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.
The Look of Love Pt. 1
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, you know it's true
All I mean now, there's one thing
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's 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
If you judge a book by the cover
Then you'd judge the look by the lover
I hope you'll soon recover
Me I go from one extreme to another
And though my friends just might ask me
They say "Martin maybe one day you'll find true love"
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
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
The opening lines of the song 'The Look of Love' by ABC are highly symbolic, as they refer to the complexities and vicissitudes of everyday life, where inexplicable things happen that we cannot control. The lines, "When your world is full of strange arrangements and gravity won't pull you through," suggest that the world can be unpredictable and chaotic, and one cannot always rely on the laws of physics. The second line, "You know you're missing out on something well that something depends on you," highlights the fact that an individual should always seek something more than what life usually offers, but the responsibility of finding it is solely theirs.
The chorus 'That's the look, that's the look, the look of love,' seems to suggest that true love is the one thing that can bring a change in someone's life. The other lines in the song further support the idea that love is an elusive, but essential part of life. The lyrics, "When your girl has left you out on the pavement, then your dreams fall apart at the seams, your reason for living's your reason for leaving, don't ask me what it means," indicate how one's life can be shattered if love is lost, and it can be the reason for some extreme behaviours. The lines, "If you judge a book by the cover, then you'd judge the look by the lover, I hope you'll soon recover," suggest that one cannot judge love by mere appearances, but only by looking deep inside. This song is a reminder that love is a strong emotion that can bring a positive change in one's life.
Line by Line Meaning
When your world is full of strange arrangements
When life is unpredictable and unfamiliar
And gravity won't pull you through
When even the laws of nature seem to fail you
You know you're missing out on something
Life seems incomplete or unfulfilling
Well that something depends on you
The solution or missing piece is up to you to find
All I'm saying, it takes a lot to love you
Love is not easy and requires effort
All I'm doing, you know it's true
I am sincere and genuine in my efforts
All I mean now, there's one thing
The one thing I am trying to convey is
Yes one thing that turns this grey sky to blue
The one thing that can make life more vibrant and enjoyable
When your girl has left you out on the pavement (Goodbye)
When a relationship ends abruptly and painfully
Then your dreams fall apart at the seams
Your aspirations and goals seem unattainable
Your reason for living's your reason for leaving
Your motivation for life is the same as your reasons for ending the relationship
Don't ask me what it means
I cannot explain the complexities of love and relationships
Who's got the look? I don't know the answer to that question
I cannot determine who possesses the charm or appeal to attract love
Where's the look? If I knew I would tell you
I cannot locate the specific traits that lead to love
What's the look? Look for your information
You must search within yourself to find the qualities that compel love
Yes there's one thing, the one thing that still holds true (What's that?)
The one constant in love is
That's the look, that's the look
The elusive charm and appeal that leads to love
The look of love
A unique quality or charm that draws people to one another
If you judge a book by the cover
If you form opinions based solely on appearance
Then you'd judge the look by the lover
You may underestimate the importance of the charm and appeal of a partner
I hope you'll soon recover
I hope you find the missing piece or happiness you seek
Me I go from one extreme to another
Personally, I fluctuate between extremes emotionally
And though my friends just might ask me
People close to me may inquire
They say "Martin maybe one day you'll find true love"
They express hope that I will find genuine love someday
I say "Maybe, there must be a solution
I remain uncertain but believe a resolution must exist
To the one thing, the one thing, we can't find"
To the elusive quality or charm that defies definition
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
The50sn60s
A tune that defined a decade
MegaKamandi
you could be right
Almakarika
I noticed the ABC inspired the Pet Shop Boys significantly.
Robert DesVeaux
Martin's masterpiece!
Andrew
Best one of all