Love In The First Degree

Bananarama

Score: 60
/
Played: 178

Album:

The Greatest Hits Collection

Released: 28 Jan 2014

Wiki:

"Love in the First Degree" is a Dance-pop song written and recorded by English girl group Bananarama. It is included on their fourth studio album Wow! and was released as its second single except in the U.S., where it was the album's third single (following "I Can't Help It"). The track was co-written and produced by the Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) trio. The song is an uptempo pop tune similar to many hits produced by SAW during this time period. The surreal lyrics, composed by Siobhan Fahey and built upon by SAW and Bananarama members Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward, describes a dream in which they find themselves being tried in court for love. The musical structure could be compared to that of Pachelbel's Canon. "Love in the First Degree" is Bananarama's biggest-selling single in their native UK. It holds a three-way tie for their highest UK singles chart placing (number three). The single also became a top-ten success in Australia and earned a top-twenty placing in New Zealand. In the United States the song just missed the top-forty, peaking at number 48 on the Billboard Hot 100 but reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs. The B-side was Mr. Sleaze in which Bananarama member Sara Dallin not only sang on that track but also played bass guitar like she did on "Love in the First Degree". As one of their final performances with Fahey, the group performed the song at the BRIT Awards with a large entourage of male dancers dressed only in black bikini briefs. The song was nominated for best British single at the BRIT Awards, but lost to Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up", also produced by Stock Aitken Waterman. By the time "Love in the First Degree" was released in the United States, Fahey had already announced her departure from Bananarama. The music video, directed by Andy Morahan, featured Bananarama (including a pregnant Fahey) performing the song in a jail cell, dressed in prison uniforms, as several male dancers perform around them. The imagery plays off of Elvis Presley's 1957 movie Jailhouse Rock. On Bananarama's The Greatest Hits Collection video compilation, the videoclip for Love In The First Degree is intercut with the live performance of the song at the 1988 BPI awards, which was Siobhan Fahey's last performance with the group before her departure.

Lyrics:

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Last night I was dreaming I was locked in a prison cell When I woke up I was screaming Calling out your name (whoa) And the judge and the jury They all put the blame on me (the blame on me) They wanna tell from my story They want to hear my plea Only you can set me free 'Cause I'm guilty (guilty) Guilty as a girl can be Come on baby, can't you see I stand accused Of love in the first degree (Guilty) Of love in the first degree Someday I'm believing You will come to my rescue Unchain my heart, you'll keep him Let me start a new (you) The hours passed so slowly Since they've thrown away the key (away the key) Can't you see that I'm lonely Won't you help me please Only you can set me free 'Cause I'm guilty (guilty) Guilty as a girl can be Come on baby, can't you see I stand accused Of love in the first degree (Guilty) Of Love in the first degree (Guilty) Of Love (Guilty) Of Love in (Guilty) Of Love (Guilty) Of Love in (Guilty) Of love in the first degree And the judge and the jury They all put the blame on me They wanna tell from my story They wanna hear my plea Only you can set me free 'Cause I'm guilty (Guilty) As a girl can be Come on baby, can't you see I stand accused Of love in the first degree