The band originally consisted of Eugene Reynolds (born Alan Forbes) vocals; Fay Fife (born Sheila Hynde) vocals; Jo Callis guitar; the enigmatically-named William Mysterious (born Alastair Donaldson), saxophone; Angel Patterson (born Alan Patterson), drums; Hi-Fi Harris guitar; and Dr D.K. Smythe bass guitar. Some of The Rezillos' bizarre early live repertoire, contained material from the likes of the Sweet, Screaming Lord Sutch, Fleetwood Mac (in the guise of Earl Vince and the Valiants) and the Dave Clark Five. Bootleg recordings exist of this stage of the band's history.
This line-up released their first single "Can't Stand My Baby" on the indie record label, Sensible Records. This led to a major recording contract with Sire Records. The band also underwent a transformation, shedding both Hi-Fi Harris, Dr. D.K. Smythe, and two backing singers. William Mysterious then shifted to bassist for the band's debut album Can't Stand The Rezillos, widely regarded as a classic of both Punk Rock and New Wave. A second single "Flying Saucer Attack" / "My Baby Does Good Sculptures" grazed the lower reaches of the UK Singles Chart, and contained different versions of the songs found on the album release.
However, the quintet reached the Top 20 of the UK chart with their third single, "Top of the Pops" in 1978. By this time, William Mysterious had left the band to be replaced by another bass player Simon Templar. The single version of "Top of the Pops" features him, whilst the album version was recorded by William Mysterious.
After releasing the album Can't Stand The Rezillos, Reynolds and Fife left the original band. The live LP Mission Accomplished But The Beat Goes On remains as a testament to the original line-up. A final single, "Destination Venus" made the lower reaches of the UK chart, and earned them a final appearance on the actual Top of the Pops.
Reynolds and Fife renamed themselves The Revillos for contractual reasons, recruiting new members, including original Rezillo Hi-Fi Harris, and released an album Rev Up in 1980 under the new name. The Revillos had a longer career than The Rezillos, and toured and released music continually during the 1980s. The band had an ever changing line-up, but the focus and nucleus always remained Reynolds and Fife. The band later also released a compendium of their music. The remaining three Rezillos plus Troy Tate, ex-Teardrop Explodes, renamed themselves Shake, and released a 10" EP and a single ("Invasion Of The Gamma Men") before disbanding. A side project named S.W.A.L.K was also short lived. Jo Callis went on to perform with The Human League.
Some of The Revillos reformed in 1994, playing a series of concerts in Japan, and recording the Live and On Fire in Japan album. In 1996, they issued a rarities compilation album, From the Freezer, and played some live dates in Britain.
In 2001, the band reformed with the classic line-up sans Simon Templar, his bass duties being taking by Johnny Terminator. They continue to play live and record to the present day.
Mystery Action
The Rezillos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well she lookin' like a fatal attraction
So I call her on the telephone
Say won't you come on round
It's cold out so were stayin' at home
I gotta say out loud
Battery operated - She got flashing lights
Push button activated - She got no time for fussin' and fights
For children under three years of age
She never far away but she's always out of sight
Yeah baby I'm your mister reaction
My mind is aching and it's missing a fraction
Now you're doin' what you always do bump and go and scream
You don't know where you're goin' to or even where you've been
Battery operated - With a beep-beep sound
Push button activated - You'll never catch her runnin' around
She don't try to be like a TV star
Her mystery action won't go that far
The way she's acting is a mystery to me
[Instrumental]
My baby got a mystery action
Well she's lookin' like a fatal attraction
So I call her on the telephone
Say won't you come on round
It's cold out so were stayin' at home
I gotta say out loud
Battery operated - she got flashing lights
Push button activated - she got no time for fussin' and fights
She don't try to be like a TV star
Her mystery action won't go that far
The way she's acting is a mystery to me
The way she's acting is a mystery to me
The way she's acting is a mystery to me
The Rezillos's song "Mystery Action" is about a person's fascination with their significant other's unpredictable behavior. The opening line, "My baby got mystery action," sets the tone for the rest of the song, as the singer describes their lover's erratic and unpredictable nature. The chorus reinforces this theme, as the singer describes their lover as battery-operated, push-button activated, and not recommended for children under three years of age. The singer is both fascinated and frustrated by their lover's actions, highlighting the idea that love can be simultaneously thrilling and maddening.
The instrumental section of the song creates a sense of urgency and excitement, perfectly mirroring the singer's emotional state. The repetition of the lines "The way she's acting is a mystery to me" in the final verse reinforces the theme of the song and drives home the central point that the singer is unsure of their lover's motivations or intentions. Overall, "Mystery Action" is a clever pop-punk tune that captures the complexity and uncertainty of human relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
My baby got mystery action
My partner has a certain level of unpredictability and intensity that is exciting and intriguing.
Well she lookin' like a fatal attraction
Her appearance and behavior have a danger and attractiveness that cannot be ignored.
So I call her on the telephone
I communicate with her by phone to invite her to come over.
Say won't you come on round
I ask her to come over to my place.
It's cold out so were stayin' at home
Because the weather is unpleasant, we will stay indoors.
I gotta say out loud
I have to express my feelings about her openly.
Battery operated - She got flashing lights
She is like an electronic toy with flashing lights that requires batteries to function.
Push button activated - She got no time for fussin' and fights
She is controlled by simple button inputs and avoids conflicts and arguments.
She's not recommended by a problem page
She would not be recommended as a solution to a relationship problem.
For children under three years of age
As if she is a toy, she is not suitable for those who are young and inexperienced.
She never far away but she's always out of sight
She is always present in my life, but her intentions and movements are often unclear.
Yeah baby I'm your mister reaction
I am willing to provide a responsive and passionate reaction to her behavior.
My mind is aching and it's missing a fraction
I am genuinely puzzled and concerned about the enigmatic nature of her thoughts and actions.
Now you're doin' what you always do bump and go and scream
Her behavior is typically erratic and frenzied, moving quickly from one activity to the next.
You don't know where you're goin' to or even where you've been
Her movements are often impulsive and unpredictable, without clear purpose or direction.
Battery operated - With a beep-beep sound
As if she is a mechanical device, she operates with a distinctive beep-beep sound.
Push button activated - You'll never catch her runnin' around
She responds only to specific inputs and cannot be easily pursued or caught.
She don't try to be like a TV star
She is not attempting to conform to popular standards of behavior or appearance.
Her mystery action won't go that far
Her enigmatic behavior is not necessarily a problem, and does not extend to extreme or harmful actions.
The way she's acting is a mystery to me
I am still unsure of the root cause and motivations behind her actions.
Contributed by Lucas H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.