The Real Thing
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| The Real Thing | |
|---|---|
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| Name | The Real Thing |
| Artist | ABC |
| Album | How to Be a ... Zillionaire? |
| Released | 1986 |
| Recorded | 1985–1986 |
| Genre | Synth-pop, New wave |
| Length | 4:23 |
| Label | Mercury Records, PolyGram |
| Writer | Martin Fry, Mark White |
| Producer | Mark White, Stephen Hague |
The Real Thing is a 1986 single by the English pop band ABC from their album How to Be a ... Zillionaire?. The song represents a transitional moment for the group, combining synth-driven arrangements with pop songcraft honed during their earlier work on The Lexicon of Love era sessions. It sits within the mid-1980s pop music milieu alongside releases by Duran Duran, Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, Tears for Fears, and Spandau Ballet.
Background and Origins
ABC formed in Sheffield, England, emerging from the early 1980s scene that produced The Human League, Heaven 17, Haysi Fantayzee, and Joe Jackson collaborators. The songwriting partnership of Martin Fry and Mark White built on relationships with producers and session musicians who had worked with Trevor Horn and Phil Spector-influenced artists such as ABC's contemporaries Talk Talk, Simple Minds, and Ultravox. During the mid-1980s, after lineup changes and the departure of original members to projects linked with Roxy Music alumni and Prefab Sprout, Fry and White sought a modernized palette echoing work by Prince, Stevie Wonder, Chic, and Alexander O'Neal.
Lyrics and Composition
Lyrically, the song uses romantic and metropolitan imagery reminiscent of single narratives on albums like Prince's mid-career records and Michael Jackson's contemporaneous output, while echoing the urbane sensibility of Bryan Ferry and Elvis Costello. Musically, it employs synthesizers and electronic percussion connected to instruments popularized by Roland Corporation and Yamaha Corporation—devices also used by Gary Numan, Vince Clarke, John Foxx, and Howard Jones. The melodic structure recalls the polished pop arrangements that characterized singles from Culture Club, ABC's earlier hitmakers Lulu-era orchestrations, and the lush productions of Peter Gabriel and Sting.
Recording and Production
Recording sessions took place in London studios where engineers and producers who had worked with Stephen Hague and Trevor Horn frequently collaborated with artists such as Pet Shop Boys, New Order, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, and Erasure. The production incorporated layered synthesizer pads, gated reverb on drum machines, and live guitar textures contributed by musicians associated with The The and session players who had toured with Sade and The Style Council. Mixing techniques reflected advances used on records by Michael Hutchence collaborators and remix approaches championed by DJs affiliated with Ministry of Sound clubs and London's dance scene near Camden Town.
Release and Commercial Performance
Issued by Mercury Records and distributed by PolyGram, the single entered charts contemporaneous with releases from Madonna, Whitney Houston, Pet Shop Boys, George Michael, and Bon Jovi. Its chart performance mirrored the competitive mid-1980s market dominated by artists on Warner Bros. Records, Columbia Records, and EMI Records. Promotion included appearances on television programs akin to Top of the Pops and radio rotation on stations similar to BBC Radio 1 and regional European broadcasters that showcased synth-pop and New wave singles. Sales and airplay placed the track alongside singles by Howard Jones, Belinda Carlisle, and Billy Idol during the same release window.
Critical Reception and Legacy
Contemporary reviews compared the song to ABC's earlier work on The Lexicon of Love and to productions by Trevor Horn, praising the polished production while noting a stylistic shift toward mainstream pop music of the era exemplified by Pet Shop Boys and Tears for Fears. Retrospective commentary situates the track among mid-1980s experiments in marrying orchestral pop sensibilities with electronic music innovations carried forward by artists like OMD, Simple Minds, and Depeche Mode. Its legacy persists in discussions alongside albums and singles catalogued by music historians covering the period of transition from post-punk to mainstream synth-pop dominated charts in the UK and the US.
Cover Versions and Cultural Impact
While not as frequently covered as some contemporaneous hits by Madonna or Prince, the song has been referenced and reinterpreted by tribute acts and DJs associated with scenes around London, Manchester, Birmingham, and international venues that celebrate 1980s pop, including festivals featuring Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet. Elements of its production inform sampling and remix work undertaken by producers linked to Aphex Twin-adjacent electronic projects and remix culture promoted by labels like Def Jam Recordings and 4AD. The song appears on compilation albums and retrospective playlists curated alongside tracks by ABC peers such as ABC's contemporaries Level 42, Kajagoogoo, and Midge Ure.
Category:1986 singles Category:ABC (band) songs Category:Synth-pop songs