New Wave Outpost Forum

Lots of Rock songs are called "Rock 'n' Roll" or use that phrase
somewhere in their lyrics. Not so with new wave. The only new wave
song I can think of that uses the term "new wave" in the title or
lyrics is "New Wave Girls" by 4 out of 5 Doctors. Was the dearth
because the term "new wave" was never really embraced by new wave artists?

The English Beat's "Rotating Head" contains the lines,

"Understand, underhand, underarm protection
Each new passer-by a new wave of suspicion."

If this refers to the musical genre they're being pretty oblique
about it.

New Romantic band Duran Duran's "Planet Earth" contains the line,

"Like some new romantic looking for the TV sound,"

which could be a musical genre reference.

A few other 80's songs use the phrase "new wave" in their lyrics.

Accused wanna-be new waver Billy Joel's "Still Rock n Roll to Me"
contains the lines:

"Next phase, new wave, dance craze, anyways
It's still rock and roll to me,"

clearly a reference to the genre.

A few non-new wavers also weighed in lyrically. Canadian Corporate rockers Loverboy pondered 1980's musical trends in "The Kid Is Hot Tonight";

"We just heard of a brand new wave
We heard it’s headin’ for an early grave
We’ll have to wait and see if there’s anything we can save."

Fellow northerner Bryan Adams was downright derisive in 1984's "Kids Wanna Rock":

"Turned on the radio
Sounded like a disco
Musta turned the dial for a couple of miles
But I couldn’t find no rock ’n roll
This computerized crap ain’t gettin’ me off
Everywhere I go the kids wanna rock
London to L.A.
Talkin’ ’bout the new wave
For a couple of bucks you get a weird haircut
And waste your life away"

The last 80's song I'm aware of containing the phrase "new wave" is
The Beastie Boys' "Girls":

"Girls - that's all I really want is girls
Two at a time - I want girls
With new wave hairdos - I want girls"

Going into the 90's and beyond you can finde scattered references from
several alt-rockers (e.g. Nerf Herder), but I'm not interested in these.

Have I missed any?

4 Out Of 5 Doctors - New Wave Girls

That's a great one!

Not a 80's song and not even new wave but it made me think of the song from the Matthew Good Band "I Miss New Wave".

Utopia had "Last Of The New Wave Riders" on their Adventures In Utopia album.

Ms. Kim Wilde, in "Kids in America":

"New York to East California/there's a new wave coming, I warn ya...."

A wretched rhyme, that. But such a beautiful song.

--fxc

Billy Joel's "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me" contains:

"Next phase, New Wave, dance craze, anyways it's still rock and roll to me".

Gary Numan's song "Moral" contains:

"These New Romantics are oh so boring, I could swear I've been there once or twice before".

[quote][i]Originally posted by thefxc[/i]
<br>
Ms. Kim Wilde, in "Kids in America":

"New York to East California/there's a new wave coming, I warn ya...."

A wretched rhyme, that. But such a beautiful song.

--fxc
[/quote]

Ack! How did I miss that one? Thanks. It is a great song. BTW, Bow Wow Wow also rhymes "California" with "warn ya" in "Do You Want To Hold Me".

Not really a "New Wave" mention per se, but the New Romantics movement gets mentioned in Duran Duran's "Planet Earth": "...Like some new romantic looking for the TV sound / You'll see I'm right some other time, love."

You referenced the Billy Joel Song.

Weird Al did a parody called "It's Stilly Billy Joel to Me" with the following lyrics with references to both punk and new wave:

"It's Still Billy Joel To Me"

What's the matter with the songs he's singin'
Can't you tell that they're pretty lame
After listenin' to a couple albums
Well, they all start to sound the same

So he tried to change his musical style
He tossed all his ballads in the circular file
Then he found the punk sound
Breakin' ground all around
It's still Billy Joel to me

* * *

Now everybody thinks the new wave is super
Just ask Linda Ronstadt or even Alice Cooper
It's a big hit, isn't it
Even if it's a piece of junk
It's still Billy Joel to me

Funny stuff!

Thanks, red. Love W.A.Y. but haven't heard that one. Sounds right on. Gotta get that one on mp3...

[quote][i]Originally posted by scramjet[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by thefxc[/i]
<br>
Ms. Kim Wilde, in "Kids in America":

"New York to East California/there's a new wave coming, I warn ya...."

A wretched rhyme, that. But such a beautiful song.

--fxc
[/quote]

"California/Warn Ya" was first used in Tommy in 1969--the song "Sally Simpson."

Ack! How did I miss that one? Thanks. It is a great song. BTW, Bow Wow Wow also rhymes "California" with "warn ya" in "Do You Want To Hold Me".


[/quote]

The Nails "88 Lines About 44 Women"

Bobbie joined a new wave band,
and changed her name to Bobbie-sox.