Beyond New Wave: Dead Or Alive Youthquake Analysis

Originally recorded in 2017. Edited and re-released for 2025.

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Intro

Greetings to the New Wave Beat podcast. I'm your host, Jason D'Orazio. Let's talk about Dead or Alive's 1985 breakthrough album Youthquake. I'd like to thank one of my fans who gave me the suggestion to review it.

Dead or Alive had their debut in 1984 with Sophisticated Boom Boom. That lineup consisted of Pete Burns as frontman (not to be confused with Naked Eyes frontman Pete Burn) and lead vocalist, Mike Pursey on bass guitar, keyboardist Tim Lever, and drummer Steve Coye. That album did okay in the UK, but not so much across the pond in the U.S. The following year, for Dead or Alive's follow-up album, Youthquake, producers Stock Aitken Waterman stepped in, giving the band what was referred to as a high energy sound. Besides their energetic sound, Dead or Alive gained exposure through Burns' long hair and androgynous look.In terms of sound and look, I would argue Dead or Alive were similar to Culture Club, though the former was definitely more dance oriented. Interesting note: the Adam Sandler movie Wedding Singer had a backup singer that was a parody of Boy George, but he also looked like Pete Burns circa Youthquake. And hey, the movie intro featured You Spin Me Round.

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You Spin Me Round

Speaking of which, no Dead or Alive discussion should be without You Spin Me Round (Like A Record), the lead single. The song, like much of Youthquake, has a sped up disco sound to it that's infectious. A high-pitched, glass-like synth layered on a fast rhythm section is one of the hooks of the verses, and the chorus has a couple of synth hooks of its own. Vocalist Pete Burns has a commanding delivery that ups the song's energy ante. On the flip side, the lyrics are streamlined and straightforward. Basically, You Spin Me Round is a metaphor for the flood of feelings that the narrator has when he sees someone he's really crushing on. The narrator just met his crush, as evidenced by lyrics like, "If I, I get to know your name, and you look like you're lots of fun." The video has Burns singing the lyrics in front of a purple backdrop, wagging his finger at the line, "You look like you're having fun." And with the euphoria of the song, chances are you're having fun, and apparently so is Burns. On a couple of occasions, the other band members are rotating around like a record. You Spin Me Round hit the top of the charts in the UK and number 11 in the US. It's important not only because it's Dead or Alive's first big hit, but it's also a big hit for the Stock Aitken Waterman team. A year later, Bananarama released a cover of the song Venus. Largely in part because it's also a Stock Aitken Waterman production, it sounds kind of similar to You Spin Me Round. The song has been covered and sampled quite a bit.

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Love Come Back To Me

The next single off of Youthquake was Lover Come Back To Me, not to be confused with the unrelated song of the same name popularized by Billie Holiday and Barbra Streisand. The rhythm section and parts sounds like that of the disco chestnut I Feel Love, which is not surprising, as Dead or Alive have strong disco influences. There are a few, "Huh's," and some urgent vocals in the chorus, especially when Burns says, "Kick it right down." The song is about the singer pining over a love interest. It has an air of enthusiastic desperation, as again, Burns implores the interest to kick down his door and be reunited with him. There are similar themes between this song and You Spin Me Round, as Burns is lusting for someone and describes he or she as being lots of fun or full of energy. The video for Lover Come Back To Me mostly consists of a close-up of Burns singing the song. While this may seem prosaic, the video is somewhat redeemed by Burns' raw enthusiasm and facial expressions. While it was a UK hit, Lover Come Back To Me barely charted in the United States.

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In Too Deep

The third single was In Too Deep. While the Youthquake album in general is quite intense in tempo and vocals, In Too Deep dials it back a bit. Indeed, it is the closest thing to a ballad in the album. The verses have one-note keyboard riffs that work, as do Burns' relatively restrained vocals. I think the song is about being in too deep into a troubled relationship. Indeed, Burns laments, "You put your finger to the trigger and you shot my heart." He buys his love interest a lot of things, but to no avail. The video for In Too Deep features Burns in an all-coral outfit, singing in a giant clamshell in the bottom of the sea. There are also two women riding on mechanical seahorses. In other words, the video has a strong aquatic theme to it. It's actually my favorite video of the Youthquake singles, and I can tell more thought was put into it. But for some reason, it was removed from YouTube while the others remain. Similar to Lover Come Back To Me, the single was a top-40 hit in the UK, but again Dead or Alive failed to chart stateside.

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My Heart Goes Bang

Youthquake had one more single in My Heart Goes Bang. A female vocalist goes, "Ah-ah," at the end of the choruses, which is one of the main hooks of the song. Another is the repeating of words like "You" and "Bang" for emphasis. The high-pitched effervescent keyboard contributes strongly to the chorus. The rhythm section reminds me of You Spin Me Round. And in the bridge Burns almost goes full opera-mode when he shouts, "Doctor, doctor, give me a cure!" The song, like You Spin Me Round, is about a strong crush that the narrator has on someone. The singer tongue-in-cheekily says that he needs to see a doctor because his heart is racing when he sees his love interest. The video has Dead or Alive in a black garden. Literally. Everything is black, including the foliage and hearts. They band follows suit with black outfits. nocturnal setting furthers the black theme. My Heart Goes Bang, like You Spin Me Round, exceled in the UK. But alas, not across the pond.

Album Tracks

Now that we took a dive into Youthquake's four singles, let's give a look at its five album tracks.

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I Wanna Be a Toy

Let's talk a little bit about I Wanna Be A Toy. The intro to I Wanna Be a Toy sounds a little like New Order's🔖✔ Blue Monday🔖✔. There are orchestra hits throughout the song, (a popular '80s music technique). The vocals and drum beats are energetic, with some great histrionics by both. Burns expresses his desire to be a plaything for other people, even if he garners the disapproval of his dad and society. He also asks repeatedly to be pushed and shoved, like the titular toy.

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DJ Hit That Button

DJ Hit That Button, as the title indicates, immediately switches on a quick, strong horn, employed several more times throughout and defines it. The synth that falls in pitch right before the chorus is also memorable. Burns' over-the-top vocals, on par with You Spin Me Round, provide the song a second shot in the arm. Finally, Steve Coy's drums keep the energy going, much like the DJ hitting the button to get the party started. The song's theme is straightforward - it's about being totally owned by the beat of dance songs. Burns sings that everyone has feet, but they gotta learn to use them to dance well.

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Big Daddy of the Rhythm

Big Daddy of the Rhythm continues the high-energy stylings of the Youthquake album. The gang vocals in the chorus are very good, along with the bass. Although the word "rhythm" suggests Big Daddy will be similarly-themed with DJ Hit That Button, it's more about asking a love interest what he can do to win them over. While DJ was about the beat owning you, Big Daddy is about Burns owning the beat. He's pleading with his crush several times to pay attention to him, hinted at by the lyric, "If I was the greatest dancer, would I get to know you?"

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Cake and Eat It

The next song, Cake and Eat It, has a dynamic extended flute intro, which is several times reprised. Burns does a half yodel (not quite Jewel-level) for the verses, which along with the flute and backup vocals, adds a little variety to the album. I also liked the galloping drum track. The chorus consists almost solely of the song title, and perhaps could have used a little bit more elaboration. Lyrics-wise, it is similar to You Spin Me Round in that the narrator is pushing hard to get with a love interest, willing to buy or do anything for their love.

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It's Been a Long Time

It's Been A Long Time is a long song compared to the rest of Youthquake, having a slower tempo and clocking in at almost eight minutes. The minute and a half intro sets the mood for the song. Burns mostly sings in a lower register for the verses, which is a pleasant change-of-pace and shows his range. Lyrically, there is not too much to the song. Burns is pining over his lover and (like in Cake) saying he would do the world for them. An example of this is the line, "I could be a suit of armor, protect you when the furies fly." It's a good cooldown, making it an excellent choice for the closer of a high NRG album.

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Outro

The verdict: Youthquake album is an interesting, energetic example of high-NRG Stock Aikman Waterman music, with plenty of nods to new wave. A lot of the songs are an adrenaline rush, making it great for parties or the dance floor. Granted, the lyrics aren't be Bob Dylan-esque, but that's not really the point. Later, Dead or Alive followed up Youthquake in 1987 with Mad, Bad, and Dangerous To Know, which unfortunately flopped in both the UK and US. A few more albums were released until the early '00s. Over the years Burns had a lot of plastic surgery to look more like a woman. Sadly, Pete Burns passed away in 2016 of a heart attack, but we'll always have the slice of high-NRG that is Youthquake. That's all for today's episode. This is Jason D'Orazio from New Wave Beat wishing you a great week.

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