Forgotten Favorites: Banararama’s “Really Saying Something”

Bananarama: Really Saying Something in 1981 (YouTube)

Before you scoff, remember this: Bananarama were once backup singers for punk bands and were discovered by ex-members of the Sex Pistols.

Original members Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward and Sara Dalin were childhood friends living together in London in the late ’70′s when they first got involved in the music business.

Their first brushes with greatness were when they would sing backup at shows in the London underground scene with the likes of the Jam and Iggy Pop.

In 1981, they were living above a rehearsal studio when they were discovered by its occupants, former Sex Pistols Steve Jones and Paul Cook.

Before they hit the charts in the US, they released their first album in the UK, Deep Sea Skiving, which contained several Brit hits including “Really Saying Something.”

A cover of the old Motown tune done by the Velvelettes, the Bananarama version (with the help of Fun Boy Three) made it onto quite a number of college radio stations before the band went mainstream.

Hardly punk but a great pop tune just the same.

Don’t forget to check out other ‘Forgotten Favorites’ here…