Baggy Trousers
Encyclopedia
"Baggy Trousers" is a song by English
ska/pop band Madness
from their 1980 album Absolutely. It was written by lead singer Suggs
and guitarist Chris Foreman
, and reminisces on school days. (Mike Barson
also received a writing credit in error, the correct McPherson/Foreman credit being used for subsequent releases). The band first began performing the song at live shows in April 1980.
It was released as a single on September 5, 1980 and spent 20 weeks in UK charts, reaching a high of #3. It was the 11th best-selling single of 1980 in the UK.
The music video of this song was shot in a school and park of Kentish Town
. The band's saxophone
player, Lee Thompson
decided he wanted to fly through the air for his solo, with the use of wires hanging from a crane. The resulting shot is one of the most popular of any Madness music videos. Thompson recreated the moment live at the band's reunion concert in 1992, Madstock!
, during the band's 2007 Christmas tour, the 2009 Glastonbury Festival
as well as at a 2011 TV advert for Kronenbourg 1664 in which an aging group plays a slow version of Baggy Trousers.
The video was met with a great critical response from the public, and was particularly important as it now allowed television shows such as Top of the Pops
to show the band's music video, taking strain off the band. Following the release of "Baggy Trousers", the public began to anticipate future Madness music videos.
(a.k.a. The Heavy Heavy Hits), Complete Madness
, It's... Madness
, Total Madness
, The Business
and Our House: the Best of Madness. Its only appearance on a US Madness compilation is on Ultimate Collection.
The song was featured in the 2001 film "Mean Machine", and was included in the accompanying soundtrack
.
In 2011 the song was slowed down to half its normal speed and was used for an advert for Kronenbourg 1664 'Slow' campaign.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
ska/pop band Madness
Madness (band)
In 1979, the band recorded the Lee Thompson composition "The Prince". The song, like the band's name, paid homage to their idol, Prince Buster. The song was released through 2 Tone Records, the label of The Specials founder Jerry Dammers. The song was a surprise hit, peaking in the UK music charts...
from their 1980 album Absolutely. It was written by lead singer Suggs
Suggs (singer)
Graham McPherson , better known as Suggs, is an English singer, actor, former radio DJ, TV personality, and most famous as the frontman of the band Madness.-Early life:...
and guitarist Chris Foreman
Chris Foreman
Chris Foreman , nicknamed Chrissy Boy, is an English guitarist, best known as a member of a second wave ska band, Madness.Foreman started Madness with Mike Barson and Lee Thompson in 1976...
, and reminisces on school days. (Mike Barson
Mike Barson
Michael "Mike" Barson is a British musician, best known as a founding member and keyboardist of the second wave ska band, Madness.-Biography:...
also received a writing credit in error, the correct McPherson/Foreman credit being used for subsequent releases). The band first began performing the song at live shows in April 1980.
It was released as a single on September 5, 1980 and spent 20 weeks in UK charts, reaching a high of #3. It was the 11th best-selling single of 1980 in the UK.
Music video
Kentish Town
Kentish Town is an area of north west London, England in the London Borough of Camden.-History:The most widely accepted explanation of the name of Kentish Town is that it derived from 'Ken-ditch' meaning the 'bed of a waterway'...
. The band's saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
player, Lee Thompson
Lee Jay Thompson
Lee Jay Thompson , nicknamed Kix or El Thommo, is an English musician, best known as the saxophonist and songwriter of the second wave ska band, Madness....
decided he wanted to fly through the air for his solo, with the use of wires hanging from a crane. The resulting shot is one of the most popular of any Madness music videos. Thompson recreated the moment live at the band's reunion concert in 1992, Madstock!
Madstock!
- Personnel :* Suggs – lead vocals* Mike Barson – keyboards* Lee Thompson – saxophone, backing vocals* Chris Foreman – guitar* Mark Bedford – bass* Daniel Woodgate – drums* Chas Smash – backing vocals, trumpet...
, during the band's 2007 Christmas tour, the 2009 Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
as well as at a 2011 TV advert for Kronenbourg 1664 in which an aging group plays a slow version of Baggy Trousers.
The video was met with a great critical response from the public, and was particularly important as it now allowed television shows such as Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
to show the band's music video, taking strain off the band. Following the release of "Baggy Trousers", the public began to anticipate future Madness music videos.
Appearances
In addition to its single release and appearance on the album Absolutely, "Baggy Trousers" also appears on the Madness collections Divine MadnessDivine Madness (Madness album)
Divine Madness is the 1992 greatest hits album from the British ska/pop band Madness. It presents the group's single A-sides in chronological order, though sometimes in their LP rather than single versions....
(a.k.a. The Heavy Heavy Hits), Complete Madness
Complete Madness
Complete Madness is the first greatest hits album by ska/pop group Madness. It was released in 1982 and included Madness' biggest hits from their first three studio albums and all the stand-alone singles. Complete Madness spent 99 weeks on the UK charts peaking at number 1...
, It's... Madness
It's... Madness
It's... Madness is a compilation album by the British pop band Madness released in 1990. It combines some of the band's hit singles and b-sides. A sequel to this, It's.....
, Total Madness
Total Madness - the Very Best of Madness
Total Madness - the Very Best of Madness is a greatest hits album by a British ska/pop band Madness. It was released in 1997 in United States only.-Track listing:# "Our House"# "It Must Be Love"# "Tomorrow's "# "Shut Up"# "Grey Day"...
, The Business
The Business - the Definitive Singles Collection
The Business – the Definitive Singles Collection is a 3 disc box set by ska/pop band Madness released in 1993 . It contained all the band's singles up until that point with their respective b-sides and other bonus tracks, some rare. It also includes a 52 page booklet and snippets of interviews with...
and Our House: the Best of Madness. Its only appearance on a US Madness compilation is on Ultimate Collection.
The song was featured in the 2001 film "Mean Machine", and was included in the accompanying soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
.
In 2011 the song was slowed down to half its normal speed and was used for an advert for Kronenbourg 1664 'Slow' campaign.
Track listing
- "Baggy Trousers" (McPhersonSuggs (singer)Graham McPherson , better known as Suggs, is an English singer, actor, former radio DJ, TV personality, and most famous as the frontman of the band Madness.-Early life:...
/ForemanChris ForemanChris Foreman , nicknamed Chrissy Boy, is an English guitarist, best known as a member of a second wave ska band, Madness.Foreman started Madness with Mike Barson and Lee Thompson in 1976...
/BarsonMike BarsonMichael "Mike" Barson is a British musician, best known as a founding member and keyboardist of the second wave ska band, Madness.-Biography:...
) - 2:46 - "The Business" (Barson) - 3:14