In 1977, the original Thompson Twins lineup consisted of Tom Bailey (born January 18, 1956, in Halifax, Yorkshire) on bass and vocals, Pete Dodd on guitar and vocals, John Roog on guitar, and Jon Podgorski (known as "Pod") on drums. Dodd and Roog first met when they were both 13 years old.
After moving to London but having so little money, they lived as squatters in Lillieshall Road, London. Future Thompson Twins' member, Alannah Currie, lived in another squat in the same street — which is how she met Bailey. It was in this ramshackle and run-down house that they found an illegal way of "borrowing" electricity from the house next door. Bailey described themselves (laughingly) as "spongers" (meaning parasites) back then, as they were living on very little, and scavenging everything they could lay their hands on. He even said that the only instruments they had were bought, or had been "stolen or borrowed". Dodd managed to get a council flat not far away. Their roadie at that time was John Hade, who lived in the same house, and who later became their manager.
As "Pod" Podgorski had decided to stay in the north, they auditoned for drummers at The Point Studio in Victoria, London. Dick O'Dell (Disco Dell) the manager of The Pop Group and The Slits also had an office in the same building. Andrew Edge joined them on drums for less than one year, but left because of the subliminal tension between the other band members. Edge went on to join Savage Progress, who later toured with the Thompson Twins as their support act on the 1984 UK tour.
By 1981, the line-up was Bailey, Dodd, Roog and three new members: Chris Bell on drums, Joe Leeway on congas and percussion, and Jane Shorter on saxophone. This line up recorded the first Thompson Twins album A Product of ... (Participation). Currie, who had been hanging out with the band for a few years, played and sang on the first album, but was not yet a full member.
Bell admitted in the beginning that he was "not a drummer at all," but with the encouragement and help of Bailey he steadily improved to provide a solid back-beat. The group's personnel eventually rose to as many as eleven members, who often invited enthusiastic audience members onstage to pound on makeshift percussion instruments.
After the first album, the band's line-up shifted yet again. Saxophone player Shorter dropped out, Currie was made an official member, and added was bassist Matthew Seligman, a former member of The Soft Boys. Bailey, meanwhile, moved to keyboards and became the band's lead vocalist, with Leeway being vocalist on some tracks.
The band signed to Arista Records and released the album Set. Thomas Dolby played some keyboards, such as the Oberheim, on Set and some live gigs, as Bailey had little experience with synthesizers before then.
Set contained the single "In The Name Of Love", sung and largely written by Bailey. It became a substantial dance club hit in the U.S., and the Set album would be released as In The Name Of Love in the U.S. to capitalize on the song's popularity. It entered the Billboard 200.
After the success of "In The Name Of Love", Bailey, Currie and Leeway, wanting to pursue the single's different sound, toyed with the idea of starting a new band on the side, which they planned to call "The Bermuda Triangle". When the single and album failed to make a substantial impact in the UK charts, manager Hade convinced Bailey, Leeway and Currie to downsize the Thompson Twins to a core of the three in April 1982. On UK TV, Seligman explained it so:
“ We were all given a piece of paper that we had to sign, which said that we were to be paid 500 pounds, and we could keep our instruments and equipment. It sounded like quite a good deal at the time..." ”
All the former members are still on friendly speaking terms, although Dodd once had the job of delivering a keyboard to Thomas Dolby some time later, but (to Dodd's irritation) Dolby failed to recognise him.
No longer having to work out songs in beer-sodden and sweaty rehearsal rooms, as well as dealing with the opinions of other musicians, Bailey could now work on his own, and at his own pace. Unfortunately this would back-fire on him in later years, as the strain of doing almost everything led to a breakdown.
The Thompson Twins trio then decided to go abroad and to free themselves of any UK influences, as well as to combine the songwriting for their first "trio" album with a very long holiday: "We went to Egypt to be totally isolated", Currie explained. "The old version of The Thompson Twins had just split up (sic) and now there were the three of us — Tom, Joe and myself — and we needed to get some new songs written". "We were always London-based", Bailey added. "Making London-type music, for London people. It was the bane of our lives and we wanted to make a break from that. So Egypt seemed a good place to go..."
The new trio also had their share of in-fighting even after the other members had gone, Currie: "We did have terrible fights when we tried to work together. We threw things at one another and cried. It was all very traumatic, but we've worked so long together that we can cope with that. We know how to manipulate one another, you see, and stick the knife in. There's no democracy in the Thompson Twins; we run it on a totally fascist basis". "After Egypt, we went to the Bahamas" Currie commented, "but we got bored", said Leeway. "There was nothing to do but swim around and look at different coloured corals." Currie continues: "So we came back to Britain and set up a studio in the ballroom of a mansion presided over by a crazy woman in Wiltshire"
They broke into the UK Singles Chart and the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart at the beginning of 1983 with "Lies" and "Love On Your Side". Further singles from their third album Quick Step And Side Kick (called simply Side Kicks in the U.S.) followed with "We Are Detective" and "Watching". Bailey's flame-red hair and bright ponytail and Currie's wasp-swatting style at the xylophone swiftly becoming endearing images of an exciting new act. Bailey primarily wrote the music (with significant enough input from Leeway that he received co-authorship credit on all tracks), and Currie contributed most (if not all) of the lyrics. Leeway was also responsible for the band's exciting live visuals.
At the end of 1983, a new single "Hold Me Now" was released. An extremely simple love song with gentle guitar lines, it marked a clear break from the Thompson Twins' previously dance-oriented sound. It hit the top ten in both the UK and US.
Further hit singles followed in 1984: the pop hit "Doctor! Doctor!"; the quirky "You Take Me Up" (reaching number two and their biggest UK hit); the haunting "Sister of Mercy"; and "The Gap" with its Middle Eastern rhythms (this was not released in the UK). The corresponding album, Into The Gap, was one of the bestsellers of the year, selling five million units worldwide and topping the British album charts. The band also embarked on a world tour in support fo the album.
A late 1984 single, "Lay Your Hands On Me", saw the band attempt to build on their success, but an insensitive theme (showing the band draped in jewels) contrasted sharply with the prevalent theme of Live Aid currently obsessing the music press in the UK. The single did well, making the US top ten (#13 in the UK), but by then the trio had peaked.
Working on the follow up to Into The Gap, Bailey suffered a nervous breakdown. Nile Rodgers was subsequently called in to help finish the album, which appeared in 1985. Here's To Future Days (itself making the top 5 in the UK and top 20 in the US) spawned the track: "King For a Day", which made the US top ten, but only reached no.22 in the UK. Other singles included the anti-drug message "Don't Mess With Doctor Dream" (UK #15) and a cover of The Beatles' 1968 hit "Revolution". The Thompson Twins made headlines when they performed at the American-end of Live Aid and were joined on-stage by the fresh-faced Madonna, who was in only her second year of fame. The UK leg of the album's support tour had to be cancelled because of Bailey's breakdown (fans with tickets received a free live album as compensation) and the album itself was delayed by many months, causing the band to lose momentum. Despite this, the latter half of 1985 saw sell out tours for the band in the USA and Japan.
Leeway left the band in 1986, and the remaining duo of Bailey and Currie carried on making music for another seven years. 1987 saw the release of Close To the Bone and the single "Get That Love" which made it to number thirty-one in the U.S. "In The Name of Love" was given a new lease of life in 1988, after a remix by Shep Petitbone made #46 in the UK. 1989 saw the release of another album, Big Trash, and a new record deal with Warner Bros. Records. The single "Sugar Daddy" peaked at number twenty-eight in the USA and would be their last brush with mainstream chart success. 1991's Queer would be the band's swan song, and was supported by various techno-induced singles under the moniker of Feedback Max (in the UK) to disguise club DJs of the source of the records. The single "Come Inside" reached number seven in the U.S. Dance Chart and number one in the UK Dance Chart. However, once it was discovered that the Thompson Twins were behind the record, sales dropped and the album never had a UK release.
Prior to this, Bailey and Currie (now a couple) had their first child together in 1988, and in the following years they spent a lot of time writing material for other artists including the hit single "I Want That Man" for Debbie Harry. In 1991, Bailey and Currie got married in Las Vegas and the following year moved to New Zealand with their two children. In 1992, the Thompson Twins contributed the song "Play With Me" to the soundtrack of the Ralph Bakshi film Cool World; Tom Bailey alone contributed a second track, "Industry and Seduction". The following year, the group finally formally disbanded, and Bailey and Currie teamed up with engineer Keith Fernley to form a new group called Babble. The Thompson Twins have declined to follow the examples of many of their contemporaries and reform to tie-in with a nostalgic rebirth of the 1980s, although Bailey, Currie and Leeway appeared together on the UK Channel 4 show "Top Ten Electro Bands" in 2001 as the Thompson Twins were placed at no.9.
Bailey and Currie are now divorced. Bailey resides with his new wife in London. Currie is now a furniture designer. Her furniture is stuffed with animals to bring attention to the cruelty of animals used for furniture.
Judy Do
Thompson Twins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
star of the show, she's all the rage
It's sad to say they made her pay
they set her up they shot her down,
(chorus)
Yeah, judy laugh, and judy cry
Yeah, judy do, and judy die...yeah
Standing alone, wanting to run
Just one false move is all it takes
she's come too far for small mistakes
(REPEAT CHORUS)
She opened her eyes, looked at her face
she's not the prize in the paper chase
There are so few who really fly
Let's put that bright life in her eyes
(REPEAT CHORUS)
Yeah judy do
(laugh judy cry, laugh judy cry, come on judy laugh yeah hah)
Aw, judy die
Yeah judy do
(dance, dance, judy, dance, dance, judy, come on judy dance with me)
Aw, judy die
Yeah judy do
(dance with me judy, dance with me judy, come on judy dance, don't die)
Aw, judy die
Yeah judy do
(laugh judy cry, laugh judy cry, come on judy laugh yeah hah)
Aw, judy die
Yeah judy do
(dance, dance, judy, dance, dance, judy, come on judy dance so high)
Aw, judy die
Yeah judy do
(dance with me judy, dance with me judy, come on judy dance so high)
Aw, judy die
Yeah judy do
(dance with me judy, dance with me judy)
Aw, judy die
(dance with me judy, don't cry)
Thompson Twins’ song “Judy Do” is a melancholic depiction of the life of a performer trying to make it in show business. The lyrics portray a woman named Judy who has become the star of the show, the one everyone admires and desires, yet her life is not as glamorous as it appears. The song begins with her standing alone on stage, being the center of attention, but ultimately, she’s all alone. The chorus repeats the phrase “Judy laugh and Judy cry, Judy do and Judy die,” establishing the pattern of highs and lows that Judy faces in her career.
The second verse highlights Judy’s fear of failure, as there is no guarantee of success in the entertainment industry. The stakes for small mistakes are high, and one wrong move could end her career. The final verse is a reflection on the reality of achieving success in show business. The song encourages Judy to keep going, alluding to the idea that those who fly the highest generally only rise as high as they fall. The repetition of the phrase “dance with me, Judy” suggests a desire to help Judy escape the harsh reality of her job.
Line by Line Meaning
Standing alone on a stage
Judy is all alone in the spotlight and under pressure to perform.
star of the show, she's all the rage
Judy is the center of attention and admired by many.
It's sad to say they made her pay
Judy was punished for something that was not entirely her fault.
they set her up they shot her down
Judy was deliberately sabotaged and criticized by others.
Yeah, judy laugh, and judy cry
Judy experiences both happiness and sadness.
Yeah, judy do, and judy die...yeah
Judy tries her best but still meets with failure and disappointment.
Standing alone, wanting to run
Judy feels trapped and overwhelmed by her situation.
she opens her mouth but no song come
Judy can’t find the right words to say or the right way to express herself.
Just one false move is all it takes
Judy is under immense pressure to perform flawlessly.
she's come too far for small mistakes
Judy is at a pivotal point in her career where mistakes can cost her everything.
She opened her eyes, looked at her face
Judy takes a moment to look at herself and reflect on her life.
she's not the prize in the paper chase
Judy realizes that her worth is not determined by her success in the industry.
There are so few who really fly
Judy realizes that only a select few can truly succeed in this industry.
Let's put that bright life in her eyes
The singer wants to motivate Judy and bring back her enthusiasm for life.
Yeah judy do
The singer urges Judy to keep trying and not give up.
(laugh judy cry, laugh judy cry, come on judy laugh yeah hah)
Judy should try to find laughter and joy amidst the pain and sadness.
Aw, judy die
The artist acknowledges that it’s not easy to keep going and continue striving for success.
(dance, dance, judy, dance, dance, judy, come on judy dance with me)
The singer is urging Judy to enjoy life and dance with them, metaphorically suggesting that she should let go of her pain and sadness and have fun.
(dance with me judy, dance with me judy, come on judy dance, don't die)
The singer encourages Judy to keep dancing and living life to the fullest.
(dance with me judy, dance with me judy)
The artist wants to dance with Judy as a way of bringing joy and happiness to her.
(dance with me judy, don't cry)
The artist wants Judy to forget her sadness and enjoy the present moment.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALANNAH JOY CURRIE, JOSEPH MARTIN LEEWAY, TOM BAILEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mariah Cuellar
Wow.. actually here because I bought this vinyl and heard “Judy Do” for the first time and loved it from beginning to end... So bummed it’s not on Apple Music or Spotify. Crazy to think I most likely would have never listened to it if it weren’t for this vinyl I bought.
Mitch Haba
Same. Picked up a vinyl of "Side Kick" and was blown away that it wasn't available online anywhere for streaming.
Paranormresearch
They put on the best concert I have ever been too. OMD opened up for them, they are great too. I wish it was the eightys again :)
Shane Larker
Saw them with the police Berlin and the fixx
BrianGarzonio
Best song on the album!
Shane Larker
You ain't lying. Love we are detectives and watching you also. Saw them on a 4 bill. Police TT the fixx and Berlin
Wade Kingston
I agree. I've always thought it the best song on the album, and there's a video of them singing it live that's terrific as well.
mark theblue
i saw them live 3 times in the 80's. this was one of there best.
Desire123ification
A well crafted album; through the music one can feel the friendship, the love and passion. 80s #1!
delta0921
How can there be 2 thumbs down? This is such an amazing song!