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Appreciate: Was Not Was - Shake Your Head (Madonna Version)


Elysium

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I remember when this hit the UK charts in 1992 - I really liked the version with Kim Basinger's vocals but once I found out that Madonna performed the original vocals earlier in 1982 the song became WAY better.

Apparently Madonna refused to grant Was Not Was permission to release the version including her vocals. Does anyone know why?

I know a few Madonna fans who actually prefer the version with Basinger's vocals. Who gave the best female vocals on this song?

Such a fun, silly, sexy, dancey track.

http://www.muzu.tv/was-not-was/shake-your-head-music-video/236999/

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Was not Was ended up rejecting Madonna's vocals back in the early 80s when she recorded it for them. They thought she was a poor vocalist and that she wouldn't go far.

Then in 1992 they wanted to release a retrospective and thought including a Madonna song would be good to promote it. So after dissing her years before they were now happy to ride on her coat tails.

TUTBMP was not far from release and Madonna didn't want a ten year old and rejected track stealing the spotlight so she vetoed it.

In revenge WasNotWas asked Kim Bassinger to record it. Oliver Stone was given the go ahead in 92 to film Evita. Oliver's preferred choice to play Eva was Kim and Kim said in an interview that she could both sing and act better than Madonna. WasNotWas only selected Kim because of her rivalry with Madonna for the Evita job.

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Was not Was ended up rejecting Madonna's vocals back in the early 80s when she recorded it for them. They thought she was a poor vocalist and that she wouldn't go far.

Then in 1992 they wanted to release a retrospective and thought including a Madonna song would be good to promote it. So after dissing her years before they were now happy to ride on her coat tails.

TUTBMP was not far from release and Madonna didn't want a ten year old and rejected track stealing the spotlight so she vetoed it.

In revenge WasNotWas asked Kim Bassinger to record it. Oliver Stone was given the go ahead in 92 to film Evita. Oliver's preferred choice to play Eva was Kim and Kim said in an interview that she could both sing and act better than Madonna. WasNotWas only selected Kim because of her rivalry with Madonna for the Evita job.

So basically WasNotWas were a bunch of cunts?

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So basically WasNotWas were a bunch of cunts?

Lol, yes it looks like it!

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Was not Was ended up rejecting Madonna's vocals back in the early 80s when she recorded it for them. They thought she was a poor vocalist and that she wouldn't go far.

Then in 1992 they wanted to release a retrospective and thought including a Madonna song would be good to promote it. So after dissing her years before they were now happy to ride on her coat tails.

TUTBMP was not far from release and Madonna didn't want a ten year old and rejected track stealing the spotlight so she vetoed it.

In revenge WasNotWas asked Kim Bassinger to record it. Oliver Stone was given the go ahead in 92 to film Evita. Oliver's preferred choice to play Eva was Kim and Kim said in an interview that she could both sing and act better than Madonna. WasNotWas only selected Kim because of her rivalry with Madonna for the Evita job.

Thanks for putting it into perspective. Wow - so Was Not Was were calculating assholes basically? I read somewhere in an interview they did that they felt they couldn't identify with female vocalists or something along those lines. Very strange!

I personally feel the Madonna version has more character and girlishness compared to the sultry Kim version which is also great.

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So basically WasNotWas were a bunch of cunts?

You hit the nail on the head! :rotfl:

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Was not Was ended up rejecting Madonna's vocals back in the early 80s when she recorded it for them. They thought she was a poor vocalist and that she wouldn't go far.

Then in 1992 they wanted to release a retrospective and thought including a Madonna song would be good to promote it. So after dissing her years before they were now happy to ride on her coat tails.

TUTBMP was not far from release and Madonna didn't want a ten year old and rejected track stealing the spotlight so she vetoed it.

In revenge WasNotWas asked Kim Bassinger to record it. Oliver Stone was given the go ahead in 92 to film Evita. Oliver's preferred choice to play Eva was Kim and Kim said in an interview that she could both sing and act better than Madonna. WasNotWas only selected Kim because of her rivalry with Madonna for the Evita job.

Stupid cunts, lol.

This song is fantastic and I love the Madonna-only demo version. I think it would've been a great transition from Rescue Me / TUTBMP to the Erotica era. It has a similar house tune as many of the Erotica songs, but it's more cheeky and fun that most of the songs on that album. Thanks for reminding people of it's existence, @@Elysium!

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I remember when this hit the UK charts in 1992 - I really liked the version with Kim Basinger's vocals but once I found out that Madonna performed the original vocals earlier in 1982 the song became WAY better.

Apparently Madonna refused to grant Was Not Was permission to release the version including her vocals. Does anyone know why?

I know a few Madonna fans who actually prefer the version with Basinger's vocals. Who gave the best female vocals on this song?

Such a fun, silly, sexy, dancey track.

http://www.muzu.tv/was-not-was/shake-your-head-music-video/236999/

I've always loved this song. I didn't know Kim was even involved. Can someone type up the lyrics now that we're discussing it...and how did Ozzy get involved in this?

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You can't argue with death
Can't break a burly sailor's neck
You can't drink lava from plastic glasses
And you can't influence the masses
Can't tune a radio to heaven
You can't live seven lives
You can't win money at the horses
And you can't fight the armed forces

Shake your head
Shake your head
Shake your head
Shake your head
Let's go to bed

You can't feed the hungry
Can't talk Shakespeare to a monkey
You can't ban the bomb
And there's no way to stay calm
You can't sue Buddah for libel
You can't rewrite the Bible
You can't hit homers like Babe Ruth
And yan't put your finger on the truth

Shake your head
Shake your head
Shake your head
Shake your head
Let's go to bed

ooh, uhuh

And you can't influence
And you can't influence
And you can't influence
mmm, let's go to bed

You can't sing underwater
You can't have the boss' daughter
You can't make missles out of mud
You can't purify bad blood

You can't feed hungry
You can't pretend to have fun
You can't read a robot's mind
Can't expect vultures to be kind

Shake your head
Shake your head
Shake your head
Shake your head
Let's go to bed

Let's go to bed
ooh, let's go to bed

*Bear in mind there are minor differences in lyrics depending on which version of the song you're listening to.

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Was not Was ended up rejecting Madonna's vocals back in the early 80s when she recorded it for them. They thought she was a poor vocalist and that she wouldn't go far.

Then in 1992 they wanted to release a retrospective and thought including a Madonna song would be good to promote it. So after dissing her years before they were now happy to ride on her coat tails.

TUTBMP was not far from release and Madonna didn't want a ten year old and rejected track stealing the spotlight so she vetoed it.

In revenge WasNotWas asked Kim Bassinger to record it. Oliver Stone was given the go ahead in 92 to film Evita. Oliver's preferred choice to play Eva was Kim and Kim said in an interview that she could both sing and act better than Madonna. WasNotWas only selected Kim because of her rivalry with Madonna for the Evita job.

Great info! I knew some of it but forgot all that. Academy Award winner Kim does have a very good voice but she never used it much.

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I love this track and have done since release, I remember reading in Smash Hits at the time that Madonna had something to do with the original.

Just in case you didn't know the Steve Silk Hurley Dub with Madonna can be found here on CD:

http://www.discogs.com/Was-Not-Was-Somewhere-In-America-Theres-A-Street-Named-After-My-Dad/release/1016608

The full 12" Steve Silk Hurley vocal mix can be found here on Vinyl and cassette versions only of "Now Dance '92" (there is an equivalent CD release but it had the radio edit which was Kim Bassinger)

http://www.discogs.com/Various-Now-Dance-92/release/566373

I have these releases so can verify that they are definitely the Madonna vocals, it is especially noticeable as her when she says "you can't put your finger on the truth" and also "mmm, let's go to bed"

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I love this track but Was not Was are total cunts. I had an argument with David Weiss (half of Was with his bro) on Facebook. the nasty things he said about Madonna around Superbowl. I proved him wrong on every point and he had to admit he was bitter she did not allowed them to release what would have saved their failing career after rejecting her when she needed a boost. Total prick.

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I didn't know about this track at all. And Silk Harley has been with Madonna in other songs, right?

I don't find it that great, sorry. She has like 400 songs better.

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Was not Was ended up rejecting Madonna's vocals back in the early 80s when she recorded it for them. They thought she was a poor vocalist and that she wouldn't go far.

Then in 1992 they wanted to release a retrospective and thought including a Madonna song would be good to promote it. So after dissing her years before they were now happy to ride on her coat tails.

TUTBMP was not far from release and Madonna didn't want a ten year old and rejected track stealing the spotlight so she vetoed it.

In revenge WasNotWas asked Kim Bassinger to record it. Oliver Stone was given the go ahead in 92 to film Evita. Oliver's preferred choice to play Eva was Kim and Kim said in an interview that she could both sing and act better than Madonna. WasNotWas only selected Kim because of her rivalry with Madonna for the Evita job.

So glad that Madge rejected them.

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I mean, wtf were they expecting? They re-recorded the song because they didn't like her vocals, and thought she would go nowhere, and suddenly when she is the biggest thing in the world they are expecting her to oblige? I would have said no as well.

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I love this track and have done since release, I remember reading in Smash Hits at the time that Madonna had something to do with the original.

Just in case you didn't know the Steve Silk Hurley Dub with Madonna can be found here on CD:

http://www.discogs.com/Was-Not-Was-Somewhere-In-America-Theres-A-Street-Named-After-My-Dad/release/1016608

The full 12" Steve Silk Hurley vocal mix can be found here on Vinyl and cassette versions only of "Now Dance '92" (there is an equivalent CD release but it had the radio edit which was Kim Bassinger)

http://www.discogs.com/Various-Now-Dance-92/release/566373

I have these releases so can verify that they are definitely the Madonna vocals, it is especially noticeable as her when she says "you can't put your finger on the truth" and also "mmm, let's go to bed"

Brilliant! I wasn't sure where the hell it came from, I only found it via youtube a few years ago. I was under the impression an old 12" had leaked with the Madonna vocal but otherwise it was unavilable commercially.

The original 1983 version sounds like it has Madonna in the background.. also like that but their stuff with Miss CRISTINA Monet remains best :wow:

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Was not Was ended up rejecting Madonna's vocals back in the early 80s when she recorded it for them. They thought she was a poor vocalist and that she wouldn't go far.

Then in 1992 they wanted to release a retrospective and thought including a Madonna song would be good to promote it. So after dissing her years before they were now happy to ride on her coat tails.

TUTBMP was not far from release and Madonna didn't want a ten year old and rejected track stealing the spotlight so she vetoed it.

In revenge WasNotWas asked Kim Bassinger to record it. Oliver Stone was given the go ahead in 92 to film Evita. Oliver's preferred choice to play Eva was Kim and Kim said in an interview that she could both sing and act better than Madonna. WasNotWas only selected Kim because of her rivalry with Madonna for the Evita job.

Thanks Nightcutter, remember this as well. As Popeline mentioned, they have always been bitter about Madonna since, even though they were trashing her for years before and after her refusal. Regarding Kim Basinger, it is hilarious now that her daughter Ireland is a huge Madonna fan. Read an interview with her and she mentioned about loving Madonna.

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