Kershaw played guitar and sang in a number of underground bands from about 1976 before deciding on a career as a songwriter. However, he ended up performing his own songs rather than giving them to others, and signed a deal with MCA Records in 1983, which spawned a debut single, "I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me", which just missed out on the UK Top 40. At the beginning of 1984, he made his breakthrough when "Wouldn't It Be Good", featuring a video of Kershaw as a chromakey-suited alien, reached Number 4 in the UK charts. He enjoyed three more Top 20 hits from debut album Human Racing , including the title track and a successful re-issue of his debut single, which ultimately proved his biggest hit as a performer when it got to Number 2 in the UK.
Despite winning awards, attracting admirers for his writing such as Elton John & Eric Clapton. He gainied a huge teenage fanbase, Kershaw was not without his critics. Some complained that he did too much onstage when he had a competent backing band called the Krew to play all the required guitar and keyboard parts of his songs.
Kershaw, who was married to long-time love and backing singer Sheri, then released a single called "The Riddle", which would send fans, journalists and linguists into overdrive, as each tried to establish what the meaning was behind the strange set of circumstances and clues which Kershaw put in the verses and chorus (though it in fact later turned out to be hastily created nonsense). Another major hit, it was also the title track of his second album, which also spawned two more UK Top 10 hits, "Wide Boy" and "Don Quixote".
In July 1985 Kershaw was among performers at Live Aid, Wembley Stadium. His star began to wane soon afterwards and he enjoyed only one more UK Top 40 hit, the debut single from his third album, Radio Musicola. Radio Musicola, despite receiving critical acclaim, was a flop in the UK charts. After this, Kershaw teamed up with 'We Built This City' producer Peter Wolf for his fourth album, The Works. After neither Kershaw or Wolf were happy with the results, Kershaw re-recorded the album with producer Julian Mendelsohn. The Works failed to chart in the UK, but it’s debut single, One Step Ahead, charted at No. 55. The albums failure led to him being dropped by MCA Records.
After The Works, Kershaw retired from recording music in favour of his original career path as a songwriter. His prowess as a songwriter served him well in 1991 when his song The One And Only, appeared on the soundtrack to the Brittish movie Buddy's Song and in the American film "Doc Hollywood", and provided a UK Number 1 single for the star of the film, Chesney Hawkes (son of the Tremeloes' Chip Hawkes). In 1993 The Hollies had a minor hit with another of his songs, The Woman I Love. Kershaw featured prominently as a vocalist on Tony Banks’ album Still, along with penning some of the tracks.
1999 saw the release of the Britpop-styled 15 Minutes, a collection of songs that are generally more personal and mature, and that he could not envisage being recorded by other artists. Both this and the more commercial To Be Frank (2001) are stylistically different from his earlier work by being underpinned by acoustic guitar rather than synthesiser.
These were followed by 'You’ve Got To Laugh', another collection of acoustic-led songs and 'EI8HT', a commercial MOR pop album brought on by the 80s revival and also led to the return of synthesisers in his music. Kershaw released his latest album, Oxymoron, in 2020 and is in the process of releasing a series of EPs, Songs from a Shelf. He still performs regularly.
For more information visit the official site at http://www.nikkershaw.net
Radio Musicola
Nik Kershaw Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
more fodder for the new lost generation
i got a question to send you to the nearest closet
why can't you let us do it like JONI does it
there you go again, giving it your very best
trying so hard to make it sound like all thee rest
and as your factory sanctifies your wooden soul
you gave us T.V. dinners, now it's T.V. rock 'n' roll
we're growing p
we're growing up
to radio musicola
i got political inclinations to announce
but no way, if it doesn't scan with your accounts
i got some spiritual ideology for you
i know it's gotta correspond with the corporation view
we're growing up
we're growing p
to radio musicola
you can find it in the streets
you can find it in the elevators
you can find it where the ladies wash their hands
it emanates from little
boxes on the wall and it'll
soon be coming in disposable tin cans
my soul shows art to me, but dollars says my radio
wall street liquid lunches showing us the way to go
why tolerate this numismatical polity?
there isn't any other way, there isn't any other way, more's the pity
we're growing up
we're growing up
to radio musicola
The lyrics of Nik Kershaw's "Radio Musicola" are a commentary on the state of the music industry in the 80s, where commercialism and corporate interests often overshadowed artistic freedom and authenticity. The song portrays a disillusioned artist who is frustrated with the industry's obsession with conformity and marketability. The "black vinyl man with black plasticised imagination" represents the cookie-cutter artists who are churned out by record labels with no originality or creativity.
The chorus "we're growing up, we're growing p, to radio musicola" is a play on words. "Growing up" can refer to the maturing of the audience, but "growing p" sounds like "growing pee", implying that the audience is being treated like children. "Radio musicola" is also a juxtaposition of two opposing ideas, with "radio" representing the mass-produced, disposable nature of commercial music, and "musicola" being a reference to the old-fashioned music box, a symbol of artistry and craftsmanship.
The verses criticize the industry's reluctance to embrace political and spiritual messages if they don't match the corporation's views. The line "my soul shows art to me, but dollars says my radio" highlights the conflict between an artist's desire to create meaningful art and the pressure to please corporate sponsors. The closing line "there isn't any other way, more's the pity" expresses a sense of hopelessness and resignation towards the industry's shortcomings.
Overall, "Radio Musicola" is a thought-provoking critique of the music industry's commercialization and corporate influence, a theme that continues to resonate with artists and audiences today.
Line by Line Meaning
black vinyl man with black plasticised imagination
The music industry is now dominated by people focused only on sales and not true artistry.
more fodder for the new lost generation
The music being produced is only adding to the confusion and disillusionment of young people.
i got a question to send you to the nearest closet
The singer has a challenge for those who are manipulating music for profit.
why can't you let us do it like JONI does it
The artist wants to know why true artistic expression can't be valued instead of just what will sell.
there you go again, giving it your very best
The industry is putting a lot of effort into making music that will sell, but not necessarily be meaningful.
trying so hard to make it sound like all thee rest
Originality is not valued and the industry is trying to create popular music that sounds like everything else.
and as your factory sanctifies your wooden soul
The industry is turning people into soulless machines that create music purely for profit.
you gave us T.V. dinners, now it's T.V. rock 'n' roll
The industry is providing mindless, disposable music that is the audio equivalent of junk food.
we're growing p
The artist and their peers are developing and maturing.
we're growing up
As people are exposed to more music and art, they are growing intellectually and emotionally.
to radio musicola
This growth is being fueled by the music they listen to, Radio Musicola being a representation of commercial, mass-produced music.
i got political inclinations to announce
The artist has a message that they want to share that is political in nature.
but no way, if it doesn't scan with your accounts
The music industry will only allow messages that do not conflict with their financial goals.
i got some spiritual ideology for you
The singer has ideas about spirituality and how it relates to music and art.
i know it's gotta correspond with the corporation view
Any ideas about spirituality must also be in line with the commercial interests of the music industry.
you can find it in the streets
Music is everywhere, accessible to everyone.
you can find it in the elevators
Even commercial music is pervasive, playing in places like elevators where people typically spend little time.
you can find it where the ladies wash their hands
Music is so ubiquitous that it can even be heard in bathrooms.
it emanates from little boxes on the wall and it'll
Music is often listened to through small speakers, such as on radios or TVs.
soon be coming in disposable tin cans
Music will soon be even more disposable, portable and easy to access through new technologies like cassette tapes.
my soul shows art to me, but dollars says my radio
The artist wants to listen to music that speaks to their soul, but the industry only wants to give them music that will make them money.
wall street liquid lunches showing us the way to go
The industry is being guided by people who are focused more on making money than creating meaningful art.
why tolerate this numismatical polity?
The singer is questioning why society accepts this system where money is more important than true artistic expression.
there isn't any other way, there isn't any other way, more's the pity
Unfortunately, the artist sees no other way for the music industry to operate besides valuing profit over art, and laments this fact.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: NIK KERSHAW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@wolf4jidg
Black vinyl man with black plasticised imagination
More fodder for the new lost generation
I got a question to send you to the nearest closet
Why can't you let us do it like JONI does it
There you go again, giving it your very best
Trying so hard to make it sound like all thee rest
And as your factory sanctifies your wooden soul
You gave us T.V. dinners, now it's T.V. rock 'n' roll
We're growing p
We're growing up
To radio musicola
I got political inclinations to announce
But no way, if it doesn't scan with your accounts
I got some spiritual ideology for you
I know it's gotta correspond with the corporation view
We're growing up
We're growing p
To radio musicola
You can find it in the streets
You can find it in the elevators
You can find it where the ladies wash their hands
It emanates from little
Boxes on the wall and it'll
Soon be coming in disposable tin cans
My soul shows art to me, but dollars says my radio
Wall street liquid lunches showing us the way to go
Why tolerate this numismatical polity?
There isn't any other way, there isn't any other way, more's the pity
We're growing up
We're growing up
To radio musicola
@sambanks4475
Many happy returns to you Nik, hope you're having a wonderful day, love your music so much xxxx ❤🎉
@mr_tw
Almost fell out of my seat when I heard the opening guitar chord last night... was absolutely expecting to not hear this. Thanks Nik, and band... the show was even better than I'd hoped for!!!
@floouk
What gave us TV dinners
Now gives us TV rock and roll. . . Priceless!
@unofsnd
As much as I love all Nik's albums, this one and "the works" really stand out. ❤
@vincentprimault4380
This album is full of bass and percussive delicacies
@evanjazzista
That opening guitar chord though.
And the groove that follows is insane too.
@jasonwhite-composer
I love the bass on this. Would love to get the chance to sit in the studio with Nik and watch him work!
@srdjanjapanmusic5817
High extra quality song as ever from your music laboratory!! Nik , cheers, long live !!
@robrose7253
My favourite album. Classic
@neiljones9653
Running scared best track.