The group was originally founded in Munich by producers and songwriters Sylvester Levay and Michael Kunze. "Silver" is actually Sylvester Levay's nickname. Using female session vocalists for their first recordings, they scored a hit single in the United Kingdom in 1974 with the song "Save Me", and realised they would need to find a public face for what was at the time only a studio group.
They recruited vocalists Linda Thompson (real name Linda Übelherr, who would be billed on her solo records as Linda G. Thompson), Penny McLean (real name Gertrude Wirschinger) and Ramona Wulf (real name Ramona Kraft). As "Silver Convention" they scored two major U.S. hit singles. "Fly, Robin, Fly" whose complete lyrics consisted of only six words, spent three weeks at number 1 in 1975, and won the group a Grammy Award for Best R&B Instrumental Performance. Their follow-up hit "Get Up and Boogie" spent three weeks at number 2 in 1976. Michael Kunze actually wrote the lyrics on the two first albums under the pseudonym Stephan Prager. During this time the three singers released their own solo work. McLean and Thompson achieved hit singles with "Lady Bump" and "Ooh What a Night" respectively. Wulf's solo effort was only a moderate success.
Silver Convention represented Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 1977 with a song entitled "Telegram", finishing 8th, just after Dream Express. The entry had only English lyrics, but was allowed to enter in spite of the language rule being reintroduced this year, because the song was chosen to represent Germany before the reintroduction was announced.
With a new producer (John Davis) and a revised line-up of singers (Suzie McClosky aka Zenda Jacks, Rhonda Heath and Ramona Wulf) Silver Convention hit it big in the clubs in 1978 with the LP "Love in a Sleeper". The 12" single release from the LP was "Spend the Night With Me" backed with "Mission to Venus".
The further singles released by the trio attempted to duplicate the sound that had made them briefly successful, but the singles "Tiger Baby" and "No No Joe" were only minor hits.
Levay also worked with Giorgio Moroder, and Kunze went on to work with Jim Steinman. The solo careers of the three singers faded quickly and they left the music business.
No No Joe
Silver Convention Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No, no, Joe
No, no, Joe
The party's over and I gotta go
No, no, Joe
Oh no, you shouldn't turn the lights down low
Mama won't like it
No, no, Joe
No, no, Joe
The party's over and I gotta go
No, no, Joe
You mustn't think that my feelings show
Mama won't like it
No, no, Joe
No, no, Joe
No, no, Joe
The party's over and I gotta go
No, no, Joe
Oh no, you shouldn't turn the lights down low
Mama won't like it
No, no, Joe, mama won't like it
The lyrics to Silver Convention's song "No No Joe" are about a woman named Joe who is at a party and the singer needs to leave but Joe wants to continue the party. The singer is saying "no" to staying any longer because she knows that Mama won't like it if they continue the party. The repetition of "no no Joe" emphasizes the singer's resistance and determination to leave the party despite Joe's efforts to convince her to stay.
The lyrics also have a subtle tone of disapproval towards Joe's behavior. The line, "you mustn't think that my feelings show" suggests that Joe may be making advances towards the singer and the singer is trying to hide her true feelings. The line "you shouldn't turn the lights down low" implies that Joe may be trying to create a romantic atmosphere, but the singer doesn't want any part of it.
Overall, the lyrics to "No No Joe" depict a situation where the singer is trying to resist Joe's advances and escape the party before things escalate. The song is a fun disco tune with a catchy beat and a cautionary message about being careful at parties.
Line by Line Meaning
No, no, Joe
Refusal to comply with Joe's actions or requests
No, no, Joe
Reiteration of refusal to comply with Joe
No, no, Joe
Continued rejection of Joe's advances or actions
The party's over and I gotta go
Leaving the social event and indicating that it is over
No, no, Joe
Repeating refusal to comply with Joe
Oh no, you shouldn't turn the lights down low
Advisory against turning the lights down, citing negative possible consequences
Mama won't like it
Suggesting that a disapproving authority figure will have issue with Joe's actions
No, no, Joe
Repeating refusal to comply with Joe
No, no, Joe
Affirming refusal to comply with Joe
No, no, Joe
Refusing compliance with Joe once again
The party's over and I gotta go
Restating that the social event has ended and the singer must leave
No, no, Joe
Continuing refusal to comply with Joe
You mustn't think that my feelings show
Indicating the need for Joe to avoid perceiving the singer's emotions
Mama won't like it
Reiterating that an authority figure will disapprove of Joe's actions
No, no, Joe
Continued refusal to comply with Joe
No, no, Joe
Repetitive rejection of Joe's advances or actions
No, no, Joe
Persisting rejection of Joe's requests
The party's over and I gotta go
Repeating that the social event has ended and the singer must depart
No, no, Joe
Continued refusal to comply with Joe
Oh no, you shouldn't turn the lights down low
Cautioning against dimming the lights due to potential negative consequences
Mama won't like it
Reiterating disapproval of Joe's actions by an authority figure
No, no, Joe, mama won't like it
Stating both refusal to comply with Joe and disapproval from an authority figure
Contributed by Isabella J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Karla Eyzaguirre
Maravillosas, Penny Mc Lean, Ronda Heath y Ramona Wolf, voces emblemáticas de Silver Convention y de la Música Disco que nunca pasará de moda.
Karla Eyzaguirre
Música Disco muy bien cantada, bailada y orquestada incomparables, Silver Convention!!!! Por siempre!!!!
DJ Moch
It's amazing how some songs just don't require many lyrics to be beautiful works of art. Silver Convention is the master of this.
John Golofit
One of many songs that made the Bicentennial Summer of 1976 so memorable and so alive...
Paulinus Okolie
Unforgettable, evergreen masterpiece from this group way back in the 70s. Where are they now, does anyone know?
ArizonaWillful
Playing bingo in a rest home that plays disco over the speaker system.
Karla Eyzaguirre
Ellas están muy bien en sus propios negocios, siganlas en Facebook!
Pablo Utria Jimenez
Fué y es uno de mis grupos favoritos de toda la vida, muchos momentos inolvidables que tuve con su música en mi adolescencia.
Me gustaría saber qué ha sido de Ellas.
¡¡Grandiosas y Divinas!!
Tracy Davis
LOVE this Song!!!!!!!! BEST String Section, EVER, in all of their Songs!!!!!!
LUIS C FSANTS
Bons tempos!