Bananarama

Bananarama are a London-based pop group formed in 1979 and active since then. The line-up centres on Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward, with Siobhan Fahey and Jacquie O'Sullivan also part of the group at different points. Their work spans dance, dance-pop, electronic, electropop, hi-NRG and new wave.

History

The group begins as a trio of friends: Dallin, Fahey and Woodward. Fahey later leaves and forms Shakespears Sister, and O'Sullivan joins in early 1988. O'Sullivan leaves in 1991, after which Dallin and Woodward continue as a duo. A one-off reunion tour that includes Fahey takes place in 2017.

Chart success and recognition

Bananarama first draw attention as guest vocalists on Fun Boy Three’s UK Top 5 single “It Ain’t What You Do (It’s the Way That You Do It)” in 1982. Between 1982 and 2009, they place 32 singles in the UK Top 50, and they are listed in the Guinness World Records for the highest number of chart entries by an all-female group. In the United States, they are part of the MTV-led Second British Invasion and place eleven singles on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1983 and 1988.

Their early UK hits with the original line-up include “Really Saying Something” and “Shy Boy” in 1982, “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” and “Cruel Summer” in 1983, “Robert De Niro’s Waiting...” and “Rough Justice” in 1984, and “Venus” in 1986, which reaches number one in the US. Further singles from 1987 include “I Heard a Rumour,” “Love in the First Degree” and “I Can’t Help It.”

With O'Sullivan in the line-up, they continue to score UK hits with “I Want You Back,” “Love, Truth and Honesty” and “Nathan Jones” in 1988, “Help!” in 1989, “Only Your Love” and “Preacher Man” in 1990, and “Long Train Runnin’” in 1991. As a duo, they reach the UK Top 30 with “Movin’ On” in 1992, “More, More, More” in 1993, and “Move in My Direction” and “Look on the Floor (Hypnotic Tango)” in 2005.

Albums and awards

Their studio albums include Deep Sea Skiving (1983), Bananarama (1984), True Confessions (1986), Wow! (1987), Pop Life (1991), Please Yourself (1993), Ultra Violet (1995), Exotica (2001), Drama (2005), Viva (2009), In Stereo (2019) and Masquerade (2022). Wow! tops the Australian ARIA albums chart in June 1988. They also receive Brit Award nominations for Best British Single for “Love in the First Degree” and Best Music Video for “Nathan Jones.”

Charity recordings

The original trio appears on the 1984 Band Aid single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” The later trio with O'Sullivan performs on Band Aid II’s 1989 version, which also reaches number one in the UK. They also record “Help!” in 1989 with Lananeeneenoonoo for Comic Relief.