Music / All Over the Place

Released in 1984, All Over the Place is the debut studio album by The Bangles, a California Power Pop group. Mostly popular on college radio at the time, All Over the Place gained the group a higher profile and set them on their way to pop stardom throughout the decade. In the wake of several uncharacteristic hits, the band's debut has developed a reputation as their best and most representative album.

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Tracklist:

1. "Hero Takes a Fall" (2:54)
2. "Live" (2:36)
3. "James" (2:36)
4. "All About You" (2:26)
5. "Dover Beach" (3:48)
6. "Tell Me" (2:15)
7. "Restless" (2:41)
8. "Going Down to Liverpool" (3:41)
9. "He's Got a Secret" (2:42)
10. "Silent Treatment" (2:07)
11. "More Than Meets the Eye" (3:19)

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Principal Members:

• Susanna Hoffs – rhythm guitar, vocals
• Vicki Peterson – lead guitar, vocals
• Debbi Peterson – drums, vocals
• Michael Steele – bass guitar

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Troping Down to Liverpool

• Anti-Love Song: "James", ye gods.
  I must have been a masochist to ever take up with you, James...
• Break-Up Song: Several songs deal with relationships on the rocks, but "Tell Me" is the clearest example.
  One, two, three abandon me
  Ain't no turning back again
  Well too bad, baby, this time you lose
  'Cause I'm movin' on
• B-Side: "Where Were You When I Needed You?", a cover song and the b-side of "Hero Takes A Fall", is a fixture of band compilations.
• Celebrity Cameo: Leonard Nimoy appears as the band's chauffeur in the "Going Down To Liverpool" video.
• Cover Version:
  • "Live" was a minor hit in 1967 for The Merry-Go-Round, a now-obscure band featuring singer-songwriter Emitt Rhodes.
  • Kimberley Rew, who wrote the song, would later re-record "Going Down To Liverpool" with his band.
• Deliberately Monochrome: The album cover.
• '80s Hair: Look at the cover, let alone the videos!
• Face on the Cover: The band sitting in an empty building.
• French Maid Outfit: A remarkably eighties-styled variant appears in the "Hero Takes A Fall" video.
• Lazy Bum:
  I'm going down to Liverpool to do nothing all the days of my life!
  • It's worth noting that a UB40 is a form for requesting unemployment benefits in England.
• Let's Duet: "Tell Me" (Susannah and Vicki), "More Than Meets The Eye" (Susannah and Debbi)
• Love Is a Weakness: "Hero Takes A Fall"
  Emotion is a virtue
  For you, it is the one fatal flaw
  Sitting on your throne and drinking,
  Thinking she'll return your call...
• Non-Appearing Title: "Dover Beach" and "Silent Treatment"
• One-Man Song: "James"
• One-Word Title: "Live" and "Restless"
• Shout-Out: "Dover Beach" is named after a famous poem by Matthew Arnold.
• Teacher/Student Romance: As per Word of God, "James" was inspired by a college professor involved with a mutual friend of the band. It clearly didn't end well.
• This Is Reality: "Dover Beach"
  The world is noone's dream
  We will never find the time...
• Vocal Tag Team: Typically for the Bangles, the lead singing duties are shared. Susannah Hoffs gets lead duties on "Hero Takes A Fall", "James", "Dover Beach", and "He's Got a Secret" while Vicki Peterson ("All About You", "Restless", "Silent Treatment") and Debbi Peterson ("Live", "Going Down To Liverpool") get turns on lead.

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