Shortly after, they recruited their good friend and photographer Glenn Gregory on vocals to complete their lineup for Heaven 17. Contrary to popular belief, they were not 'New Romantics' per se and had different visual characteristics than groups such as Spandau Ballet and the Culture Club. Like The Human League, Heaven 17 heavily used synthesizers and drum machines while taking influence from the minimalist electronica music of the 70s.
They had a few minor hits in their early days, including the song "Play To Win" that featured on the album 'Penthouse and Pavement'. Their debut single '(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang' from the same album attracted some attention, became a left-wing anthem for a while, and was banned by the BBC because of its overtly political lyrics, but it still reached number 45 in the UK singles chart.
Major chart success eluded them until the single 'Temptation' (in which they were augmented by the vocalist Carol Kenyon) reached number 2 in the UK charts in summer 1983. Other songs from the same album, The Luxury Gap, also charted though not as high - 'Come Live With Me' reached number 5 in the UK, 'Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry' reached number 17, and 'Let Me Go', reaching 41 in November 1982. The album itself charted at their best ever position, number four.
At the end of 1983, the band helped re-launch Tina Turner's solo career, producing and providing backing vocals on her debut hit 'Let's Stay Together'. 1984 featured the release of the moderately successful How Men Are, which reached number 12.
The band also worked on the Band Aid single at the end of 1984, with Gregory supplying vocals alongside Midge Ure and Sting. However, they did not perform at Live Aid the following year.
Pleasure One (featuring the single 'Trouble') appeared in 1986 and it was followed up in 1988 with Teddy Bear, Duke & Psycho (featuring the single 'Train Of Love In Motion'). The early 90's were a quiet period for the band and they wouldn't work together as Heaven 17 until 1996's Bigger Than America. In the preceding years, Marsh and Ware produced a second B.E.F. album to 1981's original Music of Quality and Distinction and Gregory formed the band Ugly. Ware became an in-demand producer, working for the likes of Terence Trent D'Arby, Alison Moyet and Erasure. 2005 saw the release of the long-awaited Before After; the album having a much more contemporary dance sound compared to previous albums.
Geisha Boys and Temple Girls
Heaven 17 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Slim perfect creatures and they're just 16
Their eyes meet, this is it,
The contact so much more than words can transmit
He stands up, she gives in,
Their first encounter, their embrace within
A short ride, they arrive,
There is no doubt that true love will survive
We are the geisha boys
Doing it wrong again
They are the chosen ones
Doing it right
Here come the temple girls
Looking for sanctuary
Naked as advertised
For the first tie
Here we are late at night
We are both refugees
There is no easy way
Let it be right
Anything's possible
If you can fake it, but
The wrong place is anywhere
If you're not right
If you turn away from the screen
Another version can be seen
She is black, he is white
They love each other but they also fight
Back from work, she's not home
Another evening angry, all alone
She arrives and he departs
Misunderstandings, then the breakdown starts
Chorus
There's not much that you can do
Choose either one of them it could be you
The first time could be the only time
The odds against you and your hopes decline
Do it right, do it wrong
Console yourself that either won't last long
Geisha boys and temple girls
Make contact or remain in separate worlds
Chorus
The song Geisha Boys and Temple Girls by Heaven 17 tells the story of two different worlds colliding and the struggles that come with it. Through the lyrics, we observe the meeting between a geisha boy and a temple girl, who fall in love at first sight. However, their love faces challenges such as misunderstanding, miscommunication, and racial difference. The song reflects the turmoil of youth and the feeling of being displaced in one's own world. The chorus repeatedly states the line "doing it wrong again" to portray the feeling of helplessness and hopelessness that the characters in the song are experiencing. The lyrics offer a slice of life experience of the contemporary youth and explores the issues of identity and belonging.
Line by Line Meaning
Look ahead, on the screen,
The listener is watching something unfold on a screen.
Slim perfect creatures and they're just 16
The people on screen are young and attractive.
Their eyes meet, this is it,
The two people on screen make eye contact and it feels significant.
The contact so much more than words can transmit
There is a strong emotion between the two people that cannot be conveyed through words alone.
He stands up, she gives in,
The two people on screen react to each other physically.
Their first encounter, their embrace within
The two people on screen embrace each other for the first time.
A short ride, they arrive,
The two people on screen go somewhere together.
There is no doubt that true love will survive
The listener believes that the on-screen couple will be in love forever.
Chorus:
The chorus beings.
We are the geisha boys
The singer imagines themselves as one of the 'geisha boys' in the song.
Doing it wrong again
The geisha boys are making a mistake by following their desires.
They are the chosen ones
The 'temple girls' are viewed as special or better than the geisha boys.
Doing it right
The temple girls' approach is perceived to be the right one.
Here come the temple girls
The temple girls enter the narrative.
Looking for sanctuary
The temple girls are searching for something safe.
Naked as advertised
The temple girls are exposed, both physically and emotionally.
For the first tie
This is a new experience for the temple girls.
Here we are late at night
The singer draws attention to their own present moment.
We are both refugees
The singer and their partner feel displaced or out of place.
There is no easy way
It's challenging to navigate their situation.
Let it be right
The artist wants to do the right thing.
Anything's possible
There are many options available.
If you can fake it, but
One could pretend to be something they're not to get what they want.
The wrong place is anywhere
Every place feels wrong for the characters in the song.
If you're not right
If the characters aren't in the right emotional state, they won't be happy anywhere they are.
If you turn away from the screen
If one doesn't watch the story play out, they won't know what happens.
Another version can be seen
There are different interpretations of the story that could be taken based on how the narrative continues.
She is black, he is white
Another couple is introduced, and their relationship faces challenges stemming from racial difference.
They love each other but they also fight
Though the couple loves each other, they have disagreements and conflict in their relationship.
Back from work, she's not home
One partner returns home to find the other partner gone.
Another evening angry, all alone
The singer is upset and frustrated about their partner being gone and being left alone.
She arrives and he departs
The partners continue to miss each other by moments, making their reunions unsatisfying.
Misunderstandings, then the breakdown starts
The couple's communication struggles lead to their relationship breaking down.
Chorus
The chorus is repeated once again.
There's not much that you can do
The singer might feel helpless to change their situation and relationship.
Choose either one of them it could be you
The artist acknowledges that the listener could be in a similar situation as the conflicted couples in the song.
The first time could be the only time
The singer thinks that oftentimes experiences don't repeat themselves, so it's important to cherish each one entirely.
The odds against you and your hopes decline
The singer laments that sometimes the chances of finding and maintaining a happy relationship can be slim.
Do it right, do it wrong
The singer recognizes that their choices could be right or wrong.
Console yourself that either won't last long
Whichever choice is made, the artist doesn't believe it will ultimately lead to satisfaction or success in the relationship.
Geisha boys and temple girls
The song comes full circle to the geisha boys and temple girls, and the challenges of their relationships.
Make contact or remain in separate worlds
The singer recognizes that either the geisha boys and temple girls will connect and find common ground, or will ultimately not be able to overcome their differences.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: GLENN GREGORY, GLENN PETER GREGORY, IAN CRAIG MARSH, MARTYN WARE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
LA John
It’s crazy how well so many of Heaven 17’s songs have held up... still sounds so fresh and interesting
Rob van Houten
LA John indeed!
Bunny Villaire
The beginning of electronic music was the best when it was all raw and reaching around in the dark. I love this album!
jmdavison62
This album has nothing to do with the beginning of electronic music: William Duddell invented the Singing Arc in 1899.
krunchtwang
I totally agree with you: it's a M-A-S-T-E-R-P-I-E-C-E! Back in the 80's this was my favourite band...
ReggattaZenyatta
Incredible synth intro - can't believe this was really 34 years ago.
electrozaps
over 40 years now!
Leopard Basement
Everything you hear now could have been played 34 years ago
Paul Davies
I was in the army and a colleague was getting a posting overseas for a few months. He asked me to look after his gear, which he couldn't take and I agreed. Months and months went past and he did not return to collect his stuff and I was at a loss as to what to do with it. I got curious one day and fished around in the top of the rucksack and pulled out a cassette named Penthouse and Pavement by Heaven 17. I played it and I fell on my backside, as there just was not a bad track on the album! Only 2 other albums, in my 50 odd years of listening to music, can claim the same excellence in my personal opinion! I listen to tracks from this album today and they still sound so bloody good! :)
Spike Burst
Still decades ahead of the industry.