Sunday, December 31, 2006

We're making moves and starting grooves before they knew we were gone

From somewhere in left-field one day came OMC. What is that: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Car? I actually asked that once on the air but I don't think anyone got it.

I suppose it doesn't matter at this point anymore. As I've said, it amazed me the sort of music we played at the undergrad station – most of it bordered generic near-top 40 pop, so I guess in retrospect, playing this song wasn’t really that bizarre. I think most popular radio stations across the country were playing it, maybe trying to "branch out" with some pseudo-world music beats. What was truly bizarre was how little anybody knew about the band going in. I mean, coming out of nowhere and no one thought to look toward New Zealand for an answer. Who was OMC? Pauly Fuemana was the guy you saw singing and dancing around in the video but another guy - Alan Jansson –co-wrote the music and produced the album. What was OMC? The Otara Millionaires Club, Otara being one of the poorest sections of Fuemana and Jansson's native Auckland.

I assume it entered up on our playlist because someone saw the video on the MTV and once we ended up with a copy we had to play it as well. True, it sort of fit our format – but barely. While not a bad song, and is somewhat catchy, I remember more than a few people (myself included) getting annoyed after about the second verse kicks in and you almost want to shut it off.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

How Bizarre
(Pauly Fuemana/Alan Jansson)
OMC
From the album How Bizarre
1997

Brother Pele's in the back, sweet Zina's in the front
Cruisin' down the freeway in the hot, hot sun
Suddenly red-blue lights flash us from behind
Loud voice booming, "Please step out onto the line"
Pele preaches words of comfort, Zina just hides her eyes
Policeman taps his shades, "Is that a Chevy '69?"

How bizarre
How bizarre, how bizarre

Destination unknown, as we pull in for some gas
Freshly pasted poster reveals a smile from the past
Elephants and acrobats, lions snakes monkey
Pele speaks "righteous," Sister Zina says "funky"

How bizarre
How bizarre, how bizarre

Ooh, baby (Ooh, baby)
It's making me crazy (It's making me crazy)
Everytime I look around
Everytime I look around (Everytime I look around)
Everytime I look around
It's in my face

Ring master steps out and says "the elephants left town"
People jump and jive, but the clowns have stuck around
TV news and camera, there's choppers in the sky
Marines, police, reporters ask where, for and why
Pele yells, "We're outta here," Zina says, "Right on"
We're making moves and starting grooves before they knew we were gone
Jumped into the Chevy and headed for big lights
Wanna know the rest? Hey, buy the rights...

How bizarre
How bizarre, how bizarre

Ooh, baby (Ooh, baby)
It's making me crazy (It's making me crazy)
Everytime I look around
Everytime I look around (Everytime I look around)
Everytime I look around
It's in my face