"Too Shy" by Kajagoogoo

Top 10 Alert!

One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  1424
Date:  04/23/1983
Debut:  81
Peak:  5
Weeks:  19
Genre:  New Wave, Synthpop



Pop Bits:  This British band initially started as an instrumental quartet called Art Nouveau. The avant-garde group issued a single, but nothing came of it and the band remained unsigned. A change in direction had them looking for a lead singer, which they found in Christopher Hamill (aka Limahl). A chance meeting between Limahl and Duran Duran's Nick Rhodes led to the new band getting signed to EMI. Rhodes went on to co-produce their debut album White Feathers. This first single was issued in the UK early in 1983 and it proceeded to reach the top spot there (oddly, before Duran Duran would get their first UK #1). The single got its US release in the spring and by summer it was in the Top 5 (#23 Rock, #25 Dance). In the UK, the band would go on to have two more Top 10's, but in the US this song would be their lone major hit. A second single would get on the chart for a very minor few weeks, but the lack of a significant follow-up left the group labeled as a one-hit wonder. They placed at #9 on VH1's list of the 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 80s and at #25 on their list of the 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of all-time.

ReduxReview:  The band (and/or the publisher/label) must have made a mint off of this song. Besides all the appearances the tune has made on compilations and it's one-hit wonder status, I remember the opening of this song being played on TV a lot (specifically during sporting events). I remember liking the song, but not loving it. I'm not sure why I didn't fall for it more back then as it was a good fit for the sounds I was diggin' at the time. I'm certainly a fan of the song now and I typcially include it in about any 80s playlist I create.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  So what's up with that band name? Does it have a specific meaning? It is from another language? It's origins are less interesting that you may think. Apparently, the name stems from the first sounds a baby might make. When written out, it would be similar to GagaGooGoo. The band changed a couple of letters and out came Kajagoogoo.

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