"China, ring your bell"? 80s? Bald singer?

[spamthecan]

A friend of mine has been trying to track down a song for YEARS, and I've been trying to help him - no luck so far! Here's what he says:
_________________________________

"Back in the mid-80's I videoed the New Year 'Whistle Test' (UK) show. Of the vids shown were Marillion 'Kayleigh', the Smiths 'The Boy With the Thorn in His Side' and U2's 'A Sort of Homecoming.'

But there was another song which I really liked, but damned if I can remember who they were, or what the song was called. As far as I can remember, the lyrics went something like:

When the children down in Africa
See the dead men coming home

And the people stand in the road
All join hands and say 'I told you so'

?????
China ring your bell
Jerusalem
It falls
China ring your bell
???????
_________________________________

He also said that the singer, as far as he could recall, was bald, which made us think Classix Nouveau or Midnight Oil, but we can't find these lyrics in relation to either band. Anyone have any ideas? :)

[Memore]

how about the Christians he was bald but I dont recognise the lyrics

[spamthecan]

Good idea, but he says it wasn't them. (I think their first single was '87, and this would've likely been December '85)

Thanks anyway! :)

[roymacc]

I'm actually after the same track - all I remember is the China ring your bell , Jerusalem it falls part.
Didn't the singer also wear like a small pork pie hat?

If you find out any news please let me know?

[Eastender]

Try China Crisis and "African & White".

[spamthecan]

Roymacc: what a co-incidence! Of course, we'll post anything we find here.

Eastender: if I look up the lyrics to "African & White", they're nothing like the ones posted above. Thanks anyway.

I had a couple of ideas: Microdisney ('cos I found a reference to Cathal Coughlan wearing a pork pie hat), and Shriekback (because the singer was bald, and I found a picture of him in a trilby...!), but couldn't find any pertinent lyrics relating to either band. The search continues...

[spamthecan]

My friend has furnished more info:

"[The song] was very un-poppy, slow. The vid was B&W. It had an almost acoustic sound to it, not the usual 80's overproduction. For a look, thinking about it now, the singer was similar to Gregg Alexander from the New Radicals (they sang 'You Get What You Give')"

Also:

"it could have been 'trying to ring your bell', not 'China...'"

[Eastender]

Hi, Had a look through another Music Book found a entry for a group called "Fall" and a double A side released in 1988 called "Big New Prinz"/Jerusalem. Give them a look up, just an idea.

[roymacc]

Hi Eastender - that's not the track i'm afraid - the group singing that is actually THE Fall (Mike E Smith et al)
It's ggod to see though that people are actually trying to find out - well impressed!!

[mccfluff]

have you tried emailing anne nightingale as i believe she would of been the presenter at the time and may remember the track

[cyanide]

I was going to suggest maybe looking up the albums /singles of the year you think it was.

[cyanide]

I`ve been awake all night thinking about this one because i too recorded it,i remember the smiths,u2 and marillion but little else.

[spamthecan]

cyanide: I'm guessing it's really really obscure, simply because we can't find the lyrics to it. So I reckon it might have been, for instance, something that was *going* to be released but never was.

mccfluff: Annie Nightingale, god bless her, I doubt she remembers too much of the 70s and 80s... :) Might be worth a punt, though!

[georgiewhitm]

I was just looking on itunes to see if I could find it, then I found this and remembered I also have a video and had written the group on the box.

This is Secret People and there is a video clip of it on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEw2nZEBph4

[spamthecan]

georgiewhitm, you are a genius! Thank you very very much!! :)

[georgiewhitm]

I was really chuffed to find it myself ! Did you see the notes from the singer and bass player ?

[sarfendboy]

Hi - I've been looking for that song too, for the last 24 years! I finally found it yesterday. It's called 'China' and it's by Secret People. It was on the Easter edition of 'The Tube' in 1985 I think and I've been relying on a cassette recording from the telly thus far! You can now see the video on YouTube and there are people selling the single (which was banned by the Beeb, apparently, for its references to Africa, where there was a famine) on E-bay.

David

[Pistoli12]

I remember this video, though I think I saw it on The Tube. Fret less bass, suits and trilby hats a la 1940s. I'm pretty certain that band's name is Secret People or The Secret People. Good luck!

[badgeman]

The track was also featured on "The Tube Easter Special". Featuring anongst others Go West (Dont look down), Simple Minds (Alive and kicking), Robert Palmer (Trick bag), The Dammed(Eloise), The Eurymics (Thorn in my side), Level 42(Something about you) Marc Almond (Traumas Traumas Traumas),Ozzy Osbourne Shot in the dark). Also featuring Interviews with Ozzy Osbourn, Tuna Turner and Les Paterson (of Dame Edna Everage fame)

[sarfendboy]

The song is called 'China' and it's by Secret People: you'll find the version you heard on 'The Tube' in 1985 on You Tube. And it completely blew me away, too! (David Hornsby)