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!
Ooh to Be Ah
Kajagoogoo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The things you wear
Feel free to look around, with no obligation
Times have changed
So break new ground
Feel free and take your time take a little
Extra time, more time with no obligations
But don't expect too much, they can't perform miracles
Head to toe
Disguised again, it's heavy when they say
We don't perform miracles, no we don't perform miracles
Ooh to be ah jetsetter
Be ah head start
Ooh to be ah, to be ah
Look at me, ooh in something new
Ooh to be ah
Cool glossy mags, reveal the facts
With a little bit of goo, it's usually in the who's who
Place your bets, predict the favourite party of the day
You'll find it in the who's who, who's there
You'll find them in the who's who
Ooh to be ah jetsetter
Be ah head start
Ooh to be ah, to be ah
Look at me, ooh in something new
Ooh to be ah
The Lyrics of Kajagoogoo's song "Ooh to Be Ah" talk about the fashion trends of the time and the feeling of freedom that comes with following them. The song starts by encouraging the listener to take their time and choose their own style, without feeling tied down to any particular fashion rules. The idea is to find pleasure in selecting pieces that speak to you without any obligation. The chorus then expresses the desire to be at the forefront of these trends and to be seen as a leader in the fashion world; “Ooh to be ah jetsetter Be ah head start Ooh to be ah, to be ah Look at me, ooh in something new.”
The song also hints at the idea that fashion and trends are fickle and temporary, much like the magic that some people expect from their clothes. Wearing fashionable clothes is not a miracle that will solve any problems, but it is a way to express yourself and catch people's attention. Another interesting point is how the song talks about the importance of knowing who is who in the fashion scene and predicts what will be the next trend. This is evidenced in the line "Place your bets, predict the favourite party of the day You'll find it in the who's who, who's there You'll find them in the who's who."
Overall, the song captures the idea that fashion can be a form of self-expression and liberation, but it should not be taken so seriously as to become burdensome.
Line by Line Meaning
Pick and choose
You have the freedom to select
The things you wear
Deciding on what to wear
Feel free to look around, with no obligation
You can browse without any commitment
Times have changed
Society has evolved from the past
So break new ground
Take a different path or try something new
Feel free and take your time take a little
You have the liberty to proceed at your own pace
Extra time, more time with no obligations
No rush, no pressure to do anything specific
Clothes, in Vogue, are all the rage
Fashionable clothes are in high demand
But don't expect too much, they can't perform miracles
Don't rely too much on clothes to change your life
Head to toe
From head to toe, including everything in between
Disguised again, it's heavy when they say
Clothes don't necessarily hide your true self
We don't perform miracles, no we don't perform miracles
Don't expect clothes to change your life in a significant way
Ooh to be ah jetsetter
To have the opportunity to travel and explore the world
Be ah head start
To have a privileged position or advantage
Ooh to be ah, to be ah
Wow, it would be great to have that kind of life
Look at me, ooh in something new
Showing off a new trendy outfit
Cool glossy mags, reveal the facts
Fashion magazines provide helpful information and tips
With a little bit of goo, it's usually in the who's who
Gossip and insider knowledge are often shared in these magazines
Place your bets, predict the favourite party of the day
Guessing what events are worth attending
You'll find it in the who's who, who's there
The guest list for the event is usually available in these magazines
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
@pantoanticomunistaa6242
LYRICS (YEAR 1983):
Pick and choose
The things you wear
Feel free to look around, with no obligation
Times have changed
So break new ground
Feel free and take your time take a little
Extra time, more time with no obligations
Clothes, in Vogue, are all the rage
But don't expect too much, they can't perform miracles
Head to toe
Disguised again, it's heavy when they say
We don't perform miracles, no we don't perform miracles
Ooh to be ah jetsetter
Be ah head start
Ooh to be ah, to be ah
Look at me, ooh in something new
Ooh to be ah
Cool glossy mags, reveal the facts
With a little bit of goo, it's usually in the who's who
Place your bets, predict the favourite party of the day
You'll find it in the who's who, who's there
You'll find them in the who's who
Ooh to be ah jetsetter
Be ah head start
Ooh to be ah, to be ah
Look at me, ooh in something new
Ooh to be ah
@theWARMJET
not just the bass, the guitar and synths are amazing
@ajs41
Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran on production.
@theWARMJET
@@ajs41 with the great Colin Thurston
@DD-ev2dt
Kajagoogoo underated this is subtle funk classic early 80s 😎👍 .......
@80ssynthfan48
Stuart's synth parts and sounds on this song are superb. Very fine player.
@lakiluke7592
That bassline!
@DD-ev2dt
Great to see legendary tv guru and classic dj late and great Kenny Everett in this video 👃➕ ......
@ajs41
He also had his own hit in the charts at the same time with "Snot Rap".
@laythbarzangi8477
The bassline for this track is absolutely ridiculous. Nick Beggs is a beast!
@RastaSaiyaman
Yeah, Nick Beggs and Mark King were the main guys who inspired a lot of people to start sticking out their thumbs and start slapping.