Why? is a song of the British band Bronski Beat , written and composed by its three members: Steve Bronski, Jimmy Somerville and Larry Steinbachek. Released in single in September 1984 , this is the second extract from the album The Age of Consent .
Engaged, openly gay , she denounces homophobic violence . It is dedicated to Drew Griffiths, a murdered gay artist in London in 1984 1 .
After Smalltown Boy , Bronski Beat confirms his success. Why? ranks in the top 10 sales of several countries. The single is certified silver disc in the UK .
The song is sometimes incorrectly announced under the title Tell Me Why . Moreover, in 2006 , the group dance Supermode out a single taking the gimmick of Smalltown Boy mélé the chorus of Why? and titled Tell Me Why .
Clip
Directed by Bernard Rose , he stages the three members of the group in a supermarket 2. Steve Bronski and Larry Steinbachek play the role of a gay couple doing their shopping. By going to the cash register, they are repressed because obviously homosexuals. Jimmy Somerville, who plays the role of a pork butcher of the supermarket, intervenes to defend them, making a scandal. Then arrive two men who seem to come down from the sky. They belong to the “police of thought” and take the trio in the air to make it appear before a tribunal of puppets. The three men are sentenced to forced labor. Jimmy Somerville urges the condemned to revolt and rises in the air and goes to speak to God, while the revolt indeed bursts. Finally, God places the three members of the group on pedestals before changing them into salt statues.
Use in the media
Why? was used in March 1985 in a television commercial for the Peugeot 205 3 .
The song is part of the soundtrack of the movie Pride released in 2014 .
Rankings and certifications
| Classification (1984-1985) | Best place |
|---|---|
| South Africa (Springbok Radio) 4 | 7 |
| Germany ( Media Control AG ) 5 | 5 |
| Australia ( Kent Music Report ) 6 | 10 |
| Belgium (Flanders Ultratop 50 Singles ) 7 | 3 |
| Canada ( 100 Singles ) 8 | 31 |
| United States (Hot Dance Club Play) 9 | 27 |
| France ( SNEP ) 10 | 8 |
| Ireland ( IRMA ) 11 | 6 |
| Italy ( FIMI ) 12 | 13 |
| New Zealand ( RIANZ ) 13 | 11 |
| Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 14 | 6 |
| United Kingdom (UK Singles Chart) 15 | 6 |
| Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) 16 | 7 |
| Country | certification |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI) 17 | Money |
Notes and references
- ↑ The Legend of Jimmy, [ archive ] Didier Lestrade , Stubborn Special Issue 5
- ↑ ( in ) Official website of Bernard Rose. The clip in detail [ archive ]
- ↑ Musiquedepub.tv [ archive ]
- ↑ ( en ) ” South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (B) ” [ archive ] , on Rock.co.za , John Samson (accessed August 8, 2016 )
- ↑ ( de ) Musicline.de – Bronski Beat [ archive ] . GfK Entertainment . PhonoNet GmbH. Accessed August 8, 2016.
- ↑ ( in ) ” Top 100 Singles: Every AMR Top 100 Singles in 1984 ” [ archive ] , World Charts (accessed on8 August 2016 )
- ↑ ( nl ) Ultratop.be – Bronski Beat – Why? [ Archive ] . Ultratop 50 . Ultratop and Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Accessed August 8, 2016.
- ↑ ( in ) ” Top Singles ” [ archive ] , on Collectionscanada.gc.ca , Library and Archives Canada (accessed on8 August 2016 )
- ↑ ( in ) ” Bronski Beat Chart History ” [ archive ] , on Billboard.com , Billboard (accessed on 8 August 2016 )
- ↑ Lescharts.com – Bronski Beat – Why? [ Archive ] . SNEP . Hung Medien. Accessed August 8, 2016.
- ↑ ( in ) ” The Irish Charts – All there is to know ” [ archive ] , IRMA (accessed on 8 August 2016 )
- ↑ ( it ) ” I singoli più del venduti 1984 ” [ archive ] , on HitParadeItalia.it , Creative Commons (accessed on8 August 2016 )
- ↑ ( in ) Charts.org.nz – Bronski Beat – Why? [ Archive ] . RIANZ . Hung Medien. Accessed August 8, 2016.
- ↑ ( nl ) Dutchcharts.nl – Bronski Beat – Why? [ Archive ] . Single Top 100 . Hung Medien. Accessed August 8, 2016.
- ↑ ( in ) Archive Chart [ archive ] . UK Singles Chart . The Official Charts Company . Accessed August 8, 2016.
- ↑ ( in ) Swisscharts.com – Bronski Beat – Why? [ Archive ] . Schweizer Hitparade . Hung Medien. Accessed August 8, 2016.
- ↑ ( in ) ” Certified Awards ” [ archive ] , on Bpi.co.uk (accessed August 8, 2016 )