Piece of the Action
Encyclopedia
Piece of the Action is the second single by pop group Bucks Fizz
, the follow-up to the Eurovision
-winning song "Making Your Mind Up
". It was released in May 1981 and became a top 20 hit.
, Bill Kimber was keen to see Bucks Fizz continue successfully, as he later recalled;
, the producer went through a number of songs, eventually deciding on "Piece of the Action". Released in May 1981, the single reached number 12 during a 9-week run in the UK charts and was certified silver. As a Eurovision follow-up, this was the highest chart placing ever achieved by an artist, the contest being notorious for producing one-hit wonders.
The song's lyrics concern a man who is desperate to gain the attention of a woman to be a part of her exciting life. The Promotional Video of the song features the group in a variety of outfits and performing the routine in a night club-like setting. Much thought was put into the image for the group at this time, with the group's creator Nichola Martin deciding on khaki
, rather than jeans or leather as it was not so obvious and was currently in fashion. They wore this for the night club scenes in the video and also for their soon to be released album cover.
The song was written and produced by Andy Hill and was the opening track on their first album, Bucks Fizz
. A demo version of the song was later uncovered and included on the group's 2008 compilation, The Lost Masters 2 - The Final Cut.
"Piece of the Action" was covered by the Bay City Rollers
in 1983 as a Japanese-only single release.
Bucks Fizz (band)
Bucks Fizz are an English pop group who achieved success in the 1980s, most notably for winning the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Making Your Mind Up". The group was formed in January 1981 specifically for the contest and comprised four vocalists: Bobby G, Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and...
, the follow-up to the Eurovision
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
-winning song "Making Your Mind Up
Making Your Mind Up
"Making Your Mind Up" is a song by British pop group Bucks Fizz. It was the winner of the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest and a UK Number-one single...
". It was released in May 1981 and became a top 20 hit.
Overview
Following the group's success at the Eurovision Song Contest, their record company, who had signed them for an album deal, were keen to release a follow-up single. "Piece of the Action" had already been recorded by the group prior to the contest and was seen as the perfect pop vehicle to move them away from the rock and roll style of "Making Your Mind Up". Executive with RCA RecordsRCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
, Bill Kimber was keen to see Bucks Fizz continue successfully, as he later recalled;
"One thing that happens with Eurovision groups is that they have one single as a result of the contest and then they quickly throw out another single which isn't good enough and everybody forgets them. With Bucks Fizz we worked very hard to get a song that was strong and had good value radio-wise, commercially and was well-produced."He and Andy Hill
Andy Hill (composer)
Andy Hill is a British music producer and songwriter who scored many hits during the 1980s and 90s...
, the producer went through a number of songs, eventually deciding on "Piece of the Action". Released in May 1981, the single reached number 12 during a 9-week run in the UK charts and was certified silver. As a Eurovision follow-up, this was the highest chart placing ever achieved by an artist, the contest being notorious for producing one-hit wonders.
The song's lyrics concern a man who is desperate to gain the attention of a woman to be a part of her exciting life. The Promotional Video of the song features the group in a variety of outfits and performing the routine in a night club-like setting. Much thought was put into the image for the group at this time, with the group's creator Nichola Martin deciding on khaki
Khaki
This article is about the fabric. For the color, see Khaki . Kaki, another name for the persimmon, is often misspelled "Khaki".Khaki is a type of fabric or the color of such fabric...
, rather than jeans or leather as it was not so obvious and was currently in fashion. They wore this for the night club scenes in the video and also for their soon to be released album cover.
The song was written and produced by Andy Hill and was the opening track on their first album, Bucks Fizz
Bucks Fizz (album)
Bucks Fizz is the debut album by British pop group Bucks Fizz. Released in 1981, it features their Eurovision-winning song "Making Your Mind Up" as well as the two follow-up singles "Piece of the Action" and "One of Those Nights"...
. A demo version of the song was later uncovered and included on the group's 2008 compilation, The Lost Masters 2 - The Final Cut.
"Piece of the Action" was covered by the Bay City Rollers
Bay City Rollers
The Bay City Rollers were a Scottish pop band who were most popular in the 1970s. The British Hit Singles & Albums noted that they were "tartan teen sensations from Edinburgh", and were "the first of many acts heralded as the 'Biggest Group since The Beatles' and one of the most screamed-at...
in 1983 as a Japanese-only single release.
Track listing
- "Piece of the Action" (Andy Hill) (3.38)
- "Took it to the Limit" (Andy Hill / Nichola Martin) (3.46)
Chart positions
| Country | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK | 12 |
| Ireland | 10 |
| The Netherlands | 26 |
| Austria | 11 |
| Germany | 35 |
| Australia | 26 |
| New Zealand | 31 |