"Don't Look Down - The Sequel" by Go West

Song#:  3209
Date:  08/01/1987
Debut:  94
Peak:  39
Weeks:  13
Genre:  Pop, Synthpop, Dance-Pop



Pop Bits:  This English duo's self-titled debut album did fairly well in the US. It reached #60 and spawned three Pop chart entries including "We Close Our Eyes," which did the best getting to #41 (#5 Dance). Their second studio LP, Dancing on the Couch, got released earlier in '87 in the UK, but it was failing to generate a significant hit single. When the album was prepped for US release, it featured an altered track listing, which included this first single. While the song wasn't a major hit, it did become the duo's first to crack the US Pop Top 40. Further singles failed to chart and with little to promote the album it stalled at a very low #172.

ReduxReview:  I loved this song when it came out. Go West had a knack at creating hooky synth lines and this song was no exception. The chorus was also catchy and memorable. The original album version was a solid, well-written track, but this "sequel" version far outshines it. They made the synth lines sing better and the whole production was beefier and more exciting. I spun this track a lot and thought for sure it would go Top 10. I was very disappointed it just barely made the Top 40. I still keep this song spinning in a few of my playlists. It was easily their best song and it should have done far better.

ReduxRating:  9/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) There is a reason that "The Sequel" was added to the title of the song. Originally, the tune was a track on the duo's debut album, which had spawned three hits in the UK. It was decided to issue out a fourth single, but instead of pushing out the album track as-is, a remix was done to help the song's commercial potential. To distinguish it from the album track, the single got tagged as "The Sequel." The ploy worked and the song got to #13 in the UK. However, in the US it didn't get scheduled for release following three lower charting singles. With singles from the second album not doing well in the UK, the label then decided to replace a track on the US version of the LP with the remix and then release it as a single. It worked out fairly well with the duo scoring their first US Top 40 entry.  2) The duo would not get back on the US charts in the 80s. However, in 1990 they would get their biggest hit with a soundtrack song. Go West recorded "King of Wishful Thinking" for the soundtrack to the hit film Pretty Woman. Release as a single, it would get to #8 Pop and #7 AC. They would follow it up "Faithful," a song from their third album Indian Summer. That song would get to #13 Pop/#3 AC. A follow-up single, a remake of Bobby Caldwell's "What You Won't Do for Love" (#9, 1978), would hit #3 AC/#55 Pop. It would end up being their last charting single as they split not long after.

_________________________________________________________________________________