To one side, on a table shoved up against the wall a midi-stereo had been set up, speakers out on chairs, an extension power cable extending back into the house through an open door – Shakespears Sister played.
From Work of Art
So, another party scene and another background track needed – but something mellower this time, for when the party is starting to wind-down – and this totally fit the bill. And not just sound-wise. Shakespears Sister was basically Siobhan Fahey, formally from Bananarama… and… well… I’ve met Bananarama.
It was more than a few years ago now, back when I was a student. A group of us had just been to a formal meal which involved a fair amount of drinking. It was kind of a tradition, that when dressed up in our finest for these sort of occasions, afterwards we would take a walk up to the local posh hotel and hang out in their bar. So there we all were, sat supping away, wondering if we could be bothered to make the effort to be rowdy enough to get chucked out (as was also the tradition) when we see, through the glass frontage of the hotel lobby, a black stretch limo pull up. We don’t take that much notice at first, until one of our crew shouts out: “Bloody hell! It’s Bananarama!”. Then all heads turn to see a group of very large men make their through the entrance and across the foyer. In the middle of them you could just make out a single slight diminutive woman. We moved to follow, on-mass, catching up with them at the lift. We crowded around the entrance to stare at the woman who was then standing alone inside – it wasn’t Siobhan, it wasn’t the brunette, it was the other one; but it was definitely her, we all agreed later (they had been playing a gig in town that night). One of our party, perhaps even worse for wear that rest of us, uttered the immortal question to her: “Are you Bananarama!?”. She gave kind of a half smile, her eye’s twinkling and replied, just as the lift’s door were closing: “I might be.”
Naturally we later reacted to our brush with celebrity in an entirely mature and sensible fashion by bellowing out ‘We’ve seen Bananarama!” as we walked home. Singing of this particular song – with arm movements – may have also been involved. Take it away girls…
in the silence of your room
