Men Without Hats broke big with their 1982 debut, Rhythm of Youth. Though they never maintained that level of success, their third album Pop Goes the World was a smart, well-crafted, woefully underrated offering. The album chronicles the quest for and backlash of fame on songs like the title track, on which Ivan sings "Johnny and Jenny had a crazy dream/See their pictures in a magazine." Perhaps it was a way of dealing with the band's sudden success/failure, particularly on "Lose My Way" and "The Real World.." Thankfully, a ...
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Men Without Hats broke big with their 1982 debut, Rhythm of Youth. Though they never maintained that level of success, their third album Pop Goes the World was a smart, well-crafted, woefully underrated offering. The album chronicles the quest for and backlash of fame on songs like the title track, on which Ivan sings "Johnny and Jenny had a crazy dream/See their pictures in a magazine." Perhaps it was a way of dealing with the band's sudden success/failure, particularly on "Lose My Way" and "The Real World.." Thankfully, a wild sense of humor and a heartbreaking poignancy keeps the album from becoming too serious. Additionally, each song is vastly different: there are some lullabies ("Moonbeam"), some anthems ("Jenny Wore Black"), and some dirges ("Bright Side of the Sun" -- which is criminally short, adding to its power). Cartoonish but dark, this album marries wide-eyed innocence with cynicism in its recurring themes (celebrity, loss, rejuvenation, the vastness of our world) and characters (Jenny and Johnny, who are credited with bass and guitar, respectively). It takes a few listens to fully absorb the stories and lessons interwoven in Pop Goes the World's synthesizer-driven, somewhat goofy, sometimes somber cuts. Though there are some quirky aspects to the album (from the intro with a beckoning voice like that of Newcleus' helium-driven "Jam on It" to an intro to "Walk on Water" that sounds like a faraway voice on a hissing vinyl album), nothing seems gimmicky. Overall, the album is solid, smart, haunting, and complete. ~ Bryan Buss, Rovi
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Add this copy of Pop Goes the World/the End of the World to cart. $10.00, very good condition, Sold by Silverball Records rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Princeton, NC, UNITED STATES, published 1987 by MERCURY; 888 859-7.
Add this copy of Pop Goes the World Cd By Men Without Hats to cart. $25.59, new condition, Sold by Rebooksellers rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Tequesta, FL, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Universal Int'L.
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Seller's Description:
New. Size: 5x0x4; This CD is Brand New in original packaging. See our picture for exact item you will receive. All items ship within 24 hours. Packaging is 100% Recyclable. Most items purchased from Charitable organizations. A portion of each sale is also donated to a monthly charity, check your package for this month's charity. Reuse-Recycle-Rebook!
Add this copy of Pop Goes the World [Vinyl] to cart. $25.67, good condition, Sold by HPB-Emerald rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published by Mercury.
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Good. Providing great vinyl and media since 1972. All used records are inspected and guaranteed. May have wear and minor issues from previous owner. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
