The band was founded in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire in 1979 as a four piece avant-garde instrumental group called Art Nouveau, with Nick Beggs on bass guitar, Steve Askew on lead guitar, Stuart Neale on keyboards and Jez Strode on drums. Art Nouveau released a track called "The Fear Machine". The single sold a few hundred copies, and was played on the John Peel show, but the band could not get a record deal.
In 1981, they advertised for and auditioned lead singers, and finally chose Christopher Hamill. He made his profile, and therefore that of the band, catchier by using an anagram of his surname for his stage name, becoming Limahl. The name of the band was then changed to Kajagoogoo. Writing out the phonetics of a baby's first sounds gave them "GagaGooGoo". With a little bit of "casual" alteration it became Kajagoogoo.
The band attracted the interest of three record labels (and Duran Duran's Nick Rhodes) while performing at the Embassy Club in London. The band was signed to EMI in July of 1982, and Rhodes was signed to produce their first album, White Feathers. The debut single "Too Shy" was released in January of 1983 and went to the top of the charts (before any of Duran Duran's singles had done so, Rhodes noted ruefully). Follow-up releases "Ooh to Be Ah" and "Hang on Now" both reached the UK top twenty as well.
The band fired Limahl in 1983 after a huge disagreement, with Beggs taking over as singer, but the hits dried up completely. They tried a relaunch as Kaja in 1985 which failed, and they broke up for good in 1986.
Limahl enjoyed a briefly successful solo career, scoring a hit with the movie theme song "Neverending Story" in 1984.
The band briefly joined forces again on VH1's Bands Reunited (26 January 2004, Season 1, Episode 6) and performed at the Scala club in London, England for the show.
In 2007, Nick Beggs, Steve Askew and Stuart Neale continued to play together as Kajagoogoo.
June 24th, 2007 saw the release of "Rocket Boy" the first Kajagoogoo single in 22 years. The single received airplay on Steve Wright's Radio 2 show in the UK.
In September 2007 Kajagoogoo performed the opening set with other 1980s acts at Retrofest at Culzean Castle in Ayrshire, Scotland.
Kajagoogoo is back!
They have since formally reunited. In February 2008, Kajagoogoo, under new manager Bradley Snelling, announced their reunion. on April 7, 2008 a new contract was signed with all of the original band members, Nick Beggs on bass guitar, Steve Askew on lead guitar, Stuart Neale on keyboards, Jez Strode on drums and Limahl on vocals bringing the band back together officially for the first time in 25 years.
Kajagoogoo are back! and a new website Kajagoogoo has been launched! An entire Free Album "Gone to the Moon" and tracks can be downloaded at their offical website, www.kajagoogoo.com
The website was created to mark the reformation of all original 5 band members, Nick, Limahl, Jez, Steve and Stuart.
Here you will find all the latest information on the band, live dates, band member info as well as some official Kajagoogoo goodies, mp3's, photos, downloads and more!
Magician Man
Kajagoogoo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Even though you were fooled
I was on my guard
Cheap tricks for money
The magician man
Tacky gag, whacky lines
He was at this best
Must've seen us coming
(BRIDGE)
Nobody to play to is the fear we all hold inside
Will somebody pay to see this magical man?
(CHORUS)
Roll up and see it all
(Roll up, the magical man)
A ball
(Stroll up, the magical man)
Stroll up we have it all
(Roll up, the magical man)
And more
(Stroll up, the magical man)
(VERSE 2)
Simply done, round applause
All the glamour too
"Show me your hand", says
The magician man
"I will read, amaze you all!"
He tells you what you want to
Hear for a lifetime by
The magician man
(REPEAT BRIDGE)
Nobody to play to is the fear we all hold inside
Will somebody pay to see this magical man?
(REPEAT CHORUS)
Roll up and see it all
(Roll up, the magical man)
A ball
(Stroll up, the magical man)
Stroll up we have it all
(Roll up, the magical man)
And more
(Stroll up, the magical man)
(INSTRUMENTAL MIDDLE BREAK)
(FINAL CHORUS)
Roll up and see it all
(Roll up, the magical man)
A ball
(Stroll up, the magical man)
Stroll up we have it all
(Roll up, the magical man)
And more
(Stroll up, the magical man)
Roll up and see it all............
(BACKGROUND CHORUS)
(Roll up, the magical man)
(Stroll up, the magical man)
(Roll up, the magical man)
(Stroll up, the magical man)
(CODA)
I have seen you playing tricks
I have seen you playing tricks
I have seen you playing tricks
I have seen you playing tricks
(REPEAT TO FADE ALONG WITH BACKGROUND CHORUS)
The song "Magician Man" by Kajagoogoo is about a man who is a magician and is able to fool and impress people with his magic tricks. The song describes him as using cheap tricks to get money from people. Even though the singer was aware of the tricks being played, he was still impressed by the magician's skills. The chorus, "Roll up and see it all, a ball, stroll up we have it all, and more," encourages people to come and see the magician and experience his tricks for themselves.
In the bridge of the song, it expresses the fear of not having anyone to share one's talents with, and the question of whether anyone will pay to see the magician's acts. The second verse talks about the magician reading people's hands and telling them what they want to hear, making him seem more powerful and mysterious.
Overall, the song brings a slightly critical tone towards magic and people who make a living out of it. It emphasizes the deception and the way people can be easily fooled and impressed.
Line by Line Meaning
Even though you were fooled
Despite the fact that you were tricked
I was on my guard
I was alert and cautious
Cheap tricks for money
Deceptive acts to earn income
The magician man
The man who performs magic tricks
Tacky gag, whacky lines
Inept jokes and silly comments
He was at this best
He was performing with great skill
Must've seen us coming
He likely anticipated our arrival
Nobody to play to is the fear we all hold inside
The concern that there may be no audience
Will somebody pay to see this magical man?
Is anyone willing to spend money to watch him perform?
Roll up and see it all
Come and watch the entire show
(Roll up, the magical man)
(Come, see the magician)
A ball
An enjoyable experience
(Stroll up, the magical man)
(Come casually, see the magician)
Stroll up we have it all
Come casually, we have everything you need
And more
Additionally, there's even more to see
Simply done, round applause
Performed with ease, receiving enthusiastic approval
All the glamour too
Including all the associated flashiness and sophistication
"Show me your hand", says
"Display your hand", the magician prompts
The magician man
The man who performs magic tricks
"I will read, amaze you all!"
"I will interpret your palm, and impress everyone!"
He tells you what you want to
He offers what you desire
Hear for a lifetime by
Listen for the rest of your life as spoken by
(INSTRUMENTAL MIDDLE BREAK)
(Musical break in the middle of the song)
I have seen you playing tricks
I have observed you engaging in deceitful acts
(REPEAT TO FADE ALONG WITH BACKGROUND CHORUS)
(Repeat until fading out while the other singers keep singing softly in the background)
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHRISTOPHER HAMILL, JEREMY STRODE, NICK BEGGS, STEPHEN ASKEW, STEVEN ASKEW, STUART CROXFORD NEALE, STUART JOHN NEALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
bandit
on Frayo
Limahl was fired before the album "Islands"