In the summer of 1976, Gilla followed with "Ich brenne" (I'm Burning), once again also recorded in English as "Help Help". It was a Dutch hit single but fared less well in Germany. Farian remixed the track with his own vocals for inclusion on Boney M.'s Take the Heat Off Me to replace "Baby Do You Wanna Bump" in some territories. In early 1977, Gilla's second album Zieh mich aus (Undress Me) was released. Despite featuring German versions of Boney M.'s hit single "Sunny" and "No Woman No Cry", it fared poorly. Interestingly, the album also included the German version of a future hit for Boney M., "Belfast" which was originally written years earlier for Boney M. member Marcia Barrett.
Gilla's first international album was released in the summer of 1977. Entitled Help Help, it featured her previous English recordings like "Why Don't You Do It" and "Help Help" + their B-sides, as well as English versions of songs from Zieh mich aus. "Gentlemen Callers not Allowed" ("Herrn-Besuche nicht erlaubt") was released as a single and promoted with Boney M.'s charismatic male dancer Bobby Farrell on a few TV shows but it was still only a minor success.
Gilla's 1978 album Bend Me, Shape Me
In January 1978, Gilla released a disco-rock cover of The American Breed's "Bend Me, Shape Me". The single was a #11 hit in Switzerland and it was decided to repackage the Help Help album with the inclusion of the new track and its B-side "The River Sings" ("Der Strom der Zeit") in May, entitled Bend Me, Shape Me. Once again, it was only a minor seller. Singer Bruce Low released a big-selling German cover of Boney M.'s mega-hit "Rivers of Babylon" so Farian decided to have Gilla record a German cover of the follow-up single "Rasputin". Released in November 1978, it was a flop and not even included on the following compilation Star Discothek a few months later.
Trying to repeat the success of "Bend Me, Shape Me", Gilla and her fiancé and co-producer Helmut Rulofs (who was also a recording artist under the name Chris Denning) released another disco-rock cover of The Animals's "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" in March 1979. In 1980, her second English language album Cool Rock'n Roll was released including the title track single and "Go Down Mainstreet". Gilla and Rulofs, however, found bigger success when Farian recorded one of their songs with Boney M. "I See a Boat on the River" being a German Top 10 hit and a European hit single from the million-selling The Magic of Boney M. - 20 Golden Hits, Gilla credited as G. Winger (Winger being an abbreviation of her surname Wuchinger). In October 1981, Gilla's final single "Cigarillo" backed with a cover of "Friday on My Mind" was released before she retired from the music business. She made a brief return with Rulofs as the duo Sweet Mix in 1982 but their single "Susan Don't Cry for Me" came and went without notice. They also contributed the track "Video" for Precious Wilson's album All Coloured in Love that year.
Being largely forgotten in Europe today, Gilla has in recent years performed regularly in Russia where her records are enjoying considerable popularity.
Go Down Mainstreet
Gilla Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Take up something that he likes)
Go down mainstreet
(Take a taxi for a ride)
See him calm, Mr. Belle,
We all know him
He′s OK in his way,
Go down mainstreet
(Take up something that he likes)
Go down mainstreet
(Take a taxi for a ride)
See him calm, Mr.Belle,
We all know him
He's OK in his way,
There is no more to say
Maybe he′s lazy
Maybe he's crazy
Maybe he's only out of time
Noone can treat him
Noone can beat him
Noone can get him on a line
Maybe he fools you
Maybe he fools you
Noone knows
Living in the city can be cool, can be high
I know he′s happy, but what he has got
Living in the city can be heaven or hell
Go hell and ask him
But he′ll never tell
Go down mainstreet
(Take up something that he likes)
Go down mainstreet
(Take a taxi for a ride)
See him calm, Mr.Belle,
We all know him
He's OK in his way,
There is no more to say
Maybe he′s lazy
Maybe he's crazy
Maybe he′s only out of time
Noone can treat him
Noone can beat him
Noone can get him on a line
Maybe he fools you
Maybe he fools you
Noone knows
Go down mainstreet
(Take up something that he likes)
Go down mainstreet
(Take a taxi for a ride)
The song "Go Down Mainstreet" by Gilla features a catchy beat and lyrics that explore the idea of living in the city. The singer encourages the listener to take a ride down Mainstreet and indulge in something that they like. The lyrics suggest that the city can offer both happiness and misery, and the singer, Mr. Belle, seems to be content living in the city despite its contradictions. The repetition of the phrase "Maybe he's lazy, maybe he's crazy" suggests that people often judge others without understanding their circumstances.
The song suggests that Mr. Belle is a well-known figure on Mainstreet, and although people may have opinions about him, they ultimately do not know him or his motivations. The song presents the idea that living in the city can be both exhilarating and challenging, and the singer seems to suggest that Mr. Belle enjoys this dynamic. The repeated refrain of "Go down Mainstreet/Take up something that he likes" creates a sense of intrigue and excitement, encouraging the listener to explore what the city has to offer.
Overall, "Go Down Mainstreet" is a song that captures the spirit of the city - its contradictions and possibilities. Through its catchy beat and intriguing lyrics, it invites the listener to indulge in the excitement of city life while acknowledging its challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
Go down mainstreet
Engage in activities that he enjoys or explore his interests.
Go down mainstreet
Take a ride in a taxi to explore the city.
See him calm, Mr. Belle,
Observe how relaxed and composed he is.
We all know him
He's familiar to everyone.
He's OK in his way,
He's doing fine in his own manner.
There is no more to say
Expressing that there isn't anything more to add.
Maybe he's lazy
He might be lethargic.
Maybe he's crazy
He might be insane.
Maybe he's only out of time
Maybe he's merely stuck in a period.
No one can treat him
No one can address his problems.
No one can beat him
No one can defeat him.
No one can get him on a line
No one can control him or persuade him.
Maybe he fools you
He might trick or deceive you.
Living in the city can be cool, can be high
City life has its ups and downs.
I know he's happy, but what he has got
He may be content, but it's uncertain what he has achieved.
Living in the city can be heaven or hell
Urban life can have positive or negative outcomes.
Go hell and ask him
One cannot expect him to reveal his true feelings.
But he'll never tell
He'll keep his emotions to himself.
Go down mainstreet
Continue in his pursuit of happiness or enjoyment.
Go down mainstreet
Take another trip along the main strip.
See him calm, Mr. Belle,
Notice how relaxed and unaffected he is.
We all know him
He's familiar to everyone.
He's OK in his way,
He's doing just fine in his own way.
There is no more to say
There are no further comments to make.
Contributed by Avery L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@cagrkray4874
Such gem !