Shakatak sco… Read Full Bio ↴Shakatak is an English jazz-funk band, founded in 1980.
Shakatak scored a number of chart entries, including two Top Ten hits in the UK Singles Chart, "Night Birds" (1982) and "Down on the Street" (1984), plus a further 12 entries in the Guinness book of British Hit Singles. The group are still active and popular throughout the world, particularly in Japan and the Far East, and generally produce a new album every two years on JVC Records.
From their first release in August 1980, (the Bill Sharpe composition "Steppin'" on the Polydor record label), and their first album, Drivin' Hard, the band's singles and albums have entered the charts regularly.
It was the release of "Easier Said Than Done" that gave the band the radio exposure needed for their first top-twenty hit. This record introduced their instrumental-unison vocal sound to a much wider audience, and the track stayed in the UK chart for seventeen weeks. The follow-up, "Night Birds", was their first single to reach the top ten, and the album of the same name gave Shakatak their first gold album, entering at number four and remaining in the charts for twenty-eight weeks. By now a major international act, the success of the release gave them the number-one jazz album slot in Japan, and attracted interest across Europe and South America. Night Birds was used in the feature film "Away We Go" directed by Sam Mendes and was used as the demonstration song on many Casio Piano Keyboards such as the Casio CT-460.
Two more albums – Invitations and Out of This World – were recorded in 1982 and 1983, resulting in several more chart hits, and paving the way for the next major breakthrough in the band's career. With a subtle change in musical direction, yet still retaining the band's identity, Jill Saward (formerly of Fusion Orchestra, Brandy and Citizen Gang) became their lead singer to make Shakatak's fifth album, Down on the Street. The resulting single releases "Down on the Street" and "Watching You" had great success, and brought them attention in new parts of the world. The following year saw the release of the group's first live album, which was recorded in both Tokyo and London.
The seventh album, Day by Day, saw the development of songwriting by all of the band members. In 1986 Saward announced that she was expecting a baby later the same year. This news allowed the band to ease their hectic touring schedule for a while, and enabled them to concentrate purely on recording for a brief period. The band were in the top five foreign acts in Japan, and after winning the coveted Silver Award in the Tokyo International Song Festival, Shakatak were asked to produce an extra album each year exclusively for the Japanese market. By this time they had two extra albums released there entitled Into the Blue and Golden Wings. Both sold well, the latter winning the "Best Instrumental Album 1987" at the Japanese Phonograph Record Association Awards.
However, following this success the band felt it was time that they re-directed their efforts back to singles, and an album for release to the rest of the world. The result was Something Special, closely followed by the night club and chart hit "Mr Manic & Sister Cool" from their next LP, Manic and Cool.
In the 1990s, the band had success in the US when they had two albums that went to No 1 in the contemporary jazz charts, and were also awarded the Japanese grammy for best international instrumental album six years running.
Shakatak continue to appear regularly throughout the world with recent festival performances at Jakjazz, the Jakata International Jazz Festival, Bangkok, Hua Hin and the Bratislava Jazz Day and they make annual appearances at the Billboard Clubs in Japan and the Pizza Express Jazz Room in London plus numerous other concert and club performances.
The band celebrated their thirtieth anniversary year in 2010.
Bassist George Anderson is to release his second solo album 'Expressions' on the 3rd September 2012 through Secret Records. Coming three years after his first album 'Positivity', this album again sees George writing, arranging and producing all of the tracks on it.
Keyboardist Bill Sharpe worked with American jazz pianist Don Grusin on a joint project called Geography released in 2007. Sharpe's second collaboration with Grusin, Trans Atlantica has been completed and is to be released on the 3rd September 2012. This is to be released through London label Secret Records and will also include their first album Geography as a special 2-CD package.
Change Your Mind
Shakatak Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It''s you I''m talking to
This time it''s your decision
We''re into something new
I know that I''m thinking
Oh any fool can see
Time that I was thinking
Of no-one else but me
Nothing ever stays the same
Change your mind
No-one ever plays the game game game
Change your mind
Give them what you can''t defend
Change your mind
Think it up and start again ''gain ''gain
Why can''t you reconsider
Listen if you can
Take familiar giver
Reject me if you dare
Give me what I''m asking
And save it all for me
Love that''s everlasting
Is how it''s meant to be
The lyrics to Shakatak's song "Change Your Mind" seems to be a plea from one individual to another to consider changing their mindset and taking risks in order to move forward in their relationship. The opening line "Why don't you ever listen, it's you I'm talking to" indicates that the singer believes their partner is not fully engaging with them, and they are hoping for a change. The singer acknowledges that they are putting their confidence into the hands of the other person when they say, "This time it's your decision, we're into something new."
The singer then appears to be reflecting on their own thought process when they say, "I know that I'm thinking, any fool can see. Time that I was thinking of no one else but me." This seems to suggest that the singer may have been too focused on pleasing their partner or the outside world to the detriment of their own self-awareness. They are then encouraging their partner to be open to change by saying "Change your mind, nothing ever stays the same. Change your mind, no one ever plays the game, game, game. Change your mind, give them what you can't defend. Change your mind, think it up and start again, 'gain, 'gain."
The singer then pleads with their partner to reconsider and listen to them, indicating that a change in mindset could lead to everlasting love when they say "Love that's everlasting is how it's meant to be". Overall, the lyrics highlight the importance of being open to change and taking risks in order to move forward in a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Why don't you ever listen
I wish you would pay attention to what I have to say
It's you I'm talking to
I am addressing you specifically, not anyone else
This time it's your decision
I am leaving this choice up to you
We're into something new
Our situation has changed and we need to adapt
I know that I'm thinking
I am aware of my thoughts and feelings
Oh any fool can see
It's clear to anyone that...
Time that I was thinking
It's about time I started focusing on...
Of no-one else but me
Only I matter in this situation
Change your mind
Consider an alternative perspective or course of action
Nothing ever stays the same
Things are always in a state of flux and change is inevitable
No-one ever plays the game game game
People don't always act honestly or fairly
Give them what you can't defend
Offer something that you can't justify or substantiate
Think it up and start again 'gain 'gain
Reconsider and restart with a fresh approach
Why can't you reconsider
Have you thought about changing your position?
Listen if you can
Try to hear and understand what I am saying
Take familiar giver
Accept what is already known and comfortable
Reject me if you dare
Stand up to me and disagree, if you are brave enough
Give me what I'm asking
Provide me with what I am requesting
And save it all for me
Keep it only for my benefit
Love that's everlasting
A love that will never end
Is how it's meant to be
That kind of love is the ideal and intended outcome
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TOM PETER ODELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind