Songoftheday 9/12/14 - I've seen the future I can't afford it, tell me the truth sir someone just bought it...


ABC - "How To Be A Millionaire"
from the album How To Be A....Zillionaire! (1985)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #20 (one week)
Weeks in the Top-40: 7

Today's Song of the Day comes from the British new-wave group ABC, who lost half of their original lineup after their smash debut album and "sophomore slump" follow-up, to be redeemed with adding two "visual members" and a third album that scored them their first top-10 pop hit in America with "Be Near Me". Their next single in the U.S., which actually was their first from the album in England, was the sorta-title track "How To Be A Millionaire". Written by lead singer Martin Fry with original band member Mark White, the dance-pop track was a frenetic exposition on wealth which sonically borrowed heavily from freestyle and lyrically hearkened back to their Lexicon Of Love days...


Abc How to be a Millionaire from Richard Guarascia on Vimeo.


"How To Be A Millionaire" became ABC's fourth top-40 pop hit in March of 1986, while also climbing to #4 on Billboard magazine's Dance Club Play chart. Internationally, the band was still having a hard go at it, as the single only made the halfway point on the chart in Canada (#49) and their native Britain (#52). Which is surprising, since I really liked this record better than "Be Near Me" for its smart wordplay and infectious dance beat that pulled right into the current club sound.

(Click below to see the rest of the post)


Here's ABC miming the song for Solid Gold (without David Yarritu or Eden even showing up for the party)...


...and the "Wall Street Mix" that made the top-10 on the dance charts..


Up tomorrow: A "funky" fledgling foxes you into the full monty.

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