Sunday, 10 February 2019

Bananarama: Cruel Summer vs Robert de Niro's Waiting

Over on twitter, the Bananarama Singles Battle is continuing....


Both songs are often mentioned in articles celebrating the most memorable songs from the eighties.  Which will you choose?

Cruel Summer (1983/84)


  • Cruel Summer is the 8th single featuring Bananarama, if you take into account their collaboration with Fun Boy Three and the Japan only single 'He's Got Tact'.  The song was recorded in 1983 and released in the UK in June of that year.
  • The now iconic video was filmed in New York and features the girls fixing a car, hijacking a truck and being chased by the NYPD.  The video ends with a dance competition on top of a building overlooking the New York skyline.
  • Famously, the song was featured in the classic eighties film, 'The Karate Kid' but not on the soundtrack album. It was released in the USA in 1984.
  • The song was a huge success all over the world reaching the top 10 in countries such as UK, France, Ireland, South Africa and the USA.
  • The song is often regarded as one of the best singles from the eighties having been placed in both VH1 and Billboard listings, amongst others.



Robert de Niros Waiting (1984)


  • Robert de Niro's Waiting is the second single from Bananarama's second album.
  • The video features a Robert de Niro look-a-like who is armed with a violin case, which is later revealed to contain pizza.
  • The single was produced in various versions; including separate picture discs and coloured vinyl versions.
  • Robert asked to meet them after hearing about the song.  He famously telephoned Bananarama and they initially didn't believe it was him!  Robert also 'allegedly' took a shine to one of them.
  • The song rose to number 3 in the UK charts, making it one of Bananarama's best performing and selling UK singles.


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