In 1986, the band signed with EMI, and they subsequently recorded their first album, White Fields. which was released in 1987. Later in 1987, the group moved to Atlantic Records, frustrated with their energetic mix of hook-filled pop rock with dance music failing to break into the mainstream. Their next album, Wild Wild West, was released by Atlantic Records in the summer of 1988.
The first single, "Wild Wild West" (also known as "Wild,Wild West"), climbed to the number one slot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song's distinctive video also received a lot of MTV airplay. According to the Wild Wild West Songfacts, the song distinguished the Escape Club as being the only British group to have charted number one in the U.S. while never charting at all in the U.K.
In 1989, the group released two further singles from Wild Wild West: "Shake For The Sheik", which climbed to number 28, and "Walking Through Walls", which peaked at number 81. Hitting their stride, the Escape Club also had a cover single of The Doors' hard rock track "20th Century Fox" on the multi-artist collection 'The Wonder Years: Music From the Emmy Award-Winning Show & Its Era', which, in addition, meant long airplay on MTV. The band's official website reports that the song was produced by former Doors member Ray Manzarek.
In 1990, the band returned to the studio to record their what would be their final album, Dollars & Sex, which saw a March 1991 release. The first single, "Call It Poison", failed to crack the U.S. Top 40, which did not bode well for the quartet. Just when it seemed they would be considered a one-hit-wonder, Atlantic Records next released the slow ballad "I'll Be There". The group said the song was heavily influenced by the 1990 box office hit movie Ghost. "I'll Be There" reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. The group then called it quits in 1992. Frontman Trevor Steel has since worked as a solo singer-songwriter as well as a producer and television commentator.
Celebrity
The Escape Club Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You don't have to be strangers
C'mon and share the publicity
Celebrity
As long as there's somebody watching
And you can smile about something
You're never going to be a non-entity
'Cause it's a buzz when reality hits
It's got to stick when you think about it
One shot goes off on the right night
One flash and you're there in the spotlight
One kiss is essentially all you need
Celebrity
You need to be seen on the T.V.
The right line and you've got notoriety
One picture in is okay
'Cause then you'll be a celebrity
If you can fake without bluffing
Let's all talk about nothing
C'mon and take it to the paparazzi
Celebrity
'Cause it's a buzz when reality hits
It's got to stick when you think about it
One shot goes off on the right night
One flash and you're there in the spotlight
One kiss is essentially all you need
Celebrity
You need to be seen on the T.V.
The right line and you've got notoriety
One picture in is okay
'Cause then you'll be a celebrity
Bleach your teeth with whitening
Get in there like lightning
Don't just be a wannabe, be a Celebrity
It's a buzz when reality hits
It's got to stick when you think about it
One shot goes off on the right night
One flash and you're there in the spotlight
One kiss is essentially all you need
Celebrity
You need to be seen on the T.V.
The right line and you've got notoriety
One picture in okay
And then you'll be a celebrity
The Escape Club's song "Celebrity" is a commentary on modern culture's obsession with fame and the lengths people will go to achieve it. The opening lines, "Let's all go and get famous / You don't have to be strangers / C'mon and share the publicity / Celebrity," suggest that fame is something that anyone can attain if they just put themselves out there enough.
The lyrics go on to describe the importance of being noticed and appreciated in order to achieve celebrity status. "As long as there's somebody watching / And you can smile about something / You're never going to be a non-entity," the song says. The song seems to suggest that achieving fame is a dizzying experience, describing it as a "buzz" that hits when reality sets in.
Overall, the song celebrates the allure and excitement of achieving celebrity status while also critiquing society's preoccupation with it. The notion that fame can be obtained easily and quickly is a recurring theme in the song, suggesting that the quest for celebrity is often superficial and lacking in substance.
Line by Line Meaning
Let's all go and get famous
Let's all strive to make a name for ourselves in the public eye
You don't have to be strangers
We don't have to be unknown to achieve fame
C'mon and share the publicity
Let's all share the attention of the media
Celebrity
The status of being a famous person
As long as there's somebody watching
As long as there is an audience paying attention
And you can smile about something
And you can project a positive image to the public
You're never going to be a non-entity
You will never be an insignificant person if you achieve fame
'Cause it's a buzz when reality hits
Achieving fame is an exciting and thrilling experience
It's got to stick when you think about it
It takes effort to maintain and sustain your celebrity status
One shot goes off on the right night
One opportunity at the right moment can make you famous
One flash and you're there in the spotlight
A single moment in the public eye can bring you fame
One kiss is essentially all you need
A single romantic encounter can make you famous
You need to be seen on the T.V.
Being visible on television is important for achieving fame
The right line and you've got notoriety
Saying the right thing can bring you infamy
One picture in okay
A single photograph can bring you fame
If you can fake without bluffing
If you can project a fake image to the public without getting caught
Let's all talk about nothing
Let's all engage in meaningless conversation for the sake of publicity
C'mon and take it to the paparazzi
Let's actively seek out the attention of the media
Bleach your teeth with whitening
Improve your appearance for the sake of fame
Get in there like lightning
Strike quickly to achieve fame
Don't just be a wannabe, be a Celebrity
Don't just desire to be famous, actually achieve it
Contributed by Jackson G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.