Go West quickly had a publishing deal and possessed a portastudio, but lacked a band or recording company. Peter and Richard decided, with support from John Glover, their manager, to find a musical producer, and record just two of their songs. The tracks We Close Our Eyes and Call Me found Go West developing a record deal with Chrysalis Records. The songwriting duo specialised in radio friendly, white soul sounds.
The band's debut single, We Close Our Eyes, was released in 1985 and managed to achieve the number 5 position on the UK Singles charts, #5 on the US Dance Club Play chart and also managed to reach #41 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. The video for the song became an early favorite on MTV. This helped them to be voted the "Best Newcomers" at the 1986, BRIT Awards.
The duo's self-titled album also featured 2 more Hot 100 entries; "Call Me" (1984 - #54) and "Eye To Eye" (1985 - #73). The album also featured "Don't Look Down", which would serve as the prequel to what would be the band's first Top 40 hit in the US. The album hit #8 in the UK Album charts and #60 on Billboard 200 Album chart.
In 1987, they released their follow-up, "Dancing On The Couch", which peaked at #19 on UK Album chart but only got as high as #172 in the US. Ironically, that album yielded Go West with their first US Top 40 hit, "Don't Look Down - The Sequel", squeaking into the Top 40 peaking at #39. That song was a continuation to "Don't Look Down" from their debut album. However, "Don't Look Down - The Sequel" was excluded from the UK versions of the CD, which instead included the track, "Let's Build A Boat", which coincidentally became the B-Side of the US release of "Don't Look Down - The Sequel".
Later in 1990, Go West scored a top 10 US hit with the song King of Wishful Thinking from the movie Pretty Woman. An instrumental version of the song's chorus is also alleged to be heard in the production logo for Gracie Films (seen at the end of The Simpsons).
Go West website: www.gowest.org.uk
Haunted
Go West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Standing in the dark just out of sight
Checks his collar
Wondering who will he be tonight?
Haunted
Some people can be so sure of their hearts
Haunted
Men in movies
Cast no shadows in the light
Frame by frame
Heroines caught in black and white
Haunted
Some people can be so sure of their hearts
Haunted
Same people are so wrong
Fact or fiction
Dangerous to lose sight of the line
These moving pictures
Still moving but running out of time
Haunted
Some people can be so sure of their hearts
Haunted
Same people are so wrong
Haunted
Some people can be so sure of their hearts
Haunted
Same people are so wrong
The lyrics of "Haunted" by Go West depict a man who is haunted by his own personality and his desire to become someone else. The opening lines, "Makes him a winner, standing in the dark just out of sight, checks his collar, wondering who will he be tonight?" sets up the theme of the song. The singer is someone who tries too hard to be something they're not, and the song is about the consequences of that behavior.
The lyrics go on to describe how men in movies cast no shadows in the light, frame by frame, heroines caught in black and white. This depiction of film is used to convey the idea of people living their lives like movies, living through characters created by societal norms rather than being true to themselves. The lines "Fact or fiction, dangerous to lose sight of the line, these moving pictures, still moving but running out of time" further emphasize that it's important to stay grounded in reality and not lose sight of the consequences of living one's life as though it were a movie.
Overall, "Haunted" is a commentary on the dangers of trying to be something we're not instead of embracing our true selves. It cautions against getting too wrapped up in the images and expectations we see in movies and society, and encourages listeners to stay true to their hearts and not be haunted by their own choices.
Line by Line Meaning
Makes him a winner
Being in the dark and out of sight has made him feel like a winner.
Standing in the dark just out of sight
The subject is hiding in the dark out of sight from others.
Checks his collar
The subject has checked his collar, possibly to look presentable or to hide something.
Wondering who will he be tonight?
The subject is questioning his identity and what role he will play in his interactions with others.
Haunted
Some people can be so sure of their hearts
The haunting feeling that some people, including the subject of the song, are confident in their emotions and decisions, even when they may be mistaken.
Same people can be so wrong for the part
These same people can be mistaken or unsuitable for the roles they choose to play in their own lives and relationships.
Men in movies
Cast no shadows in the light
The men in films can appear perfect in the light, but they have no depth or substance that casts a shadow.
Frame by frame
Heroines caught in black and white
The women in films are portrayed as two-dimensional characters, stuck in a set frame and lacking in colorful nuances.
Fact or fiction
Dangerous to lose sight of the line
Blurring the distinction between fact and fiction can be hazardous as it muddles reality and creates confusion.
These moving pictures
Still moving but running out of time
Movies may seem like they are in motion, but they are still, and their time is running out like everyone else's.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: COX, DRUMMIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gerard McCartney
on The King Is Dead
When you finally realise that all your life, you've been driven by ego, and the humiliating freedom that realisation affords