Scandal was formed in New York City in 1981 by guitarist Zack Smith. The other initial members included: bassist Ivan Elias (1950–1995), guitarist Keith Mack, keyboardist Benjy King, (1953-2012) drummer Frankie LaRocka (1954-2005) (later replaced by Thommy Price), and singer Patty Smyth. Bon Jovi lead singer Jon Bon Jovi also briefly played guitar for the band in 1983.
The band had much success early on but due to struggles within the group and their record company, it slowly dissolved—losing member after member. By the time "The Warrior" tour hit the road in 1984, all that remained of the original lineup were Smyth and Mack. Scandal broke up shortly after the tour ended. The group (minus Ivan Elias, who died of cancer in June 1995; he was replaced by Kasim Sulton) reunited in 2004 for VH1's Bands Reunited show and did a string of concerts on the United States East Coast culminating in a show at Irving Plaza in their home city (New York) on February 9, 2005. During the summer of 2006, the band (excluding Price and Sulton) reunited again for VH1's "We Are the '80s" tour, playing a string of large - mainly outdoor - venues and earning critical acclaim. During the summer and fall of 2007, they toured again (this time without Zack Smith).
In July 2008, Billboard reported the upcoming release of new music by Patty Smyth and Scandal (featuring original members Keith Mack and Benjy King). At a performance in Dewey Beach, Delaware on August 3, 2008, Smyth indicated Scandal would be releasing a new five song EP in the near future. Scandal also performed one of their new songs, "Trust in Me". Other new titles include "Make It Hard" and "End of the Girl". Patty Smyth & Scandal debuted their first single as a band ("Hard for You to Love Me", also referred to as "Make It Hard") in over 24 years on January 17, 2009 in Ridgefield, Connecticut to a standing ovation. Smyth stated the song will be available to purchase digitally in February 2009, with the new EP to follow shortly. However, the single has been indefinitely delayed as the EP will be expanded to a full-length album, according to Smyth's blog in May 2009.[6] As of December 2011, the only new music released was "Silent Night", their cover of the Christmas classic, which was featured in the NCIS Season 9 Christmas episode, "Newborn King" and subsequently available for purchase on the band's official website.
Original drummer Frankie LaRocka died in 2005 after undergoing surgery. Original keyboardist Benjy King died on September 20, 2012, from injuries sustained in an accident.
Albums
Scandal (EP) (1982) - No. 39 U.S. (RIAA: Gold)
Warrior (1984) - No. 17 U.S. (RIAA: Platinum)
Say What You Will
Scandal Feat. Patty Smyth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Good love is hard to find
I've had my fill of the hurtin' kind
Take a lot of money
To buy up all the pain
Take a lot of honey
On my feet again
You've seen the worst
Still you find the best of me
My love was cursed
Loosin' destiny
Take a lot of linen
To dry up all the tears
Take a lot of grinnin'
To cheer me up and put me back
On my feet again
You know I needed a friend
I could tell my troubles to
And you have been my friend
So I will give my love to you
Good love from me to you
Here it comes again
I feel I'm not good enough
Can't remember when
It ever felt so tough
Take a lot huggin'
Drive away the fear
Take a lot of lovin'
To pick me up and put me back
On my feet again
You know I needed a friend
I could tell my troubles to
And you have been my friend
So I will give my love to you
Good love from me to you
I know you needed a friend
You could tell your troubles to
And I'll be your friend
And I will give my love to you
Good love from me to you
Good love
Good love
Good love from me to you
Good love
The lyrics to Scandal featuring Patty Smyth's song Say What You Will portray a narrative of someone who has had a tough and turbulent past when it comes to relationships. They have been hurt before and are cautious of putting themselves in vulnerable positions again. The first verse acknowledges the struggle in finding a good love, but also the immense amount of effort it takes to heal from past hurts. The second verse touches on the idea that despite the negatives, the person has still managed to find the best in themselves and persevered through the pain.
The chorus emphasizes the need for comfort and care from a friend or partner. The singer recognizes that it takes a lot of effort, whether it be money or kindness, to heal from past hurts and to regain strength. The bridge then touches on the overwhelming feeling of not being good enough, but ultimately finding comfort in the embrace and love of another.
In the final verse and chorus, the singer acknowledges that their friend has been a beacon of support and love through the tough times, and they are willing to reciprocate this love. The repetition of "good love" highlights the importance and sincerity of the love being shared between these friends.
Line by Line Meaning
Say what you will
No matter what you say or think about me, I know that finding true love is not easy.
Good love is hard to find
Finding genuine love is a difficult task.
I've had my fill of the hurtin' kind
I am done with experiencing the pain that comes with superficial love.
Take a lot of money
It requires a lot of financial resources to overcome the emotional pain caused by love.
To buy up all the pain
It's impossible to completely erase the pain caused by love with just money.
Take a lot of honey
It takes a lot of love and tenderness to heal the wounds inflicted by a broken heart.
To fill me up and put me back On my feet again
Only true love can bring me back to my normal self and give me the strength to move ahead.
You've seen the worst
You have seen my weaknesses and vulnerabilities, yet you have refused to give up on me.
Still you find the best of me
You choose to see the good in me, despite my flaws and shortcomings.
My love was cursed
My past romantic relationships were doomed to fail.
Loosin' destiny
My failed relationships made me doubt my ability to maintain a successful relationship or find true love.
Take a lot of linen
It takes a significant effort to heal the emotional scars left by a heartbreak.
To dry up all the tears
The emotional pain caused by a broken heart leads to endless tears that need to be wiped away with love and care.
Take a lot of grinnin'
It takes an equal amount of effort to make me laugh and cheer me up.
To cheer me up and put me back On my feet again
Only true love can bring joy to my life and give me the strength to carry on with my life.
You know I needed a friend
I needed someone to rely on when I was emotionally distraught.
I could tell my troubles to
I needed someone to listen to my problems and give me sound advice.
And you have been my friend
You have offered me love, support and loyalty in moments of weakness and despair.
So I will give my love to you
In return for your unwavering love and support, I will offer you my heart and love.
Good love from me to you
I promise to give you genuine and faithful love.
Here it comes again
I am facing the fear of heartbreak and emotional pain once again.
I feel I'm not good enough
I am struggling with feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy in the face of the challenges of dating again.
Can't remember when
I do not have any memory of a time when love was easy for me.
It ever felt so tough
The struggle to find and maintain true love has never been harder for me than it is now.
Take a lot huggin'
I need hugs and affection to overcome my fears and anxiety.
Drive away the fear
The fear of heartbreak and failure can be overcome with love and support from a partner.
Take a lot of lovin'
True love, which involves honest communication, compassion, and understanding, can guide me through the challenges of dating again.
To pick me up and put me back On my feet again
Only true love can pick me up when I fall and make me feel confident and happy again.
I know you needed a friend
I am aware that you, too, need someone to lean on and share your struggles with.
You could tell your troubles to
I want to offer a listening ear and my unwavering support to you whenever you need it.
And I'll be your friend
I promise to be there for you through thick and thin, to offer you my loyalty and love.
And I will give my love to you
In return for your love and support, I will give you my heart and commitment.
Good love from me to you
I promise to give you a pure and true love that will stand the test of time.
Good love
Pure, honest, and genuine love that is nurtured through honesty, trust, communication, and commitment.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ERIC PATRICK CLAPTON, SIMON CLIMIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind