Curiosity Killed The Cat 'Down To Earth'

Chart Peak: 3

YouTube

Charted at No. 70 on 9th December 1986, moved slowly at first but then sped to No.3 by 10th February 1987 where it stayed for 3 weeks.

'Down To Earth' is kind of an apt title actually, you get a sort of culture shock with the segue from early-60s proto-soul to this slickly-produced blue-eyed jazz-funk number. Apparently, when Curiosity first began work on their debut album, Sly and Robbie were the producers, which sounds potentially interesting; but in the event they were replaced by Stewart Levine, who's also credited on two other tracks on Now 9, and lends the track a rather saturated tone with plenty of fretless bass - the sort of thing that was radio friendly between about 1986-8 but sounds curiously unengaging now.

Ben Volpeliere-Pierrot is obviously a good singer, although again the very smoothed-out nature of the arrangement is matched by his vocal, so full of elongated and elided syllables as to obscure not only the words themselves but any curiosity (no pun intended) about them. It's mildly catchy but not unforgettable; but the images it puts in my mind aren't of whatever the song might actually about, they're of a slightly smarmy salesman with overpolished shoes.

Also appearing on: Now 10, 16
Available on: Music Of The Year - 1986/Compilation

Curiosity Killed The Cat 'Name And Number'

Chart Peak: 14

YouTube

After three big hits in 1987 - 'Down To Earth', 'Ordinary Day' and 'Misfit' - Curiosity (Ben, Julian, Miggy & Nick) had a rest and then recorded their second album... 'Name And Number' was the first single and it peaked at No. 14 on 1st October 1989.

Sources seem to vary as to exactly what name the band were using at the time of this single, but judging by the sleeve of this album and the images of the single that I've found online, I've titled this post with the felicidal suffix that they eventually dropped.

Of the many sharp-suited pop-soul acts who emerged in this country around the mid-late 1980s, Curiosity were probably the most teen-friendly (unless you count Wet Wet Wet) and one gets the impression they were trying to shrug off some of the boyband reputation with the second album. Though not lyrically groundbreaking (it's the old standby of phoning somebody who doesn't pick up), 'Name And Number' certainly sounds like an attempt to be a bit grittier and funkier than their earlier material. Unfortunately, they're not the easiest band to take seriously and the ploy doesn't totally come off, but it's a catchy enough pop song. It didn't quite work out commercially either: though this was a decent sized hit, they found themselves in the unenviable position of following a Number One album with a No. 29, and no further hits ensued until they did a U-turn, shortened the name and released cover versions.

At least the chorus to this song had a second lease of life - it was of course used on De La Soul's 'Ring Ring Ring', which was probably more lucrative for them internationally than this. It doesn't really justify "Ben VP"s dance remake though.

Also appearing on: Now 9, 10
Available on: True 80s 3 CD SET

Curiosity Killed The Cat 'Misfit'

Chart Peak: 7 [originally 76 in 1986]

YouTube

At the time I did the search, the above video seemed to have survived - if it's been hidden by the time you read this, try this one.

I think even at the time, I thought there was something a bit silly about this. Yes, it's a ridiculous name for a band, but in those days lots of bands were called something like that. Maybe it was Ben Volpeliere-Pierrot (not his real name, of course - it was Martin Volpeliere-Pierrot) and his ridiculous hat and dancing; mind you, in hindsight that's pretty much what Michael Stipe was doing for the next few years. What I wouldn't have known or cared about at the time was that Andy Warhol (as in holes) appears in the video. You never saw him and Boot from The Perishers in the same place, did you?

From 2009, this is an easy record to make fun of, but perhaps there is something to be said for it. The chorus isn't as powerful as I remember it, at least in the mono versions I'm actually allowed to listen to, and the sentiment is pretty transparently cynical: but there is a half-decent tune lurking under here somewhere, and it certainly isn't the most ghastly thing on this album.


Also appearing on: Now 9, 16
Available on: The Very Best Of Curiosity Killed The Cat