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.

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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.