Songoftheday 9/24/15 - In the lamp light check the scene, in the day my life is a dream...

"Sugar Free" - Wa Wa Nee
from the album Wa Wa Nee (1987)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #35 (one week)
Weeks in the Top-40: 3

Today's SOTD comes from the band Wa Wa Nee, who came together in the mid-80s in Australia. With natives lead singer Paul Gray, his brother Mark on bass and guitarist Steve Williams along with American drummer Chris Sweeney, the funky rockers released their self-titled debut album in 1986 Down Under, where they scored three consecutive top-10 hits with "Stimulation" (#2), "I Could Make You Love Me" (#5), and the song that would become their first hit in America. Written by Paul, it continued the list of danceable rock songs coming out of that country...

"Sugar Free" reached the American pop Top-40 in November of 1987. In Australia, the song had made it to #10. In the States, the band released "Stimulation" as a follow-up, and it peaked down at #86. They put out their second album, Blush in 1989, which didn't get notice in the U.S., but did score a pair of top-40 hits in Australia with "Can't Control Myself" (#31) and "So Good" (#36) (it's worth seeking out). Gray since has appeared resurrecting his Wa Wa Nee work for shows supporting imported acts.

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...and here's the band appearing on the American version of Top Of The Pops...

 and another TV show where it's clear they are both singing and playing live...

and lastly, Gray at a gig in 2011...

Up tomorrow: A soul icon has a full closet to talk about...