1) a British ba… Read Full Bio ↴At least four artists exist by this name on last.fm:
1) a British band
2) an American rapper
3) a Brazilian death metal group
4) a Mongolian rock band
1) Madness is a British pop and ska band from Camden Town, London, England that was formed in 1976. As of 2012, the group has continued to perform with their most recognised lineup of seven members, although that has varied slightly over the years. Known for their cheeky humour and musical eclecticism, the band members called a "dysfunctional family", the group was one of most prominent artists in the late-70s 2 Tone ska movement. As their career progressed, Madness moved closer toward conventional pop music and has become one of the most successful British bands of all time.
The guys achieved most of their success in the 80s, often picking up new wave fans who enjoyed the band's eclectic sound. Madness, in fact, spent exactly 214 weeks on the U.K. singles charts from 1980-89, thereby sharing the record for most weeks spent by a group in said charts with UB40. Examples of some of their most popular songs include 1979's "One Step Beyond", 1982's "Our House", and 1984's "Keep Moving".
Formation
The core of the band formed as "The North London Invaders" in 1976. This outfit included Mike Barson (Monsieur Barso) on keyboards and vocals, Chris Foreman (Chrissy Boy) on guitar and Lee Thompson (Kix) on saxophone and vocals. They later recruited John Hasler on drums and Cathal Smyth (better known as Chas Smash) on bass guitar. Later in the year, they were joined by lead vocalist "Dikron". This six-piece lineup lasted until part way through 1977, when Graham McPherson (better known as Suggs) took over the lead vocals after seeing the band perform in a friend's garden. Smyth, who was poor on bass guitar, was replaced by Gavin Rogers, an acquaintance of Barson. McPherson was kicked out of the band for too often choosing to watch football instead of rehearsing. As well, Thompson left the band after Barson criticised his saxophone playing.
By 1978, the band had allowed McPherson to return, after filling in temporarily for Hasler (who had taken over vocals when McPherson was removed). Thompson returned after patching things up with Barson, and Daniel Woodgate (Woody) and Mark Bedford (Bedders) also joined the band, on drums and bass guitar respectively. After briefly changing their name to Morris and the Minors, the band renamed itself as Madness; paying homage to one of their favourite songs by ska/reggae artist Prince Buster. The band remained a sextet until late 1979, when Chas Smash rejoined and officially became the seventh member of Madness as a backing vocalist and trumpet player.
Early success
In 1979, the band recorded the Lee Thompson composition "The Prince". The song, like the band's name, paid homage to their idol, Prince Buster. The song was released through 2 Tone Records, the label of The Specials founder Jerry Dammers. The song was a surprise hit, peaking in the UK music charts at #16. A performance of "The Prince" on popular UK music show Top of the Pops helped Madness gain public recognition. Madness then toured with fellow 2 Tone bands The Specials and The Selecter, before recording their debut album, One Step Beyond..., which was released by Stiff Records. The album included a re-recording of "The Prince" and the band's second and third singles: "One Step Beyond" and "My Girl". The title song was a cover of the B-side of the 1960s Prince Buster hit "Al Capone". One Step Beyond... stayed in the British charts for over a year, peaking at #2. After the release of "My Girl", the band felt that they had exhausted the material from One Step Beyond..., and did not want to release any more singles from the album. However, Dave Robinson, head of Stiff Records, disagreed. Eventually, a compromise was made, and the band decided to release an EP featuring one album track and three new tracks. The result was the Work Rest and Play EP, which was headlined by the song "Night Boat to Cairo", from the One Step Beyond album. The EP reached #6 in the UK singles chart.
The following year, the band's second album, Absolutely reached #2 in the UK album charts. Absolutely spawned some of the band's biggest hits, most notably "Baggy Trousers"; which peaked at #3 in the UK singles chart. "Embarrassment" reached #4 in the charts, and the instrumental song "Return of the Los Palmas 7" climbed to #7.
Change of direction
In 1981, the band's third studio album, 7 reached #5 in the UK album charts and contained three hit singles. In an article in 1979, Chris Foreman explained that the band's music would move with the times, and change styles as time goes on. This was shown to be the case, as unlike the two ska-filled, fast-paced albums that preceded it, 7 was somewhat of a change in direction. Suggs' vocal performance changed significantly, and his strong Cockney accent from the previous albums had been watered down. The album strayed from the ska-influenced sound of One Step Beyond... and Absolutely, and moved towards a more conventional and mature pop sound; a trend that continued with subsequent albums. Near the end of 1981, Madness released one of their most recognised songs; a remake of Labi Siffre's 1971 hit "It Must Be Love". The song climbed to #4 in the UK and entered the US charts at #33. In 1982, Madness released their only #1 hit to date, "House of Fun"; as well as their fourth studio album The Rise & Fall. The album contained their most internationally successful single to date, "Our House", which reached #5 in the UK music charts and # 7 in the US charts. In 1983, their single "Wings of a Dove" peaked at #2 in the UK charts. Their following album, Keep Moving, peaked at #6 in the UK album charts, and several singles from that album reached the top 20 in the UK music charts.
Decline and breakup
In October 1983, the band's founder, keyboardist and prominent songwriter Mike Barson decided to leave the band, partly because he had relocated to Amsterdam, Netherlands. He officially left the band in June 1984, following the release of "One Better Day". The six remaining members left Stiff Records and formed their own label, Zarjazz Records, which was sub-label of Virgin Records. In 1985, the label released the band's sixth album, Mad Not Mad. Barson's keyboard parts were filled by synthesisers, and in later years, frontman Suggs described the production as "polished turd". The album reached #16 in the UK charts, which was the band's lowest position on the album charts to date. Despite the poor chart showing, the album was listed as #55 in NME's All Time 100 Albums. The singles for the album fared even worse, with "Yesterday's Men" peaking at #18 in the UK charts. The subsequent singles, "Uncle Sam" and "Sweetest Girl", failed to make the top 20, which was a first for Madness singles.
The band then attempted to record a new album, and 11 demo tracks were recorded. However, musical differences arose between band members, and in September 1986, the band announced that they were to split. Barson rejoined the band for a farewell single, "(Waiting For) The Ghost Train", but did not appear in the music video. The band officially split following the release of the single, which reached a high of #18 in the UK. In 1988, four members of the band — Suggs, Chas Smash, Lee Thompson and Chris Foreman — created a new band, using the name The Madness. After one self-titled album and two singles that failed to make the the top 40, the band split.
Reunions and The Dangermen
In early 1992, "It Must Be Love" was re-released and reached #6 in the UK singles chart. Following that, the singles compilation Divine Madness was released and peaked at #1 in the album charts. Madness then announced plans for a reunion concert, Madstock!, which was held at Finsbury Park, London on August 8 and 9 of that year. The original lineup reunited, performing together for the first time since Mike Barson left the band in 1984. Over 75,000 fans attended the weekend festival, and during "One Step Beyond", the crowd danced so much they caused an earth tremor which measured over 4 on the richter scale. A subsequent live album was released, and the associated single, "The Harder They Come" (a cover of Jimmy Cliff's 1973 song) reached #44 in the UK.
The band continued to reunite for annual UK Christmas season tours and held three more Madstock! festivals; in 1994, 1996 and 1998. In 1999, Madness released their first studio album since 1986, entitled Wonderful. The album reached #17 in the UK album charts, and the lead single, "Lovestruck", gave the band their first new top 10 hit in the UK since 1983. Neither of the two subsequent singles from the album, "Johnny The Horse" and "Drip Fed Fred", entered the top 40 of the UK charts.
From October 28, 2002 to August 16, 2003, a musical based on Madness songs, Our House, ran at the Cambridge Theatre in west London. Madness played a role in the executive production of the show, and Suggs played a role in the production for a period of time, playing the central character's father. It won an Olivier Award for best new musical of 2003, and the performance was released on DVD on November 1, 2004. There was also a previous musical based on Madness songs, One Step Beyond!, written by Alan Gilbey. The musical had a brief run at the Theatre Royal Stratford East in 1993.
In 2004, the band played a series of low-key concerts as The Dangermen, performing covers of classic reggae and ska songs. A lot of the songs were those played by the band when they were first forming, and the band performed the songs as a celebration of their 25 year anniversary. This led to the release of the album The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1 in August 2005. However, during the sessions which produced the album, the band's guitarist Chris Foreman announced his departure. Foreman left the band in mid 2005, citing "the petty, time consuming bollocks that goes on in the band" in a statement announcing his decision to leave. The band completed the album without him, and on release, it peaked at #11 in the UK album charts, which was the band's highest studio album chart position in 21 years. Although two singles were released, neither was a major success in the UK. The more successful of the two, "Shame & Scandal", reached #38. Despite the poor chart showing, the single reached #12 in France.
In late 2006, this six remaining members of Madness began working on their first original album in seven years. However, for Madness' 2006 Christmas season tour, Foreman rejoined the band. In March 2007, the single "Sorry" was released from the band's upcoming album, peaking in the UK charts at #23. The single included a version featuring UK hip hop artists Sway DaSafo and Baby Blue. Both artists were included on the music video which accompanied the hip-hop version of the song, but not on the original music video. Both music videos were also without Chris Foreman, despite the fact that he was a band member at the time of release.
The new Madness song "NW5 (I Would Give You Everything)" and a re-recorded version of "It Must Be Love" were featured in the German film Neues vom Wixxer. The two songs were released in Germany as a double A-Side, and both of them were turned into music videos. While promoting "Sorry", Sway DaSafo confirmed in an interview with NME that he will perform in the recording of Madness' updated version of their song "Baggy Trousers", entitled "Baggy Jeans". The updated song will be featured on Madness' upcoming studio album, and also released as a single. DaSafo predicted the song will be a "huge smash gaurenteed", although the date of release is not yet known.
Lyrical themes
Although Madness were seen by many as somewhat of a humorous band with catchy, bouncy songs, they sometimes tackled, what were at the time, controversial issues in their lyrics. "Embarrassment" (from the "Absolutely" album) was written by Lee Thompson, and reflected the unfolding turmoil following the news that his teenage sister had become pregnant and was carrying a black man's child. The band discussed animal testing in the song "Tomorrow's Dream". The band criticized the National Health Service in "Mrs. Hutchinson"; which told the story of a woman who, after several misdiagnoses and mistreatment, became terminally ill. The story was based on the experiences of Mike Barson's mother. Madness' final single prior to disbanding, "(Waiting For) The Ghost Train", commented on apartheid in South Africa.
Skinhead controversy
Early in their career, Madness were linked to skinheads; members of a British working class subculture that the media often stereotyped as racist (although the clear majority of skinheads were anti-racist). Not only were Madness, along with other 2 Tone bands, popular with skinheads, but it was said that the band members themselves were associated with the subculture. The band's relationship with the skinheads varied at times. Mike Barson was particularly displeased with the band's skinhead following, often finding it disappointing that so many were present at performances. Prior to becoming a full member of the band, Chas Smash had been involved in fights with skinheads at performances. In one particular incident on November 18, 1979, Madness were supported by "Red Beans and Rice", who featured a black lead singer, and the band were prevented from completing the performance due to the racist chants from certain members of the skinhead filled audience. Suggs later came on stage to show his displeasure at their behaviour, but this didn't stop much of the audience from Nazi saluting at the end of the show.
In a 1979 NME interview, Madness member Chas Smash was quoted as saying "We don't care if people are in the NF as long as they're having a good time." This added to speculation that Madness was a racist band supporting the fascist group National Front, although the band members denied those allegations. Numerous fans felt upset that Chas Smash's views were mispresented by the media, with yellow journalists just looking for a story in their eyes. Smash responded to the NME article in the song "Don't Quote Me On That". Eventually, band members denied their skinhead roots, which disappointed much of their skinhead fan base. The issue faded as the years went by and the far-right skinhead groups failed completely in winning converts, their particular fringe shrinking massively while in the meantime Madness' international popularity grew.
Awards
The band's first notable musical award came in 1983 when they won an "Ivor Novello Award" for Best Song for the international hit "Our House". They received another "Ivor Novello Award" 17 years later for an "Outstanding Song Collection". In 2005, they were awarded the Mojo Magazine "Hall Of Fame" award, notably for being 'an artist's artist'. As of 2007, a campaign is taking place by fans of Madness for the band to be awarded a Brit award. Many fans and critics feel they have been overlooked over their past 30 years in the music industry.
Website
madness.co.uk
2) Madness is also the name of a hip-hop artist from Florida in the U.S. He has competed in many Grindtime Rap Battle events, and the rapper work is featured on the release 'Fresh Coast Perishables Volume One' as well as in his own underground albums.
3) Madness is a Brazilian death metal band.
4) Madness is a Mongolian rock band.
House Of Fun
Madness Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can I help you son?
Sixteen today
And up for fun
I'm a big boy now
Or so they say
So if you'll serve
I'll be on my way
Box of balloons
With the feather-light touch
Pack of party-poppers
That pop in the night
A toothbrush and hairspray
Plastic grin
Miss Clay on all corners
Has just walked in
Welcome to the house of fun
Now I've come of age
Welcome to the house of fun
Welcome to the lion's den
Temptation's on his way
Welcome to the House of
N-n-n-no no miss
You misunderstood
Sixteen big boy
Full pint in my manhood
I'm up to date
And the date's today
So if you'll serve
I'll be on my way
Welcome to the house of fun
Now I've come of age
Welcome to the lion's den
Temptation's on his way
Welcome to the house of fun
I'm sorry son
But we don't stock
Party gimmicks
In this shop
Try the House of Fun
It's quicker if you run
This is a chemist
Not a jokers' shop!
Party hats
Simple enough clear
Comprehend savvy understand
Do you hear?
A pack of party hats
With the colored tips
Too late!
Gorgon's heard gossip
Well hello Joe, hello Miss Clay
Many happy returns from the day
Welcome to the house of fun
Now I've come of age
Welcome to the house of fun
Welcome to the lion's den
Temptation's on his way
Welcome to the house of fun
Welcome to the house of fun
Now I've come of age
Welcome to the house of fun
Welcome to the lion's den
Temptation's on his way
Welcome to the house of fun
Welcome to the house of fun
Now I've come of age
Welcome to the house of fun
The song "House of Fun" by Madness tells the story of a young boy who comes of age and wants to indulge in some adult fun but is rejected by a chemist who doesn't stock party gimmicks in their shop. The lyrics paint a picture of the boy's excitement to enter adulthood, with lines like "Sixteen today and up for fun" and "I'm a big boy now or so they say." He visits the shop with a list of party supplies, including balloons, party poppers, toothbrush, and hairspray.
However, when he tries to buy the items, he is turned away and told to go to a different shop, which is likely a metaphor for the boy's naivety and lack of understanding the intricacies and limitations of adulthood. The singer, Miss Clay, is portrayed as someone who is always present, watching the boy's behavior, and ready to instruct him on how to behave.
The chorus, "Welcome to the house of fun," is repeated throughout the song and is likely meant to be a sarcastic jab at the notion that adulthood is fun and carefree. Overall, the song is a commentary on the transition from youth to adulthood and how it can be confusing and difficult.
Line by Line Meaning
Good morning miss
The singer greets a woman in the hopes of obtaining something he needs to have fun.
Can I help you son?
The woman speaks to the singer, asking if he needs assistance.
Sixteen today
The singer is celebrating his sixteenth birthday, a milestone in his life.
And up for fun
The artist is eager to enjoy himself.
I'm a big boy now
The artist feels that he's grown up and is ready for adult activities.
Or so they say
The singer isn't completely certain that he's ready for the responsibility of adulthood.
So if you'll serve
The singer politely asks the woman to assist him.
I'll be on my way
The artist is ready to leave and have fun.
Box of balloons
The artist wants to purchase party supplies for his celebration.
With the feather-light touch
The balloons are light and delicate.
Pack of party-poppers
The singer is interested in buying these party favors.
That pop in the night
The party-poppers make a loud noise when they're released.
A toothbrush and hairspray
The singer needs to buy personal grooming items.
Plastic grin
The singer is smiling, but it's a fake or forced smile.
Miss Clay on all corners
The woman named Miss Clay seems to be everywhere the singer goes.
Has just walked in
Miss Clay has arrived at the store at the same time as the artist.
Welcome to the house of fun
The artist bids the listener welcome to the party he's planning to attend.
Now I've come of age
The singer is officially an adult and can legally participate in certain activities.
Welcome to the lion's den
The party is a wild and chaotic place, like a lion's den.
Temptation's on his way
The artist is facing many tempting choices at the party.
N-n-n-no no miss
The artist stammers, trying to explain that he's not a child.
You misunderstood
The artist clarifies that he is an adult and capable of making his own choices.
Sixteen big boy
Although the singer is only sixteen, he believes that he is a grown man.
Full pint in my manhood
The artist feels that he is now a full-fledged adult, symbolized by a 'full pint' of alcohol he plans to drink.
I'm up to date
The singer is current and on-trend, ready for the party.
And the date's today
The singer emphasizes that today is a special day for him, his sixteenth birthday.
I'll be on my way
The singer asserts his independence and decision to leave and party.
I'm sorry son
The woman expresses regret that she cannot help the artist.
But we don't stock
The store doesn't carry the type of party supplies the artist is seeking.
Party gimmicks
The store doesn't carry cheap or silly party favors.
In this shop
The woman reminds the singer that he's in a pharmacy, not a party store.
Try the House of Fun
The woman suggests that the artist visit a different party supply store for what he needs.
It's quicker if you run
The other party store is close by, and the woman recommends that the artist hurry to get there.
This is a chemist
The woman reiterates that the store sells medicines, not party supplies.
Not a jokers' shop!
The woman is not amused by the singer's search for party supplies in a pharmacy.
Simple enough clear
The artist finds the party hats easy to understand and use.
Comprehend savvy understand
The singer wants to ensure that everyone knows how to use the party hats properly.
Do you hear?
The singer repeats himself, making sure his instructions are clear and heard by everyone.
With the colored tips
The party hats have colored tips for decoration.
Too late!
The artist is too excited and has already started the party.
Gorgon's heard gossip
A woman named Gorgon has apparently heard rumors about the artist's party.
Well hello Joe, hello Miss Clay
Two other people arrive at the party and greet the singer and Miss Clay.
Many happy returns from the day
The newcomers wish the singer a happy birthday.
Lyrics © Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CATHAL JOSEPH SMYTH, CHRISTOPHER JOHN FOREMAN, DANIEL MARK WOODGATE, GRAHAM MCPHERSON, LEE THOMPSON, LEE JAY THOMPSON, MARK WILLIAM BEDFORD, MICHAEL BARSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@martam716
LYRICS:
Good morning miss
Can I help you son?
Sixteen today
And up for fun
I'm a big boy now
Or so they say
So if you'll serve
I'll be on my way
Box of balloons
With the feather-light touch
Pack of party-poppers
That pop in the night
A toothbrush and hairspray
Plastic grin
Miss Clay on all corners
Has just walked in
Welcome to the house of fun
Now I've come of age
Welcome to the house of fun
Welcome to the lion's den
Temptation's on his way
Welcome to the House of
N-n-n-no no miss
You misunderstood
Sixteen big boy
Full pint in my manhood
I'm up to date
And the date's today
So if you'll serve
I'll be on my way
Welcome to the house of fun
Now I've come of age
Welcome to the lion's den
Temptation's on his way
Welcome to the house of fun
I'm sorry son
But we don't stock
Party gimmicks
In this shop
Try the House of Fun
It's quicker if you run
This is a chemist
Not a jokers' shop!
Party hats
Simple enough clear
Comprehend savvy understand
Do you hear?
A pack of party hats
With the colored tips
Too late!
Gorgon's heard gossip
Well hello Joe, hello Miss Clay
Many happy returns from the day
Welcome to the house of fun
Now I've come of age
Welcome to the house of fun
Welcome to the lion's den
Temptation's on his way
Welcome to the house of fun
Welcome to the house of fun
Now I've come of age
Welcome to the house of fun
Welcome to the lion's den
Temptation's on his way
Welcome to the house of fun
Welcome to the house of fun
Now I've come of age
Welcome to the house of fun
~U welcome~
@Ideabot_69
I like this song because it really captures what it's like to become an adult.
Before you enter the "funhouse" you really have no idea what to expect. If you felt like you'd done decently so far, in spite of all the unfair bullshit life has thrown at you, well you might get cocky and be punished for it almost immediately.
If you've been barely scrapping by, you'll still struggle but even moreso as you're asked to do even more difficult tasks.
Some days you'll feel people are just throwing rocks at you for laughs. Other days, well you might meet an interesting person who ends up being a friend for now. But, like with most of the friends you meet in life, you'll have this gnawing worry that this world with eat your friend alive.
Other days, you'll feel like you were doing well balancing on a tightrope, only to be knocked off it. You'll feel like you've been chewed up and spit out, struck by lightning, shot repeatedly, and knocked off a skyscraper.
But you persevere. You face greater obstacles, and increasingly difficult demands, and eventually you start climbing up and suddenly you see your first glimpse of the sun in what felt like ages.
You continue to climb, higher and higher, until you face your greatest challenge yet. This is it, the culmination of your journey through this hell-hole they call a "funhouse."
You start to think of all the people who are just entering this "funhouse" and the only way you can process the trauma is to laugh at it. You think about all the shit you've gone through, and you realize that's why they call it a "funhouse."
But here you stand, about to face your greatest challenge. You steel your nerves and enlist the help of a friend.
But then Tarkus solos the Iron Golem and you feel like he just stole your triumph, and then the creepy-ass fleshies take you to Anor Londo.
@veronicacanfield5070
Madness is like Monty Python and Ska music having a baby.
@anthonycastelluci9225
Not sure about the "having a baby" part. But, I did laugh hard while enjoying the music. Good trick! We used to do the in-line Madness walk in the Marines when we went to Army jump school. They thought we were nuts.
@freddieparrydrums
@@anthonycastelluci9225 haha that’s brilliant.
@GlennMichaelHasting
A Mash-up Of Python and Ska Too Right...
@annedonovan9005
You noticed the strong Python influence in this too...esp the guys in drag....
@jimmysealofapproval8480
Yes...that Baby's name is Louis and his braces are permanent...like his position on the UK home travel Police force
@alanburge2725
Not just the song. The video is pure fun. This is the full package right here. Ahhh the 80s.......
@carabiner7999
Not safe for Florida, luv. Men in drag, 'n' all!
@victorrock1997
So very well said! Much respect and all the best!
@Despondencymusic
Full package...I see what you did there. 😂