things you've worked towards start to unravel around you
Your reason for living's your reason for leaving
Your purpose for existing is the same reason you may have chosen to leave someone
Don't ask me what it means
I cannot explain the meaning behind all of this
Who got the look
Who possesses this expression of love
I don't know the answer to that question
I cannot provide an answer to that question
Where's the look
Where can this expression be found
If I knew I would tell you
If I had the answer, I would share it with you
What's the look
What does this expression entail
Look for your information
Please seek the answer to that question yourself
Yes there's one thing, the one thing that still holds true
However, there is one thing that remains certain
That's the look, that's the look
And that one thing is
Sisters and brothers
My friends and family
Should help each other
Should offer support and care for one another
Oh oh oh
Expression of joy or excitement
Heavens above
An exclamation of surprise or astonishment
Hip hip hooray aye
Expression of excitement or celebration
Yippie aiy yippee yaye
Expression of joy or enthusiasm
Be lucky in love
Wishing you the best of luck in your romantic endeavors
Look of love
The expression of love
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Gerald Palmer, Martin David Fry, Mark Andrew White, Stephen Barry Singleton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@foodmusttravel61
Who else listening The Look Of Love in 2024?
@WonysRat
I am :-)
@ewan6984
😊👍
@victorhalm405
Me three
@beatmover
I am always listening to The Look of Love.
@user-cg8oq4xc7z
This is your second listen.
@desireec.crooks78
Ive NEVER stopped listening to ABC, Spandau Ballet, DuranDuran, Haircut 100 etc...
@carlbowles1808
This is why the 1980's were awesome and unforgettable. I wanna go back to the 1980's forever. ❤😂👏🎵
@roterose1801
Ich komme mit 😊
@Philip-ei8pu
🙂❤️👍👍👍