"Hang on Now" by Kajagoogoo

Song#:  1583
Date:  08/27/1983
Debut:  85
Peak:  78
Weeks:  4
Genre:  New Wave, Synthpop



Pop Bits:  This UK band with the odd name scored a Top 10 hit with their first single, "Too Shy" (#5), which was lifted from their debut album White Feathers. Unfortunately, the song would be their only major hit in the US and despite the very brief appearance of this second single, the band would get tagged as a one-hit wonder. To make matters worse, by this time the group decided to oust lead singer and songwriter Limahl. The remaining members would go on to record a new album, Islands, and grab one more UK Top 10 hit with "Big Apple." For the US market, the band decided to rename themselves as Kaja and issued a shortened EP version of Islands called Extra Play. It tanked as did their third album Crazy Peoples Right to Speak. Kaja would end up calling it quits in 1985. Limahl would have some limited solo success in 1984.

ReduxReview:  While this is nice in a New Romantic/Spandau Ballet-meets-ABC vein, it is definitely nothing that would burn up the chart. It's a lovely album track, but it is a shade too dreamy and sleepy to make an impact at Pop. They really needed something as catchy as "Too Shy" to keep people interested, but it just wasn't in their arsenal.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Although this song would be their last to hit the US Pop chart, their EP Extra Play (under the name Kaja) did spawn a hit on another chart. The track "Turn Your Back on Me" would get enough airplay to reach #2 on the US Dance chart. It would fail to hit the Pop chart and only get to #47 in the UK.

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