"Vacation" by The Go-Go's

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  1089
Date:  07/03/1982
Debut:  67
Peak:  8
Weeks:  14
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  The Go-Go's made a huge splash with their mulit-platinum #1 album "Beauty and the Beat" and gold #2 single "We Got the Beat." They quickly followed both up with a new LP and single titled "Vacation." Both the single and album reached their respective Top 10's, but neither were smashes on the scale of their previous efforts. Nevertheless, the album went gold and the single still gets a lot of airplay each summer. The album's packaging, which depicted the band in a water skiing show, received a Grammy nod for Best Packaging.

ReduxReview:  I was in full Go-Go mode when this came out. I was adding to my scrapbook left and right with photos and articles (which I still have). A big ad for this album graced the cover. The album did not disappoint and this single was a big fave and I think both still hold up. "Beauty and the Beat" is the real classic, but "Vacation" was actually more fun.

ReduxRating:  9/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) Cassettes were still in fashion as the decade started and a new format sprung up for a short period. The cassette single, or cassingle, popped up as an alternative to a vinyl 45. And with the introduction of devices like Sony's Walkman, they became quite popular. In the UK, the cassingle was already around with the first one issued in 1980 (Bow Wow Wow's "C30, C60, C90, Go!"). It took a couple of years before the US gave it a whirl and The Go-Go's "Vacation" was the first cassingle offered for sale.  2) This is a reworking of the song "Vacation" first done by The Textones, Go-Go Kathy Valentine's previous band. It appeared on that band's EP "I Can't Fight It" in 1980 prior to Valentine joining The Go-Go's.

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