Knowledge

Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)

Source 📝

31: 321:
like an alien radio transmission beamed out to an unsuspecting planet. A gleaming, chromium nugget molded by ultra-modernist studioheads, it heralded in three and a half minutes the dramatic, bravura transformation of a band called Scritti Politti. Formerly a DIY squat
355:
were shot for the song. The first, shot in 1984, was directed by John Scarlett-Davis, who also directed the videos for "Absolute" and "The Word Girl" and features the dancing of
1149: 326:
band, they were now a group doused in glinting pop sheen. ... The resultant LP, Cupid and Psyche 85, yielded a string of radio-slaying singles ("Wood Beez...", "
488: 892: 823: 1124: 367:(who also appeared in the video for "Perfect Way"). Both versions were featured on a video compilation simply titled "Scritti Politti", released on 1074: 335: 604: 379:
by Virgin Music Video in 1986. The 1984 version is simply titled "Wood Beez", while the 1986 version is titled "Wood Beez – USA".
1139: 1134: 1119: 771: 717: 744: 1028: 387:
The extended version is subtitled "Version". It appeared on the CD release of the album and also on the 2005 compilation
1098: 885: 645: 244: 1046: 798: 627: 1154: 878: 297:, where it peaked at No. 10 in a 16-week chart run. It was also a Top 30 hit in Australia and New Zealand. 30: 1010: 356: 1144: 540: 360: 283: 1003: 989: 514: 510: 274: 51: 1129: 702: 397: 338:") that segued fluently between ultra-slick robotised funk and meticulously constructed swoonsome 996: 982: 600: 594: 568: 477: 1081: 950: 498: 402: 294: 1060: 901: 327: 287: 265: 215: 188: 175: 42: 339: 920: 913: 306: 269: 167: 152: 147: 99: 38: 1113: 1067: 945: 940: 364: 331: 677: 426:
B: "Wood Beez" (Version) – 4:43 (an edit of the "Version" which appears on the 12")
960: 352: 142: 697: 313:
In April '84, "Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)" crackled over airwaves from
965: 927: 279: 181: 82: 238: 955: 639: 161: 89: 657: 410: 376: 323: 261: 104: 678:"12"/'80s - Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" 682: 401:
to note the extended version's "ultra-brite (p)op-art stabs and gimmicky
392: 314: 859: 843: 864: 776: 749: 722: 662: 372: 318: 628:
Green Gartside Interviewed On Scritti Politti & His Welsh Heritage
799:"Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 Singles 1984" 641:
Scritti Politti - Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) (US version)
359:. A second music video was released for the US in 1986, directed by 870: 406: 94: 874: 368: 293:
The single was Scritti Politti's breakthrough hit on the
290:'s biggest UK hit; Mardin had also produced Franklin. 272:. It later appeared on the band's second studio album 772:"Discogs.com - Scritti Politti "Wood Beez" CD single" 1091: 1038: 1020: 974: 232: 187: 173: 159: 141: 112: 81: 73: 58: 48: 37: 23: 260:" is the seventh single released by the British 745:"Discogs.com - Scritti Politti "Wood Beez" 12"" 541:"Credit To The Edit Volume One: Track by Track" 718:"Discogs.com - Scritti Politti "Wood Beez" 7"" 886: 596:Rip it Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-1984 8: 278:(released in June 1985) and was produced by 893: 879: 871: 462: 268:, issued in the UK on 24 February 1984 by 29: 20: 563: 561: 282:. The song's subtitle is a reference to " 200:"Asylums in Jerusalem"/"Jacques Derrida" 1150:Song recordings produced by Arif Mardin 599:. Faber & Faber. pp. 394–395. 531: 240:"Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)" 47: 36: 24:"Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)" 1054:Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) 860:Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) 844:https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p5381 409:-- as well as on what the 80s did to 258:Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) 207:Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) 7: 658:"Scritti Politti - Scritti Politti" 569:"Official Charts - Scritti Politti" 803:Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien 395:to call its inclusion "smart" and 14: 305:Writing in a 2011 interview with 593:Reynolds, Simon (2 April 2009). 434:B: "Wood Beez" (Version) – 5:54 1125:Songs written by Green Gartside 16:1984 single by Scritti Politti 1: 449:"Wood Beez" (Version) – 6:00 518: 502: 492: 482: 405:are a mini-essay in mid-80s 698:"Various Artists: 12"/80's" 1171: 62:24 February 1984 908: 438:CD single (released 1988) 250: 237: 228: 195: 28: 383:Other versions and uses 342:. Huge sales followed. 1140:Warner Records singles 1135:Virgin Records singles 1011:White Bread Black Beer 344: 1120:Scritti Politti songs 1004:Anomie & Bonhomie 990:Cupid & Psyche 85 539:Wilson, Greg (2005). 432:A: "Wood Beez" – 4:50 424:A: "Wood Beez" – 3:34 361:Jean-Baptiste Mondino 311: 309:, Robin Turner said: 284:I Say a Little Prayer 275:Cupid & Psyche 85 52:Cupid & Psyche 85 363:and featuring model 1047:The "Sweetest Girl" 515:Hot Dance Club Play 446:"Small Talk" – 3:36 867:(list of releases) 824:"NZ chart archive" 573:officialcharts.com 443:"Wood Beez" – 4:50 191:singles chronology 1107: 1106: 983:Songs to Remember 523: 522: 478:Kent Music Report 454:Chart performance 391:, which prompted 254: 253: 224: 223: 137: 132: 127: 1162: 1092:Related articles 951:Paul Jackson Jr. 895: 888: 881: 872: 846: 841: 835: 834: 832: 830: 820: 814: 813: 811: 809: 795: 789: 788: 786: 784: 768: 762: 761: 759: 757: 741: 735: 734: 732: 730: 714: 708: 707: 694: 688: 687: 674: 668: 667: 654: 648: 642: 637: 631: 630:, May 31st, 2011 624: 618: 617: 615: 613: 590: 584: 583: 581: 579: 565: 556: 555: 553: 551: 545:Electrofunkroots 536: 499:UK Singles Chart 463: 295:UK Singles Chart 241: 197: 196: 178: 164: 135: 130: 125: 124: 123: 119: 69: 67: 33: 21: 1170: 1169: 1165: 1164: 1163: 1161: 1160: 1159: 1155:Aretha Franklin 1110: 1109: 1108: 1103: 1087: 1034: 1016: 970: 904: 902:Scritti Politti 899: 855: 850: 849: 842: 838: 828: 826: 822: 821: 817: 807: 805: 797: 796: 792: 782: 780: 770: 769: 765: 755: 753: 743: 742: 738: 728: 726: 716: 715: 711: 696: 695: 691: 676: 675: 671: 656: 655: 651: 640: 638: 634: 625: 621: 611: 609: 607: 592: 591: 587: 577: 575: 567: 566: 559: 549: 547: 538: 537: 533: 528: 470: 461: 456: 433: 425: 419: 398:Pitchfork Media 385: 349: 303: 288:Aretha Franklin 266:Scritti Politti 239: 219: 210: 201: 189:Scritti Politti 174: 160: 151: 133: 128: 121: 117: 116: 65: 63: 49:from the album 43:Scritti Politti 17: 12: 11: 5: 1168: 1166: 1158: 1157: 1152: 1147: 1142: 1137: 1132: 1127: 1122: 1112: 1111: 1105: 1104: 1102: 1101: 1095: 1093: 1089: 1088: 1086: 1085: 1078: 1071: 1064: 1057: 1050: 1042: 1040: 1036: 1035: 1033: 1032: 1024: 1022: 1018: 1017: 1015: 1014: 1007: 1000: 993: 986: 978: 976: 972: 971: 969: 968: 963: 958: 953: 948: 943: 937: 936: 931: 924: 921:Rhodri Marsden 917: 914:Green Gartside 909: 906: 905: 900: 898: 897: 890: 883: 875: 869: 868: 854: 853:External links 851: 848: 847: 836: 815: 790: 763: 736: 709: 689: 669: 649: 632: 626:Robin Turner: 619: 605: 585: 557: 530: 529: 527: 524: 521: 520: 517: 505: 504: 501: 495: 494: 491: 485: 484: 481: 473: 472: 467: 460: 457: 455: 452: 451: 450: 447: 444: 418: 415: 384: 381: 348: 345: 307:Green Gartside 302: 299: 270:Virgin Records 252: 251: 248: 247: 235: 234: 230: 229: 226: 225: 222: 221: 212: 203: 193: 192: 185: 184: 179: 171: 170: 168:Green Gartside 165: 157: 156: 145: 139: 138: 114: 110: 109: 108: 107: 102: 97: 92: 85: 79: 78: 75: 71: 70: 60: 56: 55: 46: 45: 35: 34: 26: 25: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1167: 1156: 1153: 1151: 1148: 1146: 1143: 1141: 1138: 1136: 1133: 1131: 1128: 1126: 1123: 1121: 1118: 1117: 1115: 1100: 1097: 1096: 1094: 1090: 1083: 1082:She's a Woman 1079: 1076: 1072: 1069: 1068:The Word Girl 1065: 1062: 1058: 1055: 1051: 1048: 1044: 1043: 1041: 1037: 1031: 1030: 1026: 1025: 1023: 1019: 1013: 1012: 1008: 1006: 1005: 1001: 999: 998: 994: 992: 991: 987: 985: 984: 980: 979: 977: 975:Studio albums 973: 967: 964: 962: 959: 957: 954: 952: 949: 947: 946:Steve Ferrone 944: 942: 941:Marcus Miller 939: 938: 935: 934:Rob Smoughton 932: 930: 929: 925: 923: 922: 918: 916: 915: 911: 910: 907: 903: 896: 891: 889: 884: 882: 877: 876: 873: 866: 862: 861: 857: 856: 852: 845: 840: 837: 825: 819: 816: 804: 800: 794: 791: 779: 778: 773: 767: 764: 752: 751: 746: 740: 737: 725: 724: 719: 713: 710: 705: 704: 699: 693: 690: 685: 684: 679: 673: 670: 665: 664: 659: 653: 650: 647: 643: 636: 633: 629: 623: 620: 608: 606:9780571252275 602: 598: 597: 589: 586: 574: 570: 564: 562: 558: 546: 542: 535: 532: 525: 516: 513: 512: 507: 506: 500: 497: 496: 490: 487: 486: 479: 475: 474: 468: 466:Chart (1984) 465: 464: 459:Weekly charts 458: 453: 448: 445: 442: 441: 440: 439: 435: 431: 427: 423: 417:Track listing 416: 414: 412: 408: 404: 400: 399: 394: 390: 382: 380: 378: 374: 370: 366: 365:Veronica Webb 362: 358: 357:Michael Clark 354: 346: 343: 341: 337: 333: 332:The Word Girl 329: 325: 320: 316: 310: 308: 300: 298: 296: 291: 289: 285: 281: 277: 276: 271: 267: 263: 259: 249: 246: 242: 236: 231: 227: 217: 213: 208: 204: 199: 198: 194: 190: 186: 183: 180: 177: 172: 169: 166: 163: 162:Songwriter(s) 158: 154: 149: 146: 144: 140: 115: 111: 106: 103: 101: 98: 96: 93: 91: 88: 87: 86: 84: 80: 77:December 1983 76: 72: 61: 57: 54: 53: 44: 40: 32: 27: 22: 19: 1145:1984 singles 1053: 1027: 1021:Compilations 1009: 1002: 995: 988: 981: 961:David Gamson 933: 926: 919: 912: 858: 839: 827:. Retrieved 818: 806:. Retrieved 802: 793: 781:. Retrieved 775: 766: 754:. Retrieved 748: 739: 727:. Retrieved 721: 712: 701: 692: 681: 672: 661: 652: 635: 622: 610:. Retrieved 595: 588: 576:. Retrieved 572: 548:. Retrieved 544: 534: 509: 437: 436: 429: 428: 421: 420: 396: 388: 386: 353:music videos 350: 347:Music videos 312: 304: 292: 273: 257: 255: 206: 153:Warner Bros. 50: 18: 1099:Discography 1075:Perfect Way 966:Alan Murphy 928:Dicky Moore 489:New Zealand 476:Australia ( 340:lovers rock 336:Perfect Way 280:Arif Mardin 233:Music video 182:Arif Mardin 176:Producer(s) 1130:1983 songs 1114:Categories 956:Fred Maher 829:4 February 808:4 February 783:4 February 756:4 February 729:4 February 612:31 January 578:4 February 550:31 January 526:References 430:12" single 90:Post-disco 66:1984-02-24 997:Provision 703:Pitchfork 511:Billboard 471:position 422:7" single 377:LaserDisc 136:(Version) 105:synth-pop 1061:Absolute 683:AllMusic 407:remixing 393:AllMusic 328:Absolute 315:Anglesey 216:Absolute 74:Recorded 59:Released 1039:Singles 865:Discogs 777:Discogs 750:Discogs 723:Discogs 663:Discogs 646:YouTube 403:samples 389:12"/80s 373:Betamax 334:" and " 319:Arizona 245:YouTube 220:(1984) 211:(1984) 202:(1982) 131:(album) 64: ( 603:  148:Virgin 113:Length 100:boogie 39:Single 1029:Early 301:Style 264:band 143:Label 134:5:54 129:4:48 83:Genre 831:2017 810:2017 785:2017 758:2017 731:2017 614:2014 601:ISBN 580:2017 552:2014 469:Peak 411:punk 375:and 351:Two 330:", " 324:punk 155:(US) 150:(UK) 126:(7") 95:funk 863:at 644:on 508:US 503:10 493:26 483:25 413:." 369:VHS 317:to 286:", 262:pop 243:on 41:by 1116:: 801:. 774:. 747:. 720:. 700:. 680:. 660:. 571:. 560:^ 543:. 519:4 480:) 371:, 218:" 209:" 122:34 1084:" 1080:" 1077:" 1073:" 1070:" 1066:" 1063:" 1059:" 1056:" 1052:" 1049:" 1045:" 894:e 887:t 880:v 833:. 812:. 787:. 760:. 733:. 706:. 686:. 666:. 616:. 582:. 554:. 256:" 214:" 205:" 120:: 118:3 68:)

Index


Single
Scritti Politti
Cupid & Psyche 85
Genre
Post-disco
funk
boogie
synth-pop
Label
Virgin
Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)
Green Gartside
Producer(s)
Arif Mardin
Scritti Politti
Absolute
"Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)"
YouTube
pop
Scritti Politti
Virgin Records
Cupid & Psyche 85
Arif Mardin
I Say a Little Prayer
Aretha Franklin
UK Singles Chart
Green Gartside
Anglesey

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.